CHAPTER 47: EMBARRASSMENT

[Reid Mansion]

The air was thick with tension by the time Alexander dragged Jack through the mansion’s front doors.

Jack stumbled, still half-drunk in anger and humiliation.

Alexander didn’t say a single word. His grip was firm, controlled and cold like he wasn’t touching a brother but a problem that needed removal.

"LET GO OF ME—" Jack snapped, yanking his arm free the moment they crossed the threshold.

Alexander didn’t turn. "Move," he ordered.

Jack scoffed but followed, still fuming and muttering curses under his breath.

Just then, Benjamin appeared at the top of the stairs. He was fuming.

His expression turned darker the moment he saw Jack.

"What—" he said slowly with a dangerously calm voice, "did you do?"

Jack opened his mouth but Benjamin descended the stairs with sharp echoing footsteps.

Alexander didn’t move. Instead, he stepped away. He had no intentions of coming in between them

Benjamin reached Jack and SLAPPED him across the face.

The sound cracked through the marble foyer.

Jack’s head snapped sideways with hand flying to his cheek.

"Dad—"

Before he could say something, another slap landed on his other cheek, harder.

"You insolent, brainless ba*stard—" Benjamin roared, grabbing Jack by the collar. "You went to the Carter mansion? You made a scene in front of them? Do you have ANY idea what you almost cost this family?"

Jack staggered. "I—I just wanted to talk to her—"

"SHUT UP!"

SLAP.

Jack stumbled against the wall.

Upstairs, footsteps hurried.

Olivia appeared in her silk robe with her eyes wide. In fact, it was too wide and too dramatic.

"Benjamin—STOP," she gasped, rushing down. "He is just a boy, he made a mistake."

Benjamin rounded on her. "This—" he pointed at Jack— "is not a boy. This is an embarrassment."

Olivia recoiled like he had struck her instead. She quickly shielded Jack. "Are the Carter’s so important that you are willing to hurt your own son?"

"Yes, they are very important," Benjamin yelled at the top of his lungs. "Do you know what will happen if Gregory Carter doesn’t sign the deal? I am doomed."

And that caught Alexander’s attention even though his mind was in a mess. But he did not interrupt his father and kept the questions for later.

Jack glared at Alexander through one swollen eye. It was hurt, furious and humiliated.

And Benjamin wasn’t finished.

"You were told NOT to go near Evelyn," he snarled. "But no, you had to act like a child and run straight into trouble."

"I LOVE HER," Jack shouted with his voice cracking. "And he—" He pointed shakily at Alexander. "He is trying to steal her!"

Benjamin scoffed.

Alexander’s jaw clenched.

And Olivia watched with the corner of her lips curving slightly. No one other than her was loving the chaos.

Benjamin grabbed Jack’s collar again. "Alexander has NOTHING to do with your stupidity," he hissed.

Olivia stepped in front of Jack protectively. "Benjamin, please. You have made your point," she whispered with a voice trembling with perfectly crafted fear. "He will break, please don’t hurt him."

Benjamin scoffed. "If I break him, it would save me years of regret."

Jack’s breath hitched in humiliation.

Olivia turned desperately toward Alexander as the final act in her manipulation.

"Alexander, please—" she begged, voice quivering. "Stop him. Help your brother."

Jack looked up at Alexander with broken hope.

But Alexander didn’t even flinch.

With a voice cold as ice, he said, "He needs to learn."

Olivia went still and the hurt in Jack’s eyes instantly twisted into resentment.

Olivia placed a hand on Jack’s shoulder tenderly but her eyes flickered with triumph.

"There—" she whispered to him softly but loud enough for Alexander to hear, "Do you see now who your family truly is?"

Benjamin turned away in disgust. "Get him out of my sight."

Jack jerked away from Olivia and stormed upstairs with rage trembling in every muscle.

Olivia glared at Alexander, victorious.

"You should have protected him," she accused in a whisper. "He is your little brother after all."

Alexander’s voice didn’t even flicker. "He made his choices."

"And he will remember yours," she replied sweetly, with a vicious smile.

Alexander turned his back on her and walked out, failing to see the smirk that curled at the edge of Olivia’s mouth.

.....

[Carter Mansion]

The house was quiet.

Too quiet.

Evelyn had washed her face, changed into a simple cotton top and pajama pants and slumped on her bed.

The chaotic day had finally come to an end but the emotional stress that came with it still lingered.

After Alexander dragged Jack out, her father had thrown a fit. He had called Benjamin Reid and yelled at him, yelled at the guards for letting Jack past the main entrance and yelled at mother for asking him not to yell.

But amidst all the chaos, the only thing that was in Evelyn’s mind was the look Alexander had given her before leaving. She couldn’t shrug off his cold expression and how he had completely ignored her.

For the man who had just confessed his feelings for her not too long ago, his behavior was not only weird but also quite unacceptable.

None of it sat right in her mind.

She didn’t know whether she should feel guilty, angry or simply exhausted.

When she saw Jack in her house, she was surprised and maybe a little startled.

Initially she thought he had come to bring trouble or to fight but when he kneeled down and started begging for forgiveness, she felt bad for him.

Would she forgive him? Right now, she wasn’t planning to.

She needed time to get over the humiliation she had to go through because of him.

Would she be able to forgive him in the future? Maybe, but she wasn’t sure.

But none of it mattered anymore. Whatever relationship she shared with Jack was over and she would never go back to him.

When she saw him today, she didn’t feel hurt or loved. She felt pity and sadness for him.

All the love she had for him was gone, or maybe it was never really there.

Evelyn sighed and was reaching to switch off her bedside lamp when her phone buzzed.

Alexander: Come outside.

.....