Chapter 38 STUPID ASS

Chapter 38 STUPID ASS
VERONICA POV

Even though I had given Jason all the sharp, biting answers I could muster, my hands were still trembling after he left.

The novels I read in the past had actually come in handy. That was exactly where I got those ways of turning him down on the spot.

I groaned and rubbed both hands over my face.

It just felt like going through a maze, always the same thing over and over again.

If anyone ever sat me down to listen to the story of my life, they’d probably end up crying—from secondhand embarrassment.

I had warned Jason several times. All the fucking damn times. But no, he didn’t seem ready to get out of my way. He wanted Moni, then fine, he had her now.

Why was he trying so hard with me? And I knew he wasn’t doing it because he had a soft spot for me. He just loved to see me in pain.

Honestly, I was human and I didn’t deserve all this that I kept going through. All I did was try my possible best to tolerate every nonsense. Well, that was how I was brought up. That was what Mom and Dad always wanted.

Well, thank you, Mom and Dad. Especially you, Dad, for kicking me out just because I couldn’t endure a relationship that was toying with my mental health.

I exhaled slowly, trying to shake off the unease that settled low in my stomach, and focused on the reason why I was really here.

The store was finally getting into shape. It looked polished and bright. The chandelier caught my eyes immediately. My lips parted in surprise.

“This is so beautiful,” I whispered.

I stood in the middle of the store and did a little spin around the place. The fresh smell of wood and paint filled my nose. A warm sense of success rolled through me.

My phone buzzed.

It was an alarm reminding me to meet Xavier at his office. He had told me to come and submit the first plan and pick up a new file.

Just as I left my space, I walked toward the elevator and tapped the button. Right when I was about to step inside, I heard my name called from behind.

“Veronica.”

The voice was loud and sharp. I turned back instinctively. The face was quite unfamiliar. A blonde lady with a perfectly laid bun. I wondered in my mind how much hair gel she had applied to get that result. It definitely required a whole lot of patience and hard work, which I really didn’t have the time for. She wore a sharp red pencil skirt, and her stiletto heels clicked on the marble floor as she walked forward. She looked furious, with the way her brows were lifted.

“Yes?” I replied, confused by who she was and how she knew my name. Her eyes drifted over my body from head to toe, looking at me with clear disgust, which made my stomach twist.

“So you’re the mystery girl in the newspaper, huh?” she asked.

That question made my head pound. My lips parted, my throat tightened, and my eyes widened.

What? Who was she and how did she recognize me from the papers? My face was heavily blurred in the headline.

“Who are you?” I asked, trying to keep my voice steady despite the tons of questions racing through my head.

“I am Camila Xial. The retired mayor’s daughter and the wife of Xavier Cross,” she said.

My stomach twisted hard. I went pale for a second. She said she had recognized me from the papers. Who was she and what authority did she have to question me this way?

Wait… could she be the photographer? Then I scanned her body slowly. With how elite and classy she looked, she didn’t seem like someone who would be taking photographs of people. Rather, the roles would be reversed.

And when she introduced herself as the wife of Xavier, I immediately stopped breathing.

At my hesitation, she exclaimed, “Ahah! I knew it! You’re Veronica, the one kissing my husband in the morning newspaper, huh?”

Her words hit me like a slap. For a moment, I wished the concrete ground would open up and swallow me whole.

This was the last thing I wanted people to know. So how did she know?

Then a sharp wave of emotion hit me. Jealousy. Heat spread through my chest. I wanted to reach out and pull my hair from its roots so hard until it hurt. As I looked at her, I hated her for saying she was the wife to Xavier.

Another emotion slammed into me like a slap. Anger. He had flirted with me, kissed me countless times, taken me on dates, and even got me a house for me and the kids while he was married the whole fucking damn time.

My vision blurred. I blinked continuously to keep the tears from falling.

This was so ridiculous and awful of him. After all he knew I had gone through, he went ahead and did even worse. Well, it was fine.

