As soon as those words left his mouth, Carmen Gates felt the sting of irony even more sharply.
Every sentence out of his mouth was just an excuse, a deflection. He hadn’t once given her a straight answer.
She let out a cold laugh. “You care about your kid? If you really cared about Lavinia, you wouldn’t have gone and fathered a child with someone else. Today was Lavinia’s wedding, and if you’d kept your nose clean and stayed away from that woman, none of this would’ve happened. Do you have any idea how humiliating this is? Do you know how long Lavinia’s been dreaming about this day? You ruined what was supposed to be the happiest day of her life.”
As Carmen spoke, Lavinia Bennett felt a tightness in her chest. She looked at her father, eyes brimming with accusation.
Mason Bennett shrank under their words, but he refused to let it show. He was the head of the family, after all.
He waved his hand, voice raised in anger. “I told you, this is all a setup—someone’s trying to frame me.”
“If you hadn’t done it, no one would have anything to use against you,” Carmen shot back, the words tumbling out unchecked, fueled by nothing but rage.
“You—” Mason glared at her, so angry his breath came unevenly.
Lavinia stepped forward, her tone sharp. “Dad, this really is your fault. Anyone with eyes can see what’s going on with that woman and her kid. And you’re still trying to wriggle out of it? Still trying to blame Mom? You owe her an explanation—a real one.”
Seeing his wife and daughter standing together, united against him, Mason felt his irritation surge.
Carmen pressed a hand to her chest, as if steadying herself. Something in her gaze hardened; her eyes, red-rimmed, bore into Mason. “Don’t forget—you were the one who said having just Lavinia was enough. I’m not going to force you to talk, but hear me now: you’ve got only one option left. Deal with that woman and her kid.”
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