As Alex walked to the door, the sharp knock echoed through the house again, louder this time, telling Alex that whoever was at the door was getting impatient now.
Alex squared his shoulders, a pulse of irritation rising in his chest as he strode to the door. He swung it open, wanting to snap at whoever it was.
When he saw the people standing outside, his heart skipped several beats, and for a moment, he was glad the household staff were not home.
Standing on his porch were Claire, her arms crossed and her jaw tight in anger; Margaret, with a disapproving scowl etched onto her face; and Jake, looking forlorn like he was going to burst into tears any moment.
He sighed, the sight of them all together setting him on edge.
"What's the meaning of this?" Claire snapped, her eyes blazing as she stepped forward. "Alex, what in the world is going on with you? Do you have any idea what's being said about our family right now?"
Alex sighed, gripping the edge of the door for a moment. "It's a misunderstanding, Claire. I—"
"A misunderstanding?" Jake's voice cut through, sharp and dripping with accusation.
He stepped up beside Claire, his expression a mix of hurt and anger. "Fine, I understand the fact that it was a lie when they said you were Emma's child's father since you were out of the country. But was it also a misunderstanding or a lie that you were seen with Emma at the hospital that day? You were guarding her like—like she was someone who mattered to you. What is she to you, Uncle?" he asked, looking at Alex with a hurtful look while hiding a smirk.
Seeing how angry Claire was at Alex, Jake couldn't be happier about his idea. He had decided to try connecting Alex and Emma after he found out Emma had gone to meet Alex.
Everything had fallen into place when he tipped Rick Lawson, Alex's business rival, about Alex's affair, and they had gone ahead to post pictures of Emma and Alex together at the hospital.
As much as he wanted to know the relationship between Alex and Emma, his excitement at finally creating a rift between Alex and Claire was greater than his curiosity.
Hearing Jake's accusations, Alex's eyes narrowed, and his jaw tightened in anger. "Jake, don't—"
"Why would you do this to me, Alex?" Jake interrupted, his voice trembling as tears welled in his eyes. "Why would you betray me like this? How could you go behind my back to comfort the very person who destroyed my life? To think I called you last night voicing out my pain, and yet, you couldn't even tell me anything."
Alex clenched his fists at his sides, the words biting deeper than he wanted to admit. The fact that Jake was playing the victim card right now when he was the inflictor made Alex's blood boil.
"How dare you, Jake? Would you just stop acting....."
"And that's exactly what you always say, isn't it?" Margret's voice was cold, disdain dripping from every word she said.
She stepped forward, her lips pressed into a thin line. "You've always treated us differently, Alex. Ever since you came into this family, we've been outsiders to you, and this just proves it. You siding with that bitch even when it has come to this!"
"You know what? I'm calling a press conference. You'll go live and tell everyone you have nothing to do with that slut," Claire said, taking out her phone.
Alex opened his mouth to respond, but something stopped him—a faint sound from the hallway behind him—a muffled sniffle.
Emma was hearing everything and she must be blaming herself. Alex thought, his heart sinking.
Claire's sharp eyes darted past him, her brows knitting together. "Who's here?" she demanded, her tone icy.
"No one," Alex started quickly, stepping slightly to block her view, but Claire was already moving, brushing past him and heading down the hallway toward the dining room.
"Claire!" Alex called after her, but it was too late.
As Claire rounded the corner, she stopped short. There, just a few steps away, stood Emma. Her face was pale, her cheeks streaked with tears. She clutched the back of a chair as if it were the only thing holding her up.
Claire's gasp was sharp and loud enough to bring Margaret and Jake running. The moment they laid eyes on Emma, the air in the room seemed to shift, thickening with tension.
"What is she doing here?" Claire demanded, her voice trembling with rage. "What is Emma Winters—no, Emma the gold-digger—the woman who's dragging our family's name through the mud, doing in your house?"
"Claire, calm down," Alex said firmly, stepping into the dining room.
Margaret let out a bitter laugh, shaking her head. "So it's true. I didn't think you could sink this low, Alex, but I shouldn't be surprised. This is just like you."
"Margaret—"
"And you!" Jake's voice cracked as he pointed a trembling finger at Alex. "How could you do this to me? I trusted you, Alex. You were my Uncle. And now this? With her?" He gestured toward Emma as though even saying her name was too much. "You've humiliated me."
"Enough!" Alex's voice boomed through the room, silencing everyone. His eyes burned with fury as he glared at his siblings. "Neither of you has the right to talk to me or her like this. Especially you, Jake. Not after everything."
Claire crossed her arms, her eyes narrowing. "What's that supposed to mean?"
"It means," Alex said, turning his gaze to Jake, "that you, of all people, don't get to stand here and play the victim. Not when you're trying to tie me down with your mistress."
The room fell into a stunned silence. Claire's mouth fell open, Margaret's eyes widened, and Jake's face drained of color as he wondered how Alex came to know about that.
"What are you talking about?" Claire demanded, her voice breaking the tense quiet.