I Dumped a Scumbag and Married A Boxer Star-Chapter 20: A Knockout!

Chapter 20: A Knockout

Round Three started, and it wasn't looking good...

Antony was still in control.

Every time Raphael swung, he dodged. Every time Raphael tried to reset, Antony landed another hit.

Ines clenched her fists. She couldn't see properly from where she was standing, but she could tell—Raphael was getting frustrated.

"Come on, Raphael," she muttered under her breath. "Focus."

"You can't see, can you?" a voice said beside her.

She turned. It was one of the guys from Raphael's gym, a tall, muscular man with a friendly smirk.

"Not really," she admitted. "Why are the seats so damn low?"

"You wanna see better?"

"Obviously."

He grinned. "I can lift you."

She blinked. "What?"

"On my shoulders."

She hesitated for a second, then another loud SMACK from the ring made her decision for her.

"Fine. But don't drop me, or I'll haunt you."

He laughed, crouched down, and before she knew it, she was lifted up onto his shoulders.

And Raphael saw that...

His eyes snapped to the side of the ring, and his blue-like river eyes darkened immediately.

Ines was on another man's shoulders.

Some guy's hands were on her thighs. Holding her.

Something inside him...Something snapped...

Antony threw a punch—Raphael dodged. Antony swung again—Raphael blocked.

And then—BOOM!

Raphael landed a massive and hard uppercut, making Antony's head snap back.

"Yeaaah!"

The crowd cheered for this.

"Shit!" Ines yelled, she couldn't hide her smile this time.

Another hit.

"Yeah! Punch him!!!" Ines screamed and it felt like it was coming from her lungs.

Then another.

Raphael was relentless.

Punch after punch, he didn't stop. Didn't let Antony breathe.

Antony tried to defend, tried to step back, but Raphael was furious.

His opponent had turned into nothing more than a punching bag.

"Raphael!" his coach yelled. "Control it!"

But he wasn't listening. Carlos was stumbling like a bag of sand.

One more hit—

Antony stumbled like a drunk man, his knees threatened to buckle under him.

"..."

The entire arena held its breath. Then, Raphael's fist connected one last time.

!!! CRACK !!!

Antony collapsed onto the mat.

"Yeaah! Raphael Giovanni!"

"Yeah!"

"Raphael!!!"

"Antony!"

The crowd just wouldn't stop shouting.

Screams, cheers, all the other noise, calling Raphael's name travelled through the arena.

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But Raphael wasn't listening. He couldn't forget the view he saw. That guy...and silly Ines...

His fists were still clenched, his breathing turned heavily ragged. He didn't feel victorious. Not yet.

Because Ines had been cheering for him.

Loudly. Excitedly. Like she actually cared. And that pissed him off.

His jaw flinched as he remembered why he'd gotten so aggressive in the first place.

That guy...Holding her...Touching her...

Her hands on his shoulders, her legs draped over him—

Raphael felt his rage spike again. Why was she cheering like that? Was she trying to drive him insane?

"FOCUS, Raphael!" his coach snapped.

He exhaled angrily, shaking his head, jumping from one foot to another.

Antony groaned on the floor, rolling onto his side, trying to get up.

The referee moved to check on him, but before they could even announce the round over—

!! WHAM !!!

Antony's fist collided with Raphael's face. The hit came out of nowhere.

"You fuck! You think you can defeat me? I'm the champion-"

Raphael staggered backward. His vision blurred. His ears rang. He wasn't listening to anything Antony was saying now.

*beeeeeeep*

He never saw it coming.

"Raphael!!!"

"Ines," a voice called in his head.

Ines had screamed his name. That voice...That panic...

"Son of a bitch!" The blur snapped away and everything was cleared.

Raphael's head snapped up.

Antony was standing, but not for long.

With everything he had left, Raphael swung.

There was a direct punch straight to Antony's jaw.

"Guah!" He spit some saliva out from his mouth, unwillingly.

Antony's eyes rolled back, and his body hit the mat like a lifeless rag doll.

"Wuaaah!"

"Raphael Giovanni!"

"Giovanni! Giovanni! Giovanni!"

The crowd lost it.

The referee dropped down, checking Antony, then waved his hands.

The round was over.

*ding! Ding! Ding!* The bell rang loudly.

Raphael had won...supposedly...

The announcer's voice yelled over the speakers, "And the winner is—RAPHAEL Giovanni!"

But Raphael barely heard it.

He turned immediately, scanning the crowd, looking for Ines..."whe-where are you?" He was out of breath.

And found her.

And she was continuing her cheering, laughing, and smiling. She looked so damn happy.

She looked relieved...

For him....

Something inside his chest eased.

"Raphael! I love you!!! Whoooo!" He heard her screaming again, smiling.

The guy dropped her to the ground, and she started making her way towards the ring.

She wanted to hug him, to congratulate him and needed to be the first one to do so. They were married after all.

And Raphael wanted it too...to hug her and knock out his friend who had the audacity to hold her like that.

"Ines..." he whispered.

Until he saw it.

"A hand?"

A white cloth clamped over Ines' mouth."

"What in the wo-"

Her body stiffened. Her eyes widened in shock.

And then—

The arena lights went out, and everything went black...

"Ines!!!"