The smirk on Scott’s face immediately disappeared as he walked back to his car.
It was replaced by a deep frown as he cursed under his breath.
He took off his jacket and tossed it harshly at his assistant, who was standing near the car with the door open.
Scott let out a shaky breath and turned to look in the direction where she had been standing.
But there was no one there anymore.
His jaw tightened, his anger rising as he turned away and got into the car.
His assistant quickly closed the door and hurried to the driver’s seat.
He was about to start the engine, wanting to drive off quickly before Scott lost it again, but Scott stopped him with a low, dangerous question.
“Are you sure about it?” Scott asked quietly, his tone sharp.
Terry’s eyes darted to the rearview mirror, meeting his boss’s cold glare.
“Yes, sir.” He reached into the glove compartment and pulled out a photograph, his hands trembling slightly as he handed it over.
Scott snatched the photo from him, scoffing before a bitter laugh escaped his lips.
Then it turned into a harsh, broken sound.
He suddenly lost control amd started kicking the car seat with violent force.
Terry froze, gripping the steering wheel tightly.
He had seen this before, too many times.
Every time, it felt like being trapped in a room with a ticking bomb.
Quitting had crossed his mind more than once, but leaving Scott Cross wasn’t that simple.
People who tried to walk away from him rarely made it far.
Scott didn’t forgive betrayal, not even imagined ones.
“F*ck!” Scott yelled, his voice echoing inside the car as he cursed again and again before finally stopping.
His breathing was uneven, his chest rising and falling fast.
His gaze returned to the photo, lily and ava two smiling faces staring back at him.
“I can’t believe he got to her first,” he muttered, his voice trembling with frustration.
“This is your fault. You should’ve stopped her the minute she started searching.”
“I didn’t think she’d become a problem, sir. I apologize for my mistake,” Terry said immediately, his voice low, knowing what was coming next.
But Scott didn’t explode again.
He just sat there, rubbing his temple as if trying to ease the pounding in his head.
“It’s too late for that. Damian is getting married to her f*cking sister in a few days. Do you know what that means?” His tone was cold now and calculated.
“It means we have to move quickly before things get worse. He must have a reason for marrying her of all people, don’t you think?”
“I’ll find out everything, sir,” Terry replied quickly.
Scott sighed and leaned back, closing his eyes for a brief moment.
“Drive,” he said simply.
The car started, pulling away from the press venue.
Scott pressed his fingers against his temple, trying to quiet the storm raging inside him.
He just hoped the day wouldn’t get any worse than this.
He regretted thinking that the moment he stepped into his house and saw his mother sitting in the living room, a glossy magazine in her hand.
“Scott!” she called cheerfully, smiling as if she’d been waiting for him.
“Where have you been? You weren’t at your office!”
Scott stopped mid-step, his frustration returning instantly.
“I had meetings outside the office. What are you doing here, Mom? Weren’t you supposed to be on a trip or something?” he asked tiredly.
Melissa Cross stood, dropping the magazine onto the couch.
“I was supposed to leave today,” she said dramatically, “but how could I after what I found out?”
Scott already knew what she was referring to.
He wouldn’t be surprised if she already knew who designed Ava’s wedding dress or the type of ring Damian bought her.
His eyes flicked briefly to her wrist, where she had picked up the magazine and was clutching it now like she wanted to show him something, and he almost scoffed as his thoughts returned to the large diamond he’d seen glinting on Ava’s finger earlier.
“Did you hear the news?” Melissa continued, her voice filled with excitement.
Scott sighed deeply and started toward his room.
“Yes. So please, leave me alone. I’ve had a really long day.”
Melissa ignored that part completely, following him eagerly.
“I can’t believe this! How did you find out? How long have they known each other? Why are they getting married so fast? It’s all crazy! My friends have been calling nonstop asking about the wedding and if we’re invited. We are invited, right?”
Scott stopped walking and turned to face her, his expression unreadable.
“How would I know that?” he said flatly before turning away again.
But Melissa wasn’t done.
“You should know! He’s your cousin. Have you spoken to him? Maybe I should invite him over for dinner so we can get to know her. You should come too…”
“Are we close?” Scott’s voice cut her off sharply.
Melissa froze.
The sudden bitterness in his tone catching her off guard.
“But he’s still your cousin, Scott,” she said softly, her earlier excitement fading.
“You should try to be close to him. He might be able to help you someday…”
“Just stop, okay?” Scott’s voice rose, filled with anger he could barely contain.
“I don’t need his f*cking help, and I never will. And I wouldn’t be surprised if he didn’t even invite us to his wedding. Why are you acting like you’ve always cared about him? You hated him because of his mother, remember?”
Melissa took a step back, her expression shifting from surprise to guilt.
“Scott…” she called quietly, her voice trembling a little.
“Please leave. I want to be alone,” he said in a low voice.
He didn’t look back as he walked down the hallway toward his room, leaving her standing there in silence.
The magazine slipped from Melissa’s hand and landed softly on the floor, the glossy cover now showing a photo of Damian Cross and Ava Sinclair smiling for the cameras.