Chapter 8 Jessica #3
“Are you really going to keep acting like this?” he asked. “One day, you’re going to regret all these decisions when it’s too late. You don’t even seem to have any boundaries anymore.”
Anger flashed across his face.
Before Ivan could respond, Terrence turned and stormed away.
Jessica watched him leave, her eyebrows drawing together with quiet curiosity. She seemed to wonder what had gotten into him, but after a moment, she turned back toward Ivan.
He looked tense.
Jessica immediately brightened, putting on a cheerful smile as though nothing had happened.
“So, are we having a party for me tonight?” she asked, giving his arm a playful shake. “We haven’t had an all-night party since I came back.”
She tugged his arm again, this time more insistently.
Ivan didn’t smile.
His expression remained tight and distant, as though he hadn’t even heard her.
Jessica moved closer, pressing herself against his arm.
Ivan slammed his glass onto the table.
“Not today,” he said, his voice strained. “We’ll do it next time.”
He removed her hand from his arm and rose abruptly from the couch.
Without another word, he walked away.
Behind him, Jessica’s pleasant expression vanished.
Frustration twisted across her face. She clenched her hands in her lap, gritted her teeth, and sat there in simmering silence.
***
Outside a massive corporate building, a Mercedes waited at the curb.
Two impeccably dressed men descended the steps and headed toward the waiting car. People passing by couldn't help but glance in their direction, their attention drawn to the two striking men.
The driver immediately opened the rear door.
Maverick slid inside first, followed by Lucious, who entered from the opposite side. The driver shut the door, climbed into the front, and pulled away from the curb.
Within moments, the Mercedes disappeared into the stream of traffic.
“This deal with the Hamingtons seems a little dodgy,” Lucious muttered, frowning down at the documents in his hands. “I think something is wrong with that guy. Wasn’t he being unusually pushy about including your newest product?”
Maverick barely responded.
He was scrolling through his phone, his attention fixed on the screen.
“Hm.”
That was all Lucious got.
He frowned and lowered the documents.
“What the hell are you so busy with? You’ve barely been paying attention to anything since we left Manhattan.”
Maverick continued staring at his phone.
Lucious studied him for a moment before asking, “You’re coming to the party tonight, right?”
“No.”
Maverick muttered.
For a brief second, disappointment crossed his face as he stared at the empty message screen. There were no messages or calls from Rose.
He slipped the phone into his pocket and glanced at Lucious.
“I’ll fly home as soon as the deal is finalized. I have a wife now. I have to act like a family man.”
Lucious blinked.
“What?”
He lowered the files completely, turning toward Maverick with a confused expression.
“What do you mean?”
“I’m married.”
Maverick said it casually, as though he had just announced that he had bought a new car.
“My wife is waiting for me at home. You can attend the party.”
Lucious stared at him for several seconds before slamming the file onto the seat between them.
His body shifted toward Maverick, shock spreading across his face.
“Married?”
He repeated the word as though it made no sense.
“A wife? When the hell did that happen?”
“Rose.”
A smug smile spread across Maverick’s face.
Lucious froze.
“Rose?”
His eyebrows shot upward.
“Rose Monroe?”
Maverick’s smile widened.
Lucious stared at him in stunned silence for a moment before roughly his hand through his hair.
Then he looked back at Maverick.
“When?”
“The day after my business party.”
“Are you fucking kidding me?” Lucious’s voice rose in disbelief. “Is that why you had me take that picture of you kissing her that night and send it to her father?”
Maverick remained silent, but his silence was enough to confirm Lucious’s suspicion.
Lucious let out a bark of laughter, shaking his head in disbelief as he settled deeper into his seat. After a moment, he turned his gaze back to Maverick.
“Aren’t you worried she’ll find out about your little tricks and divorce you?”
Maverick dismissed the concern with a cold look.
“She’s my wife now. If she gets upset, I’ll pacify her.”
His expression hardened, the amusement disappearing from his face.
“But after Ivan laid a hand on her, there was no way in hell I was going to let her go back to him.”
Lucious studied him for a moment before a knowing smile appeared.
“Is that why you told everyone we met today that anyone who does business with the Carringtons from now on will be ineligible to work with your company?”
He raised an eyebrow.
“Trying to cut him off from all sides?”
“He deserves much worse.”
Maverick’s jaw tightened. His eyes turned cold as he looked at Lucious.
“He hit her.”
His voice dropped, each word carrying quiet fury.
“I’m going to fucking destroy him.”
Lucious let out a low scoff, a smile tugging at his lips.
“Looks like things are about to get brutal for the Carringtons.”