SCARLETT'S POV.I should've expected what Luca had done immediately we got out of ear and eye shot of everyone. The man had literally just withdrawn his hand and pulled far away from me like I had a virus or something. So, he'd done what any sane husband would do, take his wife out of the drama, and because our marriage wasn't real, he didn't need to fake it all the way so he pulled away. Big deal?It shouldn't have hurt when he'd done that, but for some weird reason it did. Maybe it was because my emotions were all over the place and my mind was a jumbled mess, or maybe it was because it was a clear sign that all the seducing I'd been doing had not worked at all. Whatever it was, it wasn't welcome and I needed to get back to my senses fast enough. There was just too much on my mental plate already with my father and my school break slowly coming to an end, I couldn't possibly add more things to it. I needed to find out if everything that they were saying about Dad was true and if i
LUCA'S POV. The next few days were hell on earth for me, and that was of course because of Scarlett. Scarlett. She was all I could freaking think about, all I could see when I closed my eyes and all I thought about when blood rushed to my groin. Shit. It was messed up, really really messed up to be wanting her with such passion, but my body didn't want to understand that. It just wanted to be close to her, to have her and see if all the hype and tension was going to fade away afterwards. What had happened that day hadn't even helped things. That day had frankly been a mistake. A mistake that almost had me doing things that I'd promised I wasn't going to do.What I'd walked in on at the hall that day had filled me with embarassment and also fury. I couldn't believe that a woman that was publicly known to be my wife was seen entangled with another woman while people gossiped and even further filmed the whole thing. And it had made me angry at Scarlett for getting herself involved in
SCARLETT'S POV. I had no idea that spending time with Sasha in her hotel suite was going to be so amazing and interesting. In just four hours, I'd had more fun than I'd had since I'd come to this stupid city and I couldn't be more grateful. With everything that was going on in my life, it was important that I got sometime to unwind and just breathe for a change.Sasha was the perfect breath of relief. She was just as kind as she'd been the first time, even more so, and even ten times more hilarious. I'd figured that out when we'd started to dig up all the memes we had saved on our phones, laughing our ass off while we lay on her bed. Her's were always more funny and it wasn't hard to tell that she was the greatest comedian out of the two of us when she brought up a scene from my favourite TV show that I'd found equally hilarious. The way she'd passionately criticized the cringe in the scene had gotten me down on my knees, clutching my stomach while I cackled like a wolf. It felt am
eSCARLETT'S POV. As Sasha and I walked into the grand hall, the atmosphere was buzzing with anticipation. The soft melody of classical music filled the air, creating an elegant backdrop for the evening. As we made our way toward our table, I couldn't help but notice the piercing gazes fixed upon us. Of course. Whispers rippled through the room, and it felt as though all eyes were on Sasha and me as we moved. My heart quickened its pace, a mix of irritation and nervousness intertwining within me. I stole a glance at Sasha, whose confident stride seemed unaffected by the attention. She had an air of self-assurance that I admired, and it gave me a momentary boost of confidence too. I was going to take her advise. I wasn't going to give a shit about any of them. As we reached a table were a few people were seated. I would have preferred to sit all alone, but the room was practically overflowing with people and I was sure that in the next five minutes there were going to be no more se
LUCA'S POV.Immediately Scarlett had stepped into the room, my heart had started to race at an alarming rate and my mouth had gone dry. It took everything in me to concentrate on all Mr Richardson and the other men were saying when she walked into the room looking like that. Lord knows I'd tried to take my eyes away but I couldn't, I just couldn't. Scarlett had decided to torment me for sure, because why in the world would she choose that dress? I could literally see the top of her breasts and I had no idea if it was just the dress doing it but they were definitely huge. Round, creamy and calling for my affection. Yep, that was a problem right there. I wasn't supposed to be going crazy over just a dress, and for the upteenth time now, I had to remind myself that she wasn't even my ideal type. Why did she look so damn beautiful though? It was distracting and also annoying, making me burn with anger. After she'd defied me, she'd just stepped into the hall with that woman by her sid
SCARLETT'S POV.I was on the way to the bathroom when I got pulled to the hallway. I was about to scream in fear until I looked up to see who it was that had grabbed me. It was a familiar face for sure, one I'd seen a few times at my house, speaking with my father. I rose an eyebrow, wondering what he was doing in the hallway, and why he had to pull me like that."Uhh, I know you..." I trailed off, hoping he would introduce himself. "Yes, I'm a friend of your Dad's," he smiled brightly and I relaxed a little. "My name's Martinez, but you can call me, Martin.""Oh, I'm so sorry... I don't really know much about my dad's business and his friends, so ..."He brushed it off. "Oh it's no big deal. Your Dad and I aren't the closest or something anyways..." I stood, waiting for him to go straight to what he wanted, holding back the urge to pee. I wasn't lying to Sasha when I said I needed to pee, and I also needed an excuse to e very far away from Luca. He'd been making me feel uncomforta
