Chapter 58

Was Stephanie disgusted with him because of Olivia, or because of the man in her apartment? Chris couldn't help but wonder. It suddenly struck him that perhaps Stephanie wasn't interested in marrying him at all. The thought hit him like a punch to the gut, making it hard to breathe.

He grabbed her wrist tightly, demanding, "Come with me."

Stephanie snapped, "Leave me alone!"

Chris whirled around. Their eyes met, and he saw only icy coldness in hers.

"You want to end up like Tyler?" Stephanie stared at him, her voice devoid of warmth. "Need a ride to the hospital?"

Chris froze, his expression hardening. Before he could respond, Macro intervened, seizing Chris's wrist with precision. "Mr. Ashford, you'd better let Stefi go."

"Who the hell are you?" Chris growled.

First, a man with a gun at Cloudridge Valley last night, and now this? It was all too much. But when Chris finally recognized Macro's face, his eyes widened in shock. He knew him—the world-renowned heart surgeon from Fiorenza. Macro had mysteriously quit his medical career two years ago, yet his name still held considerable weight.

"I'm not important," Macro said coolly. "But if you keep holding her like that, I'll make sure you're in big trouble tonight."

Macro's words were smooth yet deadly, his eyes narrowed with cold precision. Even Chris felt a chill run down his spine. Slowly, Chris released his grip on Stephanie's wrist.

Once free, Stephanie was quickly pulled behind Macro, who gave her a reassuring look. "Are you alright?" he asked.

Stephanie massaged her sore wrist, her expression nonchalant. "I'm fine."

Macro shot Chris a cold glance, then turned to Stephanie with a warm smile. "Did you eat?"

Stephanie blinked. She'd only taken a small bite of cake. Honestly, after witnessing the chaos, she had no appetite. She nodded reluctantly. "Yeah."

"Good. Let's get out of here. The air in this place is toxic," Macro said. He gently took her arm and led her away from the commotion. Everyone in the room stood dumbfounded. Chris, especially, couldn't believe what he was seeing.

What was going on between Macro and Stephanie? Chris's mind raced. And what about the man with the gun at Cloudridge Valley? He clearly wasn't insignificant. Was Stephanie orchestrating an escape plan, amassing backup? If so, she was playing the game like a pro, lining up heavy hitters one after another.

Meanwhile, Tyler remained sprawled on the floor, groaning from Stephanie's brutal kick. He wasn't getting up anytime soon.

Upstairs, Sebastian and Jackson descended the stairs, witnessing the chaos near the dessert station. The scene gave Jackson a headache. His family was hosting the event, and he'd personally designed every detail. This was not what he'd expected. He recalled an assistant rushing in while he was discussing business with Sebastian, reporting that his sister Lilian had clashed with Stephanie. Sebastian's face had darkened immediately, and he'd left without a word. Was he worried about the impact on the Hodge family's reputation? The thought irritated Jackson. Sebastian glanced at the scene downstairs but didn't see Macro or Stephanie.