Chapter Two: Tangled Encounters.

Her cologne filled his nostrils, and he instantly remembered her. THE RICH KID

Ximena's face flushed red, and her breath came out like fire. She pushed him, and though there was a crowd, Mumur was among them. He grabbed her waist firmly, and she fell on him.

His lips came close to her ear. "Push and I will pull, pull and I will push." His words were cold, his aura frozen.

Her gaze fell to his lips, and an unnoticed spark flared within her.

She jerked away from his body. Her face turned tomato-red, and her hair was slightly disheveled. His fingers reached up to smooth it.

Rex smirked, winked at the ladies, and the club continued its pulse. He moved towards another woman and danced with her.

Ximena stormed out of the club, opting to sleep in her car until the night ended.

The clock ticked loudly. Alarms blared as groans escaped lips. Lazy legs remained tangled in sheets. "Dad!... You can't be serious, can you?" Ximena trailed behind her father. Mr. Jones halted and turned.

She bumped into him, but he caught her hands. "Since you were born, I've prepared you for the responsibilities ahead. Just handle this one."

He bent to her level and hugged her. "I'll miss you, Dad," she said softly.

Valerie sat on the couch, munching cheese from her fingers. Several men came in and carried her father's bags outside. "Bye, Dad!" they chorused, waving.

"Come on, Ximie, this is your chance to make Dad proud."

"What do you mean?"

"You studied business, right? You can manage the company’s activities and show Dad that..."

"No, it's too much..."

"Problem? You're the bravest person I know..."

"You know how Mom can be."

"Besides, you’ve got me here!" The sisters turned to see her. "AUNTY MAGGIE!!" They ran into her embrace. Laughter bubbled up, eyes shining with excitement.

"It's all good. I'm here now."


"Who was that girl?" Rex wondered aloud, opening his laptop. "She smelled of such a strong cologne."

He placed the laptop on the desk, standing as he studied the screen. XIMENA JONES (AMETHYST)

"She's a billionaire, an online manager, and a celebrity?"

"Wow, so powerful and commanding."

"And she's beautiful." Rex rolled his eyes at the comments. No matter how impressive she was, she didn’t have to be so arrogant. I'm a CEO too. He fell back onto the white couch, shutting his eyes.

Rex was still in his office when the door slipped open. "Boss!" His assistant, Chloe, burst in. "You’ve been awarded the contract!"

His face lit up. "You mean the contract? Wow, we’ve made it!"

"Yes, and you have a meeting with their CEO, but her daughter is taking over," she exhaled. "The famous Ximena Jones."

His eyes widened, and his jaw dropped. He took a deep breath. "Chloe, why do you think she’s handling the company?"

"To prove herself to her father, I guess."

"She needs me as much as I need her," he thought. "Reply to their email. Postpone the meeting to a later brunch; I won’t be coming."

"Yes, Boss!"


Elegant legs stepped out of the luxury car. She was dressed in a sleek black and beige outfit. Removing her sunglasses, she walked inside.

Strands of her hair framed her ears, the rest tied neatly in a ponytail. Her face was perfectly made up.

She moved in sync with the click of her heels. XIMENA JONES

Ximena entered the CEO's office, her assistant and secretary trailing behind. She touched the desk, inspecting her fingertips. "Get the cleaner."

Her secretary turned to leave, but Ximena looked at her assistant, and the assistant hurried off instead. "Mike, I need the company’s records from the past few months."

"Ma'am, that’s a lot."

"Be quick and efficient," she ordered. He bowed and left.

Mike returned with the records, placing them on the desk. She flipped through them. "Dad signed a new contract?"

"Yes, your father signed that before he..."

"And I’m just finding out about this now?"

"Ma'am, you have a meeting with their CEO," Mike reminded her. Ximena’s face turned red with frustration. "I’m sorry, ma'am. He’s usually punctual."

There was a knock on the door. Her assistant entered. "Ma'am, she’s here."

"She?" Ximena thought. "Let her in anyway."


---

Ximena stole one last glance at the mirror. She was stunning in her dress. With a deep breath, she walked to the car, and the driver sped off into the night.

"Here's the address," She said, handing him the paper.

Fidgeting with her phone felt like torture, but she'd do anything for his approval. When the car came to a stop, she took a moment, letting her heels connect with the earth as if gathering strength.

