The Love Affair(Good Wife Better Mistress)

Blame Game

Standing with his hands clasped behind his back, Alex looks even taller than normal. His face is terrifyingly hostile.

"Sometimes my wife gets confused when she wakes," he mutters through gritted teeth.

His eyes are cold and expressionless, and a furious chill seems to emanate from him. He walks slowly; every step is heavy and threatening.

Not worth the paper it takes to divorce him! Whoever wants him, can have him! Nicole's words echo in his mind. With every step, he fights the impulse to strangle her.

"Alex, you came here just in time," Candela says, "Do you want to hear what your wife said?"

"What did she say?" Alex asks jaw clenched.

"Gaby, you tell him dear," Candela says.

"She said she wants to set me up with you. She sent a candle laced with an aphrodisiac drug to your room to ensure the match. She wants me to become your wife so she can divorce you and leave," Gaby looks up at Alex through long lashes, "Also, she said you're not worth the paper it takes to divorce you."

Nicole glares icily at Gaby. The other woman has embellished the story with her own ideas. Alex gazes intently at Nicole, his face is unreadable and cold. In the past, Nicole would have been terrified of such a look, but she's bolder now. She meets his gaze and they lock eyes. Something intense seems to pass between them.

The power of their gaze makes Gaby uncomfortable. She wants Alex to focus on her.

"Don't be angry Alex. Nicole must be half asleep," she says, "Why else would she say you're not worth the paper it takes to divorce you?"

She repeats Nicole's words, clearly and deliberately. The corners of her mouth twitch upwards into a small smirk, enjoying the wretchedness of Nicole's position. She glances at Alex and sees he looks very upset.

"Alex, this is the candle," Candela says.

Upon hearing her words, a maid places the candle on the table.

"You have behaved shamefully as Alex's wife, and you have damaged our family's reputation," Candela says, "You used a disgusting drug on Alex and you could have hurt him terribly. If we don't punish you, what will people think of our family?"

Candela places her teacup on the table and gestures for Gaby to help her stand up. She crosses the room and stands in front of Nicole.

"Your family is well-known and respected in this city. I will never understand how such an ill-mannered, useless woman could come from the worthy Newman family. Now, do you dare to repeat the lies you told me in front of Alex?"

Suddenly, Nicole feels cold. She looks at the candle sitting on the table and at Candela. She inhales deeply and looks at Alex, smiling softly and enticingly.

"It's true, I sent this candle, but I remember that when I sent it, it was a perfect pale blue," she says, "Why is it now purple around the wick? Can you explain this Gabriela the mistress?"

Gaby can't believe what she's hearing. She looks away from Alex and stares at the floor.

"Are you accusing me of adding the drug to the candle?" she asks with an innocent expression. She begins to shake her head as if the idea is ridiculous, "I didn't. A maid told me to go to Alex's room and gave me the candle as a gift from Nicole. I swear it was purple when she gave it to me. Do you believe me, Alex?"

Gaby's eyes fill with tears and Candela Romano takes her hand. Alex says nothing.

"I believe you," Candela says, "You wouldn't even harm a fly. How could you do something as awful as this?"

Candela takes Gaby's face in her hands and carefully wipes away her tears. Becoming severe, she turns to Alex.

"Look for any evidence you can find!" she orders.

"Summon the maid who gave Gaby the candle."

The maids rush from the room to find the woman who gave Gabg the candle. Alex strides to the sofa and sits down, his eyes squinted in deep thought. Within minutes, the maid, Lily, appears in the sitting room. She looks terrified.

"Mr. Romano, Mrs. Romano, what's the matter?"

"What do you know about this candle?" Alex asks.

Lily looks shocked and afraid. Quickly, she glances at Gabh but then remembers to look away.

"Your wife asked me to give a candle to Miss Gabriela. She said it was to help you have fun," she points at the coffee table, "That's it on the table! Your wife told me you love Miss Gaby more than her."

Candela Romano slaps Nicole across the face, and Nicole winces. candela is surprisingly strong for her age.

"So it was you! The Newman family doesn't know how to raise a disciplined daughter. No matter, I'll discipline you for them!"

Instead of looking ashamed or guilty, Nicole looks furious. Candela points angrily at Nicole, "What's wrong with you? Do you still deny your guilt?"

She turns to Alex, "A vicious woman like this is not worthy of being your wife."

Nicole's cheek still stings from the slap. She glares at Candela with such intensity that the older woman begins to feel guilty. The butler, John, enters the room and rushes to Alex's side.

"Sir the surveillance system has been partially burnt," he whispers.

Though he speaks quietly, Nicole can hear him.

"Burnt? Darling Alex, you're hopeless," she says, playing the role of concerned wife, "First you have problems with a devious maid and now someone has burnt part of your surveillance system."

Alex raises his eyebrows at Nicole's tone. He's not sure what she's playing at, but she seems to be asking for him to help her out of her unfortunate situation.

"Come here," he said in a low voice.

Obedient as a kitten, Nicole moves toward Alex. Before he can ask her to sit, she climbs onto his lap and wraps her arms around his neck. Blood drains from Gabriela Montez's face. How dare Nicole tries to seduce Alex in front of her and Mrs. Romano!

Lily is so scared her whole body trembles. Yesterday morning, Gabriela had asked her for help and had written her a handsome check. She warned her not to trust the wrong person. She doesn't understand why Alex and Nicole are suddenly so intimate.

Alex wraps his arms around Nicole. The scent of her hair is thrilling; he feels like he's floating. Suddenly, he tightens his arms around her.

"How can you prove that you didn't do this?" he asks in a low whisper.

His lips brush her ear and she shivers. For the moment he's decided to help the woman sitting on his lap—no matter what she's done. However, he has no idea what her plans are. He wants to see how she'll try to get out of this.

Nicole's eyes become determined.

"Gabriela, you just said that you were given a candle with a purple wick, right?"

"Yes, that's right!" Gaby agrees.

Nicole smiles and whispers a few words in Alex's ear. Alex summons John to his side and whispers a few quick orders. John nods and runs out of the room.