Chapter Nine

Sonora, Northwest Mexico,

Five years ago…

"Sir...you're here...what...are you... doing...here?" Martinez, Alexander's personal assistant, asked in surprise, his voice faltering as he saw his boss step out of his BMW IX.

Alexander approached, removing his glasses as he walked.

"What do you mean by what I am doing here? This is my property, am I not allowed to visit it without your permission?" Alexander asked, his gaze fixed intently on Martinez.

Feeling intimidated by Alexander's intense gaze, Martinez swallowed nervously and nodded, attempting to conceal his nervousness.

"N-No, of course not, Sir," Martinez stammered, and Alexander's frown deepened as he surveyed the underdeveloped land around them.

"Why does the building still appear so unfinished despite the funds allocated for this project?" Alexander asked, striding deeper into the property, his footsteps echoing in the vast space.

"It's currently under construction, Sir. I'll keep you updated on its progress," Martinez replied, his voice trembling slightly with nerves.

Alexander glared down at Martinez, his eyes narrowing in a menacing manner, causing the young man to shrink in fear.

"Martinez, how long have you been in Mexico?" Alexander repeated, his tone clearly indicating his anger.

"Five months, Sir," Martinez answered, still visibly trembling as he avoided making eye contact with Alexander.

"Why were you sent here?" Alexander asked again, his glare directed at Martinez, making the younger man feel as if he was being electrocuted.

"You sent me here to acquire land and oversee the construction of the bottled water company you plan to establish in Sonora," Martinez explained, his voice trembling with nerves as he struggled to meet Alexander's gaze.

"Explain to me why this land is still in its current state despite the funds invested in this project," Alexander demanded, his gaze fixed on Martinez who was now sweating profusely, his body trembling with anxiety.

"Sir, I..." Martinez began, unsure of how to respond, when they were interrupted by the sound of approaching motorbikes. They turned to see five motorbikes and one luxury motorcycle parked nearby.

Two men descended from each of the five motorbikes, and a few seconds later, a woman emerged from the luxury motorcycle, removing her helmet as she dismounted, her blonde hair tumbling down her shoulders.

She was dressed in a tight white tank top, displaying her toned abs, paired with ripped black jeans and black boots with heels.

She had bright gray eyes that were fixed on Alexander, capturing his attention with her striking beauty.

Her dark eyelashes accentuated her features, giving her an otherworldly appearance.

"You must be Martinez?" She said, turning her attention to Martinez as the men who accompanied her followed closely behind, paying no heed to Alexander's presence.

Martinez nodded, still too intimidated to speak.

Alexander tried to shake off his trance-like state, unable to take his eyes off the captivating woman before him.

Her face radiated a certain energy, and her confident movements exuded a sense of power and control.

In Alexander's eyes, everything about her was flawless.

Even her accent had an alluring quality to it, soft yet assertive and rich in tone.

She seemed well-educated and out of place among the people he had encountered in the area, including the men who accompanied her.

He was intrigued to know more about her background.

He finally cleared his throat, bringing himself back to the present, still unable to tear his gaze away from her.

"Pardon me, may I know your name and where you are from?" Alexander asked, trying his best to steady his voice and shifting her attention to himself.

"Camilla Kings, and you are?" she replied, tilting her head slightly as she studied him with curiosity.

Alexander gave her a smirk, "Alexander Cena, and I am the owner of this property. Nice to make your acquaintance." He responded and extended his hand for a handshake, which she did not reciprocate.

"So you're the one in charge, not him?" she asked, gesturing to Martinez who was standing beside Alexander.

Alexander looked at her in confusion, "Yes, he is my personal assistant," he said, retracting his hand.

He observed as the young woman opened her mouth to speak, but then closed it and took a deep breath before trying again, as if she was restraining herself from saying something she did not wish to.

"I have no desire for conflict, but I assure you that I am not afraid to initiate one if our demands are not met.

Therefore, it would be in your best interest to bring an end to whatever unauthorized construction is taking place on this land, as it does not belong to you," Camilla said, her gaze fixated on Martinez who was attempting to make himself smaller.

