Fire Meets Ice

Chapter 42: Grand Villa

Oscar walked away and went to the other side of the gym after putting Delilah in her place about obsessing over Marcus after cheating on him years ago while his dad was dying in the hospital. The reminder of her betrayal stung deeply, but what really burned inside her was the thought of Marcus moving on happily without her. She couldn't stand that Alexa had taken her place, nor could she accept the fact that Marcus was thriving despite everything. In her mind, a plan began to form. She had always been good at manipulating situations and coming up with twisted plots in her favor, and this time, she would use everything she knew about Marcus to sabotage his relationship. Delilah's jealousy was no longer just an irrational emotion. It had now morphed into a vendetta.

Her sister Jeanette approached her and asked what she and Oscar talked about. "Sis, you ok? What did you and Oscar say about Marcus?"

Delilah forced a smile, though the malice behind it was clear. "Just never knew how much of an ass Oscar can be." She gave an exasperated sigh and lied, "But he's right...I don't wanna be stuck on Marcus no more. I can find someone a thousand times better."

"Well, at least Oscar put some sense in you," Jeanette responded, rolling her eyes. "You should really stop stalking Marcus and move on, for real."

But deep down in Delilah's mind, she was hatching an evil plan to break apart Marcus and Alexa. Don't you worry, Marcus. Soon you'll see you made a horrible mistake and make me run to your arms instead of her.

Back at Barcelona, the 4 Alexa, Marcus, Megan, and Axel had finally finished dining at Xera. They had the other servers' help to have their leftover sweets packed in cute plastic boxes. Then José, their waiter, returned with the check as promised. He placed it on the table, and before Marcus could even think about reaching for his wallet, Axel smoothly pulled out his credit card and set it on top of the check.

"Hey, I thought we were splitting this," Marcus protested. "I mean shouldn't it be me paying for myself and my little kitty while you pay for yourself and your girl?"

Axel nonchalantly rebuffed this idea. "Appreciate your concern, but since I invited everyone out, I'm paying. It's totally on me," he replied smugly. "Besides, a CEO is more than capable of footing the bill than an idiot grad student who almost maxed out his monthly payment plan paying for that cheap hotel."

Marcus's frustration grew, and he grumbled under his breath. Despite his irritation, he knew better than to push the matter further in front of everyone. Reluctantly, he conceded. "Fine," he muttered. "But I still think it's a bit too much."

"Look, let's get one thing straight here, pretty boy," said Axel mockingly but in a serious tone. "As long as you and your beloved are here, you're both obligated to allow me to cover up the costs. I always pay for my cutie fox, my close friends, and family and that won't be changing. So just sit back and enjoy."

Marcus's pride was bruised but at that point, he stopped arguing after Axel firmly asserted his financial status and generosity.

He glanced over at Alexa, who looked equally stunned by Axel's words but managed to give a small smile. "T-Thanks, Axel...T-T-That's umm generous of you," she stuttered.

Megan, trying to diffuse the tension, offered a cheerful comment. "See? Even Lexi could see how much my goofy bear loves to take care of everyone."

After Axel finished paying and offering a huge tip to the waiter, they got up from their chairs and walked out of the restaurant as they headed towards the limo. During the car ride, there was awkward silence again until Axel spoke up.

"Going all radio silence mode again, aren't we?" he said while breaking the quietness. "But it looked like you two were amazed by how splendid Xera was. Food really hit the spot, did it?"

Alexa, though still somewhat bashful, nodded appreciatively. "Yes, it was umm...totally amazing. T-T-Thanks for treating us, Axel."

Marcus, still fuming, muttered under his breath, hoping his frustration wouldn't carry beyond his seat. "Yeah, sure. Enjoying ourselves while you make sure everything goes exactly your way. Typical bossy bull."

Unfortunately, Axel's keen ears picked up on Marcus's low whisper. His face remained impassive as he glanced at the rearview mirror. "I heard that, you stubborn mule. Mind speaking a little louder so everyone can know what YOUR thoughts are?"

Marcus, realizing he had been overheard, tried to brush off his annoyance. "Nothing, no need to. I was supposed to be filming a nice sweet vlog for my channel today, but you and your girl barged in on us and messed up our plans."

Axel was unbothered as he continued to drive with his eyes on the road. "Meh, vlogging ideas can still proceed with new people. Like me and my cutie fox." He continued saying, "The more people, the more views you'd receive."

Maybe I should save it later for a few days, Marcus thought as it's becoming a little too late for him to film and he needed time to warm up to Axel and Megan completely.

It took them another 20 minutes until they arrived at a gorgeous luxurious white two-story villa with elaborated glassy walls and a reflective pool up at the front. Axel gracefully drove towards the garage and parked his blue Lamborghini limo inside. Everyone got out of the limo and went to the truck to help Marcus and Alexa grab their belongings. It was breathtaking, a dream-like escape that felt worlds away from anything they had experienced before.

Megan smiled as she walked over to the trunk and began helping Marcus and Alexa with their bags. Axel, unbothered by the task, followed suit with a laid-back confidence. As they reached the front of the villa, Marcus was beyond amazed. He had grown up in a nice home, but this was on another level entirely. The pristine architecture, the vastness of the space. It felt almost surreal.

"This is your only house?" Marcus asked, both curious and envious. Given Axel's vast wealth and CEO status, it seemed unlikely that this was the only property under his name.

Axel smirked proudly, clearly enjoying the moment. "Nah, this is where my cutie fox and I usually stay during the holidays," he said with an easy tone. "I've got a mansion in Ibiza too. That's where my mom and siblings live."

Marcus tried to mask his surprise, but it was clear that Axel's nonchalant mention of his Ibiza mansion left an impression. Alexa, standing next to him, was just as astonished.

"This is so...beautiful. Such an extravagant villa," she said quietly. She looked around, taking in every detail including the manicured gardens and the windows that gave glimpses of the elegant interior.

"Oh, wait till you see what's inside, bestie," said Megan. "The view's even better from the balcony."

With that, they made their way towards the grand entrance, each step leading them deeper inside the grand villa. The splendor that met Marcus and Alexa's eyes was overwhelming. The grand entrance opened up into an expansive living room that looked like something out of a luxury design magazine. The furniture was a sophisticated shade of blue, elegantly arranged around a glass coffee table, and the room flowed seamlessly into an immaculate open-concept kitchen. The long dining table was made of dark wood, gleaming under the soft glow of the modern ceiling lights, while the cabinets displayed a selection of fine wine bottles, with more hidden away in the large pantry. The stairs were made out of marble stones, the ceiling was adorned with cute plastic round lanterns and a small round mirror was hung on a wall. Every detail was pristine compared to the cozy chaos Marcus was accustomed to back home.

How the hell does he keep everything so perfect and elegant? Marcus thought. Wish I could also afford a place like this to stay during the holidays. My home is like a jungle compared to this. Let alone my apartment room.

Alexa, standing next to him, was equally awestruck. She had never seen anything like it in person, and every piece felt like a dream to gaze upon.

Axel, ever aware of the effect his home had on visitors, noticed their astonishment and flashed a teasing grin. "Must be jawdropped, aren't ya?" he said proudly. "Wondering what it's like to live like royalty?"