Xo Novel
Two naked bodies under the sheets
Speaking of the couple who went viral in a night, even though the Antonetes didn’t release an official statement and even though Irene didn’t show up after Bryce slapped her in the office, the two didn’t lose their confidence. They have their heads held high as they walked closer to the group of surprised and bitter people watching them enter the huge mansion.
The Desmana matriarch was the first to recover from the shock. “What is the young master of Antonete doing in our humble abode?” the old man asked sarcastically.
Joseph’s wheelchair stopped in front of Bryce. The newcomer looked at the old woman and smiled broadly. “Mrs. Desmana, when my woman entered my house, my mother gave her a seat. But —” Joseph looked around the living room. “I don’t see any chair for my wife. Is this how you treat your guest?” the man asked with a smile.
The Desmanas were silent for a moment before the matriarch spoke. “Watch your tongue, young man!” she warned. “How dare you enter my house after the scandal you caused?” The old woman looked at Irene. “And this shameless woman dared to take a step in my mansion after cheating on my grandson?”
“Lynet, didn’t you inform Mrs. Desmana that I would be visiting?” Joseph asked the daughter-in-law with a smile.
Everyone looked at Lynet who looked away. “I told Bryce. Since he’s the young master, he knows what to do,” said the woman.
“Bryce, you didn’t tell me?” the old woman asked angrily.
Bryce kept his eyes on Lynet. A glint flashed in his eyes before he looked away. “I forgot to tell you, Grandma.”
The old woman took a deep breath and looked at Grey Mondragon. “Please excuse us for this embarrassing scene.”
“Don’t be sorry, Madam Desmana.” Gray looked at Irene. “It’s my good niece who caused this mess.”
A few seconds of silence enveloped the inside before Samantha cleared a throat. “Young Master Antonete, I heard a lot about you. Finally, I’m able to meet you.”
“Oh?” Joseph turned to Samantha. “What did you hear about me?”
“That you are a promising young man who sealed almost a hundred business deals in one year after sitting as the CEO of Antonete Enterprise in Laguna,” Samantha answered with a smile. “I am in awe of your decisiveness and leadership.”
A subtle change could be seen in the faces of Desmana present in the scene. Bryce pressed his lips together because he knew what Samantha Mondragon was implying. But his ‘incompetence’ was caused by the woman’s branch family so why would she jest him?
Without waiting for Grey Mondragon’s words, Bryce ordered a maid to get a spare chair for Irene. When the woman sat down, Bryce asked what Joseph’s purpose was.C0pyright © 2024 Nôv)(elDrama.Org.
“This…” Joseph smirked and looked at Samantha. “I think Mr. And Mrs. Mondragon are here because of the canceled marriage agreement. Since you all know that I and Irene had slept together, I want to take her as my wife.”
“This… can’t be,” Lynet whispered but because it was quiet everyone heard her.
“Why? Irene is a Mondragon and since the Desmana won’t take her in, I’ll take her to my house,” said Joseph. “You won’t object to it right, Mrs. Mondragon?”
Samantha smiled from ear to ear. “No. If you want to marry my niece, then it’s good. Right, husband?” she asked and turned to Grey.
Grey’s eyes narrowed before nodding when Samantha raised an eyebrow because he didn’t immediately agree. The man sighed. “When do you plan to marry my niece?” Grey asked.
“Mr. Mondragon, this is not the right place to talk about the wedding,” the matriarch snapped. The old woman’s face soured. “Young Master Antonete, you can talk about your wedding in Antonete mansion but certainly not in mine. If you don’t have any business to talk to, someone will see you out.”
Does this old woman sending him away? Joseph raised his eyebrows then laughed loudly. “You just reminded me, Mrs. Desmana, of the business I had to deal with Bryce.” He looked at Bryce. “I remembered that you’ve dismissed someone from the board of directors and told him to come to me. Well, the very same man is working at my company now and he’s a very good employee.”
Bryce clenched his fist at his words, his eyes narrowed. “Oh? You must thank my Vice President for giving you such an outstanding dog.”
“Yes. I must thank her because that outstanding dog did me a favor of securing a deal with Fuego Empire in the capital. Now, the Antonete’s main branch thinks highly of me,” Joseph said happily. Seeing that Bryce’s face couldn’t be painted, the man laughed. “But it seems like I and my woman are not welcome in your house, Mr. Desmana. I shall bid my goodbye and send my regards to Miss Bree Mondragon. Tell her I’ll visit her one of these days to properly say my thanks,” Joseph said before turning the wheelchair around and running it out of the mansion. Irene silently followed the man like a model wife.
Bryce clenched his fist and forced a smile to look at Grey Mondragon. “I’m sorry for having you watch such a farce, Mr. Mondragon. Why don’t we eat first before continuing our business?” he asked.
Gray just smiled. Just then the Desmanas and the Mondragon couple went to the dining room together.
Jenica clicked her tongue. She was still skeptical of what Joseph told earlier.
As far as she knows, the Antonete in Laguna is just a small branch living like a local tyrant and has no real connection with the main branch in the capital. So it’s surprising to know that Fuego Empire in the capital decided to extend a hand to this local tyrant.
Her eyes narrowed and she called her assistant. “What’s happening in the Fuego Empire?” she asked.
The assistant was silent for a few seconds before answering. “There’s a new acting CEO of Fuego Empire. It was announced this morning that Alexander Fuego is sick and needs medical attention for the next months. His uncle Renege is now the acting CEO and he plans to help clans outside of the capital to extend the Empire’s influence.”
“Oh? He’s sick?” Jenica raised her eyebrows. It had been a few weeks since she last talked to the man. The last time she checked, he was dying in the hospital because of the assassin who approached him while they were in the South. Her jaw clenched. “Do you know where’s Alexander Fuego now?”
“Our spies haven’t found Alexander Fuego yet. The information about the new acting CEO comes from the official statement of the said company this morning. There’s a shift in the power that’s why some of our top agents successfully infiltrated Fuego Empire but they haven’t sent news back to the HQ.”
Jenica’s teeth clenched. “Do a background check on Joseph Antonete as well as the recent news on Antonete Enterprise in Laguna.”
“Roger that.”
She hung up and narrowed her eyes, looking at the footage on the laptop screen. The Desmanas are currently eating at the long dining table with the Mondragon couple. But Jenica’s thoughts are not in the footage.
She’s thinking about her bastard husband. Renato, Alex’s personal assistant, did not call her again and a few days have passed since he informed her that Alex was undergoing surgery in the capital. Jenica forgpt this matter because of this mission in Laguna.
She slapped her forehead and quickly reached for her personal phone. Jenica called Alex’s personal number but he didn’t answer her call. Jenica’s eyebrows met. What’s happening with that man?
So she called Renato’s number several times before someone answered on the other line. Before she could speak, she heard a hoarse voice of a woman on the other line.
“B*tch! Do you not want your life? You’re disturbing my sleep!”
Jenica blinked and frowned. If she’s not mistaken, that’s Gia Antonete’s voice.
“Speak what you want or I’ll kill you for waking me up!” Gia shouted in annoyance.
Jenica pressed her lips together. Gia has Renato’s phone? What does it mean? Did something really happen to her bastard husband? And how could Gia use Renato’s phone?
She opened her mouth to speak when she heard a man’s voice on the other line. “Are you this noisy when you wake up?” he asked, annoyed.
Jenica’s heart skipped a beat when she heard Alex’s voice alongside Gia’s. Her husband’s voice was also hoarse, and she pictured out two naked bodies under the sheets.