3

“Take your medicine first, Megan.”

Jackson pushed a glass of warm water toward the woman sitting across from him, exhaustion beginning to show clearly on his face. Ever since they left the hospital after Megan’s medical checkup, she had been continuously complaining about the burning pain in her stomach.

Megan slowly accepted the medicine while looking up at Jackson with watery eyes.

“I’m sorry… I ended up troubling you on such an important day.”

Jackson let out a quiet sigh. “I told you already, stop thinking about that.”

“But today is your wedding day with Ava.” Megan bit her lower lip softly, guilt written all over her expression. “Are you sure it’s okay to leave her alone like this? I’m scared she’ll get angry at me again.”

Her voice sounded cautious, as though she genuinely feared becoming the cause of another fight between them.

And somehow, that was exactly what always made Jackson soften toward her.

“Megan.” Jackson looked at her seriously. “Stop blaming yourself. You’re sick.”

“But the lab results weren’t that serious, right?” Megan gave him a weak smile. “The doctor only said my acid reflux got worse because of stress. Honestly, I know I probably shouldn’t have chosen a science major.”

“But you love science, don’t you?” Jackson gently brushed a strand of hair away from Megan’s face. “You just need to eat properly and get enough sleep. Stop pushing yourself too hard. And whatever’s happening with your health still needs to be checked.”

Jackson looked at Megan with unmistakable warmth and affection. To him, Megan would always come first.

“Ava will understand.”

Megan lowered her gaze quietly. “Will Ava really understand?”

Jackson immediately chuckled, completely confident. “Ava’s just emotional right now. There’s no way she’d actually go through with her threat.”

“Are you sure?”

“Of course.” Jackson answered without the slightest hesitation. “She loves me too much to do something crazy like that.” He casually ruffled Megan’s hair.

Megan pouted in annoyance at what he did, but eventually smiled softly after hearing his answer. Though hidden deep inside her eyes, there was something disturbingly satisfied there.

But before Jackson could say anything else, his phone suddenly began vibrating nonstop on the table.

One incoming call. Then another. And soon after, dozens of notifications flooded the screen all at once.

Jackson frowned in irritation. “What now?”

His mother’s name appeared repeatedly across the screen. Then messages from other members of the Langham family. Even his personal secretary was trying to contact him urgently.

A crease immediately formed between Jackson’s brows as an uneasy feeling suddenly settled heavily in his chest.

“What’s wrong?” Megan asked softly.

Jackson didn’t have time to answer. A breaking news notification suddenly popped up on his phone screen. And within seconds, his entire expression changed.

Langham Wedding Scandal: Maverick Langham Officially Replaces His Nephew at the Altar.

The Most Shocking Wedding of the Year: Ava Celeste Marries Her Fiancé’s Uncle.

Jackson’s heart seemed to stop beating for a moment.

“What?”

His hands moved immediately, opening the article at lightning speed. Photos from their wedding ballroom flooded the screen. Pictures of Ava standing at the altar beside Maverick were already spreading everywhere.

And the image that made Jackson’s breathing nearly stop completely…

A photo of Maverick kissing Ava’s forehead.

“What the hell is this?!” he barked furiously.

He shot to his feet so abruptly that the chair scraped harshly against the floor, the sound startling even Megan.

Megan quickly leaned closer to look at Jackson’s phone screen. Her eyes widened dramatically.

“Ava… married Uncle Maverick?”

Jackson immediately grabbed his blazer. He had to see it with his own eyes. He needed to know whether this news was real or some kind of twisted fabrication.

Because no. There was no way. Ava would never actually do this.

But then his phone vibrated again.

This time, short videos from social media flooded the screen. Recordings of Maverick and Ava standing together at the altar had already gone viral at terrifying speed.

And the priest’s voice could be heard clearly in the video.

“Do you accept Ava Celeste as your wife?”

Then Maverick’s steady voice answered firmly.

“Yes.”

For the first time since all of this began, genuine panic appeared on Jackson’s face.

