Chapter 6

Chapter 6

“Julian?”

Scarlett sat up on the bed, confused. She kept staring at the paper in her hands for a long time, and at the same time racking her brains to think of who this person was, but she couldn’t think of anyone. She read the note again, and on impulse, picked her phone to dial the number. She typed out the number on her keypad and stopped momentarily as she was about to hit the call button.

“What do I say to this person?” she asked, speaking to herself.

She discarded the idea and dropped her phone, and then reclined on the bed as she looked around her. She’d never been in a room as lush as this, even her room at the apartment where the masked billionaire had kept her wasn’t as luxurious as this. This had to be a real five star hotel, and only someone who had good cash could pay for a place like this. She didn’t have that ‘good cash’, and she didn’t know anyone around who did as well.

So who put her here?

She got up, and walked to the window, drawing the curtains open and letting the bright rays of the morning sun stream into the room. She gasped as she marveled at the sight before her. The floor where the room was had a very good view, and from where she stood, she could see for miles across the city. She sighed wistfully as she stared, wishing she actually knew the city well, wishing that she went out more.

Turning around, she walked back to the bed and sat, and her mind wandered to Aaron. It still felt like a dream, and she felt a sudden rush of anger flooding her as she thought of the scene she’d met at home, and the fact that it was Adrianna, of all people. She fell with her back on the bed, and gripping the sheets with both hands, she bit her lower lip in pain.

She reached for the note again and ran her fingers on it, deliberating within herself if she would make that call. She thought against it, and gently, she placed the note on the table and laid her phone above it.

Suddenly, she heard footsteps at the door, and she hurriedly tucked herself into the bed. The door opened and a tall man in black suit walked casually in, shutting the door behind him. Scarlett watched as he walked into the room, coming closer to the bed while she lay on her side, pretending to be sleepy. She squinted as she scanned his face and it all fell in place—the face, the suits. He was the guy who had seized her drink from her at the pub the previous night. Could he be Julian?

He stood over her as he got to the bed, folding his hands and watching her for some minutes. Then he spoke.

“Are you really sleeping, Ms Scarlett?”

Scarlett froze and her eyes popped open. That was it. The puzzle suddenly fell in place. She could recognize that voice anywhere. She knew him!

She turned around slowly, not wanting to give herself away. “Good morning.”

Julian said nothing as he went around the bed and sat on the chair.

Scarlett sat up on the bed and looked at him. She wondered what he was doing here, and how he even got to find her at the pub. She frantically searched her mind, trying to remember if she’d breached any part of the contract. She’d strictly followed every rule from start to finish, so why was he here?

In her restlessness, she willed words to come out of her mouth but they weren’t just forming.

She looked up to stare at this man, who’d been sitting silently and staring at her the whole time. “You… it’s you, isn’t it? I know you!”

She was very sure it was him. But that was the drill, sound confused so you don’t give yourself away.

“Oh, you do, don’t you?” he asked.

“I do,” Scarlett said, nodding in certainty. “You’re the billionaire’s orderly, the one who came to pick me up, and you’re the guy from the pub last night. You’re Julian, aren’t you?”

“I am.”

“Oh! Well…” she trailed off.

“Well?”

“Why did you save me last night? I mean, you don’t know me or anything about me,” Scarlett said, stuttering.

“I did what I had to do. That’s all,” Julian said and got up. He walked to the window.

Scarlett looked at him. Why exactly was he here? Was something wrong? Did something happen? Was her child okay? Panic rose in her chest.

“Is anything the matter? Is my baby okay?” she asked, shakily.

Julian shot her a look. “Your baby? You kidding me?”

Scarlett shook her head. “I’m sorry. Is the child okay? I mean, why are you here? And why am I lodged in this hotel?

“The child is okay, woman,” Julian said coldly. He returned to his seat.

“Okay. So why are you here?” she pressed on.

“What’s with the questions? Is there something you’re scared of?” Julian asked her, taking off his shades.

“No… no, not at all. There’s nothing,” she replied.

“Good. So relax.”

Scarlett sighed heavily. There was actually nothing to be scared of. She was sure she’d kept to her part of the bargain in the whole deal. She reclined on the bed.

“You aren’t going to have breakfast?” Julian asked.

“No, not yet. I’ll eat later.”

Julian nodded. He kept staring at her, and she looked away. She felt uneasy.

“What were you trying to do to yourself yesterday? Why were you at the pub?” Julian asked.

Scarlett closed her eyes and sucked her teeth. This was something she didn’t want to think about right now, and talking about it was even worse punishment.

“Well… I needed to clear my head. And I actually didn’t have anywhere else to go to. So…”

“What do you mean ‘you didn’t have anywhere to go’? You mentioned your husband last night, didn’t really get that. What did you say happened?”

Scarlett looked away. She stared into space for a while. “He cheated. He had an affair with my best friend. He ‘has’ an affair with my best friend, actually. I got home to meet them both in bed. The man whose surgery was the reason I gave myself up to be a surrogate mother to another man’s child. And Adrianna,” she paused as she wiped the tears brimming in her eyes. “The one person I've ever called a friend my whole life.”

The tears flowed freely now. She sobbed gently and Julian sat silently, watching her. If he felt pity for her, he didn’t show it because he was as still as a rock.

She reached for her bag and pulled out a tissue.

“He was meant to be sick, isn’t that what you told us?” Julian asked.

“He was diagnosed with cancer of the heart months ago, and it got so bad that he was given 4 weeks to live. His mother never liked nor accepted me anyway, so when he got sick, she blamed me and tasked me with providing money for his treatment,” she said, sniffing and wiping her tears. “I had nothing to do, so there was no means of raising the money for the surgery. I had to apply to be the surrogate mother so I'd pay for the surgery with the payment I'd get, and I did all that because I thought I had a husband who cared for me and loved me as much as I did. But I know better now…” her voice trailed off.

“And Adrianna? Where was she all these while?”

Scarlett sighed. “She was there, showing up when she could. She was the only person I told about my surrogacy plans. I couldn’t have told Aaron’s mother definitely, it would spur her to say more hurtful things to me. So I told Adrianna. She advised me against it, but we’d gone far into it for me to back out, and I needed that money. I needed my husband to be alive. And then I got back to my husband calling me a cheat and a whore, and then he served me divorce papers. Obviously, Adrianna had poisoned his mind towards me. I was so disappointed, but it’s already happened and there’s nothing I can do, I guess. I’m all alone in the world.”

Julian’s phone beeped, and he got up. Fresh tears brimmed in Scarlett’s eyes and he pulled out a handkerchief and handed it to her. “Give me some minutes, I'll be back.”

He walked to the door and stepped out and Scarlett got up and went into the bathroom. She came out soon after and sat in front of the mirror, staring for a long time. She ran her hands through her hair and sighed. Life was going to take a new turn henceforth and she was prepared for whatever was going to unfold.

The door opened, and Julian walked back in. “Get ready. You’re leaving here first thing tomorrow.”

Scarlett turned to look at him. “Where to?

“No questions. You’ll see,” he said.

Scarlett stared at him silently as he walked out, puzzled.