SCARLETT'S POV. I had no idea what this Martinez guy was up to, but something was telling me that it couldn't be anything good. He still hadn't explained what he wanted actually in return for the favour he claimed he was going to do, and I was on the edge. "So, what is it?" I cleared my throat, trying not to show how confused I was about the whole situation. "What do you want in exchange?""I want you to help me ruin Luca Nicholas," Martinez said through gritted teeth and I rose a brow at the clear ice in his tone. What had Luca done to him?"Ruin him... I-I am ... What?" I stuttered, mind racing. I had to glance around the whole room to see if anyone had been eaves dropping, but thankfully the hushed tone we were using was not drawing any attention, except... Luca Nicholas himself. Oh shit. He was staring at us with a look in his eyes, and I had the feeling that he had probably been staring for a long time. I'd been so caught up in the conversation with Martinez that I hadn't eve
SCARLETT'S POV. "Thank you so much for everything, Sasha," I smiled at her, while grabbing the hand of car door. "I can't imagine how this day would have been without you."Sasha smiled, waving it off and grabbing tighter to her small black jacket. "oh, it's nothing at all. I had fun with you today as well, and I hope we can still keep in touch after this.""Oh sure, you have my number and I have yours," I said, glancing back at the hall to see if Luca was done talking with the group of men who'd called on him just as we were about to leave. I didn't want to stand there for another minute because the whole place was suffocating, but I couldn't complain when I couldn't bare to so much as face Luca, talkless of sitting in a car with him for a long drive all the way to the airport.I wanted him to keep talking to them for as long as possible, but of course nothing could ever go the way I wanted it to go. And Luca shook the hands of all the men before he turned around and started walking
SCARLETT'S POV.The moment Luca's lips touched mine, I melted into a puddle. My knees had gone weak and I feared they were going to buckle soon if I wasn't careful. Damn. The man knew how to kiss. He made sure that he ravaged my mouth with intensity, showing me with the kiss just how much he really wanted me. From my face, his hands travelled to my spine and then all the way back up to my hair and then he pulled. Shit, the force of the action caused a sting, but it was sweet. The pain was delicious. I loved it. He continued to kiss my mouth like his life depended on it until he decided that he'd had enough of it and wanted to taste my neck. Once his mouth touched there, I straight up melted into him, to the point he had to hold me up. "Woah," he laughed, amsued. "I haven't even touched you. You don't even know all the things I have planned for you.""Stop being cocky and kiss me," I demanded, pulling him back to my mouth and he let out a satisfactory growl."You're so damn sexy,
SCARLETT'S POV. THREE HOURS LATER. The party had started to get heated. People were popping in from every corner now. And the place started to get a bit crowded and tight. Many had decided to go out to the garden but it still felt like we were at a concert or something. It had been a bad choice Matt had made to organise the party at the house. The set-up was beautiful no doubt but it was becoming too suffocating. Or maybe it was just my body's reaction to Luca sitting beside me on our table.The rest of the guest looked like they didn't mind at all. Maybe it was just me actually. "So, how has therapy been?" Luca's voice sounded so close to my ear and I practically jumped in my seat, embarassing myself further. "It's been really good," I smiled tightly. "Uhh... The therapist has been really good and understanding. I-I feel like a totally different person now."I could remember giving him the same response some time ago when he'd asked. Shit. Why was I acting that way?And where t
SCARLETT'S POV. Abby arrived not long after and after we were both done getting ready and checking each other out, we said goodbye to mum and headed for the venue in an Uber. Matt's two storey house was flooded with people when we got in, it was crazy that the guy knew that much people. "Shit, this is way more than I expected," Abby said, looking around the garden that was filled with several cooperate looking people. "Yeah thank god that you convinced me to wear this dress," I said, looking at the dresses of the other women aroun. It was like we'd come for some sort of fashion show or something. "Exactly why you should always trust my opinions," she smiled, smoothing down the skirt of her royal blue dress. She looked amazing actually in that dress and her hair slicked back. We both looked amazing actually. "Come on let's go inside," I pulled her hand and we both walked with our heads held high into the house where soft music was playing from the speakers. "Sheesh, nice design,
