Chapter 178 One Hundred And Seventy Eight

Chapter 178 One Hundred And Seventy Eight
Antonia’s stomach twisted violently at Kennedy's voice.
“Kennedy—”
But his eyes remained fixed on Daniel.
Cold.
Sharp.
Deadly calm.
Daniel straightened slightly.
“I came to pick up my jacket.”
Kennedy glanced at the jacket in his hand.
Then his gaze returned to Antonia.
Something unreadable flickered across his expression.
Hurt.
Suspicion.
Exhaustion.
“You invited him here?” he asked quietly.
Antonia swallowed hard.
“He called me.”
Kennedy’s jaw clenched tightly.
“And you let him come to our house?”
Daniel immediately stepped in.
“This isn’t what it looks like.”
Kennedy finally looked directly at him.
“And what exactly does it look like to you?”
The tension became suffocating immediately.
Antonia quickly stepped forward.
“Kennedy, please—”
But Kennedy interrupted without taking his eyes off Daniel.
“I never want to see you around my wife, again.”
Daniel’s expression hardened too now.
“I was actually about to leave.”
“Good.”
The single word dripped with warning.
Daniel looked toward Antonia one final time.
His voice softened.
“You know where to find me if you ever need someone.”
Big mistake.
Kennedy’s expression darkened instantly.
Antonia saw it immediately.
“Daniel, stop.”
But the damage was already done.
Kennedy stepped forward and pulled Daniel by his shirt.
“What the hell did you just say?”
Daniel held his stare, not an atom of fear in his eyes.
"You heard me right. She deserves better."
Without another word, Kennedy punches him hard in the face.
Daniel barely had time to react before Kennedy’s fist slammed hard across his face.
The impact sent him stumbling backward violently.
Antonia gasped.
“Kennedy!”
Daniel crashed against the side table, knocking a decorative vase onto the floor.
It shattered instantly.
But Kennedy wasn’t done.
Weeks of frustration.
Jealousy.
Stress.
Fear.
Pain.
Everything exploded out of him at once.
He stormed forward again before Daniel could fully regain his balance and grabbed him aggressively by the collar.
“You think you can come into my house—”
He shoved him hard.
“—talk about my wife like that—”
Another punch landed.
This time directly into Daniel’s jaw.
Antonia screamed.
“Stop it!”
Daniel groaned painfully but immediately swung back on instinct.
His fist connected with Kennedy’s cheek.
Bad decision.
Very bad decision.
Kennedy snapped.
He tackled Daniel brutally against the wall.
Antonia’s heart pounded violently.
“Oh my God!”
She hurried toward them desperately despite her condition.
“Kennedy, stop!”
But the men were no longer listening.
Daniel shoved Kennedy hard enough to create distance between them.
Breathing heavily now, he wiped blood from the corner of his mouth.
“You’re insane!”
Kennedy looked terrifying.
Absolutely terrifying.
His eyes burned with fury.
“You stay away from my wife!”
Daniel laughed bitterly despite the pain.
“Your wife came to me!”
Wrong thing to say.
Kennedy charged at him again instantly.
Another brutal punch landed against Daniel’s ribs.
Daniel doubled over in pain.
Kennedy grabbed him again and slammed him against the wall.
Hard.
Antonia cried out in panic.
“Kennedy!”
Her voice shook now.
“Please!”
But Kennedy’s anger had completely consumed him.
All he could see was Daniel near Antonia.
Daniel kissing her.
Daniel standing inside his home talking about her deserving better.
Rage flooded every part of him.
Daniel tried throwing another punch, but Kennedy blocked it easily and drove his fist straight into Daniel’s stomach.
Daniel groaned sharply.
The strength behind the hit shocked even him.
He hadn’t expected Kennedy to be this strong.
This aggressive.
Kennedy hit him again.
And again.
Daniel staggered backward toward the door.
Blood now marked the corner of his lips.
One eye already beginning to swell slightly.
Antonia grabbed Kennedy’s arm desperately.
“Stop!”
But Kennedy shook her off accidentally in the heat of the moment.
The force wasn’t intentional.
But Antonia still stumbled backward slightly.
Kennedy froze instantly.
Fear flashed across his face.
“Antonia—”
That brief distraction allowed Daniel to shove him away.
“You’re out of control!”
Kennedy recovered instantly and grabbed him again by the front of his shirt.
“You think I won’t destroy you for touching my wife?”
Daniel glared back despite his condition.
“She kissed me back.”
The room went deadly silent.
Antonia’s eyes widened.
“No—”
But it was too late.
Kennedy’s face changed instantly.
Something darker entered his expression.
Pain.
Real pain.
Then another punch exploded across Daniel’s face.
This one sent him crashing directly against the front door.
Antonia screamed again.
“Kennedy, enough!”
Daniel struggled to steady himself now.
His breathing had become uneven.
Kennedy approached him slowly.
Dangerously calm this time.
And somehow that calmness felt even scarier than the rage.
“If I ever see you near my wife again…”
His voice came low.
Cold.
Deadly.
“I will ruin you.”
Daniel wiped blood from his mouth again.
Still stubborn.
Still defiant.
“You can threaten me all you want.”
Kennedy stepped even closer.
“But you can’t force someone to love you.”
That did it.
Kennedy grabbed him violently and threw the front door open.
“Get out.”
Kennedy’s expression turned murderous.
“Leave.”
Daniel held his stare for another second.
Then finally turned and walked away.
Kennedy watched until he disappeared completely down the driveway.
Only then did he slam the front door shut violently.
The loud sound echoed through the mansion.
Silence followed.
Heavy silence.
Antonia stood frozen several feet away.
Her breathing shaky.
Kennedy stood with his back facing her.
His chest rising heavily from anger.
Blood stained his knuckles.
Antonia stared at him nervously.
“Kennedy…”
He still didn’t turn around.
And somehow that frightened her more.
When he finally spoke, his voice sounded exhausted.
Broken.
“Did you really kiss him back?”
The question shattered her heart instantly.
Antonia’s eyes filled again.
“Kennedy…”
He finally turned toward her.
And the hurt in his eyes nearly destroyed her.
Not anger this time.
Not jealousy.
Just pain.
Raw pain.
Antonia immediately shook her head through tears.
“It was only for a second.”
Kennedy laughed bitterly.
“A second?”
“I pushed him away.”
“But not immediately.”
The truth hurt because it was real.
Antonia covered her mouth as tears spilled down her cheeks.
“I’m sorry…”
Kennedy stared at her for a long moment.
Then finally he looked away again.
Like seeing her hurt him too much right now.
Kennedy stood motionless.
His chest rising slowly.
Antonia looked at him nervously.
“Kennedy…”
But he still refused to look at her again.
And that hurt Antonia even more.