The Son-in-Law Apocalypse Revenge

008

The two slaps still burned across Tristan's cheek, but it was the last sentence that truly broke him.

Boyfriend.

His voice came out rough and cracked. "You think this is funny?"

The woman did not blink. "No. I think this is overdue."

Tristan pointed at Desmond again. "That loser? Your boyfriend?"

Desmond looked at him with calm contempt. "You should breathe before you faint."

Nolan had completely lost his grin. Evan looked like he wanted to disappear into the floor. Bryce was still struggling to understand the night.

Tristan took a wild step forward. "Do not talk to me like that."

The woman lifted one hand.

That was all it took.

Two security men in black suits appeared at the entrance of the upper lounge as if they had been waiting for a signal the whole time.

Tristan froze.

For the first time that night, something real entered his eyes. Fear.

The woman did not raise her voice. "Remove him."

The two guards moved at once.

"Get your hands off me," Tristan snapped, jerking backward. "Do you idiots know who I am?"

"Yes," one of the guards said flatly. "The man leaving first."

Bryce stood at once. "Hold on. Nobody is dragging him anywhere."

Three more guards appeared behind the first two.

That ended Bryce's courage as quickly as it started.

Nolan lowered his eyes. Evan stepped back and adjusted his sleeve like he had never been involved.

Tristan, meanwhile, had gone red with rage.

"Desmond," he spat, twisting against the grip on his arms. "You think this changes anything? You think hiding behind a woman means you won?"

Desmond's face stayed still. "You needed four men, drugged whiskey, and fake contracts to talk to me. I do not think you are in a position to judge anyone."

Nolan winced. Even Bryce looked away.

Tristan's control snapped again. "This is not over." His voice rose high enough to cut through the floor below. "Do you hear me, Desmond? This is not over. I will make sure tonight follows you. I will make sure you regret this. I will make sure you crawl before this ends."

Desmond did not move.

"Then try," he said.

He kicked at the table as the guards dragged him backward. One of the whiskey glasses shattered on the floor. The folder slid off the table and spilled papers everywhere.

"You think you got lucky once and became untouchable!" Tristan shouted. "You are still trash! You will always be trash! I swear this humiliation is coming back to you ten times worse!"

The guards kept pulling him toward the stairs. He fought the entire way. His shoes scraped against the polished floor, and his threats only got uglier.

By the time he disappeared from sight, the upper lounge had gone silent enough to hear the last of his shouting from below. Then it was gone.

Nolan let out a tight breath. Bryce rubbed the back of his neck. Evan looked at the woman and forced a weak smile that convinced no one. "I believe there has been a misunderstanding."

"No," Desmond said. "There has been a very clear understanding all night."

Evan's face stiffened.

The woman looked toward the remaining three men. "Would you like to follow him?"

Nobody answered.

That was answer enough.

Nolan grabbed his jacket first. "We were just leaving."

Bryce muttered something under his breath and followed.

Evan bent down to gather the fallen papers, but one look from the woman made him straighten immediately and abandon them.

The three of them left without another word.

The moment they were gone, the upper lounge felt different. 

The guards remained a few steps away until the woman gave a slight nod. Then they also withdrew, leaving the two of them alone beside the table and the broken glass.

Desmond looked at her properly now. Her fair skin stood out under the low light, and her posture carried confidence.

More importantly, she had walked into a loaded trap, read the room in seconds, and overturned it without wasting a word.

"You handled that well," Desmond said.

A small smile touched her lips. "So did you. Most men would have panicked long before I arrived."

"Most men did not live this scene once already," Desmond replied.

The smile on her face faded, not completely, just enough.

Her eyes changed first. 

She studied him for a few long seconds, and Desmond studied her back. Neither of them looked surprised anymore.

At last, she spoke. "Mr. Kane, this is not the right place for the conversation we need to have."