I Dumped a Scumbag and Married A Boxer Star-Chapter 9: She’s Trouble

Chapter 9: She's Trouble

The moment Ines stepped into the gym, the energy changed.

She heard that conversations were hushed, heads turned, and whispers spread like a wildfire during the hot summer.

"That's her."

"No way. That's Raphael's wife?"

"Married a billionaire's daughter overnight? He must've lost a bet."

Ines pretended not to hear any of it, but her skin tingled painfully with irritation.

She walked beside Raphael, her head high, acting as though she belonged here...even if the scent of sweat, rubber mats, and testosterone made her nose wrinkle.

Raphael, completely unbothered, kept walking through the gym, nodding at a few familiar faces but saying nothing.

He was used to being the center of attention in the sports industry, but Ines? Not so much.

She suddenly realised she was drowning in the oversized hoodie he had given her earlier, her legs barely peeked out beneath it.

Ines probably looked like a rich girl who got lost on the way to the spa.

A heavily tattooed man leaned in toward Raphael's personal trainer, whispering just loud enough for Ines to hear.

"She's gonna be a headache for him."

The trainer chuckled, shaking his head. "You think?"

Raphael ignored them, but Ines narrowed her eyes.

Oh, she had heard every word, and she was absolutely ready to prove them wrong.

Not that she knew how, but she'd figure it out later.

"Stay here," Raphael told her, nodding toward a bench near the ring. "I need to talk to my coach."

"Fine," she said, and crossed her sems, her gaze was already scanning the gym.

She had barely sat down when the first one approached.

"Hey, sweetheart," a guy with thick arms and a cocky smirk leaned against the bench.

"You look a little lost. Need a tour?"

"No."

He grinned, undeterred. "Come on, I could show you around. Maybe teach you how to throw a punch—"

"I know how to throw a punch." She arched her brow. "Want a demonstration?"

Laughter came from a few nearby guys who had been eavesdropping.

The man held up his hands in surrender, stepping back.

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"Damn, feisty."

"She's got a mouth on her," another snickered.

Before she could snap back, the temperature in the gym dropped.

Or at least, it felt that way to Ines when Celeste waltzed through the doors.

Dressed in a fitted sports bra and leggings that showed off every curve, Celeste walked with the kind of confidence that demanded attention—and she got it.

A few guys whistled, others immediately stopped what they were doing to watch her.

She flicked her blonde hair over her shoulder before they landed directly on Ines.

"Oh."

The disdain in that single syllable was enough to make Ines' blood boil.

"Still wearing his clothes?" Celeste asked, her lips formed into something that wasn't quite a smile.

"Cute."

Ines lifted her head. "Well, I figured since I married him, I might as well start marking my territory."

Celeste's smile thinned. "That's adorable."

More whispers stirred in the background.

"She's really playing wife, huh?"

"Rich girls love to play pretend until they get bored."

"Think Raphael will actually keep her around?"

Ines took a deep breath through her nose.

She had dealt with venomous socialites all her life, but this was a different battlefield.

Here, they didn't see her as powerful or untouchable. They saw her as weak.

And that? That pissed her off.

Celeste's eyes travelled toward Raphael, who was still deep in conversation with his coach.

She then turned back to Ines, lowering her voice just enough for only the two of them to hear.

"Enjoy the attention while it lasts, princess," she murmured, voice full of fake sweetness.

"It won't be long before he realises you don't belong here."

Ines smiled, saccharine and sharp. "Oh, Celeste," she whispered back. "That's cute. You actually think I care what you or any of these guys think."

Celeste's jaw tensed.

"Oh, and by the way," Ines added, lifting her chin. "I love your leggings. I saw a teenager wearing the same pair at the mall last week."

The slight widening of Celeste's eyes was the victory Ines needed.

Before Celeste could respond, Raphael finally returned.

He shifted between the two women, sensing the bad energy immediately.

"What's going on?"

"Nothing," Ines said quickly, standing up and looping her arm through his before Celeste could say another word.

"Ready to show me why people are so obsessed with you?"

Raphael chuckled. "You sure you wanna stay?"

"Oh, absolutely," she grinned, shooting Celeste a look over her shoulder.

"I think I'm going to love it here."

Celeste's eyes darkened, and the whispers around them grew louder.

Oh, this was going to be fun.