[ A Week Later—Carter Mansion]
The faint sound of birdsong drifted in through the half-open window, mixing with the rustle of the morning newspaper.
Gregory Carter sat at the head of the table with his eyes skimming the headlines but his mind was elsewhere.
Across from him, Melissa's agitation was nearly palpable.
With her lips pressed thin and her fingers tapping restlessly against the china, she finally snapped, "I am telling you, Gregory, this reeks of the Reids. Who else would dare stir up a second scandal right after the first died down? It's too neat and too deliberate."
It had been over a week since the second scandal but Melissa Carter still hadn't let it go and couldn't stop blaming the Reids for it.
Gregory exhaled as he lowered the paper. "Melissa—"
