Scarlett’s POVEveryone can see that Ava lied at this point, and so could Olivia. And she chose to throw Ava under the bus, instead of herself--Olivia was the one throwing insults at Lilith, and if she apologized, she would come off as the bully. But she insisted that she did it only to extend justice for her “best friend”, and now that friend who lied, is taking all the heat.“I--I never showed you a dress! Olivia...” Ava shoots her head up at Olivia, her voice shivering with pain, “I’m sorry if you misunderstood anything, but I never said Lilith’s dress was a knockoff...”“But you said--” Olivia spats back, only to freeze with a horrified look.I shake my head slowly. Olivia is too naive. She doesn’t know. Ava is very good at lying, and she never leaves any loose strings when she lies. The most likely case is that Ava “indicated” to Olivia and others that she has the same dress as Lilith. Maybe a line or two about how Lilith is poor.And that gave Olivia the impression that Lilith c
Damian’s POVI'm looking for my sister.She was lost 20 years ago, and I have been looking for her.All I knew was that she was lost in North Dakota. I mean, that’s where we found Mom’s body. My baby sister wasn’t with her. The policeman announced her death years ago, telling us that maybe she was eaten by an animal. What a ridiculous reason to provide a family in grief.I have begged the police to not give up but they called it still. I even wanted to sue them, but Dad wouldn’t let me. They aren’t the one at fault.I was.And I couldn’t live with that.That’s why I became a lawyer myself.I have seen my share of darkness in humanity, and I wanted to be able to do something when unfairness like this happen. To me, to anyone.Also, a lawfirm is the best cover for conducting investigations. I graduated early, hurrying through school as fast as I can to start my plan. And I have screened through the whole state of North Dakota for my sister.And three states after that.This is my fourth
Sebastian’s POVI don’t know what to make of what happened today.Olivia has been one of those mean girls since high school, so I wouldn’t trust any of her words. But Ava was never close to her. So I couldn’t imagine how the misunderstanding could happen... IF that’s what it was.I have never doubted Ava before, no matter what she says. But I don’t feel that sure about it now, not after when she lied about telling Jack of Scar’s message. Not after Gabriel panicked about “always let Ava know if Scar tries to escape home”.Ava can lie. That’s a concept I wouldn’t accept before.“Sebastian, what’s wrong?” Ava tilts her head innocently as I take her to this corner, a warm smile in her eyes. The eyes that I have trusted all my life.I want to trust her. But I no longer see the guilt and fear a moment ago about her “innocent misunderstanding”.They disappeared too fast.“Tell me what happened, Ava,”I didn’t know that guy. The suits on him cost at least six figures. That’s how I know he didn
Scarlett’s POVI can’t answer Granny. I just stand there, watch Sebastian and Ava talk, laugh...hug. Granny, too. Quietly with no surprise. If Granny can accept Ava coming to her birthday, and showing her intimacy with Sebastian in public like this, then why would she even ask me that question?Ava IS the problem.“Is it because of Ava?” Granny suddenly asks, turning to face me.I pull my eyes back from the long, quiet, soulful hug Sebastian is sharing with her. He said he had the divorce papers ready. I guess I no longer have the right to judge. But it doesn’t mean the image is not stinging.I SHOULD be mad, when he pulls her into his arms like she is his most treasured precious, at a party he asked me to attend to “play the loving couple” one last time.But I’m not even mad. I just feel sad. A deep blue, overwhelming cloud of sadness flooded my world. At this moment, I do feel like the evil villain in a love story that separated a poor, loving couple, and yet their love is so strong
Scarlett’s POV“Your eyes are no longer following him around, and when they land on him, there is only a deep running sorrow in there. The worst finally happened...” Granny lets out a long sigh, “I didn’t want you to go through with the wedding because I didn’t want this for you, my poor poor child, I didn’t want you to get hurt so badly that the precious light in your eyes would dim...I guess in the end, I still failed to protect you.”“Granny...!” I murmur in shock. I never knew! Granny does see through everything, and to think we thought we were successful in tricking her.“He hurt you bad this time, didn’t he?” Granny asks me coldly, this time the coldness is directed at Sebastian.Somehow that warms me up more than anything.She is Sebastian’s family first, and she won’t even be mine if I didn't blackmail her grandson. Yet when things went wrong, she took my side without even a question. No family has ever done that for me.But Sebastian’s and my issue is not that simple. There is
Scarlett’s POVThe rest of the party went through smoothly.Sebastian lured me here with the divorcing papers, but I don’t know if I could count on his words when Ava is here to occupy his attention. But after I sent Granny off at the gate, I found not only Sebastian, but another unexpected surprise waiting for me there, too.“She’s not going with you,” Sebastian fires at Adrian the first thing after Granny’s car leaves.Why would Adrian even do that?? He is such a baby!“That’s her decision,” Adrian smirks. Compared to Sebastian’s sullen grumble, Adrian seems charmingly at ease, “even if you still are her husband...technically.”Okay, two babies.“I’m going with--” I try to explain, but Adrian curves his lips--“Miss Dawson and Miss Grey didn’t want to drag you to another taxi ride, and they trusted me with your safety after I got them a taxi a few minutes ago.”Did Aurora just abandon me to my new boss?! Seriously?!“I mean, I really appreciate that, Mr. Dunn, but--”“Also, we do nee
