Scarlett’s POV
I rose from the bathroom floor after so much time had passed. I didn’t know how much, but I didn’t care anymore. Not about the sales pitch I was supposed to send in, or anything else. I was raw, unfeeling, lost in the expanse of my own heartbreak. I was just some stupid girl, thinking I could make a beast become a man. How silly to believe in fairytales.“Fuck you,” I said quietly to the air in front of me, and sank onto the bed, the one good thing in any of this.The sheets welcomed me, a soft cloud of cotton floating around me. I stayed still for a few minutes, the image of Aiden leaning over Odessa playing before my eyes. I still couldn’t wrap my head around it. It was safe to say I was still in shock, and my heart broke all over again.Sighing, I picked up my phone. I realized there and then that I knew nothing about Odessa except the calculated guesses I’d made earlier about being close to Aiden enough to know his childhoodScarlett’s POVI went to another page, and that’s when I saw her full name. Odessa Owens. The name struck a nerve deep in the wells of my memory, and I struggled to make a correlation. I knew I’d heard the Owens name before, but I couldn’t quite remember. I laid back on the bed with a sigh. My memory, like my heart, was failing me. Before long, I turned back to the page and continued scrolling through any post related to Odessa Owens. In one of the pictures, I recognized the other woman she was standing with, the golden complexion and bloodless elegance. Persephone! So, I was right about them being close. I read through the post, searching for any correlation. That’s when it came together and started making sense. Lady Owens! Sephy had spoken briefly of a Lady Owens on our trip, about them playing matchmaking with their children. So, Odessa was Lady Owens’ only daughter, and was next in line to be Countess of Bath. That was the connec
Aiden’s POV My anger had become a tempestuous inferno, boiling me from the inside out as I stepped into the elevator. The text was fresh in my head, and the veins in my temples pounded with the beginnings of a headache. I didn’t know what made Scarlett come to this conclusion, but I knew it couldn’t be good. Contrary to what Odessa said, I knew how to study people. It was such a handy tool for negotiations and cutting prices. I read people’s thoughts through the darting of their eyes, the slight purse of their lips, the winding of a lone finger through locks of hair. I recognized frissons of desire through the change in pitch, anger through slight trembling of curled fists. But somehow, I was never able to read Scarlett. Out of everybody I knew and worked closely with, she was the one person I’d never been able to get a hang of. She surprised me at every corner, every turn. I’d like to say she’s impulsive and wild, none of that calculat
Aiden’s POVNow, I was different, a man who only had eyes for one woman. It was strange of me to admit that considering my past, but I wanted only Scarlett now. Not even Odessa could change that. “Leave me alone,” I whispered, trying to keep my cool. “You know, I’m doing you a favor, Aiden. Trying to right your wrong. You should know that means you owe me one.” Fuck. I hated owing favors, especially Odessa. She was a manipulator, a piranha that sank its teeth into your skin and never let go until she pulled flesh from bone. But I guess I didn’t have a choice now. “And let me guess, you want something I won’t be able to give you?” She sidled close to my side, her eyes glittering like jewels. Her body was pressed against mine, a softness I could feel through the fabric of my suit. But it was nothing like Scarlett’s. There was a softness to Scarlett, an intensity, a feeling that Odessa didn’t have. It’s what made her
Aiden’s POVDusk settled in the skies like a lover’s kiss, sending golden and purple streaks through a formerly blue sky. I watched the skies change color, the purple deepening like a bruise until it began to turn dark. This was one of my daily rituals - watch the skies, and think of my place in the universe. But only this time, I didn’t think of myself. I thought of a familiar flame-haired woman and her luscious pink lips, peridot eyes and skin like milk. I thought of her long fingers searching for pleasure in my hair, the breath from her mouth hot against my cheek. I’d been thinking of her a lot lately, so much that it threatened to take away my sanity. It was strange how she barreled into my life like a whirlwind, taking control of almost every part of me. It seemed rather beautiful, tempting even. She was a force to be reckoned with, a person with so much control of herself that she started breaking down at my heart, chipping away pieces little by little. I cleared my mind and
