49. Traded everything for worthless garbage like you.

'What are you doing here?" she heard Briella's voice coming from a door. Xander turned and looked at her disdainfully from head to toe, noticing an object in one of her hands. He was about to speak when he was interrupted by a powerful voice coming from another part of the house. 'I invited him, wife," he said, turning to where the voice came from, and he was startled to recognize where that dangerous and powerful voice came from. P-President Braun El Cueva?! Xander felt like he was struck by lightning when he saw President Braun walking towards Briella and unabashedly kissing her on the lips, leading her closer. His whole body trembled, and he wished the ground would swallow him whole. H-How did President Braun end up in front of me? Are my eyes deceiving me? Slowly, it dawned on him why the man who opened the door seemed familiar to him. It was Luigi Fontanilla, President Braun El Cueva's Personal Assistant. 'So that's why you want us to stay here, huh?" Briella said, looking at him but talking to President Braun. He didn't know how long his mouth had been open; he had to hold his jaw shut as if it had stiffened from being open for too long. 'I'm sorry, wife, but I couldn't help but intervene. I couldn't stand their insults towards you anymore. You've suffered too much. From now on, let me handle everything," President Braun said, looking at Briella with overflowing love. Xander swallowed hard, his entire body trembling. His eyes were wide open, fixed on the people in front of him so that he could see President Braun's tender care for Briella. Since when did they know each other? The way President Braun affectionately interacted with Briella made it seem like they had been together for a long time! Briella sighed heavily, catching his attention; the woman looked at him emotionlessly, as if he were a stranger and didn't know him. Briella… 'What did you say that made my husband angry?" Briella asked him. My husband? Shouldn't I be your husband? We're engaged, Briella! 'I... I don't understand. W-We should be getting married, remember?" he stammered. He didn't know where that question came from; it just came out of his lips. Xander shuddered as Briella smiled, and it dawned on him that Briella knew about his deception. Could it be that instead of marrying him, Briella married President Braun? But how did that happen? So many questions raced through his mind, but he knew he wouldn't get answers until he asked. But how could he ask when he felt President Braun's sharp gaze piercing through him? Just from his sharp glares alone, it felt like a threat, and he knew that one wrong move on his part would surely be his end. 'Since we're all here anyway, why don't we clear everything up?" Briella said, tilting her head while keeping her gaze on him. Xander held his breath, waiting for Briella to speak. He could almost hear his heart pounding loudly, feeling beads of sweat forming on his forehead and all over his body. It felt like he was experiencing this kind of fear for the first time in his life. 'I lied to you when I said I didn't know your woman," Briella said, causing him to gasp. He was chilled to the bone, realizing that Briella knew. How? 'I was there when you were enjoying your night with Matilda in one of the VIP rooms. I heard everything you both talked about—and saw everything . . ." she said without flinching. It felt like he was hit with a bucket of icy water with Briella's words. Even her gaze seemed to pierce his muscles. It seemed like he had forgotten to speak, and his tongue had even gotten stuck because he couldn't talk, even if he wanted to; it felt like his tongue was retreating. 'That night, I poured out all the pain I felt. I promised myself that I would cry over your deception with her for just one night. I drowned myself in alcohol, and that's where I found Braun, and he offered me marriage." Xander was shaken by what he learned. Had she been married to the President of Crown Star Entertainment for over a month? But why didn't they announce it to the public? Could it be that the President was using her for company every night? Who could refuse such an offer when it comes from one of the most powerful and influential people? But just as he felt he was slowly recovering from the shock, Briella spoke again, further sinking him and his ego. 'Whatever rubbish you're thinking now, you're wrong. I'm the one who doesn't want everyone to know that I'm Braun's wife; I don't want to embarrass him by marrying a woman who traded everything for worthless garbage like you," she said firmly. 'I told you to stop thinking that you're worthless, wife. You're precious and one of a kind!" President Braun interjected, not approving of Briella's words. He looked at the man, unable to understand what he saw in Briella that he hadn't seen in her before. He had been with Briella for over three years, and not once did he see his self-love and admiration for the woman. Is the problem with me, and did I let myself be blinded by Matilda's love? Maybe I never truly loved Briella, which is why I didn't see myself in President Braun's situation. 