Chapter 23 One Swing at a Time
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Summer had just been steadied by Alan when she quickly reached out to stop Trevor. With a look of polite embarrassment, she started, “Trevor, I’m so sorry for the mess just now. At your family’s banquet too, I-”
She didn’t even finish her sentence before Trevor cut her off.
His voice remained gentle, his smile warm, but his words were razor sharp.
“You really should be sorry.”
Summer’s smile froze awkwardly.
Claudia couldn’t help it–she burst out laughing. It was the first time she realized this big brother of the Taurine family actually had a sense of humor.
Her laughter immediately set off a wave of hostility.
Timothy glared at her like she’d cursed his ancestors.
Summer gave her a long, wounded glance that somehow made Claudia’s skin crawl.
And Alan… his dark eyes were nearly black, staring at her like he meant to pull her into a bottomless pit.
Trevor, however, didn’t care for any of this melodrama. He had only stepped in because he didn’t want his family’s banquet descending into chaos.
“Timothy. Come here.”
He gave Claudia a nod. “Ms. Claudia, would you come with us too? You’re a guest of mine. If this incident isn’t resolved properly, it’ll seem like I don’t know how to host.”
He was clearly referring to Timothy’s little stunt from earlier.
Claudia gave a brief nod and followed along.
Alan seemed like he wanted to go too, but Summer clutched his sleeve, wincing pitifully. “Alan, I think I twisted my ankle. Can you help me inside to sit down?”
Alan hesitated, glancing once at Claudia’s retreating figure.
In the end, he helped Summer inside.
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Chapter 23 One Swing at a Time
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Second floor, lounge
Smack!
The door had barely closed when Trevor landed a clean slap across Timothy’s face. The force of it snapped Timothy’s head to the side, leaving one cheek red and swollen.
Claudia froze in her tracks.
This was not what she expected from the ever–smiling, soft–spoken Trevor. He looked like the very picture of a polished gentleman–but the man threw hands like he’d been waiting all week for this moment.
And on his own little brother, no less.
She was… impressed.
Still, Claudia knew she was technically an outsider here. No matter how satisfying that slap had been, this wasn’t something a single hit could fix.
Not when Timothy had just shoved someone down a flight of stairs in front of dozens of
guests.
She said nothing, simply stood by the door and watched.
E
Th
n
“Trevor! What the hell!” Timothy clutched his burning cheek, screeching in fury. His voice cracked as it climbed into a shrill octave.
“Idiot,” Trevor snapped. And then smack–another slap landed on the opposite cheek, sending Timothy stumbling backward.
“I leave the country for a few years and this is what you become? Assaulting guests at our own family banquet? Do you have any idea the damage you’ve done to our name? You’re an embarrassment!”
Timothy’s face was flaming red now. Hands clamped over his cheeks, he all but exploded.
“She’s not a guest! Claudia’s nothing! I didn’t invite her! She just barged in here uninvited— some low–class parasite who thinks she can insult Summer! If she’d fallen and broken her neck, she would’ve had it coming!”
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Chapter 23 One Swing at a Time
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Then, as if he were the victim, Timothy added tearfully, “And now you’re hitting me because of some b*tch!”
Trevor looked like he was going to laugh–he was that furious.
He scanned the room once, spotted a solid wooden baseball bat leaning against a wall, and picked it up casually.
Claudia stiffened slightly. That thing could break bones if it landed wrong. But then again, she figured Trevor probably wouldn’t actually kill his brother.
Hopefully.
Plus, the sight of him calmly lifting a bat while still looking like he belonged in a luxury cologne ad was almost poetic.
He swung. Hard.
Timothy screamed as the bat connected, then bolted, scrambling madly to avoid the next hit.
“You’re gonna kill me over some stinking some outsider?” Timothy wailed as he dashed for the door. “I’m telling Mom and Dad you’re out of your damn mind!”
He made it halfway before realizing Claudia was still standing at the door.
She didn’t move. Didn’t flinch.
Her eyes, however, remained on Trevor–who was now pursuing his brother like some kind of gentleman executioner, calm and efficient.
And still weirdly elegant.
Timothy lunged toward her, fist raised in desperation–but Trevor grabbed him by the back of the collar, yanked him down, and brought the bat down three times in quick succession.
Whack. Whack. Whack.
Timothy collapsed, gasping on the floor, barely able to lift his head.
“I’m telling Mom… you’re not my brother anymore…” he panted, voice hoarse.
His eyes locked on Claudia’s, full of hatred.
Claudia just looked back, blank as glass.
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Chapter 23 One Swing at a Time
She’d seen that look before. From Alan. From Alan’s friends. From Alan’s circle.
It didn’t faze her anymore.
If anything, watching Timothy grovel like this? Extremely satisfying.
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Trevor tossed the bat aside and crouched down next to his useless sibling. His tone was soft, even kind.
“Oh, I forgot to mention. Once this banquet’s over, our parents are moving abroad permanently.”
He patted Timothy’s cheek twice.
“And everything concerning the Taurine family in this country? Will be under
my
control
now.”
C
