I Dumped a Scumbag and Married A Boxer Star-Chapter 7: My Dearest

Chapter 7: My Dearest...

Ines was sitting on the couch, still drowning in Raphael's oversized hoodie and sweatpants, arms crossed, and foot tapped against the floor in irritation.

She was still fuming about Celeste, but before she could decide whether to throw Raphael's ridiculously expensive-looking coffee mug at the wall, her phone started vibrating violently on the table.

She sighed dramatically before picking it up.

The first thing she saw was a barrage of missed calls.

Her father. Trevor. More from her father. A few from unknown numbers.

Then, the text messages:

-Dad: "Get your ass home, NOW."-

-Trevor: "You think you can humiliate me and walk away?"-

-Dad: "WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?"-

She blinked.

"What in the fresh hell is this now?" she muttered, opening a news app on reflex.

And then she saw it.

'Billionaire Heiress Ines Jackson Marries Champion Boxer Raphael Giovanni in a Shocking Secret Wedding!'

Her brain short-circuited.

"Champion what now?"

She scrolled down.

The article had multiple pictures—one of her storming out of the cathedral with Raphael, another of Raphael landing a brutal punch in a ring, shirtless, sweat glistening over his perfect abs, veins popped in his forearms.

A whole shrine to his physique, really. The captions read things like 'Undefeated boxing legend' and 'The Knockout King.'

She choked on her own spit.

"I married a boxer?"

Raphael chose that exact moment to walk into the room, freshly showered, hair damp, casual as if he wasn't the headline of every major news outlet.

"You good?" he asked, eyeing her.

Ines stared at him, phone clutched tightly. "You. You're a boxer."

He blinked. "Uh. Yeah? You didn't know that?"

She opened and closed her mouth like a fish.

"No, I did not know that! When exactly were you going to tell me? Before or after I found out through The National Gossip?"

He rubbed the back of his neck. "I mean... I thought you knew. It's not exactly a secret."

She let out a dry laugh.

"Right. My mistake for not recognising the man I married is a damn sports legend."

Raphael shrugged. "Honestly, I'm kind of offended."

Before she could launch something at his head, a loud banging at the front door startled them both.

They turned.

Raphael sighed. "Let me guess—Trevor and Daddy Dearest?"

The knocking turned into furious pounding.

A voice was so angry, livid—boomed through the door.

"INES! OPEN THIS DAMN DOOR RIGHT NOW!"

Oh, fantastic.

Her father had arrived.

And he did not sound happy.

The door just opened with a loud bang, vibrating through the house like a gunshot.

Ines didn't even flinch. She had been expecting this.

Trevor and her father, Diego Jackson, stormed in without so much as a greeting.

They were fuming, looking messy and disheveled, as if they had been too busy yelling in the car to fix their appearances before barging in.

Trevor's face was like a dead's person, his eyes darted toward Raphael, then quickly away.

Ines noticed it immediately.

Oh, he was avoiding him. Interesting...

Meanwhile, her father wasted no time.

"What the hell have you done, Ines?"

Diego's voice boomed through the room as he glared at her like she was the biggest disappointment of his life.

Ines, who was comfortably lounging on Raphael's couch in his oversized hoodie and sweatpants, took a sip of her water before answering.

"I got married."

"Don't you dare act smart with me!" Diego's face turned a shade of red that clashed horribly with his designer tie.

"Do you even realise the mess you've caused? The scandal? The media is eating this up! And to a boxer? A boxer?"

At that, she smirked. "Oh, so you do know who he is?"

Her father let out a dry laugh.

"Of course, I do. Raphael Giovanni—world champion, undefeated. And an absolute disgrace as a husband to my daughter!"

Raphael, who had been leaning against the wall, crossed his arms and raised a brow.

"I'm right here, you know."

Her father ignored him and turned his rage back to Ines.

"You were supposed to marry Trevor! He's a respectable man, someone worthy of your status, not some brute who makes a living by throwing punches."

"Respectable?" Ines scoffed. "You mean the man who beats his fiancée when no one is looking? Is that what you call respectable?"

Trevor's face was drained of color. "Ines—"

"Oh, don't even start." Ines rolled her eyes. "You think I was going to spend my life with you? I'd rather set myself on fire."

"Ines, stop being dramatic," her father snapped. "Trevor loves you."

"Trevor loves control," she corrected. "He loves power. He doesn't love me. He loves the idea of owning me. Just like you loved owning Mom."

Her father stiffened. "That's enough."

"No, it's not." Ines stood up now, meeting him head-on.

"I'm not marrying him. I don't care how much money you stand to lose. I'm not going to end up like Mom."

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That was the moment Diego Jackson snapped.

His hand swung toward her face, but before it could land, it was caught in a strong grip.

The boxer's blue eyes turned ice-cold as he held Diego's wrist in heavy grasp.

"Don't. You. Dare."

"Let go of me, you—"

Raphael pushed him back, making the older man stumble slightly.

"I don't care how powerful you think you are. You lay a hand on her again, and you'll regret it."

Diego seethed. "You think you can threaten me? I'll ruin you. Your career will be over by the end of the week."

Raphael's lips curled into a smirk. "Try it. Let's see who comes out on top."

Trevor, sensing the tension escalating to dangerous levels, suddenly stepped forward, lifting his hands in surrender.

"Look, I was wrong, okay? Ines, I was wrong. I shouldn't have... done what I did. I got carried away. I'm sorry."

Ines gave him the most unimpressed look she could muster.

"Oh, save it. You're only apologising because this blew up in your face."

Trevor exhaled, looking frustrated. "I just... I wanted things to be right between us."

Ines laughed a little. "That's cute. You know what? You can still have a Jackson wife."

Trevor blinked. "What?"

She smirked. "My sister. Since she's so in love with you."

Her father's face turned an even deeper shade of tomato.

"Ines! Stop this nonsense. You're just jealous of Camila!"

That did it.

Ines' temper snapped, and before she could even think twice about it, her hand swung out and slapped her father across the face.

The room went silent...

Diego's head turned slightly from the impact, but when he faced her again, his eyes were full of old fire.

He lifted his hand once more, intending to strike her this time, but Raphael moved before he could.

This time, Raphael didn't just stop the blow—he shoved Diego hard enough that he stumbled backward into Trevor.

"That's enough," Raphael growled. "Get the hell out."

Diego straightened himself, glaring at Raphael as if he could set him on fire with his mind.

"You're going to regret this," he hissed. "Both of you."

"We'll see."

Trevor and Diego hesitated for a second longer, but the power in the room had clearly changed.

They had lost control. Without another word, Diego stormed out, Trevor was behind him.

The moment the door slammed shut behind them, Ines let out a breath she hadn't realised she was holding.

"That," she said, shaking her head, "was satisfying."

Raphael smirked, looking down at her. "I didn't think you had that slap in you."

"I'll slap you too if you get on my nerves."

"Noted."

She sighed, running a hand through her hair. "Well, that went about as well as I expected."

Raphael leaned against the door, watching her carefully. "You okay?"

She thought about it for a moment. Then, with a small smile, she shrugged.

"I think I need a drink."