SIXTEEN

She's intimidating. Long legs, high cheekbones, flawless skin, emerald eyes, full lips, and a resting bitch face. Basically perfect. Xander really knows how to pick them.

Cara mentally reminds herself that she's beautiful too, which feels petty, but it's the only thing keeping her from slamming the door on this woman. Apart from the obvious beauty, Cara doesn't have a problem with her—despite the fact that she's Xander's ex. If anything, she's impressed this woman managed to tolerate that arrogant asshole for years. Cara's been here less than a month and has already fantasized about ways to get rid of him. But then, she remembers the twins.

Liza frowns at the woman still standing there, just staring. Liza didn't need more than a second to scan the curly-haired girl and figure out she's nothing special. Not on camera, and definitely not in real life. She pushes past Xander's poor excuse for a replacement, striding into the mansion she still considers her second home.

Did Cara mention she had no problem with this chick? Yeah, she definitely does now. This girl is a capital B-I-T-C-H, strolling in like she owns the place.

"I'm Cara, and Alexander isn't here," Cara says, mimicking Liza's British accent and instantly regretting it. She sounds like an idiot trying to sound classy.

Liza turns, raising an impeccably manicured eyebrow. "I know you," she says, pointing a perfectly manicured finger. Cara suddenly remembers she needs to get her nails done. "You're the pregnant one."

Hold up, pregnant one?

Is this chick trying to end up with one arm? Because Cara could make that happen if she keeps running her mouth.

"You mean his girlfriend," Cara corrects her, giving Liza's outfit the once-over. What she's wearing is what Cara would call a getting-back-with-your-ex dress—short, red, silk, showing off those long legs. The makeup and the 35-inch black wig aren't fooling anyone.

Liza scoffs, flipping her hair. "What a downgrade," she mutters, just loud enough for Cara to hear.

The anger sits heavy in Cara's chest, ready to burst out in a bone-breaking move. Start with those legs, maybe. "Excuse me, what did you say?" Cara gives the bitch one chance to take it back.

"What did you hear?" Liza smirks.

That's it. Cara's about to drag this bitch by her wig when she feels a hand on her arm, holding her back.

Xavier.

Today's her lucky day. Cara yanks her arm free.

Liza smirks. "Aww, Alexander got himself an aggressive kitten." She coos, making Cara's blood boil even more. Cara clenches her fist so tight, she knows it'll leave marks on her palm.

"Hello, Xavier," Liza greets him with a fake smile. They've never gotten along, but they try for Alexander's sake. Xavier was pretty happy when he found out they broke up.

"Liza," he nods, acknowledging her presence.

Liza pulls a card from her small Prada bag and hands it to Xavier. "Give this to Alexander. He'll know what it means." Xavier takes the card.

"Bye," Liza says, walking away.

"Bye," Cara mocks, almost childishly.

As soon as Liza is out of sight, Cara turns to Xavier, all her anger transferring to him. "Look..."

Before he can finish, Cara knees him where the sun doesn't shine.

"Fuck," Xavier groans, clutching himself. "What was that for?"

"For not letting me teach that bitch a lesson," Cara snaps.

"Can't you see what she was trying to do? She's trying to get under your skin. If you laid a finger on her, she'd have you arrested, then run to the press."

"Would've been worth it," Cara mutters, folding her arms and pouting. "I'm not done with her yet," she vows.

Xavier winces, still clutching his crotch. "Don't be such a baby. I barely touched you." Cara rolls her eyes, heading for the living room.

"The pain says otherwise."

Cara's eyes adjust to the brightness, and she notices movement in her room. Blinking, she sees two girls with an array of clothes. The blonde one is the first to notice she's awake. "Good morning, Madam Cara," she chirps, holding up a red, flowery sundress.

"W-what's happening here?" Cara sits up.

"I'm Sarah, and she's Jane. We brought clothes last time, remember? We're doing this every month for each stage of your pregnancy."

"Hmm, thanks?" Cara says, still confused.

"This dress will look amazing on you," Jane says, pointing at the sundress.

Cara wouldn't normally wear something like this, but it's cute enough. She'll give it a try.

"Don't you look like a ray of sunshine?" Xavier says, mouth full of pizza, as Cara walks into the kitchen. Two men are in there—one with a cup of coffee and a laptop, the other in a pink hoodie and grey sweatpants. As she walks over to Xavier, she can feel Xander's eyes on her. Or maybe it's just her imagining it. Either way, she flips her hair, strutting like she's on a runway.

