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 --
Sebastian’s POVShe doesn’t love me now. Still having a hard time getting used to it, but I can’t deny that anymore.It’s not supposed to be like this, but I feel like I lost something precious. How could you feel bad for losing something you never wanted in the first place? How is that fair?! I didn’t want it, but she forced her love into my hand, and now she is taking it back, still by force. I never had a chance to make a decision in this.Never in my life, have I ever felt what “unreachable desire” is until now.I never knew what I had until it was lost. But it was gone too fast. One second, it was as solid as the ground under my feet, and the next second it was just gone. How could someone shut down their love, so firm and decisive?She didn’t just take care of our house, she built a home for us. When I “go home”, she should be there. With a smile, in a lingerie, cooking. Anything. It was a place where no problem could penetrate, where I could rest and refresh for the next day. Sh
Scarlett’s POVI would have given everything for such a speech from him, five years ago.Hell. I did give everything, when I asked for exactly what he is offering me today. If only he had been less cruel to me anywhere in the past five years; if only he believed Granny and did not let his emotion cloud his judgment. But life has no “if only”. I’m not there anymore. I’m not excited, or happy. I’m just tired.I just want to live my own life without them keep on hurting me.I can’t go back, not for Granny’s wish, not for my coming baby, not for a Sebastian who still doesn’t see me.He still doesn’t know that it was me who he saved in the woods, not Ava.I only found out about this misunderstanding five years ago. When Ava came bragging to me with a recording of Sebastian saying the three scared words to her, promising that he would have no one but her as his wife in this lifetime.In the video, Sebastian looked into Ava’s eyes, and said that all he wanted to do was to protect the little g
Scarlett’s POVI turn to Adrian Dunn, and instantly Sebastian hastes: “Don’t go with him, please!”“I’m sorry I forced your hand five years ago,” Magically, I find myself able to talk to him with peace now, “But we both know you couldn’t have married Ava back then even if I didn’t. So, call it even? Now that Ava is cured, and Granny has given her the approval, too. You can go ahead and do what you want this time. Just...”I feel bad not telling him the truth, but I don’t want him to know about the mistake now. It would only drag on the tie between us that I no longer want, and it would ruin my only good memory of him.“Just, make sure this time it’s what you want...please.”I suddenly understood what Granny meant when she said she could only save him once. I could only save him once. He tries to marry Ava this time, I won’t be there to “speak up”.If Sebastian was going to say anything at all, he wouldn’t now, not with Adrian Dunn’s presence. He raises the folder slowly, reluctance wri
Scarlett's POV“You and Sebastian! You are not exactly ‘nemesis’, are you?!” I should have known from the way he talked to Granny. Even if he didn’t like Sebastian, there was no way he would really hurt the Knight’s empire.Adrian Dunn shoots me a weird look, amused.But that only adds to the puzzle.“Then why did you help me...?” If his goal wasn’t Sebastian’s gossip?“Do you mean why I accepted your movie proposal, or why am I driving you home?” Adrian cocks an eyebrow, pleasure visible on his face.“The former,” I blurt, “actually, make it both!”He burst into laughter.“Welllll,” He drawls tauntingly, his smirking eyes kept on the road, “I’m driving you home to deliver a promise I made to two ladies. I hate to disappoint beautiful ladies. And as the former...”His tone makes me nervous for no good reason. I didn’t notice I was holding my breath until he glanced at me and laughed--“I already told you.”“You said you weren’t doing it just for the gossip...” I hesitate, that’s not ex
Scarlett's POVI do not see the “devil” Aurora paints Adrian Dunn as, at all.It was actually a huge pleasure talking to him. When I first reached out to Adrian, all I knew about him was his “throne” of being Sebastian’s nemesis, AND the million complaints on how “mean and petty” he was from Aurora.Apparently she was in a play and he made fun of her make-up. He messed up her hair, and she fell when she tried to get back at him. Of course that made him laugh at her even more, and then he became Aurora’s enemy, and made it on every one of her blacklists.I guess he grew out of the mean boy he was, opposite to Sebastian.But the better he is to me, the more guilty I feel toward Aurora. I came to him because of our common enemy, but he wasn’t.“You and Sebastian were best friends?!” I exclaim, my jaw on the ground. I never knew! Me! The biggest fan of Sebastian throughout these years, and yet I didn’t know! How?!“We had a fall out...some years ago,” Adrian takes a shrug, looking indiffer