Sebastian’s POVI can barely recognize the woman I married in this new Scarlett.I feel like I killed that fierce girl, somehow.I never knew she could be so hard to talk to. Everything I say she has something sour waiting for me. I thought she wasn’t friendly with Ava, I was sourly mistaken. She proved that she could be a thousand times meaner to Ava if she wanted to.And what shocks me the most is, I can’t feel the burning anger that would got me to sign on those papers that I used to feel all the time.“Ava, please, can you go with Alfred today?” I pull my phone out to call Alfred. I don’t have the energy to deal with the both of them altogether today. I do not like it when I was forced into the marriage, and I would hate it if I’m forced out of it also.And Adrian is not helping. He is not the right man for Scar.Maybe it's just men’s ridiculous ego clouding my judgment. But I just don’t want to let him have Scarlett. I hate the idea of him touching her, or any man, to be honest.I
Scarlett’s POVIt’s a bit ridiculous to hear Ava accusing Sebastian of loving me, but in some way, I know where she’s coming from.Sebastian has always loved her, but she was far from his only girl.Ava is one year older than me and three years younger than Sebastion. To a teenager, three years is a long gap. For a very long time, Sebastian only saw Ava as a little sister that he wanted to protect, not a lover. I know because he had his share of girlfriends throughout highschool, even college.It wasn’t until I married him that I got to know: Sebastian broke up with those girls, often at Ava’s request.Apparently his girlfriends tend to grow a habit of bullying Ava. Being Ava’s “biggest bully”, I don’t know how much of those stories are true.I feel sorry for those girls dating a guy who doesn’t have a whole heart to give, but who am I feeling pity for? I chose myself a guy who had no sherd of his heart to spare for me.Still, even if Ava framed them on purpose, I sort of understand --
Prepared for this question, Scar answers unnecessarily fast: “I couldn’t risk anyone helping Ava to get MY Mom’s necklace. That’s why.”Her answer dims the pleasant light in Sebastian’s eyes.“I know…” Sebastian nods slowly, hiding the disappointment in his eyes, “But you didn’t have to come help because of that, did you?”Scar snorts coldly: “I’m doing this for Granny, not you.”“Granny kicked me out of the company for what happened five years ago,” Sebastian lets out a light laugh, “I’m pretty sure she would be the last one who would want you to help me right now.”Scar raises her eyebrows. She didn’t think Granny would be so cruel to Sebastian, but then again, there weren’t too many who could rip Sebastian’s title easily.“What did you tell her?” Scar frowns.Scar blamed Sebastian only because he trusted the wrong person. Legally, or any other aspect speaking, he wasn’t the killer five years ago. He just protected the killer was all. But Ava was never convicted, and Scar didn’t thi
“You want to meet early?” Scar glances at her phone to make sure the caller is indeed Damian, “Sure thing, but how early can dinner be?”She’s a bit surprised that Damian would move their dinner plan forward, but considering how he has been making effort to build a connection, she persuaded herself.“Authur, could you--?”“Yes, Miss Green,” Authur answers swiftly, “After you deliver the card, I will drive you right over.”Scar: “…”This time she’s really not trying to dodge that bullet! Didn’t he hear that it was Damian Vanderbilt who--… Whatever.Standing in front of Sebastian’s new building, Scar is still grumbling Silco’s name, along with his evil loyal driver, Author. Sebastian’s new building is not the same as before – the modern design of Z-house as its own symbol. This time it’s just a normal building, low-key to the extreme, considering its owner’s usual luxurious style.A sour wave washes Scar’s heart.Kind and gentle, Sebastian was never low-key. He was the shining prince of
“Why do I have to do it myself?!” Scar huffs, glaring at Silco.Sitting on the sofa casually with his legs crossed, Silco glances at Scar from above the papers he’s reading, amused. A moment ago the girl was crying in his arms, and now she’s like a kitten with her tail stomped on.“I can send Arthur over!” Scar pouts.“If you can command him,” Silco answers almost gently, but the laughter in his voice is not hidden at all.Scar rolls her eyes.“I’ll just--I--” Scar blurts, fidgeting around, “You already gave up on Sebastian’s company, so why are you making the one last step so hard for me?!”“Sorry, I didn’t think delivering a card to a fancy office building with a driver at your service all the time would be a horrifying chore,” Silco answers, still with that annoying smile.“You KNOW that’s not what I’m talking about!” Scar snaps angrily. If she had been grateful to this man with her full heart a moment ago, she is now annoyed 120%, “You can send anyone but me!”“I’m spending two bi
