Married to the Cold CEO

Chapter Nineteen

Maxwell Stone could hardly describe the surge of emotion that overtook him as he witnessed the scene in the room. Had he arrived even a moment later, Scarlett Brooks might have been ravaged by that man.

There she lay, sleeping quietly on the bed like an innocent child—completely oblivious to everything around her. Maxwell could scarcely imagine that in her own home, she could be subjected to such a covert betrayal.

Somehow, his mind drifted back to the heated argument they’d had at noon—her eyes so lively and defiant. If she ever learned of what had happened, those brilliant eyes would surely lose their sparkle.

Without hesitation, Maxwell strode forward and yanked Travis Carter off the bed as if he were nothing more than garbage, tossing him aside. In one swift motion, he quickly adjusted Scarlett’s skirt to cover her properly.

Travis Carter was utterly dumbfounded. “Who... who are you? What do you want? Why are you ruining my fun?” he stammered.

Maxwell, who had seen more than twenty years of life’s brutal realities, prided himself on having witnessed every sort of dirty deed without flinching. Yet nothing could have prepared him for the horror unfolding in Scarlett’s own home—it was beyond terrifying.

With a steely expression, Maxwell turned and became as relentless as a vengeful spirit. He reached over, grabbed the leather belt that Travis Carter had carelessly tossed on the bed, and began lashing him with it.

Travis cried out in shock, “You can’t hit me—I’m the second son of the Carter family!” Yet his pleas did nothing to stop Maxwell’s furious assault. Instantly, red marks blossomed across Travis’s skin as the sharp sound of the belt cutting through the air filled the room.

Travis wailed in pain, cursing incoherently, “Why are you hitting me? What are you? You… ah!” His initial curses faded into sobs as pain overtook him.

Maxwell, looking every bit the harbinger of retribution, continued his punishment until the belt was completely worn out, then flung it aside. Staring at the mangled, crumpled form of Travis, he calmly retrieved a handkerchief from his suit pocket, meticulously wiped his hand, and, with a look of utter disgust, hurled it onto Travis’s face.

Outside the room, William Brooks, Lucy Brooks, and Tiffany Brooks were huddled at the doorway, blocked by Zachary Young. Hearing the agonized sounds from inside, William’s heart sank—he could never have imagined Maxwell Stone would suddenly appear. His palms were drenched with sweat; seeing Travis beaten like that in his own home meant the Carter family wouldn’t let this slide easily. Moreover, this incident had directly incurred Maxwell’s wrath!

William’s back turned cold with fear.

Just then, Maxwell emerged from the room, holding Scarlett securely in his arms, her body still draped in his suit jacket. William hurriedly began, “Mr. Stone, please—listen, let me explain! I…”

Maxwell ignored him and turned to Zachary Young, “Go check the room for any recording devices—take everything!” Without pausing, he strode past the Brooks trio, still cradling Scarlett, and headed downstairs.

Panicked, William spun around and slapped Lucy across the face. “You b***h! Is this your doing? I let Scarlett go to sleep, so how did Travis end up in her room?” Lucy immediately understood—William was trying to shift the blame onto her, so that Maxwell might be appeased. After all, Maxwell would never kill her over this, but William hoped it would prevent further conflict with him. Lucy covered her face, her eyes red, too frightened to speak.

Seeing that Maxwell’s footsteps had slowed, William pressed on, “I know Tiffany had trouble today and you’re upset, but you can’t continue like this! Scarlett is my daughter—how dare you treat her so? With everything in such chaos, how am I supposed to explain this to Mr. Stone and the Carter family?” Lucy began to sob softly, accepting her guilt in silence.

Maxwell, hearing these words, allowed a trace of sarcasm to flicker in his eyes. Without William’s permission, such a thing should never have happened under his watch. Slowly, he turned and fixed William with a cold stare. “Let the room be—ruined beyond repair. Let the Carter family come to me if they must!”

William quickly nodded, “Thank you, Mr. Stone. But Scarlett is my daughter—taking her away like this isn’t right. Even though I was negligent today and nearly let her get hurt, she’s still a Brooks, isn’t she?”

Before William could finish, Zachary Young emerged holding three cameras. “Mr. Stone, here are all the recording devices we found in the room!”

Maxwell clutched Scarlett tighter and let out a cold laugh, “So you want her to stay here so you can keep filming her?” William’s face darkened. “I…”

Maxwell glared at William with utter disdain, his voice chilling, “You don’t need to put on a show for me—I’m not that easily fooled. This is my first time meeting my future father-in-law, and you’ve already sent your daughter off to another man’s bed. Believe me, I’ll remember every detail!”