23. Matilda’s wicked ambition

'What the hell is this, Matty?" Xander angrily questions his girlfriend, throwing the newspaper onto his desk. She picks up the newspaper and reads what it points to. Her jaw drops in disbelief; her name is there, and she suddenly smiles. 'I told you, the Sun Glow Fashion contract is really for me! Look at this, we're in the news!" she excitedly tells him. However, his gloomy demeanor remains unchanged, glaring intently at her. 'Stop it, Matty. You can't fool me; I know you orchestrated this." She furrows her brow and engages in a stare-down with him, but ultimately, she relents and bows her head. Tears well up in her eyes; she feels like she'll lose everything she's worked for if she doesn't win an award at the upcoming Asian Runaway Awards. 'I only did what I knew was right. When Sun Glow Fashion sees this news, they'll have no choice but to give me back the contract," she says between sobs. She hears his harsh sigh, but he remains silent, so she continues speaking. 'One of my dreams is to receive an award at that prestigious Gala, Xander. If I make it into the top 10, we'll be showered with great resources, and your Agency will gain notoriety. Your business will grow, and you'll gain global recognition because I will become famous in this country and worldwide! I'll bring success to your company!" She says, her eyes filled with tears. 'Babe..." 'You promised me, Xander! I gave you a child because you promised that I could reach my dream of becoming one of the famous models! I gave myself to you even though I knew you were getting married! Let's end this right now if you can't give me what I want!" She breaks down in sobs and stands up to lock herself in their room. But before she can leave, he quickly grabs her hand and hugs her tightly. 'I'm sorry, Babe. Okay, I'll do everything I can to convince them," he says. She smiles while buried in his chest. Ha! I'm so good at acting! Maybe I should also enter the acting profession; I'm sure the Best Actress Award will be mine because I'm so good! When he pulls her away from his chest, she resumes her act of crying. He wipes away her tears and kisses her forehead. 'I love you, Babe. You and our future child are my life; please don't ever think of leaving me," he says in a melancholy voice. She smiles and tenderly strokes his face. 'I love you too, Xander. All I ask is that you don't let me down; you know I've had but one dream since forever." Hindered by poverty, she couldn't continue her college education. She started to work hard early because her mother left them for an Arabian lover. She was left alone with her father, who did nothing but drink and gamble, sometimes even taking her savings intended for her tuition fees. She aspires to attend college because she's confident she'll find a wealthy boyfriend if she enters a university. Matilda's wicked ambitions have been lofty since she was a child. She and her mother used to dream together, but when her mother found someone to exploit financially, she discarded her like trash and never returned. When her father passed away, she neither cried nor mourned. She had him buried immediately to minimize expenses, and the money she gathered from the donations of their neighbors and her father's acquaintances she used to enroll in a university. She also managed to work in a club to fund her education but couldn't complete it due to high expenses and the unfortunate raiding of her workplace. She took various waitress jobs, and whenever she saw women dressed elegantly, envy gnawed at her. So, when she encountered Xander again, she seized the opportunity to seduce him. She wasn't disappointed, as the young man reciprocated her feelings, though she discovered he was already engaged. She met Briella and befriended her, then gradually poisoned Xander's mind until he eventually fell into her trap. They showered together, and despite her pregnancy, Xander's ardor and excitement for her remained unchanged. Every day, she made him feel she was the only woman who could satisfy him, particularly in sexual gratification. She did everything to ensure he wouldn't replace her or leave her. One could say that her wildness in the sexual realm was one of the factors driving Xander crazy for her. 'I'll try to call Miss Ortega and show her your stunning photos and videos of you on the runway," he says while getting dressed. 'Isn't today the day Briella is signing the contract with that cheap company?" she asks him. Xander nods. 'She's probably at the office waiting for me. Had I not sweet-talked her last night, she wouldn't have agreed to my wishes," he says, shaking his head. She chuckles and approaches him, adjusting his necktie and kissing him. 'I can't wait to see her face contorted in agony when she finds out we're having a child and that you're going to marry me." The man smiles back at her, lovingly caressing her still-flat stomach. 'It's her fault; I can't be blamed if she's foolish and gullible. Moreover, what man could resist claiming his girlfriend? If she weren't such a significant asset, I would never put up with her." **** 'Thank you for coming, Mr. Cruz," says a smiling Xander, shaking the older businessman's hand. 'The pleasure is mine, Mr. Madrigal. I can't believe you're letting us use Briella Montes as the endorser for our product," the older man replies. 