CHAPTER 82: THE WARNING

[Reid Enterprise—Jack’s Office]

Jack sat behind the polished mahogany desk that had collected more dust than work in the past three years.

The office was immaculate, untouched and unfamiliar like it belonged to someone else.

He had never spent more than an hour here before, always skipping work, always partying and always wasting time because Benjamin never cared enough to demand more from him.

And now? Now he was here before half the employees had even clocked in.

His laptop was open and unread emails were blinking like accusations, the finance reports he didn’t understand were sitting in his inbox and the projects he had never bothered to track were still untouched.

These were the responsibilities he never wanted but he wasn’t here to work.

He was here because Olivia told him something last night. She has asked him to take a new approach, a subtle one. She had asked him to get close, stay visible and make himself indispensable.

He closed his eyes as her voice echoed in his head. "Screaming at the Carters didn’t work, Jack. If you want Evelyn back, you have to be smarter, smarter than Alexander."

His jaw tightened. He hated how much sense she made.

He wasn’t going to punch Alexander or yell at Evelyn anymore. He was done being stupid and irrational. Now, he would be calm, strategic and he would rebuild himself in front of everyone’s eyes, especially hers.

He pulled the engagement announcement article closer and the headline burned his vision.

Alexander Reid & Evelyn Carter—A Quiet Agreement Turns Public

His throat constricted.

Evelyn, his Evelyn, was marrying his brother.

His fingers curled until his knuckles turned white.

He closed his eyes, breathing through the rage the way Olivia taught him, slow, controlled and restrained.

Just then the door clicked open.

The assistant stepped in nervously. "Sir, the finance team is waiting for your input—"

Jack snapped. "I will send it. Leave."

The door shut quickly and silence returned.

Jack leaned back in his chair, exhaling shakily.

He wasn’t here for the company, he didn’t care about shares, profits or future. He cared about one thing and that was Evelyn and he would not let Alexander take her from him.

He stood abruptly and walked to the glass wall overlooking the city. Cars moved like veins of light and people buzzed like bees.

Somewhere out there was Evelyn laughing, choosing flowers, talking about weddings.

His heart twisted painfully at the thought that it should have been him.

Olivia’s words floated back to him. "Be patient. Be gentle. Make her trust you again. Alexander is confident, all you have to do is shake that confidence."

A slow, cold smile spread across Jack’s face.

He wasn’t done and he wasn’t finished, not even close.

And if Evelyn thought he would disappear quietly and if Alexander thought marriage would secure anything and if Benjamin thought cutting his cards would stop him, they were all wrong.

Jack turned away from the window. His eyes were dark with a resolve he had never possessed before.

The war had just begun and he wasn’t going to back down.

Just then, the door opened without a knock and Benjamin stepped inside.

"Working," Benjamin said with his voice flat as he scanned the neatly arranged papers. "That is new."

Jack swallowed his irritation. "I told you I am taking this seriously."

Benjamin nodded once, slowly, like he was observing an interesting animal rather than a son.

"Well—" he said, stepping further inside, "you certainly look like someone trying to fix his life."

Jack didn’t reply.

Benjamin’s gaze sharpened. "I came to make something clear."

Jack’s fingers curled inside his pockets.

Benjamin walked closer with his hands in his own pockets and his posture relaxed but his eyes were warning him.

"I know you have taken an interest again," Benjamin said blandly. "In Evelyn."

Jack’s jaw twitched but he didn’t jump to defend himself.

"I am not blind," Benjamin continued. "And I am not stupid. So let me be very clear—"

Benjamin leaned in just enough to make the threat personal. "Do not do anything foolish."

Jack’s throat tightened. "I am not—"

"I said don’t," Benjamin cut him off, his voice dropping lower. "Not another scene. Not another humiliation and not another embarrassment in front of the Carters."

Jack’s fists tightened.

Benjamin didn’t wait for his response."This marriage is happening. Alexander wants her and Evelyn wants him." He paused. "And you should learn to accept the consequences of your own choices."

It stung like acid poured on an open wound and the old Jack would have thrown a huge tantrum by now. But the new Jack was different.

"So that’s it? You will not even give me a chance to prove myself?" Jack asked, his voice almost choking. "You have always preferred Alexander, you always choose him."

Benjamin gave a humorless smile. "Alexander has worked hard and earned it, you never tried."

The blow landed deeper than Jack expected.

Benjamin stepped back, adjusting his cufflinks.

"But," he added abruptly, tone shifting into something unexpectedly softer and almost fatherly. "If you truly meant what you said about changing, about taking responsibility and about stepping up—"

Jack looked at him sharply.

Benjamin held his gaze for a rare, long moment and added, "Then I am proud of that," he said quietly.

Jack blinked, startled by the softness that came and went like lightning but then Benjamin’s eyes hardened again.

"But don’t confuse improvement with entitlement." Benjamin then straightened. "You want to rebuild your reputation? Good, I approve. You want to work? Good. I support it."

"But Evelyn—" His voice turned into stone. "Leave her alone."

Jack didn’t move and he didn’t say anything.

Benjamin also didn’t wait for his reply and reached for the door.

"And Jack," he added without turning back, "whatever you are thinking and whatever Olivia is whispering into your ear—"

Jack froze.

Benjamin’s voice dropped to a dangerous whisper. "Stop, now."

The air shifted and Jack’s blood chilled.

He hadn’t told Benjamin anything about Olivia then how did he know?

But before he could ask, Benjamin opened the door.

"And if you are actually changing," Benjamin added calmly, "then keep going. I expect results, not drama."

With that, he left.

The silence that followed was suffocating.

Jack stood rooted to the floor with his heart hammering and his mind burning.

It was a warning, a threat and maybe a twisted sprinkle of approval he had always desired.

And that only made him angrier, more determined and more dangerous.

.....