Scarlett scooped the last bit of bacon into the bowl and took it to the dining table. Miss Sharma helped her set the table.
“Levi has already had breakfast this morning, so you don’t have to worry about him,” Miss Sharma reassured Scarlett.Scarlett smiled at her, “Thank you, Miss Sharma. You take such good care of him. If you weren’t here, I’d have lost my mind worrying about him, being so far away and all…”Miss Sharma smiled sheepishly, “He is an amazing boy.”Scarlett nodded, “Thank you so much.”“He should be done with his bath any moment now,” Miss Sharma replied.Scarlett thought for a moment, “I’d go for a walk with him afterward, on the grounds, truly see this place…” She paused to think about the first tour she had. She had been way too in her head about Cameron walking beside her shirtless that she didn’t take the moment to appreciate the mansion. Although she didn’t think it would be any different, what with last nighWhat’s your name again? Jane? Karen?" Scarlett shot up to her feet and tucked her hair behind her ear. She had been too engrossed in her work, she didn’t hear her walk in. “My name is Scarlett.” Hadley smiled at her, flashing pearly white teeth. “Don’t mind me, I can’t remember basic.” She glanced at the door. Hadley turned around. “Oh, are you looking out for him?” She shook her head. “Cameron is not here. There’s no one here to come to your defense this time. It’s just you and me.” “Why are you here?” She blurted out in a shaky voice. Hadley was pacing about in the office, and then she stopped in her tracks. “I’m here to talk.” Scarlett exhaled. “About?” “Cameron,” Hadley answered. She saw the look in her eyes. “I didn’t miss how your eyes lit up when I mentioned him, so there’s something...” “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” “Now don’t act coy with me, Scarlett.” Hadley lightly chuckled. “Don’t pretend you’re not taken by him. Cameron is a really fine man
Scarlett pulled the fluffy blanket tightly around her shoulders, her blue eyes shimmered, their color intensified by the bloodshot whites. She tightened her folded arms until she was practically holding herself. Clarissa peered at her, a look of worry in her eyes, “Do you want to talk about it?” She wiped frantically at her cheeks, her lips trembled, “It’s her, I know it’s her.” She fished for her phone and began talking aggressively, “It reads like her, the words in this article were the exact words she used when she spoke to me back at the office.” Clarissa took the phone from her and scrolled through; it was pictures of Scarlett and Cameron, hand in hand leaving the charity gala. There was a small article referring to her as “The other woman.” “Everyone at the office read it, they were whispering behind my back. They all know, and it’s only a matter of time until they find out about Levi, and when they do, I won’t hear t
Her choice of clothing was intentional, a black trouser suit over a lacy black camisole and stiletto heels, with her hair tied back in a low ponytail. She applied more makeup than she usually would, including red lipstick. She didn’t think much about her choice of lipstick until she was already wearing it. It was ironic that she was trying to prove there was nothing between them, yet she had picked out his favorite color of lipstick. A small part of her was still trying to please him. The first tip to fool everyone that you were fine was to dress like you were. She walked through the glass doors and glanced at her watch, she was a few minutes late, and that meant the main floor was packed. The next tip was to act like this was any other day. "Get it together, Scarlett," she chanted in her head as she walked up to the security station. “Good morning, Craig,” she greeted in a high-pitched voice, flashing him her ID. He looked up at her in surprise, gave her a once-over, but quickly m
She knocked on the door, smoothed her dress, and exhaled, “Mr. Grayson, this is the report from...” She trailed off when she noticed there was someone else standing in the room with him.He turned around, his honey-brown eyes lit up when he saw her.She frowned, “You, I know you...”Cameron looked between the both of them in confusion, he sat down on his chair, “I knew you weren’t here to see me, Jaxon.”“Jaxon?” She asked in confusion.“We weren’t able to introduce ourselves before you ran away, the other night” He said with a smile.She glanced at Cameron, “I had other obligations.”“I figured,” he gave her a once-over, “You look good..." He trailed off.“Scarlett?” Cameron called out to her.She looked up at him, “I’m sorry, my name is Scarlett Knowles,” she extended a hand to him.“And I’m Jaxon Brooks,” he took her hand in his and brought it to his lips and fervently kissed it, staring into her eyes.She froze, it was more than the shock that he had kissed her hand instead of sha
