Susan was truly impressive for someone who had spent her life swallowing humiliation with a smile. But maybe that was a skill all mistresses mastered.
Roger, for all his arrogance, knew how to read a room. But with Luke sitting here, his options were limited. All he could do was play the role of the concerned father.
"Regina isn't holding this against you," Roger lectured stiffly. "But you're still a married woman, Dexie. You can't embarrass our family like this."
Dexie met his gaze for a moment, then sneered faintly. She turned to Luke.
"Would you say I embarrassed the family?"
It was the first time she'd directly spoken to him since he'd walked in.
For reasons even he couldn't explain, those simple words made the heaviness pressing on Luke's chest lift just a little.
"No," he replied smoothly.
Dexie smiled, satisfied. She turned back to Roger.
"Did you hear that? He said no."
Roger's face froze, words dying in his throat. Across the table, Susan and Regina looked equally stunned.
Dexie didn't bother guessing what they were thinking. For now, Luke was useful—and she wasn't going to waste that advantage.
She stood from the couch and stretched lazily.
"I'm hungry. Matilda, serve dinner."
It wasn't a request—it was a command. And it left no room for argument.
Roger was seething, but he couldn't say a word. Not with Luke here. And not while Dexie still controlled 40% of the Winston Hansley Corporation.
He exhaled heavily.
"Let's eat."
The Zellwegers thought the matter had finally passed. But as they moved toward the dining table, Luke's voice cut through the air.
"Father-in-law."
Roger paused, a knot tightening in his chest.
Luke's easy smile disappeared as he straightened, his sharp gaze landing squarely on Roger.
"You may be Dexie's father, but she's also my wife—the youngest daughter-in-law of the Huxley Dawsons and Mrs. Huxley Dawson. I don't care how angry you get… I never want to see you raise a hand to her again."
Roger's face stiffened in shock, his pride wounded.
But Luke wasn't done.
"Remember, she belongs to the Huxley Dawson family now."
Matilda's voice saved Roger from having to respond.
"Dinner is ready."
Luke let the warning hang in the air, choosing not to pursue it further. But the quiet fury in his eyes spoke volumes.
Dexie slipped away to the bathroom. She needed a moment to breathe, to quiet the storm inside her.
She stared at her reflection in the mirror, her thoughts tangled and restless.
Luke had defended her. Boldly. Publicly.
It made no sense. Days ago, he'd sent divorce papers. In her last life… he hadn't even been alive.
Her fingers trembled slightly on the marble sink.
By the time she returned to the dining room, everyone was seated. But one detail made her stop short—Regina was sitting in her old seat. Her rightful seat.
It had always belonged to Dexie.
Without hesitation, Dexie walked to the table, stopping beside Regina. Her sharp gaze bore into her.
"Get up," Dexie said coolly. "I'm sitting here."
Regina's grip tightened around her fork. Her face twisted for a brief second before settling into a pitiful expression.
"Dexie, I've always sat next to Dad. There's an empty seat on the other side—you can sit there."
She clung to that chair like it proved her place in this family. It was a small thing, but small victories were all Regina had left.
Dexie crossed her arms, her eyes cold.
"This has always been my seat. Married or not, I don't hand over what's mine. You've already eaten and lived off my house. Now you want my place too?"
Dexie smiled coldly.
"Your appetite's really grown after living off my family all these years. You starting to think you're the heir now?"
Regina snapped. Her bottled-up resentment exploded.
"I am the heir to the Zellweger family!"
The room fell dead silent.
Roger and Susan's faces drained of color, panic flashing across their expressions. Both turned to Dexie, but she only raised her eyebrows, her playful smile widening.
Dexie rubbed her eyes slowly, savoring the moment.
"Sorry… what did you just say?"
Regina's heart pounded as the weight of her words sank in. Her bravado cracked as Dexie's mocking gaze pinned her down. Panicked, she looked away, her eyes flickering with regret.
Before Regina could recover, Dexie turned to Roger, her laugh light but sharp.
"If I heard right, your daughter here just announced she's the Zellweger heir."
Roger's forced smile twitched as he scrambled to explain.
"No, no, that's not what Regina meant. She just… she's my stepdaughter, that's all. Of course she feels part of the family."
Susan jumped in, her voice sugary but strained.
"Yes, exactly. Regina misspoke, that's all."
Dexie's smile sharpened. She locked eyes with Regina, ignoring the hatred simmering there.
"I thought you cheated on my mother behind her back," she commented lightly.
Roger's face froze, his fake smile faltering.
"What nonsense—"
Across the table, Luke, who had been watching quietly, caught the flicker of guilt on Roger's face. His eyes narrowed, the puzzle pieces slowly clicking into place.
So that's what this is about, Luke thought, his lips curving into a faint, dangerous smile.
But Dexie didn't press further. She calmly pulled out Regina's chair, wiping it down with a napkin before sitting.
Her gaze swept over Regina, filled with open contempt.
"After all," Dexie said smoothly, "a stepdaughter is still a stepdaughter. There's a difference between being born into the family… and just living under its roof. Know your place."
Her voice was calm. Polite, even. But every word was a dagger.
Regina's breathing grew uneven, her chest tightening with rage.
Why? she thought bitterly. Why do I have to hide? Why do I have to bow my head? We're both Roger Zellweger's daughters!
Her fists clenched as her vision blurred. The injustice, the humiliation—it made her sick.
As the fury boiled inside her, Regina's face turned ghostly pale. Her hand shot to her chest, her body swaying as the room tilted.