SCARLETT'S POV.I was convinced. Luca was a complete narcissistic asshole and this conclusion was made after spending a week living with him. As I groggily pulled myself out of bed, a familiar sense of confinement engulfed me like a suffocating embrace. The weight of the marriage pressed heavily against my chest, leaving me feeling trapped and frustrated. Step by step, I made my way downstairs, my movements sluggish with a mix of exhaustion and discontent.Exhaustion because it was physically and mentally draining to live in Luca's mansion. He was obnoxious, authoritative and overbearing, and to add to that, a complete ruthless businessman. I'd heard him on my third day here threatening a man with how he was going to take his family house if he didn't pay back the money he owed him before the end of the year. It was when I witnessed how ruthless he was being with the debtor, that I realised why my Dad had been so hopeless with him. I wouldn't have know what to do with him also if I w
LUCA'S POV.The last thing I'd have ever expected this morning was to see Scarlett in the gym. I'd specifically isolated the room from the rest all because it was the only place in the mansion that didn't make me feel choked. As much as I loved the extravagant lifestyle and everything I had, sometimes it got a little overwhelming, and working out all alone in this place gave me a sense of peace. It made me feel more human. I hated the fact that she'd found my favourite hiding place, and even more I hated what she was currently asking of me. Her eyes went soft and pleading as she stared up at me and I wondered why her eyes were suddenly standing out so much to me. They were a deep green colour that made her look so interesting—like someone whose eyes held so much secrets. I hated them. I hated that she had beautiful eyes, I needed to look away. "I'm not letting you out of this house and that's final," I said, dragging my eyes away from her orbs and focusing on the treadmill. The sw
SCARLETT'S POV.There was a skip in my step as I made my way back to my room. For the first time since I'd been here, I felt happy—ecstatic even. The thought of going back to what I loved the most in the world had my heart swelling with excitement and relief, so much so that I didn't even have the time to feel bad about the perks that came with the new arrangement.I was going to be followed all around like I was a celebrity or the president of some freaking country or something. And that was in no way cool especially since I was someone who hated attention so much, I tried my hardest to be invisible. It didn't mean I was some introverted, weak woman that could get bullied and tossed over, because no I wasn't. I just really preferred a low-key life to the lavish one—the type of my life that my Dad liked. My father was the kind of man who loved the extravagant lifestyle and I guess my Mum had just had to shape herself into the kind of woman he wanted her to be, because she too acted l
LUCA'S POV.If I heard one more word about somebody wanting to see me, I might've just punched myself square in the face. It was on days like these that I hated the choice I made to be a money lender, everybody wanted to beg for mercy once they couldn't pay, and I couldn't handle those much meetings. I'd just finished with an Indian CEO who I'd lent fifty thousand dollars two months ago to fund his startup, and I must say I was completely spent. At first I'd been very confident in him and his business, because I had a thing for startups, but he'd eventually started to prove me wrong with all the wrong business decisions he'd been making, and now he had been here to beg me for more time just like the rest of them. So disappointing.I took a deep breath and massaged my temples before my phone started ringing, cutting me off from my thoughts. I snagged the device from the table and scrunched my brows when I saw the contact name. Matt freaking Hawkins.I picked up immediately. "Look who
SCARLETT'S POV. After the best shower I'd taken since I'd been in this house, I got out of the shower feeling all clean and pampered like a new born . I would've taken sometime to admire my fresh face in the mirror, but I got reminded that I didn't have enough time for admiring when I had a two hour long drive ahead of me. I quickly got my hair styled into a sleek ponytail and got dressed in some school friendly clothes. After a forced conversation with Luca yesterday evening when he'd got back, he'd agreed to allow me get my school things from the house.I'd been happy at first at the possibility of seeing my parents, but then he'd killed my excitement by letting me know that his men were going to get them for me, and I was going to have my materials ready in the morning when I was ready to go. I didn't know what was his problem with cutting me off from my family though, it was just so weird. The whole thing was still weird to me, why would a man of his age and looks want to buy a
SCARLETT'S POV.The familiar buzz of the school environment had my lips turning up, and when we got closer to the parking lot and I sighted a few people that I knew, I bursted into a huge grin, feeling my soul come alive again."Thanks for the drive, I'll get going now," I told big guy, taking off my seatbelt and getting my mind prepared for the day.I caught his smile from the mirror and I couldn't help but think the he was way nicer than he looked. He seemed like somebody with a story that I'd liked to hear one day, but that was going to be later. All that was on my mind right now was how to break it to my friends that I was now married to Luca freaking Nicholas."Have fun, Scarlett, and be like me. Don't give a damn about what anyone thinks and you'll live a way better life," he advised, gesturing for me to step out and I nodded."I'll be sure to remember that, see you later," I got out of the car and of course once I got out I noticed there were lots of eyes on me, but then I rem
LUCA'S POV.When I was done with the last piece of work I had to do for the day, which mostly consisted of things that I'd just forced in and didn't actually have to do by myself, because I was a workaholic, I cleared my table and got out of the office.On my way out, I stopped at Maya's table to let her know so she could handle every other thing on our floor, and found her slacking. Her phone was on landscape, supported by a coffee mug and because of my impressive height and sight, I could clearly make out that she was watching an episode of some crappy TV show, I'd noticed Matt watched a lot the few times I'd been at his house.How unprofessional of her. I guess she'd not expected me to be done in the office so early today, because I usually stayed in the office till way later than this. That was no excuse. I cleared my throat very loudly and she almost jumped right out off her seat when she noticed me. Her eyes went wide as saucers and she went all red in the face. "I'm so so sor
SCARLETT'S POV.The next day at school was a blur and before I knew it, the big guy and I were heading home while listening to Celine Dion again. When the car came to a stop at the mansion, I let out a huge sigh and grabbed my bag from the seat. Seeing this mansion always did something to my insides that I hated. It always felt like chains holding me down. "Thanks for the ride, I'll see you later," I threw a salute to the big guy and sluggishly made my way inside. After fixing up a plate of waffles Grace had made this morning and kept for me as I'd instructed, I took a seat and started to devour it.On my third waffle, my phone rang and I jumped, fishing it out of my bag while trying to chew the rest of the food before answering. It was an unknown caller, so I was a little skeptical before answering."Hello, who is it?" The voice had me going still, with the remains of the waffle almost coming out of my mouth. "Hey, babe. It's me, Kev," Kevin's deep voice said from the speaker and
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