“Scarlett...”She was about to walk in through the doors of Grayson Industries when someone called out to her. She turned around sharply to see someone holding a large bouquet of balloons and a box of chocolates in their hand. It was hard to see their face. She glanced behind her to see if there was someone else who was also named Scarlett.“Me?” she asked quizzically.He let out a deep chuckle, “Is there another Scarlett?”She shook her head in disbelief. Of course, she recognized that voice. “Jaxon...”He moved the balloons to the side. “Good morning, Scarlett.”She nodded in response. “Good morning,” she rubbed her cheeks nervously. “Is there any chance in hell that the ridiculously large balloon bouquet is not for me?”He shrugged. “What do you think?”She glanced around. They were already attracting funny stares from people walking by. “Jaxon, people are looking at us,” she said through clenched teeth.“That was the whole point, wasn’t it?” he asked. “To get people’s attention, m
“Really? A pretend girlfriend?”She massaged her temples. “Mr. Grayson…”“You’re kissing him now, so it’s Mr. Grayson.”“I have to clear up the rumors, and the only way I can do that is to start up another!” she explained.He bit down on his lips and shook his head, a small smile on his face. “So let me put this in context. You’re agreeing to date a man you've known for...two days…”“Pretend date,” she cut in. “Only to stop the rumors. I don’t expect you to understand that. You’re not the one everyone is calling names,” she said in a sharp tone.He clenched his jaw. “So the thought of being with me is so appalling, so much that you would enter a pretend relationship with a man you barely know just to quell it?”Now that he said it like that, he put it in context for her. It was a stupid plan that made no sense, yet she was readily agreeing to it, and it wasn’t just because of the dumb rumors. She had lived through the rumors Luke spread after their breakup. If there was anything she k
Scarlett peeked at him from the top of her menu.His attention was fixated on the menu in front of him. "Scarlett, pick a meal, the waiter will be here any moment.""How...""How did I see you?" He cut in, his attention fully on her.She sighed. "Never mind.""What is it, Scarlett?" he asked, sipping a glass of water.She exhaled. "Is it really necessary?" She looked around. "You and I together in this...""For the umpteenth time, yes, it is," he answered. She had asked the question three times on their ride here. "Remember that part about me not coming off as a deranged stalker with a balloon?"She chuckled as she thought about it. "Yes.""That's why we have to hang out on a proper date and hope they get pictures of us. If they don't, well, I'll post one of us."She shook her head. "I just can't believe that we are fooling anyone. The timing is off...""If you think the media truly cares about the accuracy of the information they put out, then let me drop a shocker: no, no they aren'
Cameron burst through the doors, he was drunk, and his steps were unsteady. his face set in a deep frown. He was angry, and it was all because of one person. One person who somehow could make his heart grow soft and at the same time make his blood boil: Scarlett Knowles. As if it wasn’t already bad enough that she was ignoring him, the media outlets were going wild with new pictures of her and Jaxon, who were supposed to be an item. There were pictures of them hanging out in different places. “Mr. Grayson, you’re welcome. Your l...”“I don’t care, Ms. Sharma!” He cut her off. His appearance was wild, his hair stuck out oddly, and the whites of his eyes were red.As she took his case from her, he noticed her downcast expression.He sighed, “I’m sorry, Ms. Sharma, but I don’t care for food or whatever...”“I wasn’t talking about...”“She’s with another man,” he blurted, drowning out her words, “She’s seeing someone. I thought we were an item, I thought we shared something...”Ms. Sharm