“Damn it!” he cursed violently. Without thinking twice, he immediately dialed Ava’s number.

Once. No answer.

Twice. Still nothing.

Jackson’s patience began snapping apart. He called again and again, but the result never changed.

Ava refused to answer him.

“Did Ava do this on purpose just to make you angry?” Megan asked softly, though her words only added more chaos to Jackson’s already spiraling thoughts.

Jackson immediately turned toward her. Sensing his attention fully on her now, Megan continued carefully, “How could she possibly marry your own uncle just because she’s upset with you?”

Jackson’s expression instantly turned cold. “Ava’s gone too far this time.”

Megan slowly reached for Jackson’s arm, gently holding onto it.

“Maybe Ava’s just too emotional,” she said quietly. “You know how sensitive she’s always been whenever it comes to me.”

Jackson’s hand clenched tightly into a fist.

His jaw hardened.

His thoughts were becoming more and more chaotic, while anger burned hotter inside his chest with every passing second. He still couldn’t process what had just happened. And strangely enough… beneath all that fury, there was panic.

Because for the very first time, Ava had done something completely outside of his control.

“Jackson…” Megan called softly again. “Are you really leaving right now?”

Jackson grabbed his suit jacket without hesitation. “Of course I am.”

“But what if Ava’s only trying to make you jealous? If you go there angry, won’t everything just become even worse?”

“I don’t care.” Jackson’s voice came out far sharper than usual. “Ava crossed the line this time.”

Megan looked startled for a brief moment before slowly putting on a saddened expression.

“I’m just afraid she’s humiliating you in front of everyone.”

Those words only fueled Jackson’s rage even further. He snatched up his car keys roughly. “She is humiliating me.”

Without waiting another second, Jackson stormed out of the hospital lounge immediately.

Megan stood there silently, watching his retreating figure disappear into the distance. But a few seconds later, the corners of her lips slowly curved upward into the faintest smile.

Meanwhile, the ballroom at Langham Hotel was still overflowing with guests and endless camera flashes even after the wedding ceremony had ended.

“I honestly didn’t expect you to pull off something this insane, Maverick.”

One of the Langham family’s business associates let out a nervous laugh while raising the wine glass in his hand.

Maverick only gave a faint smile. “Neither did I.”

Beside him, Ava tried her best to maintain a polite smile even though her mind still felt completely overwhelmed. Everything that happened today had unfolded far too quickly.

And the thing unsettling her most right now…

Jackson’s parents.

Unlike Jackson’s grandmother, who appeared oddly delighted by this marriage, Eleanor had been glaring at Ava with undisguised fury ever since the ceremony ended. If it weren’t for the massive number of guests surrounding them, Ava was certain she would have already been cornered and interrogated over what she had done.

But at the very least… She was no longer standing alone under everyone’s judgmental stares.

“But the two of you actually look good together,” another guest commented with a wide smile.

Ava barely had time to respond when Maverick’s hand suddenly settled lightly against her waist, gently pulling her a little closer to his side.

The gesture was simple. Natural. Exactly like a newlywed husband standing beside his bride.

And yet it was enough to make Ava’s breath catch for a second.

“Thank you,” Maverick replied calmly.

And right at that exact moment—

BANG!

The main ballroom doors slammed open violently. The atmosphere instantly froze, and nearly everyone turned toward the entrance.

Jackson stood at the doorway, breathing hard, fury written all over his face. His eyes searched frantically for the two people who had become the center of this entire scandal—Ava and Maverick.

And the moment he found them, his gaze sharpened dangerously. His eyes immediately locked onto Maverick’s hand still resting against Ava’s waist.

Then the close distance between them. The rage radiating from Jackson instantly became far more terrifying.

“Ava.”

His voice came out low and dangerous.

But Ava didn’t even get the chance to react before Jackson strode toward her at frightening speed and grabbed her wrist roughly.

“You’re coming with me.” His grip tightened. “Now.”