SCARLETT'S POV.FIVE MONTHS LATER. This was the fifth time I'd checked my appearance out in the mirror and I was still nervous. God, why did the thought of him still make me so nervous? I finally made up my mind that I looked really good in the dress. It was a red dress that Abby had picked out for me two weeks after I'd been discharged from the hospital. It had been crazy expensive and I'd wanted to abandon it because I couldn't pay, but then Abby had offered to pay, saying that it was a gift to me, celebrating my release from the hospital and the fact that I could finally walk on my own two feet. I'd been discharged from the hospital way earlier than the doctor had expected. The doctor had told us that my case was very special and unusual, and he'd never seen anything quite like it before. He'd made sure that I'd spent another two weeks extra in the hospital just to make sure that there were no further complications. And finally after a whole month and a half of being in the hosp
LUCA'S POV.After Belle left I stayed for a while outside, watching the sky as it got darker and darker. I kept thinking about Isabella and dad, and everything that had happened, but this time I found that the more I thought about it, the more I started to see Belle's point clearly. That was the problem, I was holding onto the pain and bitterness for too long, I didn't even know how to stop doing it. I'd thought I was ready let it all go for Scarlett, but today had made me realise that there was still a part of me that wanted to be mad at her, at somebody for everything. It wasn't fair at all to Scarlett. She didn't deserve to get hate for something that she knew nothing about. After a little more time reflecting, I slapped my palms and decided that I had to go talk to her. About everything. Just let it all out. And see where we can go from there. I made my way back to the room where I saw Marilyn and Scarlett hugging from the glass doors. Abby just stood watching them with tears i
LUCA'S POV. On getting outside, I bumped into a nurse that was carrying a tray and we both let out string of curses. "Shit I'm sorry," I said, getting down to help her pick up her tray. "I'm so sorry."She picked up the last piece of equipment and looked up at me. "It's fine. Why are you in such a hurry anyways? Is the hospital on fire?"I turned down my lips. "No of course not.""Then why did you almost knock me all the way to hell?" She asked, smirking. "And why do you look like a wounded puppy?""I'm just in a really shitty mood, I don't even know how to feel," I said, wondering after I'd said it, why. Why did I just tell her that? The nurse balanced her tray and gave me a look of sympathy. "Do you want to tell me what happened?" I thought about it for a long while and decided, "no, not everything at least."The nurse smiled. She had such kind eyes and an equally kind smile, funny enough, she kind of reminded me of Isabella so much. They had so much similarities in their facial
LUCA'S POV. I wasn't sure if I'd heard properly. Had Marilyn just talked about Isabella? Isabella, my sister. How the heck did she get to know."How did you?" I started but then trailed off, stunned. "You know about Isabella?""Yes I do," Marilyn offered me a sad smile. "Wait... Isabella?"Scarlett questioned, she and her friend looking completely lost. "That's... What did he to her?"I couldn't respond. I couldn't say anything more actually. It was like my throat had gone completely tight and no sound could come out. What the heck was with that reaction?"What he did to all the other girls," Marilyn answered. "She used to work as an intern at the company, and your dad he... h-he was abusing her for the longest time.""Fuck," Scarlett gasped, voice shaking. "How? W-why was she? Oh my God... Dad is such an asshole."Abby looked horrified by the news too, she went over to offer Scarlett some comfort when she saw the was her friend was reacting. This was not good for Scarlett. She didn
LUCA'S POV. "Thanks so much for your time, officer," I reached out to shake hands with Raymond and he reciprocated. "It was my pleasure," he smiled. "I'm kinda pissed though, that that turned out so easy."I smirked at him, thinking the same. "Yeah, that was a waste of so much planning. I thought I was going to get my movie scene moment, but I guess not ..."Raymond chuckled. "Go back to your wife now. You don't want to miss anything, do you?""Yeah, sure I don't," I threw him a salute. "I'll see you when I see you then."I was about to leave but then he stopped me by saying,"Hey hold up."I turned around and rose an eyebrow. "What's up?"He gave me a weird look. "Aren't you a little bothered about what happened though, I mean you guys are related because of Scarlett.""What do you mean?""Ramson Damien?" He questioned. "You haven't heard yet? He's been arrested after several charges that have been pressed against him.""What?" I gasped. "How the fuck did I not hear of that yet?""
LUCA'S POV. "Why are you not scared?" Penelope asked, eyeing me from head to toe. I just shrugged. "You're not really very scary now that I know you're the one.""But you saw what I did to Scarlett," she sounded really pissed. "Wasn't that scary enough for you? I'm pointing a fucking gun to your head actually.""Yeah, I know," I stuffed my hands into my pocket and bounced on my toes. "I'm still not scared of you or that guy. Who is he anyways? Your lapdog?"The guy behind her growled at that and came towards me so fast to throw a punch. He landed the blow, but immediately he did, I got mad and decided that I could actually beat the shit out of him.He landed another blow to my cheek and then he tried again, but I dodged and realised that if I wanted to have the upper hand, I had to find a way to take him down. "You stop that now, tiger," Penelope warned, pointing the gun at the two of us, confused. I used the opportunity I got once the guy turned to look at her to my advantage. Ti