Aiden’s POVI sighed, running fingers through my hair to relieve me of the stress. “Is she in?” Maria nodded. “Yes sir, she’s in her bedroom. I just finished changing the sheets and making sure the room was cleaned.” “Did you notice anything unfamiliar? Or familiar? I don’t even know what I’m saying at the moment.” She shook her head, her eyes going to the bunch of flowers in my hand. “No, no. Miss seemed like her normal self. Is something the matter, sir? Anything you need me to help you with?” “No, no. I just wanted to be sure if this was a good time. Dinner is set, right?” “Yes sir. I made sure the chef kept the covered food in the refrigerator, so it’s easy to heat up. Should I help you with that before I leave for the night?” I shook my head. “I can handle a microwave at least. Thank you very much.” “No problem, sir. I’m just doing my job.” She ambled away quickly, leaving me in the gloom of the living room. Rolling the bouquet in my hands, I went to the kitchen first to
Scarlett’s POVI was unable to sleep last night. Not because I was still livid at what happened in the study, but because of the hurt flashing in Aiden’s eyes when I talked about how I was just a spare. It seemed genuine in the moment, and when I shut the door in his face, I slid down the door and cried. I didn’t know why I was truly crying, but the tears kept coming. It felt like someone stabbed me in the gut repeatedly, then wrung me out and left me to dry. I felt raw, lost, exposed. His frame cast a shadow in front of my door for almost an hour, as if he was still trying to come to terms with what I said to him. I knew that the words were a slap on his face, but I wanted him to feel the anger raging for space in my heart. He deserved it. At least that was what I tried to tell myself. It was what I had been trying to tell myself all day. I knew it was selfish to have ever uttered those words, but I wished for him to feel how it felt to have y
I looked at myself in the mirror one last time to make sure that I at least looked presentable. The makeup was subtle, thank God, I didn’t want to look like some tramp. Sultry, and soft was exactly what I was going for. The dress was a deep burgundy, cinching at the waist and flaring out from there. He knocked again, and I knew I had to hurry up. Aiden didn’t like being kept waiting. I doubted he’d hate it if it were Odessa. I banished the thought from my mind and focused on the task at hand. We were going to the hospital to get this whole thing started. All I had to do was get pregnant.I packed my small purse containing a pad of sticky notes so that if there was anything I needed to put down when speaking to the doctor, I could do it. I also put in a pen, my earphones to listen to music on the way so that I didn’t have to hear him speak and get into my head, a pair of photochromic glasses and my lip gloss. He must have been about to knock, because his
Scarlett's PovI followed quietly behind Aiden and several thoughts ran through my mind as I began to doubt if I wanted to proceed. “I do not have a choice anyway. I’m sure he doesn’t care about me. This is what's best for me at the moment.” I said inwardly.We entered the hospital and Aiden approached a nurse. He was farther from me so I couldn’t hear what he said to her. She looked through his shoulders at me and smiled. I approached them with an uncertain look on my face.“You’re welcome. You can come with me to the waiting room while I get the doctor for you.” She said with a warm smile and a great gesture. I wondered why she seemed so happy.Aiden and I followed her into a room that had a nice ambiance. I was not interested in whatever was around. I just wanted to see the doctor and get down to business. “You should take off your earphones.” Aiden tapped my thigh and said to me. I shrugged and arched my brow at him. I
AIDEN’S POVIt felt surreal to me.I never could have conceived the idea that I would one day be getting ready to marry the absolute love of my life.It felt like a little dream come true, a dream that I probably never conceived in my wildest imagination.Yet, I felt nothing but happiness and a sense of fulfillment and happiness as I looked on into the future with a sense of hope and happiness.“I see that you’re having cold feet, Son,” my Dad’s voice came through as he walked into the room.I had been standing right in front of the mirror, trying out solid affirmations and reassuring myself that I had made the right choice for myself and my life.“No Dad. I’m very excited, just a little bit nervous,” I tried my best to say, even though my voice was cracking.“She’s so perfect Dad, what if she’s too good for me? I have always been so selfish, what if I’m not good enough for her and our kids?,” I continued.
