filled with disgust and anger. "You did this, Maddie" he accused, his words dripping with contempt. It was clear Caleb had done his homework, uncovering the messy history between Piper, Lucas, an

attention. As the co-founder of the company and the eldest son of the Garrison patriarch, Jackson had a complex history with Lucas's family. Although Lucas's father, the second son, had inherited the majority of the family fortune due to Jackson's inability to produce a male heir, Jackson had always taken a paternal interest in Lucas, treating him like his own child. However, instead of rushing to Lucas's defense, Jackson's expression turned stern as he approached the scene. "Lucas, cease this nonsense at once," he rebuked, his voice firm and authoritative. "Do you have any notion of what you're about to do? Do you recognize the man standing before you? This is Caleb Martins, the heir apparent to the Martins dynasty. Are you deliberately trying to sabotage the Garrison family's reputation?" Jackson's words were laced with a mixture of disappointment and anger, and Lucas's face fell as he realized the gravity of his actions. He had never seen his uncle so furious, and the weight of Jackson's words sank in as he gazed at Caleb, his confidence wavering in the face of the Martins family's formidable reputation. "Please accept my sincerest apologies for Lucas's behavior, Mr. Caleb," Jackson said, his tone conciliatory. "I'm afraid I won't be able to let this slide," Caleb replied, his voice firm. "I'd like you to help me teach him a lesson. If you're unwilling, I'll have to take matters into my own hands." Jackson's expression turned grave. "No, Mr. Caleb, I'll ensure both of them learn their lesson," he assured. "See to it now," Caleb commanded, his tone brooking no argument. Jackson promptly summoned his guards, a burly man and a lithe woman, to mete out punishment to Maddie and Lucas. The stakes were high; if Caleb departed in anger, the company would likely face severe repercussions, potentially even closure. Lucas, realizing the gravity of the situation, fell to his knees. "I'm sorry, please forgive me," he begged. Caleb's eyes narrowed. "If you'd treated your wife with kindness and apologized to Piper for the slap, none of this would have happened," he said, his voice laced with disdain. He turned to the female guard. "You," he said, his gaze piercing. "Double the number of slaps Maddie gave Piper, and then let her be." The guard, seemingly anticipating Caleb's orders, swiftly delivered two resounding slaps to Maddie's face.