CHAPTER 7

Lucas' eyes fell to the shattered glass on the floor, and his heart broke into a thousand pieces. That was his most cherished work of art, not because he had spent a fortune to have a glass painting of a nude woman, but because it was his wife.

It stood at the end of the corridor, so he would look at it before he retired for the night, and first thing in the morning when he stepped out of his room to begin his busy day.

His wife cherished the painting just the same way he did. It was the only thing that still reminded him of her, and what she looked like.

At first, he had shot Scarlett a ferocious look, but as he drew closer to the shattered painting, his eyes softened.

Scarlett saw something glint in his eyes, something that looked like a tear, as he crumpled to the ground and rummaged through the shattered glass as though he had suddenly run mad.

She felt sorry for him immediately as he knelt there. Lucas was a well-muscled large man, and seeing him this way, she felt entirely remorseful for him.

He soon turned around and walked towards Scarlett who wobbled backward on impulse, as she thought he would hurt her. But Lucas was not one to hit a woman.

She had never had him this close to her, and looking at him towering over her in all his masculinity, she felt intimidated.

"Do you see the reason why I do not want you here?" He growled at her from the pit of his belly, whilst breathing heavily. "People like you have a flair for destroying things that you can barely afford," he paused and looked at her as she stared back at him in trepidation. "People like you only hurt other people," he added, his voice lowered.

He soon turned away from her and looked fixedly at Daphne first, who had been watching all the unfoldings quietly. She knew how much the painting meant to her brother, and she knew how hurt he was. She gave him a pleading look.

He looked away instead, back at Scarlett. "I feel like squashing you like an ant now, but I would not," he began again hoarsely. "So here is what will happen," he continued, "You will remain in your room for two whole days without food or water, and I do not want to see you anywhere near my kids," he said with a tone of finality and began to walk away.

Daphne followed after him immediately, as she pleaded with him to show some mercy. He did not budge. He just walked on without looking back.

Scarlett rushed into her room immediately and locked the doors behind her before she sank to the ground. That was when the tears began to fall in torrents from her eyes.

She was remorseful that she had been so clumsy, but at the same time, she was angry that Lucas was intent on saying things that tampered with her self-esteem. It was a terrible experience, and she kept asking herself if that was how she was going to continue. She could not live like this for the rest of her life.

She soon heard a soft tap on the door, but she did not move. She did not feel like saying anything to anyone. 

"Are you in there, Scarlett?" Claire's soft voice sounded through the door. A tear slipped from Scarlett's eyes, but she did not reply.

The soft taps soon stopped and were replaced with an argument. Scarlett pressed her ears to the door.

"She is dead, and the earlier you get over her, the better for you," Daphne said in an angry tone. Scarlett had not heard her sound that way before.

"It is not as easy as you think to let go," Lucas responded in a low tone. He seemed calm.

"Then at least, stop taking out your frustration on an innocent girl that is only trying to do her job and make ends meet," Daphne fired back.

"I know her type," Lucas was speaking again. "You think they are on your side, and in a twinkling of an eye, they steal from you and run away."

"You are such a mess Lucas, and I do not wish that anyone is at the receiving end of all this madness," Daphne said, and Scarlett heard her stomp off as she headed to her room.

"At least take care of the kids while I go for the gala," Lucas hollered, unbothered at her annoyance, as he headed down the stairs.

Scarlett cried some more. Lucas thought of her as a thief. She had never taken anything that was not hers before, but here she was, being labeled a thief by a man that barely knew who she was.

It was as though nature seemed to be in sync with her plight. It suddenly began to rain heavily, and a severe thunderstorm ensued. She let the windows open a bit, and as she tasted the raindrops on her lips, she felt a wave of comfort overcome her. She had always loved the rain, but gone were the days when she would dance in the rain. A lot had happened to mar her happiness.

She soon undressed and changed into a thinner pair of fabric, so she would bask in the cool air of the night.

She had barely lain down to sleep before she heard the pounding on her door. It startled her and she sat up immediately.

Lucas could not be back from the gala already, and even if he wanted to, the thunderstorm would not let him drive. She glanced at the small wall clock. It was way past the children's bedtime, and Daphne would have put them to bed. 

She then stood up to go open the door for Daphne, but as she opened up. Two pairs of fear-stricken eyes stared back at her. It was Callan and Claire. She stooped.

"Hey guys, what are you doing here?" She asked them.

"There is a thunderstorm, and we are scared," Callan said with a shaky voice.

Scarlett's heart melted at their situation.

"Where is your aunt, Daphne?" She asked them.

"She is already asleep, and would not open up for us. Dad is not home either to let us in," Claire said softly this time.

Scarlett did not hesitate further before she let them into her room. She did not bother to think about if it was the right decision or not. She just wanted them to be safe.

She made them lay on the bed with each of them snuggled at either side of her. She held them close to her, and she felt their previously tensed bodies relax into her embrace. She loved kids, and she could stay that way forever.

"Can you tell us a story, Scarlett?" Claire asked, pouting.

"Umm… I think it's late and you guys need to sleep," Scarlett said.

"Pleeaassee," the twins said together pouting and making a face.

"Okay, fine," she gave in to them finally, and they let out a small sound of joy that made her laugh.

She was only a few minutes into the story before they fell asleep. It made her smile with contentment, and for a brief moment, she wished that the kids were hers.

The night breeze hit her in a sudden frenzy that she inhaled and in a few minutes, sleep enveloped her.

The morning air was cool, but the sun did not fail to show itself in its full glory. It seeped through the windows that Samantha had slightly left open the previous night. A pool of light flooded the room.

Scarlett was the first to wake up, but she did not open her eyes yet. She still felt the twins in her arms, their tiny legs wrapped around her beneath the duvet, and she smiled with satisfaction. This was what she always wanted, kids around her, but poverty had snatched her chance of having a kid once. 

If she ever had the chance to, she would turn back the hands of the clock and work harder to ensure that her son was still alive.

She made up her mind that she would lay with the twins until they decided to wake up. 

When Callan stirred, she opened her eyes, and s sudden brightness blinded her, making her sight seem to blur at first. Callan had shifted away from her arm, and she felt a tinge of disappointment in her. However, Claire was still there and she held on to her.

She looked around and tried to make up the images around her, despite the blur the sunlight caused, and her eyes landed on a figure that towered over them at the foot of the bed.

The figure was all black, with hands folded across the chest, looking down at her.

Her heart began to pound as her eyes moved to the face. A sudden chill overcame her.

Lucas!