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Scarlett
The moment Sophie left to see Lucien, I knew I was going to throw up. I had somewhat staved it away all day and had chalked it up to my bad mood and annoyance with everything that seemed to be going wrong, most of which was of my own making. However, now I could no longer keep anything down or settle my nerves. I was anxious, sad, and furious all at once, and I didn’t know how to contain any of it, not until Sophie called anyway.
I returned to the living room and sent her messages about how things were going. It was now almost two am and I had returned home, and yet there still hadn’t been a word from her. Thankfully, she finally responded, and I was so relieved that I nearly dropped my phone.
I held my breath as I turned the screen around, praying in my heart that she wouldn’t be fired. This was what I needed most above all else. I could take whatever punishment he dished out if only he would let her keep her job; otherwise, I would feel way too guilty.
I felt incredibly foolish now for worrying about this when I should have done so from the very beginning. I should have beenmore cautious, should have had a stronger will to enable me to resist Lucien, and yet I had lost, and Sophie was going to suffer as a result. I hurried to the sound of knocking at the door with all these swirling thoughts, it felt as though I was about to combust from the inside, and then somehow, it channeled into anger.
The moment I opened the door, I was ready to bring up this anger with her. However, just as it registered in my distracted brain that if she were here she would have her key, a burly man with a buzz cut straightened and spoke.
“Mr. Walters would like to see you,” he said, and for the first few seconds, I was alarmed, and then I grew scared at his size.
“What?” I asked.
“Please follow me,” he said, then without a word, and his voice made me understand that there was no room for defiance. If that didn't do the trick, the second suited hooded guard standing at the end of the hallway and watching me was more than enough to ensure my obedience. I knew exactly then who I was dealing with, however, I couldn't quite decide whether to be furious or scared about this forceful visit.
Eventually, I decided to comply because I didn't see how not doing so would grant me any peace for the rest of the night or fail to further complicate my life. And so I headed down as well, and a few minutes later, I saw the black town car waiting by the curb. I had no intention of entering, so I quickly went to the passenger side and knocked as loudly as I could manage without being outright rude.
The tinted glass soon rolled down, and inside was that man. I glared at him internally and was truly impressed by the smile I was able to curve my lips into externally. But with those two bodyguards who suddenly seemed to have disappeared, I wasn't going to risk being impolite to him.
“Hello,” I greeted. However, he didn’t respond. He continued to watch me, and I took the time to look around me to see if Icould just walk away and be protected. However, it was too late, and there was almost no one around. And so I sighed and kept waiting.
“I detest being lied to, Miss Sophie,” he said, and I honestly couldn’t believe his words. I glared at him then, and it took all of my strength not to tell him to go screw himself.
“I wasn’t feeling well... I'm still not feeling well. I didn’t even go to work today, yet you wanted me to come hang out on a yacht?”
He listened to my words, and then he sighed.
“Get in then. I'm sure whatever’s wrong with you, a little trip will make you feel better.”
At this point, I was sure this was harassment, and that I could report it to someone, but now I didn’t know who. He hadn’t technically done anything wrong enough to warrant a visit to the police station, or maybe he had? But he was pestering me enough to be warned.
I thought of Lucien then, and it was as though all the pain and sadness I had managed to hold at bay from the morning came crashing down on me once again.
“I can’t go on any boat right now,” I told him. “I’ll get seasick, and it’s too late at night.”
“I have my security in place to guard us,” he said to me.
I could see in his eyes that he was set on this and that whatever he had planned for tonight was going to end up putting me in a compromising position. So there was no way in hell I was going to accept it. If he were to take me, he would have to take me kicking and screaming. Plus, I didn't work for Lucien anymore, so technically, he really could go screw himself.
“I don’t want to,” I said. “So respectfully, I decline.”
“We’re heading to Atlantic City,” he said as I turned around, and I was almost amused because was that supposed to spike my interest. “I think it would be good for you to see one ofthe casinos we handed over to your company,” he said. I smiled because what an idiot. The casino that our company manages. He was creating an alibi and dangling it in front of my face like a jeweled bait.
I ignored him, however. Just before I arrived at the entrance, the two men I had seen earlier came up to me and stood at a standstill. I was forced to stop and glare at them, and then I turned away to meet their amused boss in his car.
“You know, you forcefully take me to a place that I don’t want to go, that legally constitutes kidnapping, and it's a serious offense.”
He laughed at this. “How could it be kidnapping when we hit it off previously and then went out tonight to discuss work-related matters?”
“Please leave me alone,” I told him. “I quit, so you can't use ruining this project to manipulate me. I don't give a damn.”
“Get in the car,” he growled, and I knew then that we would most likely not even get to Atlantic City. I might be assaulted in the car and dumped somewhere, so I immediately made a snap decision and made a beeline down the street.
However, I had only taken a few steps when I suddenly crashed into someone. Their chest was like a boulder, and they towered over me so immensely that I couldn’t see anything beyond the dark coat and jacket.
I immediately started to fall backwards thanks to the impact, however, he reached out and caught my arm. I was immensely grateful then, but that quickly dissipated when I sensed that I was still in danger because this could as well be one of his goons.
