Lucas giggled in Dylan's arms. Then he turned to Scarlett all of a sudden, seemingly having latched onto an idea that would ultimately doom her. "Mom! Where have you been these days? You didn't even tell me where you were going—that might be the meanest thing you've ever done!"At that moment, Scarlett wanted nothing more than to cover his mouth and stop him from speaking any further. How could he bring up this matter, especially in front of Dylan? She realized that she wasn't properly mentally prepared to tell Dylan about everything that had happened since they'd last seen each other. If she could, she'd rather bury everything deep in her heart and keep it a secret. She didn't wish for Dylan—or anyone, really—to know that she'd been someone's mistress, even if it had just been for a week.But what remained at the forefront of her mind was hearing from Dylan himself about whether he'd colluded with Tristan to bring Jonathan down. After all, she'd only been forced to accept Jonathan's b
"Scar, I have something to tell you as well. I haven't told you everything—well, not exactly—so I don't want you to worry or feel guilty about not telling me what's bothering you. Everyone has their own struggles and things they find difficult to voice. I understand what it's like. You never have to feel bad when it comes to me. I'll always be able to accept you for who you are. I'll always be able to forgive you, no matter what it is."Dylan's expression was strangely off when he spoke, as if whatever it was that he hadn't told her was rather serious. Scarlett couldn't help but feel a little surprised, but she didn't ask him about what he was hiding, respecting how he hadn't pressured her to talk to him. She knew that she had no right to demand that he come clean when she was doing the exact same thing to him. Still, knowing that they were both on equal footing comforted her slightly. She felt more relieved not to be the only one keeping a secret.After that, a year went by before the
Dylan hadn't seen Scarlett in more than half a month. Every time, either he'd been busy or she'd had to work, preventing them from being able to meet up. Now that they were together again at long last, he couldn't help but feel like Scarlett had become more beautiful in the weeks they'd been apart. His voice softened almost instinctively. "Baby, it's been so long since we last saw each other. You've got to make it up to me today—where do you want to go?"Scarlett felt guilty that she hadn't spent time with Dylan. Yet she'd already promised Natalie to head over for the audition, and she couldn't simply back out now. She could give an embarrassed smile as she attempted to break the news to him. "Dylan, I'm so sorry. I promised Natalie I would go down to her company for an audition. It's a great opportunity, and I want to give it a try. If this works out, I won't need to take on so many jobs going forward."Dylan was rather disappointed by her reply, but he swiftly regained his composure.
Knowing how stubborn Scarlett was, Dylan knew that their relationship would truly come to an end if he took the initiative to expose her and voice his truth. There was simply no other way around it. She was the woman he'd fallen in love with, and he'd continue to love her for the rest of his life. Despite the flocks of other attractive women that surrounded and flattered him, he couldn't bring himself to look at them the same way, not after he'd experienced what it was like to be with Scarlett. She was the only person in his heart, and he loved all of her—the good, the bad, and all the problems she inevitably brought him.He reached out and held her hand firmly. He wished he could transfer his heat to her icy fingers through their joined palms. How he wished she could feel the love he felt for her, how deeply it transcended any and every tangible emotion one could possibly feel. "Scar, didn't I tell you early on that no matter what happened, I'd never break up with you? I mean it. You
Daphne hadn't expected to see Scarlett here, of all places. Her fury surged as soon as she caught sight of the other woman, her eyes rolling in mirth.At this point, many had gathered in the corridor, awaiting their chances to shine, but Daphne was the only prominently established public figure among the throngs of undergraduates and a few less renowned stars.Gossip pervaded the air, as it had the tendency to do every time groups of women came together. "Hey, do y'all know that someone important is coming today?" Someone spoke up amid the crowd. "I heard he's the sole heir and current president of LM Corporations. He just returned from studying abroad—my sources say that his looks are impeccable beyond belief.""I've heard of that too! Christ, if we could make a lasting impression on him, we'd be set for life, don't you think? Goodness, how I wish I could see him right now!"Someone else laughed. "You're delusional. Do you take him for an ordinary, rich, pretty boy? He's the president
After the makeup artist's touch, Daphne's already stunning face became even more captivating. Scarlett felt her own hopes diminishing as she gazed at the other woman's mesmerizing features.How could anyone not pick someone with a face like that? Despite her own delicate beauty, her inadequacy in front of Daphne's professional radiance taunted her at the back of her mind. If a plastic reconstruction could yield such breathtaking results, Scarlett supposed the surgery had been a massive success, a remarkable achievement attained by Daphne's beauticians.As she was lost in thought, the staff members prepared them all for the commencement of the audition. The fashion items released by LM Corporations had always been top-notch. A few people had already gone in before her. Sure enough, it was soon her turn.Scarlett exuded a youthful charm along with a unique kind of sensuality that was difficult to replicate. That, along with her well-proportioned bodice and impressive curves, made the ite
The displeasure on the staff member's face intensified as he vented, "It's really infuriating. Everyone was just preparing to leave work when one of our higher-ups complained about the unfairness of our selection process. They even implied that something inappropriate had been going on within our team and demanded that we come clean. The president decided to thoroughly investigate this matter, but don't you worry; I'm sure he's a man of justice, and our selection process has never been fairer. One of your fellow competitors must have been feeling resentful after being rejected. Regardless, you have nothing to worry about. Our president is hardly unreasonable. As long as you answer his queries honestly, nothing bad will happen to you."Despite his attempts at reassuring her, Scarlett was still nervous about the imminent encounter with the company's president. She'd never imagined herself in a position where her integrity would be questioned by someone else. It was truly ironic.She'd be
Jonathan remained stoic, as if he hadn't even heard her speak at all. A brief pause followed before he turned to address the staff member in charge. "The performance of the candidate your team selected from the auditions is stellar. I have no objections. Leave us now."The staff member beamed before leaving the room, thankful that the president had no objections to their proceedings. Fortunately, Scarlett's performance had managed to awe Jonathan as well, for he seemed incredibly satisfied after watching the shots.After the staff member left the room, Daphne squeezed out a few more tears and lamented to Jonathan. "John John—" A sharp gaze from him had her changing her tone immediately. "Mr. Leonard, there's obviously something suspicious about this. Didn't you promise to do me justice earlier?" she amended.Daphne truly believed she should've been the chosen one. Among so many other budding talents, she was the only one good enough to represent LM Corporation's fashion line. For a nam