Marriage Merger

Chapter 35

Going back to Miami, albeit sooner than expected, meant that everything was about to change. At this point, Ximena wasn’t sure whether it was for better or for worse. For starters, there was the whole legal jargon about her taking over Dos Ramos Shipping Cooperation which needed to be done in the coming week. Secondly, now that their families’ companies were finally merged, how were things supposed to continue? As a joint venture or two separate entities under a single wing?

Since Adriano had dropped the bomb on her head about his mother being alive and not dead like he had told her some weeks ago, she was walking on egg shells around him. He seemed sadder, quieter and slightly irritable. As soon as they had landed back in their home city, he drove her to her parents’ house and dropped her there, saying he had some things he had wanted to take off…alone.

Opening the door to her parents’ house, she was greeted by nothing but silence. Well, it was barely six in the morning and she was very sure that nobody was awake…or so she had thought because the next second, she heard giggles coming from the west hall on the ground floor. Following the sounds on pure instinct and ended by the door to the games’ room which was mostly used by Salvador. But the person in there wasn’t him; it was her sister Andrea. The door was ajar, allowing her to listen in on the conversation.

“-enjoy spending time with you. I hope you enjoy my company as well,” she trailed off in a dreamy tone, whirling a lock of hair on her index finger. She was dressed in her night gown. Judging by the looks of it, she was definitely talking to someone she was romantically involved with. But the big question is, who was it? And why the hell did it seem like she didn’t want anyone to know about this?

She erupted into another fit of giggles. “You’re so dirty minded. Maybe we can do that, some day very soon,” she went on and that’s when Ximena decided to walk in and make her presence known. Andrea froze dead in her tracks. Her eyes widened in bewilderment and she immediately ended the call. “Mena? What are you doing here?” she shrieked, hiding her phone behind her back.

Entering further into the room, she shut the door and crossed her arms in a serious stance. “Who were you on the phone with?” she inquired, tone low and intimidating. Her big sister instincts were kicking in, the sudden urge to protect her baby sister having taken over.

Andrea gulped visibly. “Just a friend,” she lied lamely and Ximena snorted.

“That definitely was not a friend. Are you seeing someone, hell I know you are. Is it anyone we know, more specifically, someone that mama and papa know?” she added, and Andrea vehemently shook her head.

“I swear, it’s nothing serious. Don’t tell mum and dad, please? Okay, fine. It’s a boy I met a few weeks ago…at school,” she remarked but the last part sounded suspicious.

Ximena sighed audibly. “You know how dad is, he will not approve of this one bit. Why don’t you want them to know?”

“As you said, you know how dad is. I really like this guy and I want to see where this goes, whether it’s just a summer fling or not. So, can you keep this secret for me just this once?” Andrea pleaded desperately, flashing her a pout. She held out her pinky finger to Ximena, who huffed in annoyance. Taking out her pinky finger, they sealed the deal. Squealing in delight, Andrea engulfed her in a bone crushing hug. “Thank you, sis!” she beamed once she’d let go. “But on a serious note, why are you back? Did something happen?” she asked, worry taking over her facial features.

Ximena was about to tell her why her honeymoon had been cut short when the door opened and a sleepy-eyed Dolores shuffled in. As soon as her eyes landed on her eldest daughter, they opened up wider in both surprise and delight. “Mi amor, you’re back!” she spoke happily and moved in to giver her daughter a hug. “Why are you back? And why are you two in this room?” she brought her eyebrows in confusion. Ximena gave her sister the side eye and offered her mum a small smile.