'Of course, Mr. Cruz, why not? We've known each other for quite a long time," Xander responds. Xander has summoned Mr. Cruz to discuss an upcoming press conference and to plan the official announcement that Briella will be the ambassador for Mr. Cruz's company. He intentionally had Mr. Cruz arrive before Briella so that she would have no choice but to agree once the older man had signed. He persuaded Mr. Cruz to have Briella endorse his company for a year, thwarting any chance she might have to disrupt his plans with Matilda. He has noticed that netizens are starting to like Briella, and he has even heard that she is gathering a fan base. If this trend persists, she'll surely overshadow Matilda. Hence, he plans to trap her in a contract with a second-rate company producing underrated beauty soap products. One year should be sufficient to ruin her, ensuring she returns to him and obeys his every command. He presents the contract for the older man to sign. 'Shouldn't we wait for Briella? I'd like to meet and greet her personally. I've heard a lot about her, and they say she's a natural goddess," the older man says. Xander visibly grimaces and inhales sharply, seeing the man's palpable desire for Briella. 'You'll meet her; she's on her way. Please sign the contract, Mr. Cruz. Briella will surely be pleased once she sees you've signed it," he coaxes. The older man's eyes sparkle as he takes the pen from the table. Xander stifles a smile and exhales. Once this man signs, Briella will have no option but to sign. He will use all his charm to woo her until she puts pen to paper. But before the older man could sign, the door opened. He restrains himself from shouting and uttering a curse. 'I'm sorry if I was late," Briella formally announces. 'Briella Montes!" exclaims Mr. Cruz joyfully, standing up to embrace her, but she steps back. The older man halts his attempted embrace, and Xander shoots Briella a piercing glare. 'Excuse me, you're Mr. Cruz, right?" he hears her ask the man. He exhales sharply and glances at the contract. Why did this woman have to show up now? 'Yes, I am the owner of SRP Beauty Soap. It's a pleasure to meet you," replies the older man, his face brimming with excitement upon seeing Briella. 'I can already envision what you'll do for our product. You have such a beautiful body and legs; your dark skin is no problem, as it can be covered with heavy foundations. I can't wait to—" 'Xander, can we talk?" Briella interrupts, ignoring Mr. Cruz. He sees the older businessman pause at Briella's behavior, causing him immediate concern. He promptly scolds her. 'Briella, you should listen to Mr. Cruz. He's here to get you to endorse their product. You should at least be grateful to him for accepting you despite your current condition," he says to her. Mr. Cruz clears his throat and smiles. 'That's right. Despite all the controversy and chaos you've caused, I still accept you. We all have second chances to prove ourselves; that's what I believe, so—" Briella takes a deep breath and speaks formally. Her face reveals no emotion, making it difficult for him to discern her thoughts. 'Let's not deceive each other here, Mr. Cruz. You're only hiring me as your model to boost your business. You plan to profit off the controversy I'm involved in," she states flatly, devoid of emotion. 'Briella!" he scolds, clenching his fists as anger surges. He thought their discussion last night settled things, and she would accept the contract and comply with him. 'Don't speak to Mr. Cruz like that. Can't you see? He's trying to give you some exposure! Do you think anyone else will hire you? You're past your prime, Briella, so don't dream of surpassing Matilda! She's far superior to you now!" he hisses at her. He freezes when Mr. Cruz clears his throat. 'I think I'll go... for now. I'll call you once I set up the date for the announcement." His fists clench, and his teeth grind as he glares sharply at Briella. His irritation intensifies when he realizes she appears unaffected by the situation. Once the door closes, his pent-up anger erupts. 'What the hell is wrong with you?! Can't you see I'm trying to accommodate your ridiculous comeback as a model?! Do you know what could happen if Mr. Cruz rejects you?" he scolds her. She remains silent and stands her ground. 'God, Briella! You're giving me headaches! What did I ever do to you to deserve this?" he exclaims, shaking his head in disappointment. Thankfully, Matilda isn't present, as her presence would undoubtedly have ignited further conflict. 'I told you I would think about it first," she asserts, unfazed by his raised voice. 'To hell with what you think! I'm your fiancé; you should be obeying me!" he hisses at her. He pauses when their eyes meet, takes a deep breath, and averts his gaze. He returns to his desk and sits down dispiritedly, his eyes landing on the contract on a small table nearby. If only Mr. Cruz had already signed, he wouldn't be struggling to persuade her now. What does she want him to do? Woo and pamper her? How shallow her joy must be if that would change her mind. She's nothing like Matilda, who is feisty and intelligent—qualities he adores in his lover. Briella, on the other hand, is naive and gullible. Thankfully, he never fell for someone as foolish as Briella.