I shouldn’t be angry. There was no label on whatever was going on between us. It wasn’t like I had any feelings for him.

I tried to make myself feel better.

I inhaled deeply and exhaled slowly. All that mattered were my children, Adrian and Agatha. I shouldn’t let this get to me.

“Xavier Cross’s wife,” I addressed her. “What mystery girl are you talking about and do you have any proof that I’m the mystery girl?”

She jerked her head back, her brows shooting up in mock surprise.

For that, I chuckled internally.

She rolled her eyes. “My name is Camila Xial, not Xavier Cross’s wife. But soon I will officially be his wife. Get that in your dry skull.”

I raised one eyebrow. What did she mean by “soon she would officially be his wife”?

I forced my voice steady. “You introduced yourself as his wife. But then you said ‘soon to be’ his wife. Which is it?”

Camila’s eyes narrowed. “Soon to be official. Get it straight. And stay the hell away from him.”

I tilted my head, studying her. “You still haven’t shown me any proof that I’m the woman in that photo. And how do you even know my name?”

She scowled. “You were the only woman in a burgundy dress that day who met him. I know for sure. And about your name? Who doesn’t know the bakery expansion girl trying to climb the ladder.” She added, folding her arms across her chest as she rolled her eyes dramatically. She popped the gum in her mouth.

I jerked back, squinting my eyes. For a second I thought she was about to spit the gum across my face.

“Burgundy dress? You can’t say I’m the only person in the whole of LA who owns a burgundy dress, sweetheart. People buy burgundy dresses all the time. You can’t accuse someone on the basis of clothes.”

How did she even know I met Xavier that day? Did she have spies around her husband or whatever she called him? Was she that insecure?

Her expression shifted to pure anger and fury. “You witch! Stay away from Xavier. Else there will be repercussions for your actions. Xavier is far above your level. Don’t be delusional.”

I forced a small smirk to hide the pain I was feeling inside. “Maybe you should ask your husband to stay away from me instead,” I said, leaning forward a bit. I paused. “And if you want, I could ask him on your behalf.”

I dropped my voice low. “But never in your entire life should you threaten me again. I will go to the police and report you for a restraining order.”

Her lips curled into a slow, superior smile. “You have no idea about who you’re dealing with. Does your stupid ass know who my father is? I can have you and your whole world disappear in a day.”

‘Does your stupid ass know who my father is? I can have you and your world disappear in a day.’ The words echoed like gunshots in my head. What did she mean by that?

A surge of panic rippled across my chest.

My world? Was she talking about my twins? Did she know about them?

I tried to force authority into my voice. “Then talk to your husband. Tell him you don’t want him seeing me. I can handle my business just on my own. I have my plans, I have people, and I have my intelligence to run my business.”

She sneered. “Don’t worry, pookie. I’ll make sure Xavier never sees you again.”

“Wonderful!” I said. “If you’re done, you may excuse me, Xavier Cross’s wife.”

She glared at me as she flicked her hair over her shoulder and turned to leave.

I shook my head. Why did I have to go through this shit every single time? Was I even cursed?

Was she lying about Xavier being her husband? Maybe just to scare me.

I still had to go to Xavier’s office anyway.

I stepped into the elevator. My reflection in the mirrored walls looked pale. I hated it.

By the time I reached the top floor, I had shoved the confrontation down deep. I wasn’t going to let Xavier see even a crack in my armor. Whatever game he was playing, I was done participating.

I was about to knock on his office door when I heard his voice through the wood—deep, relaxed, like he was on a phone call.

“…Yeah, don’t mention it. That’s what brothers-in-law are for.”

The words hit me like cold water.

Brothers-in-law.

My hand froze mid-air. My chest squeezed painfully.

So it was true.

Xavier was married.

I stepped back, moving farther away from the door until I could no longer hear anything coming from his office. My hand hovered uselessly in the air for a second before dropping to my side.

“He’s actually married,” I whispered, pressing both palms against my face.