Chapter 22

Alexia kept her composure. "Tell me, what makes you think I owe you a greeting?"

Travis let out a laugh. "Still bitter, | see. You can sulk all you want, but nothing you do will change the truth. Marilee is my real sister, not you. No amount of envy can erase that."

He tossed a glance across the lobby and added,"Now that the Gibsons have thrown you out, a hotel is the only roof you have. Honestly, I almost feel sorry for you."

His performance didn't draw any response from Alexia. She simply studied him, unimpressed.

Of all the Jenkins siblings, Travis stood out as the unpredictable one. His love for chaos and the dramatic ran deeper than anyone realized.

From the start, he had gone out of his way to ruin anything she cared about. Dolls were ripped to shreds, her kitten never escaped his torment, snakes found their way into her desk, and once, he even poured acid into her milk. Afterwards, he would put on that mask of innocence and ask, "Aren't you going to cry?"

Travis only grew more excited when she stayed silent. He fished a card from his wallet, flashed a sly grin, and said, "Look, I can be generous. Act a little friendly, and this card is yours. Spend as much as you like."

The woman at his side looked stunned. Jealousy flickered in her eyes.

To anyone watching, Travis looked like the picture of a doting brother.

Alexia knew better, though. That act was just for show. And beneath that surface, madness simmered.

Alexia eyed the card, then asked, "What's the limit on this one? Ten million?" Travis wore the same easy smile.

"Maybe a hundred million?"

Still, his look stayed the same.

"Let me guess. A billion?"

That did it. The smile wavered, his face tightening at last.

Matching his grin, Alexia replied, "So, you think a card loaded with a billion is supposed to impress me?"

That single line cracked the charm Travis wore so well.

An uneasy silence hovered between them. Travis'companion caught sight of his clenched fist, the veins standing out, and she shrank back, frozen by fear.

His eyes locked onto Alexia, clearly agitated by the brightness of her smile-a smile he had always loathed.

What Travis really wanted was to drag her through the dirt, to break her, to watch her beg. Her pain was his twisted reward.

But Alexia only smiled, refusing to let him have that satisfaction.She would never bend.

"You look down on me?" he asked.

With an arch of her brow, she retorted, "How can l respect a man who failed to defend his own inheritance?"

All color drained from his face. "You found out?"

She had already heard that the Jenkins successor had been chosen and that Zayne would represent them at the upcoming gala.

Alexia made no attempt to deny it. "Travis, ever wondered why you lost out?"

For a heartbeat, he almost looked hopeful.

"Because you're broken inside."

The words hit harder than any blow, reaching right into the heart of him.

He'd spent years pretendinng, but Alexia had seen through every layer.

A bitter laugh burst from Travis, cold enough to chill everyone nearby. The woman by his side went rigid,fear etched across her face.

"You really believe this is the end for me? Alexia,you'll pay for this.I swear it."

He wouldn't admit defeat yet.

With a light shrug, Alexia remarked, "Well, we'll see how this plays out. If you try anything, I'll just have Zayne handle you himself."

Catching sight of the storm brewing on Travis' face,she turned on her heel, feeling pleased.

Some people made provoking them far too effortless.

Later, sprawled across her hotel bed, Alexia glanced at her phone. Roger's chat window remained stubbornly silent, as usual.

Maybe he really had dropped off the face of the earth.

The encounter with Travis had already put her in a foul mood, and Roger's ghosting only added fuel to the fire. Irritation mounting, she began dialing his number repeatedly. At last, someone picked up.

Without skipping a beat, she taunted, "Roger, have you died or something? Because if so, just let me know. No replies to my texts or calls-how are we supposed to finalize this divorce? And how long do you plan to let Marilee hang around as your mistress?"

Before she could say anything more, Gloria's furious voice exploded from the speaker. "What are you saying? How dare you speak like that? Roger's in the hospital, barely alive after a car crash! He hasn't woken up, and you're here cursing him?"

Alexia blurted out, "Roger crashed his car? Well,that's a stroke of luck."

Gloria lost control. "You heartless woman! No wonder Roger wants nothing to do with you. Marilee is a thousand times better than you. Just so you know, l never liked you and I never will!"

Alexia remained perfectly calm, barely paying attention to the tirade. She even queued up an upbeat song and held the phone close to the speaker. The sound of the cheerful melody sent Gloria into hysterics.