“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 began walking out of the house.
“Where are you going?” Miguel asked.
“I'm just trying to take a walk, won't take long.” Alejandro lied.
He still has some more people to deal with, one of which is his ex- boss, Mr. Gerald.
Alejandro drove to The Diamond hall, where he used to work. He parked his black SUV at the entrance and got out. Dressed casually in black, his hair slicked back, and wearing shades. He was ready to take over this business.
At the entrance, security didn't recognize him, but they let him in. Emily gasped when she saw him.
“Alejandro! You're back!” she exclaimed, clearly surprised and happy to see him.
She knew he was framed and felt bad when he got fired by Mr. Gerald.
“Yea I'm.” Alejandro said and hugged her.
“And what are you doing here? You have no shame coming back,” Henry, another coworker, asked him. He had never liked him and was happy when Alejandro got fired.
Alejandro ignored him and went straight to Mr. Gerald's table and said calmly. “I'm here to buy something.”
“Henry is right, you shouldn't be here,” his ex-boss, Mr. Gerald, replied.
“You've changed, Mr. Gerald. You taught me to never look down on anyone and to never treat anyone badly but you kicked me out even when you knew I was framed.
“Shut up and get out now!” Mr. Gerald yelled at him and pointed towards the door.
“I want to buy your business,” Alejandro stated firmly.
“With which money?” Mr. Gerald scoffed, “My business is worth 20 million dollars and how could you, a low-life, even think of such an impossible thing.”
“Guess you haven't seen the news,” Alejandro replied cryptically before transferring $50 million to Mr. Gerald's account.
The credit alert shocked Mr. Gerald. “How did you do that?” Mr. Gerald exclaimed.
Henry and the rest of the co-workers were taken aback by his sudden wealth.
“Transfer the business to Emily within a few days, or else you'll be in trouble,” Alejandro warned before leaving.
Emily could not believe her eyes. She opened her mouth to speak but couldn't say anything.
“Where have you been? You lied to me that you were going out for a walk,” Miguel questioned when Alejandro returned.
“Relax, Miguel,” Alejandro replied, flashing a smile.
“Why do I have a feeling you went to do something bad?” Miguel stood with his hands on his hips, looking concerned. Alejandro knew he couldn't avoid explaining.
“I just bought another business,” Alejandro confessed, trying to downplay the situation.
“Let me guess, Mr. Gerald?” Miguel said.
“How did you know?” Alejandro asked and raised an eyebrow.
“It's all over the news. You should know by now that you're a celebrity, your every move will be watched by the media,” Miguel explained, showing Alejandro the TV coverage.
“I'm sorry, okay, but I needed to prove a point,” Alejandro apologized, but Miguel remained stern.
“It's better now. Get ready, we have a party to attend in the evening,” Miguel said, reminding him of the meeting they have with a wealth businessman.
“I thought you weren't going. What made you change your mind?” Alejandro asked.
“I can't leave you to make a fool of yourself, I know that's what will happened,” Miguel replied with a snort, earning a chuckle from Alejandro.
The evening came quickly, and both men dressed in nicely fitted three-piece suits. Miguel wore a jade green and black suit, while Alejandro managed a royal blue and white suit. They looked like really stunning.
Arriving at the party, they were greeted by paparazzi at the entrance. Despite the bodyguards' efforts, the flashing cameras made it hard to see.
“Mr. García! What made you acquire The Diamond Hall?”
“Was it a business move or to settle an old score?”
“Which business will you take over next?”
Questions bombarded them, and the paparazzi got too close. Suddenly, someone grabbed Alejandro's arm firmly yet gently. It was Sophia, looking stunning and smiling for attention.
“Everyone, calm down. He'll answer your questions after the party,” Sophia announced, linking arms with Alejandro.
“Excuse me, ma'am! Who are you to Mr. García?” a reporter asked, puzzled.
“Well, I'm his wife, of course!” Sophia declared, her grin wickedly gorgeous. But Alejandro was not pleased.
“What the hell are you doing here, Sophia? What do you want?” he snapped, pulling his arm away.
“Alejandro, we can talk about this when we get inside,” Sophia said softly, trying to diffuse the situation.
“So now I'm rich, you want me back?” Alejandro scoffed loudly, making his feelings clear to everyone.
“Is it true she is your wife, Mr. García?”
“Why is she never with you?” the questions became more direct.
Alejandro decided to set the record straight, grabbing a mic from a reporter. “This is Sophia Brown, and yes, she was my wife. We are divorced,” Alejandro announced firmly, returning the mic before heading further inside.
Sophia tried to grab him again, but Alejandro rejected her touch. “Don't touch me! I already signed the divorce papers! It's over! There's nothing between us!”
“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
Alejandro took all Mr. Lopez's advice. That night, he called all the managers and CEOs in charge of his business and told them that everything is alright but they should tighten security measures and that they should disregard the news because he's safe.That night, he also hired some of the best fight instructors to start training him and Miguel and also protect them.As early as 6 am, Theo and his team arrived at the location of the farmhouse Alejandro provided. They were there to serve as Alejandro's new security team, responsible for his protection and training."Hello, Mr. Garcia, we're at the location you gave us. Come out," Theo called out.Alejandro and Miguel, who barely slept the whole night, came out and met the team of five men.They were from a private security company and would be paid 1 million dollars yearly for their services."Good morning,” Alejandro greeted them and asked, "Mr...?""Good morning, Mr. Garcia. I'm Theo, Theo Gustavo, and these are the rest of my team
After Miguel shared what they found, Alejandro pondered for a moment before speaking up."So, Theo, what do you suggest we do?" he asked. "Let's hear everyone's opinions. I think Nathan and Jake should be included too, so they can give their input.""No need for that. They have communication buds in their ears, so they can hear us and stay connected," Theo explained. "Nathan, do you copy? Jake, do you copy?""Yes, Theo," Nathan responded from the other end."Always," Jake chimed in as well."Wow," Alejandro remarked. "I think you'll need one too, Mr. Garcia," Theo suggested."Yeah, sure. It's necessary," Miguel agreed. "I'll need one too."Theo gave a thumbs up and continued, "So, back to what I'm suggesting. I think it all depends on what you want, but I suggest we contact this Diego Morales and find out exactly what he wants.""Good, I'm thinking the same too," Alejandro agreed."Jackson, do you have any leads on getting his contact info?" Theo inquired."Yeah, I think I might be a