Chapter 95 You've Been Served.

Chapter 95 You've Been Served.
~•Alezandra's P.O.V•~

I was in Andrea's office when he walked in with a manila folder clutched in one hand, his jaw clenched so tightly I thought he was about to crack a tooth.

Knowingly, I sighed before asking.

"What is it?" My eyes followed the folder as it landed on the desk with enough force to make the papers inside shift.

I watched as Andrea moved around the polished desk, bracing both hands against its surface before lifting heavy gaze to mine.

"Apparently, your ex future father-in-law has decided he's willing to spend millions just to be fucking petty."

A frown tugged at my brows as confused laced my every thought...

"What are you talking about?" My gaze flickered between his face and that folder, already dreading whatever was inside.

A sharp breath escaped him before he leaned back against the edge of the desk.

"The Black family filed for an emergency injunction."

The words came out flat, but the muscle ticking along his jaw told a completely different story.

"Against me?" My heart sank into the pit of my ass.

"Against us, darling."

"What for?" I couldn't even begin to make sense of it.

A humorless laugh slipped past his lips as he opened the folder and pulled several documents free.

"For humiliating the Black family." The papers spread across the desk between us and I took a few seconds reviewing the first couple words before looking back at Andrea. By now I was beyond irritated.

"You can't sue someone for not getting married." Even to my own ears, the sentence sounded fucking ridiculous.

"You'd be surprised what wealthy people think they can sue for." His fingertips tapped lightly against the stack of documents.

"They're claiming emotional damages to Jaxon, reputational damages to the Black family, breach of verbal commitments involving investors who attended the wedding, losses tied to the event itself, and interference with longstanding business relationships."

I blinked.

Fuck...

"That sounds insane." My voice barely rose above a whisper.

"It is insane."

"Then they'll lose." Hope crept into my voice despite myself.

Andrea held my gaze for a long moment before exhaling through his nose.

"Eventually."

My throat tightened..... "But?"

His arms folded across his chest as he looked at me with quiet patience.

"But billionaires don't always file lawsuits because they expect to win, piccola."

I groaned, leaning back in the sofa.

"Then why?" I looked to Andrea expectantly, my fingers curling together in pure nervousness.

I can't believe they did this shit.

"They expect you to get tired." His eyes never left mine.

"They expect lawyers to scare you, to embarrass you- they expect months of hearings, travel restrictions, financial pressure. All of this because they want you to cave and go crawling right back to them."

"And if I don't?" My pulse hammered in my ears as I pushed to my feet and began pacing the office.

Andrea's expression hardened as he took in my worried state.

"Then they expect me to pay for every second of your stubbornness."

With that, silence settled between us.

The office suddenly felt too quiet, the walls somehow closer than they had been only moments ago.

"Jaxon knows?" I searched his face, unsure whether I even wanted the answer.

His attention drifted toward the floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the estate, one hand slipping into the pocket of his slacks before he answered.

"No, but Zander does. He tried stopping his father." My brows pulled together, wondering how the fuck was Jaxon so oblivious to our current situation. I wouldn't be surprised if his father ended up suing him too.

Sighing, I turned to look at the scenery outside the window.

"We both know that old man is stubborn, Zander couldn't have done anything to make his father changed his mind."

"He argued with him, at least." Andrea's shoulders lifted in a small shrug.

"He told him to leave you alone." His eyes returned to mine.

"He told him you'd spent years trying to become the perfect Black woman and that he wouldn't let his family destroy you because you finally chose yourself."

My throat suddenly felt dry.

"And?"

A scoff escaped him.

"His father told him he was weak, just like his brother."

Andrea's jaw flexed again as he packed away the papers.

"He said he raised an heir, not a lovesick fool."

My stomach twisted, a heavy nauseating feeling slowly creeping up by the second.

"After he found out you left his son at the alter, he cut Jaxon off, for good."

"Zander wasn't the only one who tried to stop him, his wife did too."

"Fuck... And then?"

"Stronzo filed anyway." The chair caught my weight as I sat down heavily, one hand dragging slowly over my face.

"Jesus Christ."

Andrea pushed himself away from the desk and crossed the room until he stood in front of me.

"No." The corner of his mouth twitched, though there wasn't an ounce of amusement behind it.

"Not Christ. Just two rich families with too much pride and not enough fucking therapy."

A laugh escaped me despite everything.

It wasn't genuine... It was bitter-tired, even.

Gosh, I was so tired. I had left a wedding and apparently, I'd also started a war.

Andrea lowered himself until he was crouched in front of me. His large hands wrapped around mine, his thumbs brushing slow circles across my knuckles as though he could feel every anxious thought racing through my head.

"Look at me." I lifted my eyes to his.

"We fight." There wasn't a hint of hesitation in his voice.

"I don't care if it's one lawsuit, ten lawsuits- fuck even twenty. I don't care if his father spends every last cent trying to drag you back to New York."

Andrea leaned closer until our foreheads were almost touching.

"You're home."

"You are carrying my child."

"You wear my ring."

"And I swear on everything I own, piccola, no one- not Jaxon, not his father, not an entire fucking legal team- is taking you away from me. Capisce?"

"Si baby." I sighed, blinking away the tears that were threatening to spill.

"Good Girl." Andrea closed the distance between us without a word. One hand came up to cradle the side of my face, while his thumb brushes gently over my cheek before his lips found my forehead. Wrapped in his warmth, I felt impossibly safe- as if nothing outside these four walls could reach me while he was holding me.