'I-If you've known that we've been deceiving you for so long, why didn't you break up with me?" he finally managed to speak and ask. 'Do I need to answer that?" Briella sarcastically asked. He was speechless. Why did she need to answer his worthless question? Of course, she wants revenge! Anyone who's been deceived would think of revenge, especially if it makes them look ridiculous and deceived. 'So that's why you suddenly changed and rebelled—" 'Rebellion?" President Braun interrupted him. Xander straightened up and seemed to regret what he said. 'Do you think what she's doing is rebellion despite your deception? You're a pathetic son of a bitch," President Braun said. He shuddered at the depth and sharpness of his voice; it felt like his entire bones had turned to jelly, and he was grateful he was sitting down because if he were standing, he would surely have collapsed on the ground from the weakness in his bones. 'You're blinded with lust, and your eyes are fixed with the taste of it. You can't see the good things in front of you because you only pay attention to things that are pleasing to your physical desires," he continued. 'Braun," she heard Briella reprimand him. 'Please, let me handle this," she pleaded with President Braun. Braun furrowed his brow, but he calmed down and nodded slowly. How could he control such an influential person like this? Xander shifted his gaze to Briella, who looked at him emotionlessly. For the first time, he saw Briella differently. Whereas before, he ignored her and didn't value her, now he slowly saw Briella's true nature. She was tough, smart, and, above all, an ideal woman that every man dreams of. She had beauty, brains, money, and, of course, fame. Xander couldn't deny it because even though she had been absent from modelling for three years, he still had clients who wanted to hire her, but he refused them all and gave them all to Matilda. Matilda, whom he had been with for three years and always supported, yet until now, he was just a Graded B Model who couldn't get a good project unless he insisted on the advertising companies. Fck, I'm so stupid! Why did I only realize all this now? 'I won't be able to go to your office today, but since you're here, I want to tell you to prepare ten million for the two million you borrowed from me. You seemed to have forgotten we had an agreement about that. I'll have my lawyer negotiate with you; starting today, I don't want to see you or talk to you," Briella said. Xander thought there couldn't be anything more shocking than what he had just learned, but apparently, there was something more. Ten million?! Why so much? 'Y-You're kidding!" he exclaimed. 'No, I'm not. We signed a contract, and you agreed to a two hundred percent interest rate every year. You agreed because you thought you could deceive me your whole life and spin me around," Briella replied seriously. Two hundred percent?! That's insane! He leaned his head back, unable to believe she was looking at Briella. 'You're just doing this to get back at me—" 'Of course," Briella quickly replied. 'I want to bring you down along with your woman; that's what I promised that night. And I won't stop until I do it!" 'You can't be this ridiculous, Briella! You can't just—" 'Don't you dare raise your voice at her!" Braun interjected. Xander felt powerless and deflated, his chest deflating because there was nothing he could do when he heard President Braun's sharp voice. 'You have no right to shout at my wife right in front of me! I've let you hurt and humiliate Briella, but that can't happen again! Get out! Expect my lawyer in your office today! We'll see you in court!" Braun said authoritatively. What? His eyes questioned as they looked at President Braun; he couldn't understand why they had to go to court. 'I'll see to it that you'll pay all the damages you've caused! Now, out!" It seemed like his feet had a mind of their own as he stood up and walked out of that Penthouse, but before he could fully leave, he heard President Braun's voice. 'I'll spare your life for giving me Briella. If it weren't for your deception towards her, I wouldn't have met her. But say goodbye to your properties... and to your small company. I'll make sure there will be nothing left for you, not a single thing." Xander didn't know how he managed to leave that place; he suddenly found himself standing in front of his house, staring blankly at the large and grand house he had worked hard to acquire for years. He knew President Braun could do anything he wanted, and he wanted to laugh at himself for his stupidity. He remembered the words he had uttered earlier that morning while talking to him on the phone and wanted to cry at what he had said. Is this the end for me? Where's Matilda? Does she already know about Briella, so she left me?! Damn that woman! You can't escape from me, Matilda! I won't be the only one suffering for our shared sin!