While My Husband Cheated, I Married His Powerful Brother

Chapter 174: Chapter 174 Naya Meets Xander

​The main room of the empty shop was buzzing with continuous energy.

​Veyra, Mia, Megan, and Jade stood together right in the middle of the open floor, surrounded by light dust floating in the air and endless potential. Broad streams of warm morning sunlight poured in through the front windows, illuminating the bare space.

​Jade knelt down and spread her large design sketches across the clean floorboards. The drawings were extremely detailed, vibrant, and full of creative ideas.

​"Alright," Jade said, looking up with a bright smile. "Here is the core vision I have mapped out."

​She leaned over and tapped her finger on the first main page. "This right here is our primary feature wall. I want to fit it with custom floating shelves and clear display cases designed to showcase collectible art figures."

​Mia tilted her head, looking a little puzzled. "Collectible figures?"

​"Trendy designer toys, limited-edition art pieces, and exclusive pop-culture releases," Jade explained, her eyes lit with enthusiasm. "This exact visual aesthetic is wildly popular with our target demographic right now. College students, young professionals, and people looking for a unique spot to hang out."

​Veyra knelt down beside her to study the layout carefully. "I really like how it looks visually, Jade. But do you think it might be a little too niche for a general tea shop?"

​Jade shook her head without a second thought. "Not at all. The crowd for collectible figures isn’t restricted by age anymore. It completely comes down to whether people connect with a specific character or style. If the atmosphere feels cool and the brand identity is strong, customers will keep coming back to check out new additions."

​Megan nodded along slowly as she looked over the drawing. "She actually makes a really good point. I’ve seen people drop serious money on rare display pieces just to collect the whole set."

​Veyra smiled, feeling reassured by their input. "Alright then. Let’s go ahead with it."

​Jade grinned from ear to ear, thrilled by their approval, and quickly pulled out the next sheet from her binder.

​"Now, over on this side is the main seating lounge," Jade said, pointing out the second floor plan. "I’m thinking built-in booths with thick cushions, soft warm lighting overhead, and a full wall of bookshelves featuring a curated selection of light reads. Nothing overly academic or heavy, just pure relaxed atmosphere."

​Veyra looked closely at the drawn layout. The seating booths were smoothly curved, the lighting fixtures looked warm and inviting, and the surrounding shelves held a balanced mix of paperback books and small decorative figures.

​"I love this setup," Veyra said softly, genuinely impressed by the work.

​Mia clapped her hands together in excitement. "It’s literally perfect for what we want."

​Jade beamed with pride, holding the sketches up for everyone to see.

​Directly across the street, sitting inside the quiet second-floor café, Naya Whitmore kept her sharp eyes locked on the scene.

​Her gaze remained fixed on the wide display windows of the new storefront across the road. She could clearly see Veyra moving around inside the lit room, laughing easily, gesturing toward the walls, and chatting with her group of friends.

​Naya’s jaw clamped shut, the muscles along her cheeks twitching with deep irritation.

​She had been keeping watch on this exact block for days now. She had been waiting patiently for a single slip-up, searching for a clean opening to striking back and setting her revenge plan into motion.

​Yet, despite all her effort, she had not found a way to move in. Veyra was constantly surrounded by people and protected around the clock by visible security.

​Naya’s fingers curled into tight, pale fists against the glass tabletop.

​She realized she couldn’t pull this off completely on her own. She needed local leverage.

​To get what she wanted, Naya had reached out and called in a substantial favor.

Carter Vance was a known local fixer in the area, a quiet broker who knew every major figure and property line in the Riverside District. He had extensive connections, access to muscle, and the ability to set up meetings with people who could get things done under the radar.

​A few minutes later, Carter Vance walked up the café stairs, bringing a well-dressed man along with him.

​The man was noticeably tall, with broad shoulders and a stern, weathered face. His dark eyes were cold and calculating, and he walked with a subtle, barely noticeable limp in his left step.

Carter Vance stepped forward, gesturing respectfully toward his companion. "Councilor Whitmore’s daughter, allow me to introduce Mr. Xander Hale. He happens to be the actual landlord who owns the commercial property across the street."

​Naya’s eyes widened slightly in genuine surprise. "The landlord?"

​"Yes, ma’am," Carter Vance confirmed with a brief nod.

​Naya took a moment to evaluate Xander from head to toe. His dark suit was tailor-made from high-end fabric, his leather shoes were polished to a mirror shine, and his hardened expression was completely unreadable.

​"Mr. Hale," Naya said, adopting a polite tone. "I’ve heard your name brought up in a few business circles."

​Xander’s deep voice remained completely flat. "I’m sure you have."

​Naya gestured toward the empty leather seat across from her. "Please, sit down."

​Xander pulled out the chair and sat down across from her, keeping his posture relaxed but his demeanor guarded.

​He was well aware of who he was dealing with. Naya was the daughter of a prominent official, highly connected in high society, and notoriously ruthless when crossed.

​Naya offered him a thin, polite smile that didn’t reach her eyes. "I understand that you hold the deed to the commercial space right across the block."

​Xander gave a simple nod. "I do."

​"And you recently rented that space out to a young woman named Veyra Solenne?"

​Xander’s eyes narrowed into sharp slits at the mention of the name. "Yes. That lease was signed recently."

​Naya leaned slightly over the table, dropping her voice into a soft, serious murmur. "I need you to tell me every single detail you know about her background."

​Xander remained silent for a long moment, staring out the window at the busy street below before turning his gaze back to Naya.

​"She’s the woman who flat-out rejected my marriage proposal," Xander revealed, a bitter edge slipping into his tone.

​Naya raised her eyebrows in unexpected shock. "Your proposal?"

​"I formally proposed to her not that long ago," Xander said, his jaw tightening as the memory surfaced. "And she turned me down cold."

​Naya stared straight at him, her mind working at top speed to piece the information together.

​"On what grounds did she turn you down?"

​Xander let out a short, bitter breath. "She claimed she was already legally married. Said her husband was just a common bodyguard, some low-level security employee with no real standing or wealth to his name."

​Naya’s mouth went dry, her jaw clenching hard in disbelief.

​She thought immediately of Dorian Thorne. His vast family fortune, his immense corporate authority, and his position as the supreme CEO of the massive Zeus Group. He was easily one of the most powerful and influential men in the entire city.

​Yet Veyra was walking around telling ordinary locals that she was married to a simple bodyguard.

​A wave of intense suspicion rose in Naya’s mind, making her eyes light up with dangerous interest.

​"That story makes zero sense," Naya said flatly.

​Xander tilted his head slightly, watching her reaction. "What do you mean by that?"

​Naya leaned in even closer, her gaze turning icy and relentless as she locked eyes with him.

​"I need you to give me everything you have on Veyra," Naya demanded, her voice dropping into a harsh whisper. "Tell me about her daily routine, her personal connections, her past history, and every single secret she is trying to keep hidden."

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