Chapter 267: Raw and Unstoppable (1)
The dinner went surprisingly smooth—almost too normal, in fact. The usual tension that often lingered in the Knight household was nowhere to be found tonight. Laughter mixed with the soft clinking of cutlery, and for once, everyone seemed relaxed, chatting casually and minding their own conversations.
After the meal, Benjamin rose from his seat, his expression warm but full of intention. "Alright, everyone, let’s move to the living room," he said. "Bring your champagne or wine with you."
The family and their guests followed, settling into the spacious and luxurious living room. Once everyone was seated, Benjamin stood near the fireplace, glass in hand.
"You might be wondering why I called this dinner and why the champagne," he began with a teasing smile. "Well, there are two announcements tonight. One from me, and one from Reagan. Let me go first."
He glanced around the room, clearly enjoying the anticipation. "After years of trying to convince him, Oliver has finally agreed to take me on as an investor in his new business. Well... Not really new, but a long-overdue expansion.
He’ll be stepping away from being a purely independent lawyer to start his own firm, the Morris-Knight Law Firm. He’ll be expanding his team soon, but of course," Benjamin paused, his grin widening, "he’ll still be prioritizing us as his VIP clients, right, Oliver?"
Everyone chuckled, and Oliver lifted his champagne glass with a knowing smirk. "Of course," he said smoothly. "But let’s be clear, since Nick is my best friend and brother from another mother and father, he gets first priority. Vicky’s second, because, well, she’s the princess of the family, and I’d rather not get on her bad side. She becomes a dragon when angry. I’d rather not burn to death. So Benjamin, I’m afraid you’re third."
The room erupted in laughter. Nick stood and hugged and congratulated Oliver, followed by Liam and Vicky. Even Reagan and Sarah’s father joined in to shake Oliver’s hand.
Once everyone had settled back into their seats, Benjamin cleared his throat, his eyes twinkling with anticipation. "Now then," he said, looking at his son. "Reagan, the floor is yours. Tell us, what was this dinner really for?"
Reagan let out a small laugh, rubbing the back of his neck. "First of all, I just want to say that it was Dad’s idea to invite everyone tonight," he began, glancing playfully at Benjamin. "I only asked for him, Mom, and Sarah’s parents to be here, but, well, you know how Dad gets when he’s excited about a gathering. So... sorry if this ruined any of your plans tonight, I didn’t intend to ambush everyone."
A few chuckles went around the room, and everyone noticed how happy he looked, which is different from his usual stern facade.
Then, Reagan’s tone softened. "Anyway, I asked for this dinner because I have something important to share. Sarah and I have decided to honor the old agreement between the Knight and Meyer families. The arranged marriage that was once set for our families... will still happen. But this time, it’ll be between me and Sarah."
For a heartbeat, the room went utterly silent, then Benjamin and Violet both broke into delighted applause, followed by Sarah’s parents, who were visibly touched. Their joy filled the room like a warm, flickering fire.
Meanwhile, Nick, Liam, and Vicky looked completely blindsided, eyes wide, jaws almost hitting the floor. It was the last thing any of them had expected to hear tonight.
Across the coffee table, Georgia met Ella’s gaze. A subtle exchange passed between them, a knowing look, half surprise, and half curiosity. They didn’t need words to understand each other. The night had just taken an unexpected turn.
"Uh... sorry to cut into your little celebration," Vicky’s voice sliced through the warm air, sharp enough to turn every head toward her.
Her tone carried that distinct edge that made even Benjamin lean back in his chair. "But can someone please explain what the hell is going on? Because I’m sorry, this sounds like a disaster waiting to happen. Especially if it’s Sarah’s idea."
The tension in the room thickened, the clinking of glasses and quiet chatter instantly replaced by a brittle silence.
"Excuse me for being blunt," Vicky continued, her hands gesturing in disbelief as she turned toward Sarah. "But, Sarah, are you seriously messing with us right now? After years of chasing Nick, doing everything you could to trap him, and making every woman who got close to him miserable... suddenly you’re marrying Reagan? To ’honor’ some old family deal?"
Her words hit the room like shards of glass, sharp, cutting, impossible to ignore.
Vicky scoffed, her voice rising. "If I didn’t know you better, I’d almost believe this nonsense. But I do. You’re not doing this out of love or duty. You’re doing it because you lost, you’re a fucking bitch who wants to destroy our family for not getting Nick.
And yes, you’re a slut who is willing to spread her legs just to get revenge. Well, I’m sorry to tell you, but you won’t be able to separate Nick and Georgia, too late for your little revenge, they are married now and protected by law, and I won’t allow you to destroy this family!"
*SLAP!*
The sound cracked through the air like thunder. Reagan’s hand had landed squarely across Vicky’s cheek, shocking everyone into stillness.
For a split second, no one moved—then chaos exploded.
Nick and Oliver reacted instantly, shoving Reagan back in unison. The push wasn’t meant to be strong, but the combined force sent Reagan stumbling hard into the sofa, which toppled with a loud thud.
Vicky let out a startled cry as Liam pulled her close, wrapping an arm protectively around her shoulders.
Georgia and Ella froze on the couch, their wide eyes darting from one person to another as the air filled with gasps and overlapping voices.
Benjamin rose to his feet, shouting for everyone to calm down, but his voice barely rose above the chaos. Nick was fuming, Oliver’s jaw was clenched tight, and Reagan, his chest heaving, his eyes blazing, looked ready to strike again.
The room that had been filled with laughter and warmth minutes ago now felt like a storm about to break, every breath thick with anger, pride, and heartbreak.
And they were not done. Even though Vicky’s words were the catalyst that started it all. The emotions, anger, and feelings that were bottling up inside Reagan and Nick had been brewing for years, and tonight, they all just came out raw and unstoppable.
*******
Thank you for the Golden Tickets!
shwethasur
KATHLEEN_COLL