Alexander stared at her in disbelief, blinking several times as he struggled to process her words.

After a moment of stunned silence, he finally regained his composure enough to respond, "I beg your pardon, but this land is mine, and you have no authority to dictate what I can or cannot do with it."

Camilla let out a small snort of amusement, a laugh escaping her lips as she surveyed the area where they stood.

Finally, Camilla returned her gaze to Alexander, her eyes locked onto his, "You do not own this land. You deceived the Sánchez family, taking advantage of their lack of education."

"You and your personal assistant made them believe that it would be used as collateral until they paid back the money they borrowed from your loan company."

"And yet, here you are, building on the land before the loan's due date has even arrived," she said, her words laced with venom.

"What?! Martinez, what is she talking about? What loan company?" Alexander asked, turning to Martinez who looked ashen.

"I-I..." Martinez stammered, unable to find the words. He knew his deception had been uncovered and that he could no longer maintain the lies and cover-ups he had been spinning for the past five months.

"I can explain, Sir. I had some personal issues..." Martinez trailed off.

"I authorized sixty million dollars for you to acquire land and oversee the construction of a bottled water company for the community, didn't I?" Alexander asked, folding his arms across his chest.

"Yes, I-I apologize, Sir. Please forgive me," Martinez stammered, not able to finish his sentence.

Alexander glared down at Martinez, whose face was etched with guilt as he stood before him. Alexander could see the genuine remorse in his eyes, but it did not alleviate his anger towards him.

"How much did you pay the Sánchez family for the so-called collateral land?" He asked, disregarding Martinez's pleas and focusing on obtaining the information he needed.

Martinez shifted uncomfortably, looking up at Alexander from beneath his lashes before answering, "One million dollars. But Sir, I swear I planned to pay them the full amount later. Please don't fire me," he begged.

"You took fifty-nine million dollars for yourself alone? Is this what you do whenever I entrust you with important tasks?"

"Divert my money into your account and deceive people in my name because I am too busy to oversee it myself?" Alexander exclaimed, his voice rising in anger.

Martinez shook his head frantically, denying Alexander's accusations.

"No, Sir! It was just this one time. I had some personal issues. Please believe me," he pleaded.

Alexander narrowed his eyes at Martinez and sighed deeply, running a hand through his hair before turning his gaze towards the woman in front of him.

"The men behind you, are they the rightful owners of this land?" Alexander asked, his tone calm and composed.

Camilla nodded in response, "Yes."

"I apologize for..." He began, but was interrupted by Camilla.

"Mr...?" She asked tentatively.

"Alexander Cena," he introduced himself again.

"I'll pay you double the amount your personal assistant paid to my friends here. I don't need an apology from you. I just need you to return their land to them," Camilla insisted.

Alexander glanced over at Martinez, who looked miserable, and sighed heavily before responding, "I'll make sure their property is returned to them, there's no need for any reimbursement.

Camilla hesitated before giving a nod of agreement. "Fine," she said. "But I hope you keep your word. If not..." She trailed off, turning to her group of men.

"Muy bien chicos, vamos. Nuestro trabajo aquí ha terminado.(Alright guys, let's go. Our job here is finished.)" The men nodded and began making their way back to their motorcycles.

Alexander called out to her as she was about to climb onto her bike. "Miss, excuse me," he said, trying to get her attention.

Camilla turned to him with a questioning look. "Yes?"

"You don't seem like a local," Alexander commented, noting her unfamiliarity.

Camilla's frown deepened. "No, I'm not. Is that why you stopped me?"

"No, no," Alexander quickly replied, his face flushing with embarrassment. "Not at all."

"...I was actually hoping to get your number," Alexander said, feeling slightly embarrassed.

Camilla let out a soft chuckle and shook her head. "My number? You want my number?" she repeated, amused by his request.

"Yes," Alexander replied confidently.

Camilla grinned and leaned in closer. "I'm afraid I'll have to decline," she said with a smile.

"But have a nice day, Mr. Cenaca." She said, hopping on her motorcycle and driving off with her men following behind.

Alexander watched them leave, muttering under his breath, "It's Cena...", feeling a bit disappointed.