Lucious arrived fashionably late, as always, for Mrs. Grayson’s birthday celebration. Through no fault of his own, his flight had been delayed. He rushed in when the party was already underway, grabbed a glass of champagne, and blended in with the merry crowd. His eyes searched the room for familiar faces, and then he spotted her: Scarlett Knowles.She looked beautiful in the blue and white floral dress she was wearing. He rushed towards her, grabbed her shoulders from behind, and exclaimed, “Hello, Scarlett!”She turned around sharply, her eyes widening in excitement. “Lucious! You got here late. I was beginning to think you wouldn’t come anymore!”He rolled his eyes. “I had the most hectic flight, you won’t believe it…” He let out a big exhale and fanned himself with his hands. “The flight got delayed, and we encountered some difficulties on the way here. I should have just listened to Mr. King's advice and flown private…”Scarlett gave him a knowing gaze. “Mr. King, huh?”Lucious g
“Happy birthday to you...” Everyone's voices rose together in a slightly off-key rendition of "Happy Birthday."Belinda beamed, glowing as her family and friends sang together for her. They were all gathered at a hall in the resort. Her birthday celebration was a small, cozy event. At the end of the rendition, everyone stepped forward to personally wish her a happy birthday and hug her.Her husband, Mr. Grayson walked up to her, beaming with smiles. He opened a jewelry box and revealed a diamond necklace. “I had one especially made just for you, there’s only one special gem, just like you...” He leaned close and kissed the top of her head.There were a lot of "aww's" from the crowd.She shut her eyes. “Thank you, my love.”Her grandchildren, Loretta and Levi, had brought gifts for her: handmade cards and letters. It was the cutest thing. Levi’s gifts were mostly illegible scribblings, while Loretta’s were more meaningful, but she loved and appreciated every one of them.Cameron and Va
Vanessa walked into the lounge, her hands folded across her chest, “Cameron! Cameron!” She yelled aloud as she walked in.He rolled his eyes, “Nessa, it says relaxing lounge for a reason,” he gestured towards the sign at the door.She glanced at it and back at her scruffy-looking brother, “Yes, I can see that it clearly says relaxing lounge and has a no alcohol policy so what’s that about?” she pointed at the half-full bottle of whisky by his side.He exhaled, “Does it matter? We bought out the whole place. The rules don’t apply anymore.”She walked up to him, “I don’t think that’s how rules work, but you’ve never been one to abide by any rule ever, so I can’t say I’m surprised.”He groaned, the last thing, okay maybe not the last thing. The second to last thing he wanted to hear was his sister’s bickering. The last thing was definitely his mother's voice chiding him for something, “What are you here for, Vanessa?”She gave him a long look. He lay on the couch, his hair overgrown, spo
Cameron bit down on his lips, liking the way she called out his name softly. It made him rock hard. “I want to bend you over right now, right here, and make love to you until your body shakes in excitement. I’d like to hear you cry out my name as you beg me to make love to you, knowing no other man will ever give you pleasure like I would, knowing it will never be enough…”Scarlett let out a small squeak. He spun her around until she was facing him and pulled her close. Her breasts were pressed up against him, almost spilling out of her dress. He stared at them with a burning look of desire in his eyes.Jaxon was fuming where he stood. Somewhere in the middle of the song, he had stopped pretending like he wanted to dance. He just stopped and stared at them. His hands were clenched into fists. Cameron’s hands were roaming, whispering into Scarlett’s ears, and she looked like she was enjoying it, every bit of it. Her eyes were shut, and she was leaning into Cameron. She had no fear for
It was going to be fun, alright! Cameron gulped down two more shots, loving the burn of the liquid as it trickled down his throat. This was what he needed. He turned around to leave. Jaxon finalized their order before he left.Cameron was only halfway towards Scarlett and Hadley when a familiar song came on the speakers. He stopped in his tracks to listen, his lips curling into a small smile. He looked up to meet those bright blue eyes staring at him with flushed cheeks. He knew exactly what she was thinking about at the moment. He walked up to her and grabbed her, “Shall I have the first dance, Scarr?”Scarlett looked around in worry.Hadley opened her mouth in protest, “Cam—”“Oh, it’s only an old-fashioned dance, love,” he cut in. “It will be good for us, remember?” he used her exact words against her.Hadley frowned.“What the hell, man?” Jaxon protested when he saw Cameron was holding hands with her.Cameron spun around to face Jaxon, still holding onto her. “Oh, it’s only a danc
