That night, it was past twelve when he got back home.
He told Miguel what happened, and how Charlotte ruined everything.
"Charlotte, again?” Miguel inquired. His eyebrows were raised.
"Yeah, she's been making my life miserable," Alejandro said and shook his head in disbelief.
Miguel sighed, "That sounds terrible. What are you going to do now?"
Alejandro shrugged. "I don't know. I feel lost," he admitted.
"You have to go back to Sophia," Miguel suggested to him.
Alejandro hesitated, "What's the point? What if she doesn't want me back?"
"You won't know until you try," Miguel said and tried to reason with him. “You love her right?” Miguel asked and it spiked up passion in Alejandro, he moved from depressed to interested in a few seconds, turned to face his best friend.
“She's my whole life, I can't live without her.” He admitted softly.
“Then go to her.” That was the solution. And then Alejandro decided he was going to see Sophia, he just hoped he wouldn't regret it.
Alejandro nodded slowly, contemplating Miguel's words. "You're right. I'll go see her tomorrow," he said and then closed his eyes to sleep.
***
The next morning, Alejandro dressed in casual clothes and headed to Sophia's company. He knew she was busy running her skincare business, but he had to see her.
When he arrived, he greeted Stella, the receptionist, with a warm smile. She was always kind to him, unlike most others.
"You look lovely today, Stella," Alejandro complimented her, making her blush.
"And you're looking good too," Stella replied, her smile widening. "Madam is free right now, so I'll take you to her personally."
As they walked to Sophia's office, the staff were all looking at Alejandro in an odd way.
The news about Alejandro stealing has spread throughout the neighborhood.
Stella has heard the news too but refuses to believe any of it.
"How are you holding up, Alejandro?" Stella asked.
"I've been better," Alejandro admitted with a small sigh. "But I'm trying to stay positive."
"I'm sorry to hear about what happened. You don't deserve any of this."
Alejandro shrugged, a pained expression crossing his face. "It is what it is. I just hope Sophia will hear me out."
"I'm sure she will. Just be honest and speak from your heart." She said and gave him an encouraging smile.
"Thanks, Stella. You're always so supportive."
"That's what friends are for. Now go on, she's waiting for you."
With a deep breath, Alejandro knocked on Sophia's door and opened it.
His eyes widened when he saw what was happening.
His wife was having sex with a man in her office.
His heart sank and rage took over him. He stormed over and pushed the man away from his wife and started beating him.
“What the heck are you doing?” He growled at the man.
“And what are you doing in my office?” Sophia shot back.
But Alejandro didn't reply to her. Instead, he kept beating the man.
“Ahh!” The man cried out in pain. “Honey, who's this man?”
“Alejandro, move!” Sophia said but he didn't, so she went around him and stood between them. “Who let you in? You're not supposed to be here without an appointment!”
“Sophia, really? I'm your husband! Do I need an appointment now?” He slammed his fist on her table as he shouted, “Explain what this guy is doing here?” He pointed at the man.
But they looked at him like he was crazy. “Hey, don't you dare talk to me that way,” the man said. “Honey, can you get him out of here?”
Sophia put a hand on the man's chest which made Alejandro twitch. “Don't worry, Sweet. He's a dog, when he's done barking, he will leave.” She then turned to Alejandro and said. “Don't talk to my client like that, Alejandro, or else I'll sue you.” she warned.
“So this is what you do to get clients? They told me, but I'd rather believe my wife than the rumors of haters.” He said and weakly crashed into a chair.
“And? At least I do something! I have built this! What have you done? Nothing! You're just useless and worthless! What have you ever given me?” She shot back before going to her desk. “I am sick and tired of you. I regret ever marrying you!” She brought out a file, walked over, and threw it at him.
He looked at the heading boldly written on the paper. “Divorce?”
“Yes, Alejandro, I want a divorce. I can't do this anymore. Let's go our separate ways.”
Her words froze him, memories flashing through his mind. Instead of anger, extreme sadness and sharp pain filled his chest.
He was silent as he looked at the papers, seeing that she had already signed them. The pain intensified.
With a final glance at his wife and her new lover, he held back tears.
