Scarlett’s POV“What?!” It’s Olivia Keen’s voice, “We are in your dad’s study! You know how sacred it is to us kids?! The ‘forbidden roommmmm’!!!”I roll my eyes, whispering to Lucas: “I’m on my way!”You have to hand it to the mean girls -- they are mean to everyone, sometimes even to each other. They are selfish and horrible and they harm and betray, but somehow, they still make up with each other after. Birds of a feather, I guess?“What forbidden room?! That's just stupid! Is YOUR dad’s study open to everyone???” Ava snorts, closing the door. I don’t hear the light switch’s sound. So the room should be dark still. Lucas can hide, but not for long. I can’t imagine if Ava burst into a scream in the next few seconds and called the police on us.I can’t let Lucas get punished for my plan.“Pretty much, yeah,” Olivia’s indifferent voice comes through clear and loud, “Who still plays the last century spy-like rules at home, huh? What is your dad? An FBI?! Hey, can I take my boyfriend in
Hey guysSorry for the wait. Had a crazy weekend at the hospital...so horrible. I won't bother you with the details. Just got to my computer and will update as soon as I can.I'm grateful for your support and patience, and if I kept anyone waiting or disappointed, I'm really sorry.Love, author
Scarlett’s POVShit, she’s coming out!I panic, looking around for a hiding place. I came to rescue Lucas, and I put on a party dress to mingle in. My plan was to make a scene and catch Ava’s attention -- she would flip if she saw me at her party. Then Lucas would get an escape window.But she wasn’t even there to guard anything. She was there to steal! And she not only notices Lucas, but is now coming out! Shit shit shit!I have no time but to turn and hide behind the pillar closest to the study when its door opens, but now I’m a full living room away from the staircase, and there is no way I can make it back to my room.I can’t let Ava see me outside of my room!“What are we hiding from?”A voice startles me jumping high, only to see Sebastian’s innocent face. He looks slightly stunned as if I was the one who was trying to give him a heart attack, instead of the other way around.Why is he suddenly everywhere when I stopped wanting to see his annoying face?!“There is no ‘we’!” I hi
Scarlett’s POV“I don’t know,” Ava blurts almost instantly without thinking, then her tone turns suspiciously, “...why are you asking?”“Why do you think?” Sebastian lets out a light laugh, but if I’m not mistaken, the laugh does not reach his eyes. I have never seen him treat Ava with such an attitude.Ava pouts her lips, staring at Sebastian with her deer eyes wide open, her tone timid like a tamed sister-in-law: “You are asking for...her? Are you two...getting back together?”Sebastian glances in my direction again: “Yes, hopefully soon.”Ava lowers her eyes.“I thought she might forgive me if I helped her locate her biological parents,” Sebastian continues as if not seeing Ava’s bothered look.“Daddy doesn’t want anything to do with that family,” Ava murmurs with a scared face, “says the junkies will strangle us like vines if they found out that their daughter got adopted by rich people...”Or maybe they would try to save me from him.Good story, Jack Fuller.“I understand. No par
Scarlett’s POV“I don’t know if it belongs to your mom yet, but that necklace definitely has a story behind it,” Lucas smirks with confidence, “The chain has some rust on it. By the smell left in the case? I’d say...”I hold my breath, and he purses his lips, looking at me with a teasing smirk. I feel an anxiety rush when I realize he is taunting me, “What--?!”“Blood,” He blurts calmly, cutting my outburst out, and giving me another anxiety rush yet again.“What?!” I shrill.“Shushhhh!” He hisses at me, pointing at the door and leading me away from it and closer to the window. Right. It's not something for other’s ears.“But...blood? Why would there be blood on there? Do drug users spill blood when they are dying?” I can’t sort out a million questions in my mind, “And also, why would a junkie have such a nice necklace? And why would Jack Fuller take it? For money? He does not look like he is trying to sell it--”Lucas makes a quiet posture with his hand, finally shutting me up. He lo
Scarlett’s POV“You sure you don’t want to detonate this bomb in the Fullers’ faces?” Lucas throws the necklace case up and down, “Last chance.”Biting my lips, I answer in the end: “No.”“Did you hear that?” Lucas pulls out his phone, asking.What the--?! I charge up to him, and before I can throw a demand, he turns his phone, and on his screen is Adrian’s face.“He is my employer,” Lucas grins at me. Shooting him a glare, I take his phone. I’m not really against Adrian’s participation, but not when he is busy pursuing Aurora, and definitely not in this way!“I just called him to check up on you when you entered. Sorry,” Seeing my frustration, Adrian quickly explains, “I’m not monitoring over you, I swear.”“I guess I could use a friend’s advice...” I roll my eyes, can’t stay mad at the slippery fox, “but...I already made up my mind on this one.”“This is the fastest way to get a result. I know a pretty good lawyer, and maybe we can hear his opinion on this first?”“Do I have to make
Scarlett’s POVIt won’t work if Ava doesn’t leave Sebastian’s side, which is the most cases. Betting on my luck, I sneak to the edge of the staircase, peeking out without exposing myself.The lobby has only the chandelier on, dim mode. The faint yellow light cast an ambiguous spell on the crowd, and the air smells sexy. With the help of alcohol, it’s like everyone’s reason has been taken a bite from, and they are all now shaking their heads at the music, laughing and occasionally touching their bodies.The party is well-done now.In a light dress, I don’t stand out at all. Unlike Sebastian--I’m a bit surprised to find him sitting by the bar all alone, a drink in his hand and no Ava. He looks sullen and bored, but lucky for me, he is not leaving. The moment I look over, as if felt something, he suddenly looks up, and his eyes crushes right into mine. Then he smiles. A clean, friendly smile with little intention behind it. Just purely to be friendly.Just like the day when he saved me.
Sebastian’s POVI was pleasantly surprised that Scar would initiate a talk, only to realize -- Scar wants something from me.She is a free spirit, the opposite of Ava. She says what she thinks, and she does what her heart tells her to. Always. But not when she wants something. She turns into a different person, a tame girl who tries her best to behave, to flatter, to restrain.I used to scorn at that. I felt like she was always asking for something when Ava never asked for things. On top of that, she does it in a timid, almost scared way and I didn’t like it.Scar would ask all my friends but me about what I might like to get me “the right” gift, and ask me if I liked the gift when she gave it to me. If I said “yes”, she would smile so brightly with a timid question -- “Then do I get a full day with you? Just us?”I didn’t like Scar’s “hidden conditions” for the gifts, so I hated it when she gave me gifts. I felt like there were always traps behind it. I never thought about how hard i
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