Sebastian’s POV“What do you mean she didn’t make it home?”I barely made it to my office when I got a call from Jack, asking if Ava spent the night with me. Like, why would she? She has never spent the night at any place besides home, including mine. She was that fragile a doll.“You picked her up, so why didn’t you take her back home?!” Jack instantly explodes, shouting at the top of his lungs, “How could you be so irresponsible?! Don’t you know how dangerous it is for her out there?!”I want to tell him that Ava is her own person and a grown-up now, but this is not the right time.“I’m on this,” I tell him instead, “I’ll get back to you.”I put Alfred on the phone next, but he told me he put Ava down at the Fuller’s Villa, and he literally watched Ava go in. So either Jack Fuller lied about her returning home, or she came out on her own after Alfred left, for some reason.Jack Fuller would never joke about Ava’s safety.I tried Ava’s phone, and of course, nothing came up. If she’s
Sebastian’s POV“What-what do you mean?” I frown, my heart speeding up before my brain can process the information, “Scar is missing, too?”“Who else is missing?” Aurora reacts fast, “Adrian Dunn is not answering his phone, and he took Scar yesterday--”“I know!”It took me all my manner to not burst into curses. What the fuck did Adiran do this time?! I wouldn’t be surprised if he took Scar back to his place, against her will even! That guy is fucking crazy! The moment I gave Scar the divorce papers and he already made his move?!I didn’t even fucking sign those damn papers!Five years ago he got into a fight with me right before my wedding day, going crazy about something like I shouldn’t go into marriage with a girl I didn’t love. I thought it was about me, but never did I expect that huge fallout was because of his feelings for Scar.I never even knew they knew each other that well.I hang up the phone and dash out, passing Miller on my way out. He drives too slowly. I think Mille
Silco finally nods with a proud smile, seeing Scar had led her to where he was leading her to go: “I think that would raise our chances by a lot, princess.”Scar’s eyes beam, not at the coming win, but at the proud look from Silco.She doesn’t even realize it.Never in the first twenty years of life has she tasted what being proud of feels like, and that’s not because of a lack of trying. For a very long time, she believed so long as she worked hard, she would get the praise from Jack and Anna just like Ava. She never did.It feels amazing.While Scar is enjoying her newfound secret, forbidden satisfaction, Lilith is amazed at the closeness shared between Scar and Silco that her best friend doesn’t seem to even notice herself. Does Scar still remember that she doesn’t even know the identity of this man? Scar looks up at him like a little lamb at her shepherd.What’s with this sudden, almost-father-daughter vibe?!“So we just wait?” Scar asks Silco, “What if they don’t make a move?”“Y
“Silco!” Still in the euphoric state, Scar springs off the sofa, demanding the man like a little girl, “You knew him?! Elijah Green? Did you know what a weirdo he was?! Who tells people that they look like their dead friend on the first time they meet?! Why on earth did you make me go to that horrible party?! You owe me an explanation!”Silco lets out a smirk, “Dead...friend? Interesting...” He laughs at her pout, rubbing her hair as he leads her back to the sofa: “The party was horrible? Then why did I hear that the Fuller’s mother-daughter pair put on quite a show to entertain?”Well, it WAS quite enjoyable when they panicked as their lies spilled all over the floor before Scar picked it up for them.Scar sticks her tongue out.“Sure, she begged me for mercy,” Scar shrugs, throwing herself back into the sofa with a loud sigh, “but they only wanted to keep up their lies in front of the Green Lady. I have been calling her about our deal and she hasn’t picked up yet. Pretty sure I got
“I have heard a lot about you,” Elijah Green grins at Scar, giving a meaningful glance in the Green Lady’s direction.The Fullers are pasting around the Green Lady again, like two buzzing flies that would always come back. Looking over, Scar couldn’t help but let out a snort, “So have I.” She says with a cold voice, “Is that what this conversation is for?”If he is here to fight for Ava, too. Scar frowns. She swears to God! She would—“I think they are lying to mom,” Elijah Green answers tamely, as if he doesn’t even hear the sarcasm in Scar’s tone. In Scar’s surprised look, the man laughs like a marshmallow, with a childish, mischievous shade in there, “Anyone who looks so much alike my dear -- hmm -- friend, couldn’t be a bully.”Every time he says that, he adds a pause in there as if it originally wasn’t a “friend”, but something else there. Weird. Scar thinks.“...but I bet you are fierce, no? I bet you are kind to people, but take the stand if needed,” Elijah Green is still going
Sebastian is afraid.Never in his life has he been so. How could he not? He is in the face of his final judgement. He only got through the past five years lying to himself that Scar hated him because Alice died, when he managed to save Alice. That’s his one shred of hope. That some day, when he could tell Scar that, all will be forgiven and forgotten.But that’s precisely why he dared not touch it. Because deep down, he knows that the answer is likely to be no.He just doesn’t know how to survive that answer. If his actions would never get forgiveness from the one person he can’t live without. Then what?It takes him all his willpower to force his eyes up to meet Scar’s. His throat so dry that it starts hurting. He grips a fist, hides it in his pocket with his whole body stiff like a rock.There is storm in Scar’s eyes.There is anger, of course. Anger for all that has happened. Anger for all his stupid mistreatment and self-righteousness. Anger for all the hurt he used to meet her lo