SCARLETT’S POVI was freaking out!!!!Aiden had asked me to marry him and I had said Yes!Did it freak me out? Of course, it didBut would I pass on the idea of getting married to the absolute love of my life? Not.I was in my room, looking up some of the interior design samples that the decorator had sent to me when I felt his shadow over me.“You need help with that baby girl,” Aiden said, towering over me and leaning in for a kiss.“No, but I may need your help with other things,” I said, smiling and reaching out to kiss him.Every day, I fell more and more in love with this beautiful man.“Oh, I sure know how to help with that,” he said, as he scooped me up and planted a kiss firmly on my lips.I squealed.He lifted me and then dropped me carefully on the bed, all the while kissing me fervently like he was parched and thirsty for me.We had been frequently having
CHAPTER 133AIDEN’S POVI headed down the stairs to make Scarlett the most delicious cup of coffee, although I had some slight reservations about that.Should she be drinking coffee though?Well, whatever. If she wanted coffee, she was going to get coffee.Anything for Scarlett. She was going to get any damn thing she wanted and that was final.I needed to make a few calls because I had to make everything official, the contract mattered very little to me anymore. I wanted her as my wife for real and I needed to make that happen in the realest possible way, and make sure the whole thing was as beautiful as the woman of my dreams.While the pot of coffee was brewing, Donald came inside, I had asked him to take a survey of stores with the most beautiful rings in town, I did not mind custom-made rings and I just wanted anything that was going to be perfect for the perfect woman.“Hey, Donald. Any upda
SCARLETT’S POVI watched as Aiden stood up for himself. Being brave against all odds. We all gasped when he said that he wouldn’t be arresting them any longer, knowing that they deserved that arrest, he had been surprising to all of us and even the agents had looked on in disbelief.“You’re sure Mr. Aiden, because we did receive a call that you needed our help getting some people detained, you’re sure that you’re not being held under duress or something like that?” the agent, the one that looked like he was their leader asked, with a questioning glance, as he looked on each of us suspiciously.“No Officer, thanks for your prompt response; but I just made a wrong call due to some confusing series of events, I’m so sorry about that and I apologize,” Aiden said, while trying to look as apologetic as possible.“Alright then Sir, you can always call our office if you feel the need to, we’re always at your service,” The agent leader said, turn
AIDEN’S POVI would be lying if I said that I was surprised by what Pen said, nothing she did seemed to surprise me that much. I had known her for a while and I knew that she did not play by the rule book, but I was glad to have beat her at her own game, it felt extremely refreshing.“you better start explaining yourself, because I have already called the FBI on you and I’m certain you all are not ready to be arraigned for fraud,” I hoped to God that my eyes were portraying exactly how I was feeling. I wasn’t mincing words and I needed them to know that I had all this under control and they were all collectively going to suffer for even trying to sabotage the security of my company.“You all should better start talking because there was no way I was bluffing,”I could see the look of unbelief in the eyes of Charlie Fox and the bewildered look in Pen’s eyes, followed by the tired look in Scarlett.Scarlett was very tire
SCARLETT'S POVFor the longest time, I thought I still had a glimmer of hope to hold onto; something small but significant, something that excited the senses even if it burned, something that lingers on in your memory even in the darkness. It was all a facade. In reality, I had nothing. Nothing to hold, nothing to have, nothing to remember, it was all empty, void, and meaningless None of it made any sense, none of it was great, it was all just a sad and lonely facade that I deluded myself into thinking that I had... I had nothing… I watched as Aiden tried to lie his way out of what I had just heard. He had thought me to be a fool all these while I couldn't stand the betrayal that came from knowing all of these. I can't believe Aiden spoke about me in a dehumanizing manner to this lady of all people. At this point, I could say I greatly preferred Odessa sneering at me, not this girl who stood in front
AIDEN'S POV "Don't talk to me like I'm a child, " Scarlett said. It took me aback and paused me in my tracks. I had a blend of mixed emotions in that moment and I think what I felt the most was pride. I was beyond proud of Scarlett for standing up for herself, but I took a good look at Pen and I just knew that Scarlett might have bitten a little more than she can chew. "What did you just say? " Pen asked while advancing towards Scarlett. I sensed a lot of drama unfolding. Should I stop it? Maybe I should. But am I going to stop it? I don't think so. I'm going to grab my imaginary popcorn and just watch the whole thing unfold. "I said you should stop talking to me like a child, " Scarlett said, even more defensively. She stood her ground and refused to back down to pressure. She was being resilient and I saw a boldness in her eyes that I
SCARLETT'S POVI watched in utter dismay as the events unfolded in my very eyes. I had felt tremendously nervous to break the news and to top it off, I had to do the revelation in front of all the peering eyes. My nervous radar shot up terribly and I didn't know if I was happy that it wasn't Aiden and I alone, or I was nervous that it was in front of all these people.The whole thing just made me confused and nervous at the same time, I honestly didn't know what to do or how to feel and yet I watched the conversation that ensued amongst them. The back-and-forth that happened between Penelope, Aiden, Odessa, and Charlie Fox was one that I watched with mixed emotions. What truly became of me after they agreed? Did I have anything to win in this situation? I was going to be at the losing end no matter what happened and it just made me wonder what exactly would become of me. However, the e
AIDEN’S POVIt almost felt like I didn’t hear what Scarlett had said for a moment, and for that, I felt lost and utterly alone. I questioned myself on how on earth I had gotten it all wrong.Did I do something I shouldn’t have?Why did she feel the need to lie to me for so long?And why on earth did it feel like everyone else knew except for me?“Scarlett, what did you say?” I proceeded to ask very slowly. “I said I am pregnant,” she repeated.“When did you find out?” I asked in the smallest of voices, I needed to know for how long I had been in the dark. It at least made sense to know for how long I have been in the dark and for how long she has been lying to me.“Aiden, do we have to have this conversation right now?” Scarlett asked with her eyes glistening with tears, she looked like she was about to cry and I didn’t know if I cared as much.I needed the truth and I needed to know how long