He turned to the papers again, summoning his last strength, he bounced out of her office.
But Alejandro didn't go back home. He headed straight to the nearest bar, a place he often went to after fights with Sophia. Now that it was over between them, it might be the last time he'd visit this bar—or maybe it would be the day he'd never leave.
“Give me the strongest one,” he ordered, and the bartender quickly served him. He downed it in one gulp.
He kept requesting for more, so the bartender served shot after shot until Alejandro was completely wasted into the night.
Alejandro slumped on the counter. He could barely walk straight, but he knew he had to start going home.
The bright lights of the nightlife greeted him outside, making him feel fuzzy. Sophia's words echoed in his mind—she was right. He felt useless, with nothing to offer her, and she found a better replacement.
Alejandro found himself in front of a casino. He had always had a bad habit for bets. Digging into his pocket, he found only 10 dollars left. He shrugged and entered the casino.
“I want a ticket,” he told the girl, handing her the 10 dollars.
“Which game, sir?” she asked, and he picked the one with the highest payout. Despite knowing he'd likely lose, he still chose it.
“What number, sir?”
“369.” It was his lucky number. The number was available, so she cut it out for him.
When she turned over the ticket, her mouth dropped and her eyes widened in confusion.
“Sir, you just won a billion dollars!”
“I think I drank too much last night,” Alejandro groaned loudly as he slowly opened his eyes.He realized he wasn't in Miguel's apartment but in a luxurious room with fine decorations, including a chandelier and satin sheets.He checked his phone and saw numerous missed calls from Miguel. But before he could return the call, he noticed a credit notification— a billion dollars! He couldn't believe his eyes."Holy fuck!" Alejandro exclaimed in disbelief. He tried to piece together the memories from last night.He vividly remembered Sophia asking for a divorce. Then he remembered the lottery ticket with the number 369 and the billion-dollar prize written on the back.He had won the lottery!He excitedly rushed out of the hotel room and headed straight to find Miguel.Alejandro didn't walk to Miguel's, he ran. Everyone who saw him coming dodged to avoid getting knocked down by his speed.In a few minutes, he reached Miguel's place and barged in.“Miguel! Miguel, where are you?” He shouted
“Ale, look at our views!” Miguel burst out of the room into the sitting room and showed Alejandro his new phone. Alejandro, who was engrossed in reading the news and sipping coffee, took the device from his friend. They had nearly hit 100 million views, an astonishing number.“Wow! We're famous!” Alejandro exclaimed, feeling a rush of excitement. He couldn't believe how quickly their fame had grown. He returned the phone back to Miguel and sighed dejectedly.“You're thinking about Sophia again, aren't you?” Miguel asked him, pouring himself some coffee.“I still love her, but I can't forget what she did. She never believed in me. I wonder how she'll react when she sees me now,” Alejandro confessed. “Maybe we should take over her business too?” He further suggested.“Not now, Alejandro. Let's stop with acquiring people's businesses and focus on building our own empire. Remember the Casino idea I mentioned? That could be our next big venture,” Miguel said.Alejandro just got up and beg
“Ah, Mr. García, it's good to see you here. What was the commotion all about outside?” Mr. Lopez, the host, greeted them as they entered. He was an elderly man with matching beard and hair, dressed in a dragon-themed black and gold three-piece suit.“Just someone looking for publicity, let's proceed,” Miguel answered for Alejandro.Alejandro and Miguel were invited as special guests to one of the year's biggest parties, exclusive to the elite. The venue was lavishly decorated, and the room buzzed with chattering.One of the reasons they had come was to discuss the establishment of their new casino.Alejandro's head was filled with memories of Sophia, and bitterness crept into his heart. “You guys can continue without me.” He said and walked to take a seat near the poolside.After about an hour, Miguel walked up to him and saw him in a bad mood.“Cool down, Alejandro, here,” Miguel offered him a glass of sparkling white wine, leading him to a secluded garden area. “What's the matter? Y