All the way home Scar feels like something stuffed in her chest. Over and over again she tells herself that she doesn’t care about Johnny Vanderbilt, but it doesn’t seem to work.A car seemed to have followed her for a while, but it was gone at the last turn.She lives in a house in the upper part of the town now, a community better and safer than the Fuller’s villa. Silco rented her this place, along with the guards. When she arrives, Silco is not yet home.Scar throws herself into the sofa, frustrated about Johnny Vanderbilt, and herself. Not only did she have to take all the garbage about him from Jack Fuller, but she also had to see with her own eyes that the man was not interested in making up with her. Not that she cares, but still, it doesn’t feel good.She is getting mixed information about that man.In Damian’s eyes he was a loving husband, a strict father who spoils his own daughter. But Emma left him for cheating, Anna was convinced that he was still into her, and from what
With Ava and Jack Fuller hovering at the front door, Scar doesn’t even step out of the elevator, but just remains inside for the underground parking lot. She is so drowned in Damian’s words that she barely makes it out before the door closes on her—“You are a lot like Mom,”That’s what he said. Even now Scar’s heart is pumping fast at that. Is she? She doesn’t even remember being held in that woman’s arms. She doesn’t remember the home she briefly stayed in. She doesn’t even remember the car accident which should have left some impression even in her childish mind.But she grew up into a woman a lot like her angel-like mother?What did she blurt? She was so daunted in the face that she murmured: “I have always imagined her to be like one of those…”Elegant ladies. Those who would sit in a café at 3pm, watching out the window with 20-dollar-coffee in hand.“Like a lady, huh?” Damian grins, seeing through her easily, “Nahhhh. Far from it. Mom is cool, almost hippy like. She would drive
I got Mom’s necklace. Even when completing the process in the office after the auction, it still feels surreal. Anna Fuller’s appearance was unexpected, but what was the real surprise was how easily Johhny Vanderbilt gave up on the necklace in the end when I called my price.I can’t take the necklace away, not till the bank processes the deal. But I got all the papers the Fuller’s provided for its authenticity. Finally, the first step of my revenge, is grasped in my palm. The plan is to get the papers and send them to prison –Silco would freeze the card after I win the necklace, giving me exactly three days to prove the Fuller’s guilty on faking the files. I want Mom’s necklace, but I don’t plan on making that bloodsucking family billionaires by buying something originally mine from them.It’s them who have to pay.“So…” I turn to Damian, feeling a bit awkward. I have been really mean to him ever since I met him, and yet he came to my help today without hesitation. I’d be lying if I
The love-and-hatred show is still on as Scar and Damian quarrel. Johnny Vanderbilt would raise his plate instantly after the host announces Anna’s call or even faster, and Anna would pout, bite her lips, and glare over before she raises again. Her face is like a painting plate, changing color in seconds as if every one of his calls is like a bomb blowing up on her face.The phone call comes in at that moment--Anna’s phone rings, breaking the silence in the room, loud and clear. She glances at it with an indifferent face, not picking it up. But her hand hesitates to raise her plate again.“Who could be calling her?” Scar murmurs to Damian. All of Anna’s family is down there by her side. Her parents died years ago. So who could be so important to her that a phone call from him could hesitate her decision?Seeing all these, Johnny Vanderbilt suddenly raises his plate again, this time announcing himself: “Two billion.”Anna’s tears break out as her hand drapes powerlessly -- it’s not the
Tears flow down Anna Fuller’s cheeks, the plate raised halfway in her hand is shaking hard because she was not expecting Johnny Vanderbilt to be so cruel to her—He knew she was going for the necklace, and he did not only bid for it, but actually gave her a price that told her to keep away from it.One billion. What a cold number.Jack Fuller didn’t want her to come. In fact, Jack Fuller didn’t tell her about the auction of the necklace. But she knew. She knows everything about Johnny Vanderbilt, the man who was supposed to be on the sacred altar with her. How could Jack Fuller expect her to not come?Ava is beyond excitement at Johnny Vanderbilt’s bid – to Ava, it’s just a number unnecessarily high for an item they stole with a reserve price low as 30 million. But whatever. Maybe the riches just like to brag about how much money they have. The more the better – for her.The item is listed under her name, and she takes the bigger part of the final price.Scar raises her plate in a has
Scar didn’t think it would go this smoothly.She prepared several other reasons and actually rehersed in her head on her speech to persuade Damian, who known to be an ironwrist in the courtroom, shouldn’t be persuaded easily. But maybe just eager to maintain the peace with his long lost sister, Damian jumped on board without so much as a nudge.All parties are set, and now between Scar and the necklace, remains only “the last minute”.Everyone knows “once, twice, sold,” but few know that after the host announces the upset price, bidders have 60 seconds before the item is announced unsold. This time is called “the last minute” because it’s the most crucial battle between bidders—to decide, fake, trick, or hide their strategies over an item.You don’t want to show your cards too early too clearly. Some would wait for the last few seconds to call, and others use this time to feel out the bottom price from other bidders. Once the first call is announced, it’s a bloody war.Ava wants an un