She grabs a slice of pizza and glances at Xander, who's definitely staring. She expects him to look away, but his gaze stays fixed, making her uncomfortable. Smiling awkwardly, she looks away.

"How's your little friend?" Cara jokes, biting into her pizza.

"A sexy nurse advised me to keep my dick away from you," Xavier says, stepping back dramatically.

"I bet she's smart." Cara rolls her eyes, her gaze drifting back to Xander, who's still staring.

Xander finally smiles and looks away, focusing back on his laptop. Cara bites her lip; now it's her turn to stare. Xander reaches for a slice of pizza, but Xavier swats his hand away.

"What the hell?" Xander glares at his brother.

"This pizza is mine, and I'm eating all of it myself," Xavier says, moving the box out of Xander's reach. Cara bites her lip to keep from laughing.

"Okay, I apologize for flipping out yesterday."

"Since you pleaded, just a slice," Xavier smirks.

Xander rolls his eyes as he stands to pick one up. Xavier, thinking his brother is reaching for a hug, spreads his arms out.

"I'm not hugging you, dude." Xander dismisses him as he grabs a slice.

"Me neither." Xavier drops his arms immediately. Cara bursts out laughing.

The brothers pause, both staring at her until she gets herself under control.

"Your ex was here last night," Cara says, noticing Xander freeze up, his expression unreadable.

"What did she want?" He asks, dropping the pizza back in the box, clearly losing his appetite.

"She brought a card..."

Xander cuts off his brother, "For the charity ball, I know."

Xander's amazed by Liza's nerve to step into his house again. And this invite? She doesn't seem to grasp the concept of breakup.

He'd had her things packed and sent to her through Jon, hoping to rid himself of her. Apparently, that was wishful thinking.

"Oh, the one you two created to raise funds for disabled kids. My invite must've gotten lost in the mail like every other year," Xavier says sarcastically.

"Well, you can have mine. I'm not going."

"What? You have to go. It'll raise a lot of questions if the founder doesn't show. This has been your project for three years."

Xander can't handle being in the same room as Liza and pretending everything's fine. It would reopen old wounds. This charity event is bigger than their drama, but he just can't.

"I'm not going," Xander says, unhinged.

"Xavier's right," Cara chimes in. "The media will spin all kinds of stories if you don't go, and Liza will come out on top in the tabloids."

"I don't care. They always talk."

"Why not give them something more interesting and favorable to talk about?" Cara smiles, mentally cooking up a plan.

"And what might that be?"

"Why don't I come along?" Cara smirks.

"That's an amazing idea," Xavier says, already imagining Liza's angry face.

Xander looks at Cara, who's usually in a hoodie and shorts, now suddenly excited about wearing a ball gown and faking a smile for an entire night.

"Why?"

"I noticed you want to avoid your ex, and what better way than arriving with your current girlfriend?" Cara says with a sheepish smile, the kind she gives when she's scheming.

Cara's determined to meet that bitch again and make her eat her condescending words.

"Right, 'nice,'" Xander mutters, not buying Cara's words for a second. The idea of her going wasn't entirely bad, though.

"It'll be great. My stylist will have you covered," Xavier chimes in, nudging Cara.

"Whatever," Xander rolls his eyes, shutting his laptop before picking it up and walking out of the room.

"I'll take that as a yes!" Cara calls after him.

"Okay, now spill it. Why do you really want to go?" Xavier eyes Cara suspiciously as he takes a bite of pizza.

Cara pouts, "You don't believe I'm doing this out of the goodness of my heart?"

"Cut the crap," Xavier replies, shaking his head.

"Fine. I'm going to put that bitch in her place."

"As much as I like the sound of that, she's got long nails. I'd be careful if I were you," Xavier warns.

"And I've got a magical fist that gives great punches."

"You're something else," Xavier smiles, closing the pizza box. "Well, I gotta head out." He dusts his hands.

"Wait, where are you off to?"

"I'm shooting today, remember?"

"Before you leave, do you know where Xander keeps his Porsche keys?" Cara smirks.

~~~

"What's all that noise?" Xander asks his secretary as she walks in, responding to his earlier call.

"Sir, I think you should check the window," she suggests.

Raising an eyebrow, Xander stands and walks toward the window. The noise grows louder as he pulls open the blinds, revealing his Porsche parked outside with Cara inside, pressing the horn.

"What the hell does she think she's doing?" Xander whispers to himself.

~~~

"Finally, you came down," Cara says, letting go of the horn.

"What the fuck is wrong with you? And who let you leave the house with my Porsche?" Xander seethes, the vein on his forehead bulging. No one has ever made him this mad—she brings out the worst in him.

