The Billionaire's Dangerous Obsession - Chapter 14: Chapter 14

The door slammed in her face with a finality that made Nivera’s jaw clench so tight it ached.
He had seriously shut the door in her face after ignoring her question.
“Bastard!” she hissed, her voice shaking with the fury bottled in her chest.
Her knuckles curled into tight fists as she stood there, motionless for a few seconds, the echo of the door still ringing in her ears.
How dare he?!
Nivera backed away, heart pounding with rage. The sheer helplessness she felt—it was suffocating. Too familiar.
She’d clawed her way out of this kind of prison once before, back when she lived under her family’s thumb.
Her father’s strict rules, her mother’s silence, the watchful eyes of the Elton name pressing down on her like a curse.
She'd broken those chains.
But this? Alejandro’s version was proving to be more sinister. Slicker. The walls weren’t visible, but she could feel them closing in.
She didn’t care if it was a long shot—hell, she knew it was—but she had to at least try to get out. Anything was better than sitting around like a caged animal.
With that thought in mind, she pulled open the front door and stepped out into the crisp night.
She barely took two steps further when she came to a dead halt as she noticed a man. Upon a closer look, she realized that it was a guard.
However, it wasn’t just any guard. He was a towering man with sharp eyes and a rifle strapped across his chest and he turned at the sound of the door and their eyes locked.
Nivera’s breath caught in her throat. He didn’t move. But he didn’t need to.
The message was clear in his eyes and it was telling her that he wasn't going to let her go past him. She definitely didn't see the guard when they arrived at the mansion.
Did Alejandro put the guard to stop her from trying to run away?
Without thinking, Nivera spun on her heel and hurried back inside, slamming the door behind her with trembling hands.
As soon as she was sure that she was safe, she pressed a palm against her chest, feeling the frantic rhythm of her heartbeat beneath her ribs.
So that was a no. Leaving wasn’t just unlikely—it was impossible. Unless she had a death wish.
Walking back to the living room, she slumped into the couch with a huff and pulled out her phone.
Black screen.
“No, no, no,” she muttered, jabbing the power button. Nothing.
It was dead. Of course it was, she didn't charge it the night before.
“Great,” she snapped bitterly, tossing it beside her. “Just freaking perfect.”
Now she had nothing. No way out, no distractions, not even a damn game to pass the time.
Having nothing else to do and not knowing when Alejandro would get back, she leaned back into the sofa and shut her eyes.
Just for a second. She muttered to herself. She wasn’t trying to sleep. She just needed… to breathe.
Her body, however, had other plans…
Minutes passed. Maybe more.
Then— BANG!
The sound of the living room door slamming jolted her upright.
Her pulse skyrocketed as she scrambled off the couch, expecting to see Alejandro and curse him out for…
It wasn’t him! The realization made Nivera pause in her steps.
The man who walked in however had the same sharp jawline, the same dark hair, blue eyes, the same dangerous confidence laced into his gait.
But it wasn’t Alejandro.
His eyes widened the moment he spotted her, and he paused mid-step.
She knew who he was before he even spoke.
“Who are you?” The man asked in a cold voice
Nivera blinked, throat tightening as she didn't know what to say.
That voice. That face. The resemblance was uncanny.
He had to be Antonio. Alejandro’s cousin—or “brother” as everyone seemed to call him.
They were born on the same day. The resemblance, the bond… it fooled people all the time into thinking that they were twins.
And standing in front of him now, she understood why.
He had asked a question but she didn’t know how to answer.
What was she supposed to say?
“Hi, I’m the woman who stabbed your cousin in the neck. Or maybe the one he’s holding hostage out of spite?”
Yeah, that would do nothing more than get on his bad side as if there was one thing she learnt was that while the brothers fought when they were together, they didn't play when it came to having each other's back.
“I’m… Nivera,” she said, forcing her voice to stay calm.
Antonio tilted his head. “Okay. What are you doing here?”
‘I’m here because your insane brother has decided to ruin my life!’
That’s what she wanted to say.
But she couldn’t risk it. One Garcia was enough. Two? That might actually kill her.
“I don’t think I can explain it in a way that you’ll understand. Maybe… maybe wait for Alejandro to come back and let him tell you?”
It was the safest thing she could come up with.
Antonio stared at her, suspicion clear in his eyes.
Then— Growl!
Her stomach betrayed her with a loud, pitiful sound. Nivera winced as she was mortified.
Why did her stomach have to betray her every time she was around them?
“Sorry,” she muttered.
Antonio’s brow rose in amusement and she thought he was going to scold her. “Come. Let’s get you something to eat,” he said instead.
