Dexie coughed, nearly choking on her coffee as Luke's words sank in. Her eyes widened, momentarily betraying her disbelief. Even she hadn't expected him to side with her so directly, especially after the cold frown he'd been wearing just moments earlier.
Across the room, Roger's face froze. His thunderous anger faltered, replaced by awkward confusion.
Susan's practiced smile stiffened, a crack forming in her carefully built facade. And Regina, who had been seconds away from another pitiful outburst, looked as if someone had slapped her across the face. Her eyes darted between Luke and Dexie, wide with disbelief.
Luke leaned back in his chair, his posture deceptively casual, but his sharp gaze swept the room like a blade.
"Strict is good," he added lightly, the corners of his mouth curling faintly. "But not when you're punishing someone for telling the truth."
Roger's mouth opened, ready to argue—only to snap shut again. For once, words escaped him. In front of Luke, the head of the Huxley Dawson family, it was dangerous to push the issue.
Dexie set her cup down, regaining her composure. Her eyes drifted to Luke, both amused and suspicious. As always, he was impossible to read—frowning one minute, stepping in to defend her the next.
Across the table, Regina's nails dug into her palm. That damned Dexie—how did she always manage to flip the situation in her favor?
Susan, ever the actress, let out a soft chuckle to ease the tension. "Luke, you misunderstood," she said sweetly, her eyes full of concern. "Roger wasn't being harsh. We're just worried about Dexie. She's been under a lot of stress… naturally, her temper's been a little short. As parents, we only want what's best for her."
Luke's gaze shifted to Susan. His expression gave nothing away, but a flicker of cold amusement passed through his eyes.
Dexie, hearing Susan's sugary words, almost laughed. The fake gentleness… the well-practiced hypocrisy—it was exhausting.
"I don't have a bad temper," Dexie replied lightly, her voice calm but sharp. "I'm just good at knowing who deserves my respect… and who doesn't."
Her tone remained polite, but the meaning beneath was as sharp as a blade.
Roger's face darkened again. Susan's smile cracked.
Luke's lips curved faintly, the barest hint of amusement flickering across his face.
"Well," he drawled, standing up, straightening his jacket, "since Dexie's lovely family reunion is going so well, I won't interrupt."
His eyes lingered on Dexie, unreadable, but heavy with meaning.
"We'll talk later."
With that, he turned and strode toward the door, leaving behind an icy, uncomfortable silence.
Dexie didn't stop him. She simply crossed her legs, her posture relaxed, her eyes gleaming with cool defiance as the room sank into uneasy quiet.
The question stunned everyone in the room.
Roger opened his mouth, but no words came out. He hadn't expected Luke to be so direct—so protective.
Dexie, on the other hand, remained perfectly calm. She lifted her cup again, her slender fingers tapping lightly against the porcelain, as if none of this had anything to do with her.
Roger forced a strained smile, struggling to maintain control. "Dexie… she…"
But he couldn't finish the sentence. As much as Dexie's words had angered him, she hadn't actually done anything. She hadn't yelled. She hadn't insulted anyone outright. She'd simply… spoken the truth. And there was no way to twist that in his favor with Luke standing right there.
Luke's gaze swept the room, sharp and suffocating. Without warning, his fingers brushed through Dexie's hair, a gesture that looked casual—almost intimate—but the possessiveness behind it was impossible to miss.
"If she didn't do anything," Luke said coldly, "then I don't see the problem."
Susan's composure cracked. Her forced smile vanished as her fingers clenched tightly at the hem of her sleeve.
Regina's face flushed, her eyes reddening again. But this time, even her usual pitiful act couldn't hide the sharp bitterness shining through.
Dexie slowly set her cup down and tilted her head toward Luke, her voice light but laced with warning. "Mr. Huxley Dawson…"
Luke didn't look at her, but the hand in her hair paused ever so slightly.
"You don't need to defend me," Dexie continued, her tone cool, detached. "Our divorce is only a matter of time. It won't look good if you upset my father over me."
The air thickened with tension.
Roger's expression darkened. Susan's eyes flickered with hope. Regina's lips curled faintly in satisfaction.
But Luke's eyes narrowed, dangerously unreadable, as he finally turned to Dexie. His fingers slid lightly along her cheek, his touch deceptively gentle.
"You're that eager to get rid of me?" His voice was low, almost amused—but the quiet threat beneath it was impossible to miss.
Dexie smiled faintly, unshaken. "Aren't you?"
For a moment, the entire room held its breath.
Roger, Susan, and Regina exchanged nervous glances, suddenly unsure whether they should feel hopeful… or terrified.
Then Luke chuckled softly under his breath, the sound low and dangerous.
"Unfortunately for you, Dexie…" His gaze locked onto hers, sharp and unrelenting. "It's not that simple."
Dexie's heart skipped, but her expression didn't waver. She met his stare head-on, her eyes calm—cold—as the tension in the room simmered just beneath the surface.