The Ruthless CEO's Revenge Wife
Chapter 103: The Brutal Dinner

Chapter 103: The Brutal Dinner

The car rolled through the iron gates of the Kingsley estate, winding past sculpted hedges and a fountain that practically screamed rich money. As twilight settled over the horizon, the mansion stood like a quiet monarch, its glowing windows casting golden halos across the stone driveway.

Jean kept her posture perfect, hands folded neatly in her lap. Beside her, Logan sat still... stone faced and unreadable. The silence between them wasn’t awkward. It was electric. Heavy with everything they weren’t saying.

When the car stopped, the driver stepped out and opened Logan’s door. He emerged first, offering his hand toward her. Jean hesitated for a breath, then placed her hand in his... not out of affection, but because someone might be watching.

As they entered the hallway, the scent of lilies blended with aged mahogany and subtle notes of candle wax. A butler greeted them with a stiff nod. "Mr. Kingsley. Mrs. Kingsley. The family is in the living room."

Mrs. Kingsley.

Jean swallowed the unfamiliar weight of the name and followed Logan deeper into the house.

They passed beneath towering archways and down a corridor bathed in warm light until they reached the living area... elegant, timeless, and too pristine to feel lived in.

Inside, the Kingsleys were exactly as Logan had described them, and yet nothing like she’d imagined.

Martha Kingsley, poised and graceful even in conversation, leaned toward her husband with a delicate glass of wine in her hand. Jared Kingsley, sharp eyed and dressed like a man who ran business before breakfast, nodded as he spoke... but the second Jean and Logan entered, his attention shifted.

And then there was Hannah... lounging on a velvet couch, scrolling mindlessly through her phone, legs tucked under her like the world could wait its turn.

At the sight of them, all three Kingsleys rose.

"Logan," Martha beamed as she approached. Her gaze shifted to Jean. "And Jean... darling."

Without waiting, Martha opened her arms and wrapped Jean in a warm, motherly hug. Jean stood frozen for a beat, her arms hanging stiff at her sides.

She didn’t return the hug.

She couldn’t.

Jean knew how to command a boardroom, how to silence a room with one sharp glance. But this... family affection, warmth offered without a hidden agenda... it left her exposed. And confused.

Still, Martha didn’t seem to mind. She stepped back, smiling like she hadn’t noticed the awkwardness at all.

"You look lovely," she said kindly.

"Thank you," Jean replied, steady and polite, her expression unreadable.

Jared approached next. His greeting was not nearly as warm. He didn’t offer a hug. Instead, he gave Jean a once over... subtle but unmistakable. The kind of look that assessed value, weighed intention, and catalogued threat levels.

He offered his hand. She shook it, firm and confident.

"Welcome to the family," Jared said, his tone smooth but laced with curiosity. "We’re happy to have you."

Logan and Jean both caught the unspoken for now buried in those words.

Before either could respond, a dramatic sigh filled the room.

"Can we eat now? I’m starving," Hannah groaned, dropping her phone onto the couch and tossing her hair back with flair. "All this staring is making me hungry."

Jean bit the inside of her cheek to keep from reacting.

Logan cleared his throat, subtly guiding Jean forward. "Let’s go," he said.

The dining room was a picture of refined luxury. Crystal chandeliers glittered overhead, casting a soft glow across the long, polished table.

Silverware gleamed. Dishes were arranged with precision. But the real tension didn’t come from the room... it came from the people seated around it.

As soon as everyone took their seats, Jared Kingsley leaned forward, wasting no time.

"Jean," he said, voice calm but pointed. "Why did you marry my son?"

The question sliced through the air like a blade.

Martha’s head snapped toward him, eyes narrowing with a warning glare. Hannah blinked, caught in a mid sip of water, and lowered her glass slowly, watching like it was the best drama she’d seen all week. Logan stiffened in his chair, his jaw tight.

Jean remained still, composed... until Logan spoke up.

"I know this happened suddenly," he began, trying to intercept, "but... Jean and I have been in..."

Jared didn’t even let him finish. "Logan, I asked Jean. I’m sure she can explain."

A beat of silence followed.

Logan clenched his jaw, clearly biting back frustration. He turned to his mother for help, but Martha only looked at him with a soft, apologetic expression... as if to say he’s not wrong to ask.

Jean lifted her gaze and locked eyes with Jared, her voice calm, steady, and sharper than steel. "Because there was no better option for me."

Hannah sputtered, choking on the water she had just dared to sip.

Martha’s hand flew to her chest, nearly gasping.

Logan’s entire body went rigid. For a second, he actually considered getting up and walking out. Her words... brutal, unfiltered... crushed his pride like glass underfoot.

And Jared... Jared looked genuinely offended. His expression tightened, jaw clenched, and his tone dropped low.

"You see my son as an option?"

Jean blinked, not quite catching the shift in his voice. But her answer came quickly, unbothered. "Well, to be honest... if I asked you why you got married in the first place, what would you say?"

Jared sat straighter. "I married Logan’s mother because I was in love with her. What would your excuse be?"

Jean’s shoulders rose with a small sigh.

"I married Logan," she said, eyes moving between them all, finally settling on Jared again, "because he’s the only man who never treated me like a stepping stone. He never saw me as a convenient business transaction or a social ladder to climb. He challenged me. Fought me. Respected me... as a rival, as a professional."

Her voice softened slightly.

"He and I see each other as equals. That’s rare. That’s why."

Silence fell over the table like a curtain.

Even Logan, who moments ago wanted to disappear, found himself staring at her... unable to process what he’d just heard. Her words weren’t just a defense. They were... real.

Martha blinked away the shock, her expression slowly warming.

Hannah sat frozen, her mouth slightly open.

And Jared?

For once, the man had nothing to say.

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