As they got out of the car, Hadley leaned forward, cupped his cheeks, and kissed him, “This will be good for us.”Cameron stared at her hesitantly.“I promise.” She leaned into him, grabbed his hand, and put it around her waist, “You’ve been stuck up all day, overthinking, worrying...” She pulled at his cheeks, “You’re beginning to have worry lines. You’re in need of a good rest…”He gave her a look.She burst into soft laughter, “Yes, you need rest and you’ll rest later tonight. You’re also in need of some fun. I don’t think you have enjoyed any bit of our trip here. You can’t keep wallowing in your problems, let loose and let’s party!”He glanced at the neon flashing sign; it read Club Dazzle. They had driven a long way to find the club. Apparently, it was a hotspot for tourists. He could easily blend in without being noticed, and maybe that was what he needed. A night without Scarlett, a wild night drinking and dancing might just be enough to stop thinking about her. He hardly beli
Jaxon peered into the room with a frown on his face, “Are you sure the petals are enough?” he asked.The young brunette girl nodded, “There isn’t a lot to work with here. The twin-sized beds don't really help..."” She trailed off.His frown deepened, “Have you checked with the staff? Are there no available rooms?”She nodded, “This resort is fully booked by the Graysons. The neighboring lodges are fully booked at this time of year. The nearest hotel room is two hours away…”Damn you, Cameron! Jaxon cursed under his breath. His plans to take Scarlett to bed were getting frustrating each and every day. He hated sleeping next to her yet unable to touch her. She usually slept with her back to him and a blanket covering her head. It was like she was taking extra care to get further away from him as she possibly could. There were no other rooms available, and he had no car to make the two-hour journey.He had to improvise and make do with what he had. He couldn’t continue to hold back, it w
Cameron stepped out for a walk, and this time he truly needed the time alone and the fresh air. He needed to settle with his thoughts and clear his head. He had walked for a long distance, without his phone or his headphones, and then a thought hit him, Levi! He had been so caught up in his life falling apart; he hadn’t given his son much thought. He walked straight to the suite he shared with Ms. Sharma, and to his amazement, Scarlett was there.She stared wide-eyed at him when he walked in. She was sitting on the bed, with Levi in her arms. Ms. Sharma was giggling about something she said; she stopped when she saw him.Cameron took in her appearance. She was wearing a pale pink robe, her hair was tied up in a messy bun atop her head. Her suite was not far from Levi’s, so she had probably made a quick stop. He had hoped to catch her alone since the first day he spotted her at the airport. He had memorized a long list of questions he hoped to ask her when he did, m
Hadley stared at her reflection in the mirror, her blonde hair styled to perfection and cascading in waves down her back. She reapplied her bright red lipstick and admired her reflection in the mirror. She had on lacy lingerie that left next to nothing to the imagination. Of course, it was bright red lingerie. Red was Cameron's favorite color, something she had learned only a few hours ago, which was pathetic. But she wasn’t going to put herself down, not today. Today was great, she and Cameron had gotten a lot closer. She had half-expected him to push her off when she started kissing him earlier, but he didn’t. He let her, all of that in front of Scarlett. She would be dumb not to get the message that Cameron was hers and hers alone.As if on cue, the doors opened, and he walked in. He froze and stared at her. For some unexplainable reason, she was unnerved by his piercing stare. She had done this a couple of times. She was a model, being seductive was her job. S