“Hey Alejandro, check it out, the Casino is all set!” Miguel exclaimed, handing over the completed business papers.Alejandro's relief was palpable as he checked the documents. He Was Impressed by Miguel's meticulous work. His friend had truly outdone himself, and Alejandro couldn't help but feel a surge of pride.Across from him, Miguel wore a proud smirk.“Thanks, Miguel. You did an amazing job,” Alejandro praised, marveling at the detailed plans and business model laid out before him.They finalized the deal with Mr. Lopez, and shook hands with him. “It was a pleasure doing business with you Mr Lopez, anytime you come to the Casino, you would not need to pay for a thing.” Miguel said.“When do you plan to open it?” Mr. Lopez inquired.“Well, we were thinking of opening it as soon as possible as we don't want to keep people waiting.” Alejandro suggested.Mr. Lopez nodded in agreement, "I think that's a good idea considering the fact people would rush it since you guys have made name
“Mr García, is she telling the truth?”“No. She's not.” Alejandro said.“When were you last together?” Another reporter thrust the microphone towards Alejandro, but he knocked it out of her hands.Sophia grabbed the microphone and answered, “We were together a few nights back.”“Are you denying being the father because you two are no longer together?” another reporter pressed.“Why would Sophia lie about the pregnancy?”“Do you have any proof that the child isn't yours?”The reporters bombarded him with questions.Alejandro exchanged a weary glance with Miguel, sensing his friend's exhaustion.Even though today was supposed to be a very happy day for them both, Sophia's relentless accusations were wearing them both down.Alejandro took a deep breath, steeling himself for what he had to say. “Sophia and I are divorced, she is no longer my wife and that pregnancy is not mine. She is a liar,” Alejandro asserted firmly.You're pushing away your child!” She screamed at him but the tension
Miguel was right. Things kept getting worse. Social media was going crazy, heavily favoring Sophia as she granted them coverage after coverage, using each one to slander her ex-husband with passive aggression.Everywhere Alejandro went, there was a crowd ready to hurt him because they believed he hurt Sophia. He watched how people insulted and slandered him on social media, calling him an abusive man, a liar, a cheat, a fraud, and so many hurtful things. It was getting to him.That night, he turned off his phone and sank deeper into the sheets, hoping to fall into a deep slumber before the lights came on. He threw the covers to his midsection and he saw Miguel at the door.“Why are you still awake?” Miguel asked.“Nothing.” Alejandro said.“I need to talk to you about something,” Miguel said, inviting himself in and moving closer to his friend's bed.“If it's about what's going on, then I don't want to talk about it,” Alejandro replied quickly, pulling the sheets over his head.But Mi
Alejandro returned home and shared what happened with Miguel.“What? Ale?” Miguel reacted with surprise and shock. “Striking a deal doesn't mean you should bring her back into your life. You could have given her money to shut her up!”Alejandro took a deep breath. “Sophia is pregnant and it's my baby. We talked and I think I have forgiven her.” He felt vulnerable, hoping Miguel would understand.“So you want to get married to her again? She hasn't changed, Ale. What about all the things she said about you? Doesn't it mean anything anymore?” Miguel paused his cooking, gesturing for Alejandro to sit down.Alejandro recalled everything. “I know Sophia has done wrong, but I still love her. I've always loved her, Miguel. And you know I've always wanted to be a dad too.”“What if the baby isn't yours?”“It is!!” Alejandro's voice rose with a mix of fear and sadness. He calmed himself. “The night of the party…I slept with her. I was drunk.”“So she raped you?” Miguel's tone turned cocky, but
Back at Alejandro's mansion, he was still restless.Miguel, on the other hand, was thinking about what possible way to protect themselves. He went into Alejandro's room to discuss with him.“Alejandro, I think that we should move to another place, like a more secluded place. We are being monitored, and our security guards are not strong enough. Can you imagine they ran away during the attack?” Miguel said, touching Alejandro's chest.“Who are they? And what exactly do they want?” Alejandro asked.“I don't know, but we must leave here right now before things get worse. Remember Sophia is pregnant with your baby.”“I don't want anything to happen to my baby. I have to protect my baby,” he snapped his hand away, pacing around all stressed up.“That's why we must go into hiding before we find back up plans and all the information to help us. Think, Ale,” Miguel responded and started to pack everything important, including clothes and a computer.Alejandro was so anxious; this is the first