In so many years to come, Sebastian would be grateful that Scar caved, again.He could see the struggle in her eyes, and the familiar fire that would have driven her to call off the deal. But for several long seconds, she doesn’t say anything.He takes that as an “in” and drags her away.He is not sure what he would have done if Scar chose Scott. It’s not like he could really keep her away from the lead of her mom’s case. He has investigated for so many years, just so he could give her what she wants when she wants it.Just not Scott.Or any other men.“I didn’t know you were interested in eye candy,” Sebastian squeezes Scar's hand punishingly when he notices that long after they arrived at the small table across the room from Scott, she is still gazing in that direction.Scar frowns at his sting. What’s his problem?? Ever since she enter Ava’s proud event, he has been a bother none stop. Just because he has got something that she’s interested, he thought he could walk over her??“I g
“Stop it! We weren’t talking about you!” Scar frowns, stepping up for Scott. She can’t have Scott being a target of Sebastian because of her.Scott might be next in line to inherit the Green empire, but he has never spent a day in his life fighting in the business world. How’s that fair?!Scott smirks at Sebastian from behind Scar.Sebastian is boiling. “Hiding behind a woman? Is that all you got?!”“Am I supposed to be ashamed? For hiding behind Scar?” Scott grins, not seeming to be offended at all as he drawls with that annoying smirk, “I don’t know. It sounds like you are upset that you don’t get to do the same.”Sebastian’s eyes are murderous now.Scar’s eyes open wide. She has never seen Sebastian like this. Losing his cool in front of anyone. Sarcasm and personal attack? Is this man really the white knight who always dominates in any room?He looks like an ordinary, jealous husband.The thing is, he is no longer her husband to have the right to be jealous of men she talks to!“W
Even at the top of her anger, all Scar wanted was to take back what she was owed and extend justice. Her eyes open slightly at his words, amazed at Scott’s careless tone.He lost his mom just like she did. He was unwanted by his original family, just like she was. But instead of tormenting himself, he chooses to torment everyone who owed him and maintains his life.“I wish I could be so free, just like you...” Scar murmurs, “How did you turn up well, losing your mom when you were a baby...?”When she became such a mess that she couldn’t hold on to anything good in her life?“I couldn’t do it, not without Mr. Vanderbilt.” Scott shakes his head.Mr. Vanderbilt...Scar lowers her eyelashes, hiding her secret within.Scott lands his gloomy look on Elijah Green, who is socializing with the guests not far from them, “If he didn’t take care of me all these years, the Greens would never have taken a low level orphan boy back, no matter the blood running through my veins.”Scar doesn’t recogni
Bored at the party, Scar leans against the window frame, her lips tainted with wine, her eyes nailed on Anna Fuller.All the guests who came for the Green lady are influencers in the city, if not flew in specially for this event. It’s a huge thing for the Green family, and their first chance to contact the prince of the Greens, meaning, the future of the Greens.“Someone looks happy,”Scar flinches when a voice snaps her out of her bored mind wandering, only to see Scott’s face.“Not as happy as you,” Scar snorts not without sarcasm, “…PRINCE Scott.”Scott’s smile is bright and sunny like any boy in the neighborhood.“Sorry I didn’t tell you earlier,” Scott makes a bitter face, “I guess I…I wanted you to see me for me, not any title that was coming my way.”“In case I said yes to you for the heritage you were going to get?” Scar folds her arms, sneering, “That was a lousy assumption--”“No!” Scott lets out a surprise laugh, “I thought I would have a bigger chance to woo you! If withou
Ava hasn’t joined any movie in the past five years.She is signed under the Knight Empire, and no other company dares to cross the Knight Empire when it is obviously benching Ava. Or rather, Ava didn’t even dare to reach out for any job just so people wouldn’t realize that she had lost the favor of the Knight Empire. She can blackmail Sebastian, privately, but she can’t force the fans to stick with her.If there is anything more important to her than Sebastian, it’s her career.She had to went to the Iron Lady behind Jack Fuller’s back and returned the ownership of Z-House for this movie. Sebastian can’t just take it! Not like this!“You can’t!” Ava growls at Sebastian, “You can’t just replace me when the shooting is over! I did the job! They have been promoting the movie for months now! You--”“Yes, I can.” Sebastian says simply, still with that polite smile which has not a shred of warmth.“No!” Ava mumbles, her huge eyes filled with tears as if there is a pump behind there, “Granny