That shocked her more than anything else had that day. Why was he acting so nice?
She stared at him. Was this a trick? Some Garcia game of good cop, bad cop?
“No, I’m fine,” she said quickly. “Really.”
“You’re clearly hungry,” Antonio said. He didn’t ask again. He just turned and started walking.
Nivera hesitated, her feet rooted to the floor. Alejandro had refused her food. Hell, he’d all but threatened her with starvation.
But the way Antonio looked at her—calm, firm—told her there wouldn’t be a second offer.
So she followed.
The dining table was already set. Antonio poured himself a glass of wine and gestured to the food.
“Serve yourself and eat.”
She nodded and sat down, wary and stiff. The silence stretched between them like glass as he observed her.
Finally, she picked up the cutlery and served herself after which she took a cautious bite.
She hadn’t realized how hungry she was until the first taste hit her tongue.
Still, she didn’t let her guard down.
“You know the food isn't poisoned right?” She heard him say after minutes passed and when she looked down, she realized that she saw the mess she had made with her plate.
“Yes, I know,” she answered.
“Then you should eat especially as you're starving,” Antonio said and Nivera wondered for the umpteenth time what Antonio’s game plan was.
According to the reports, he wasn't a nice person and she highly doubted he has a case like Alejandro’s, hard outside but really a nice person.
No that couldn't be it.
Nivera’s spine straightened when she heard footsteps. She didn’t need to look. She knew it was Alejandro.
She could feel the shift in the room, the tension thickening.
A few minutes later, he came into view and his eyes fell on her.
“There you are. About time.” She heard Antonio say to him.
Alejandro didn’t look happy to see his cousin as his eyes flickered to the after which they landed on Antonio once again.
“What are you doing here?” he asked, voice low. Yes, he definitely wasn't happy to see Antonio, she concluded.
“You weren’t answering your phone. I figured I’d stop by. And when I got here, she was alone, looking like a hostage. I had to offer her something to drink before she chewed through the furniture.”
Wait what?! Nivera asked as she turned to glare at Antonio. Finally, his true face was gradually beginning to show “I wasn’t going to chew anything,” she responded.
“Yet,” Antonio quipped.
Yep, definitely Alejandro’s brother.
Alejandro didn’t respond and she watched as he walked into the room and sat across from them, his eyes were locked on Antonio.
Nivera looked at Antonio and Alejandro and the two were shooting looks at each other. Why did it feel like the only reason they were not at each other's throats was because she was here?
She immediately shot up from her seat. “I think I’ll… go back to the living room,” she said and didn’t wait for permission before bolting out of her suffocating environment.
She had barely made it to the living room when Alejandro appeared behind making her pause in her footsteps.
“Come with me,” he said as he turned and began to lead the way. He led her to a room which was upstairs, and he opened the door.
“Stay here. Don’t come out,” he simply said and Nivera stepped inside without a word.
She didn’t need to be told twice as that was what she wanted.
Alejandro then closed the door and he headed straight for his study.
Antonio was already there, wine in hand, leaning against the window like he owned the place.
“Where the hell have you been?!” Antonio asked, voice sharp, and the mask he had been putting on finally slipped. “And why didn’t you answer my messages?”
Alejandro walked over to the table and poured himself a drink. “Because I didn’t want to.”
“How emotionally mature,” Arthur hissed sarcastically.
Alejandro turned, eyes cold. “Don’t you have a wedding to plan?”
“So you remember.” Antonio raised a brow.
“Zabelle, huh?” Alejandro sipped his drink. “Didn’t think you’d be the one to break the pact.”
Antonio’s lips twitched. “It’s not about marriage. It’s about revenge. You, of all people, should understand that.”
Alejandro’s jaw tightened. He did understand. Too well.
But it didn’t make sense. They both had said they wouldn't get married no matter what as love was a hassle they weren't ready to go through.
There were many ways he could have gotten revenge on Zabelle. Why did it have to be through marriage?
“You’re marrying her to get back at Gabriel?” he asked, voice low. “That’s the plan?”
Antonio didn’t answer.
Instead, he stepped forward, eyes narrowing. “You still haven’t told me. Who is she?”
“That’s none of your business.”Alejandro’s expression darkened.
Antonio smirked. “I’d say it is, considering I just found her sitting on your couch, starving.”
“She’s fine now,” Alejandro snapped.
“You’re acting reckless.”
“Maybe.” Alejandro stepped closer, meeting his cousin’s gaze. “But this is my game, Ant
onio. Don’t get in my way.”
Their eyes locked, tension crackling like a live wire between them as neither of them moved