"I can be very persuasive," Cara smiles.

Xander takes deep breaths, trying not to yell at the woman who just disturbed an entire building just to frustrate him.

"You look mad. Why are you mad? I'm just trying to do something nice for my boyfriend," Cara pouts.

Xander notices people staring from various windows and forces a smile. "Are you insane? I'm working."

"Aren't you the boss? You need to loosen up," Cara smiles back. "Look, if you don't get in the car, people will think there's trouble in paradise."

"When we break up, I'm going to make sure it's public and epic. Then all your shenanigans won't work on me."

"I doubt you'll want to break up with me," Cara says confidently.

"Fine. Get out—I'll drive." Xander places his hand on the Porsche.

"Hell no, I'm driving," Cara says, starting the car.

With a sigh, Xander removes his jacket, walks over to the passenger side, and gets in.

"See, that wasn't so hard," Cara mocks. "We should probably give those watching a show—kiss me."

Xander would have gladly obliged if he wasn't so mad. "Not happening."

"Whatever, your loss," Cara shrugs.

~~~

"You cheated," Cara accuses, keeping her focus on the road.

"How can I cheat in a game that doesn't exist?" Xander retorts. "Didn't you just make it up?"

"Still cheating," Cara mutters, swerving slightly. She notices Xander clutching his seatbelt from the corner of her eye.

"Relax, I'm not going to kill you," Cara teases.

"Can't be too safe," Xander replies. He wouldn't have gotten in the car if he knew her driving matched her wild personality.

She's a maniac.

"Ha ha ha," Cara says dryly.

"Where are we?" Xander asks as Cara pulls into a parking lot.

"We're going bowling, baby!" Cara cheers.

~~~

"Wow, you're terrible at bowling," Xander teases, removing his bowling shoes.

"And you were so subtle in showing off how great you are," Cara replies sarcastically.

"Hey, it was fun watching you embarrass yourself," Xander says honestly.

"Is there anything you can't do?" Cara asks, sitting on a bench and dropping her shoes on the floor.

"Well," Xander sits beside her, "I can't win your stupid game," he mocks.

"Ass," Cara nudges him, and they both laugh.

For the first time, they find themselves sharing a moment, sitting together in comfortable silence. But it doesn't last long—a fan approaches them, breaking the calm.

"Oh my God, can I get a picture with you guys?" she gushes.

~~~

Cara has to admit, today was fun. She saw a side of the asshole Xavier claimed existed. Maybe she judged him too quickly. After bowling, they drove around town, had lunch, and enjoyed themselves. Then he got a call from work, so Cara took the Porsche home while he returned to the office.

"So, do I want to know what you did with Xander's Porsche?" Xavier greets Cara as she walks into the living room.

"No," Cara joins him on the couch. "How was your day?"

"Great. My character gets to kiss an extremely hot actress." Xavier taps his phone a few times and pulls up a picture. "Look, isn't she hot?" Xavier shows Cara the woman's picture.

Cara takes the phone from his hands, examining the attractive woman.

"You gonna ask her out?"

"So, you didn't notice the ring on her finger?" Cara shakes her head.

"What ring?" Xavier grabs the phone, zooming in on her hand. "The universe hates me," he groans, tossing his phone onto the nearest couch.

Cara laughs as she stands up. "Going to bed. Try not to break up any marriages before I wake up," she mocks, walking out.

"Oh, you're so funny," Xavier says dryly. "Remember, the stylist will be here tomorrow at 3 p.m."

~~~

Cara wakes up to the loud ring of her phone. She rolls over, grabbing it from the nightstand.

"Hello," she mumbles.

"Well, hello to you too," Cassie says sarcastically. "She finally picks up after spending the whole day with the billionaire."

Cara smiles as she lies flat on her back. "It's not like that."

"So, how was your day with him?" Cassie teases.

"Surprisingly fun, in a non-sexual way," Cara replies. "So, get your mind out of the gutter."

"What was that text about a ball?" Cassie asks.

"Yeah, I'm Xander's date to a charity ball, and I need your help picking out an outfit."

Cassie scoffs, "Since when do you go to those?"

"Since I met Xander's ex, and now I have this burning desire to get under her flawless skin."

"Hold up, Liza Woods? How exciting is your life right now?" Cassie exclaims. "What are you planning?"

"A good old jealousy game should do the trick. So, get your ass over here," Cara smirks.

"Aye aye, Captain."

If Liza thinks she's a bitch, well, she's met her match.