The coffee shop looked deserted, the lights off, but she pushed the door open anyway. The soft clink of a spoon against a teacup echoed in the darkness.

Suddenly, the lights flickered on. She shielded her eyes, blinking until they adjusted. And there he was—Rex Williams.

He stood there, effortlessly commanding the space. That smirk of his... it made her insides twist. Her eyes widened, betraying her nerves. He moved closer, and she could feel the heat radiating from his body.

Without warning, she dropped her ring. He inched forward until they were a breath apart. She swallowed hard, trying to keep it together.

"Hey, pretty," he whispered, his breath hot against her ear. "Why not pull... I wish to push."

She froze. Words stuck in her throat, her body stiff with tension. His gaze bore into hers, reading every flicker of uncertainty. Then, just as quickly, he turned away and sat down.

She didn’t wait. Her instincts screamed at her to leave. The feeling was foreign—unnerving—but she couldn’t explain it. She had to get out.

Back in the car, a few meters from home, she tried Valerie’s number again, but still no connection. The quiet gnawed at her as she stepped out, approaching the front door.

No one answered the bell. Stepping back, she spotted her mother—Lavender—holding a knife, her expression dark and unreadable.

Ximena’s heart raced. She ran toward her, grabbing the knife by the blade, blood staining her hand, but Lavender wouldn’t let go.

"Stay away from me, princess," Lavender warned, her voice cold.

Ximena’s eyes darted to the ground—scattered clothes, a basket of fruit. A picnic. Her breath caught in her throat as the pain in her palm sharpened.

"Evil princess, leave us alone!" Lavender’s voice rose, sending a chill through Ximena. Her face paled, her legs weak beneath her.

Margaret appeared from inside, holding a bowl of food and drinks, but Ximena turned and ran.

“Ximie…” Margaret’s voice trailed behind her.

Thunder rumbled, followed by the steady patter of rain. Ximena found herself on a bench by the roadside, her thoughts as heavy as the downpour around her.

The night was quiet, save for the rain. A figure approached, though she couldn’t make out the details.

"Beautiful night, isn’t it?" the stranger said, his voice soft but clear. The streetlights cast a warm glow, making the rain seem almost peaceful.

"Yeah, it is," she replied, wiping the rain from her face. Now she could see him. He wore a soldier’s uniform, his eyes kind but tired, with deep wrinkles etched into his skin. He looked like he had seen too much of the world.

"Days are gifts from destiny," he said thoughtfully. "How we live them determines their worth. So, how was your day?"

She let out a bitter laugh. "If being embarrassed and humiliated counts as a cool day, then yeah, it was just peachy." She sighed, her voice dropping. "Sometimes I think I’m cursed, like I can’t do anything right… always messing up."

"I get it," he said, his tone gentle. "But maybe you’d feel better if you knew someone else had it worse."

He paused, then began his story. "There was a man once. He had a beautiful family—a wife and two children. But life turned on him. He lost his job, and money got tight. He started digging into his savings, but it wasn’t enough.

"He loved his wife too much to tell her, so he began gambling, hoping to win it all back. But small, reckless choices have a way of spiraling.

"He lost everything. Gambled away the little they had left. Took loans from other gamblers. Then one day, he slept with one of the women who loaned him money—thinking he could charm his way out of his debt.

"His wife walked in on them. She ran out, into the street, and was hit by a car.

"His life crumbled after that. The gamblers came after him, his children ran away, and in desperation, he joined the military to escape it all."

A car's headlights pierced through the rain, breaking her focus. When she blinked, the old man was gone, disappearing as mysteriously as he had appeared.

The car stopped beside her, the window rolling down. Rex Williams. Again.

"Need a ride?" His voice cut through the rain, and she looked down at her bleeding palm, the pain more real than ever.

She hesitated, but eventually stood and climbed into the car. Her heart skipped when he handed her something—a ring.

"You left this," he said, his eyes glinting. "I’m Rex Williams, CEO of—"

"Ximena Jones," she interrupted, her voice steady this time.

"The foot we started on has been cut off," he said smoothly. "But can we be cool partners to achieve our business goals?"

"Sure," she replied, forcing a smile. "Nice to meet you. But did you, by any chance, see an old man with me earlier?"

He raised an eyebrow, confusion written on his face. "Old man? You were alone."

She shook her head, brushing it off. "Never mind. I was probably imagining things."


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