Chapter 3: Scarlett is Born

Emily flinched, staring at him with wide, broken eyes. “You’re cruel.”

Victor’s mouth curved faintly. “Yes. But I’m offering you life.”

Her throat tightened, her voice breaking. “I really don’t want to die but I can't go back there.”

Victor tilted his head. “Then say it. Say yes.”

Emily shut her eyes. She was shaking all over. Her voice was barely a whisper. “Y-yes…”

“Say it louder.”

“Yes…”

Victor’s gaze didn’t soften. He turned, giving one last command. “Then you’ll belong to me.”

Victor’s eyes didn’t waver as he walked to his car door and pulled open the door.

“Get in,” he ordered, his voice low, heavy with command.

Emily’s chest rose and fell in shaky breaths. For a moment she froze, her mind spinning. She saw again the laughter at school, the cruel stares, the whispers that cut deeper than knives. She saw Ayden’s face, how he had laughed at her too.

Her lips trembled. She swallowed hard, then, with unsteady steps, climbed into the car.

Victor’s gaze hardened in approval. His tone was curt. “Good.”

The car ate up the dark road, its engine a low hum in the silent night. Emily sat in the back, her wet clothes cold against the leather seat. Jaxon drove without a word, his big hands firm on the steering wheel. Victor was a statue beside her, his eyes staring straight ahead, never blinking, never moving.

Emily hugged her own arms, trying to stop the shivering that came from inside, not from the cold. She made her voice come out, small but clear.

“Where are we going?”

Victor turned his head. His eyes were like chips of ice. “To my home.”

“Why?” she asked.

“You said yes,” Victor said. His voice was flat, like he was stating a simple fact. “You agreed. That means you are mine now.”

Emily’s throat felt tight. She did not look away from his cold stare. “I said yes because I did not want to die. But I don’t know what you want from me. I don’t know what you will do.”

The corner of Victor’s mouth moved. It was not a smile. “You will learn. Soon.”

Jaxon’s voice came from the front seat, softer than Victor’s. “You’re safe now. Safer than you were on that bridge.”

Emily looked out the window. The world was a blur of dark and street lights. “Safe,” she whispered to herself. “I wanted to be gone. I wanted nothing. I did not get nothing. I got you.”

Victor’s voice cut through the car, sharp and hard. “Then stop asking the same questions. You chose death once. That girl is gone. She drowned in the river. What is left is a choice. You can stay broken… or you can let me fix you.”

Emily swallowed. “Fix me into what?”

Victor leaned closer. His voice was low, like a secret. “Like I said before fix you Into someone strong. Someone no one can ever hurt again.”

The car slowed down and turned through big iron gates. A huge house stood in front of them, bright lights making it look like a castle. Emily’s breath caught in her chest.

“This is your house?” she asked.

“This is my mansion,” Victor said. “And tonight, this is where you get a new life.”

The inside was huge. The floor was made of shiny black stone. Her bare feet were quiet on the cold floor. She held her own arms tight.

A man in a white coat walked into the big hall. He carried a small black case. He gave a small bow to Victor.

“Everything is ready, sir,” the man said.

Emily’s body went stiff. She looked from the man to Victor and back. “A doctor?” she asked.

Victor gave one sharp nod. “Yes. You will go with him.”

Her heart began to beat very fast. “Why? What will he do?”

“He will cut away Emily Hart,” Victor said. His voice was cold and sure. “He will give you a new face. A fresh start.”

Emily did not move back. She stood still. “And what if I do not wake up?” she asked.

Victor’s eyes got sharper. “You will wake up but not as Emily."

The room was very quiet. Emily lifted her head high. “I wanted to die once. But I did not die. I lived. Maybe that means I have to try again. Even if I am scared.”

Jaxon was watching her from the side. His voice was rough. “You got more guts than most.”

Emily shook her head. “No. I am just already broken.”

Victor waved his hand at the doctor. “Get her ready.”

The room smelled clean and sharp. In the middle was a long, white table. Emily touched it with her fingers. Her hand shook, but she did not pull it back.

She spoke in a whisper. “This is it then.”

The doctor’s voice was kind. “Do not be scared. You will go to sleep. When you wake up, it will all be over.”

Slowly, Emily lay down on the table. It was cold through her thin clothes. Jaxon stood by the wall, his arms crossed, watching.

She looked at Victor. Her voice was stronger now. “So when I wake up… I will not be Emily?”

Victor’s eyes glinted under the bright lights. “You ask a lot of questions. Emily died on that bridge. Tonight, a new woman is born. Her name is Scarlett.”

Emily let out a small, shaky breath. “Scarlett…I will get to know her."

“You will,” Victor said. “And everyone else will, too.”

The doctor placed a mask over her nose and mouth. “Breathe in,” he said softly.

She took a breath. Her eyes felt heavy. The last thing she thought before the dark took her was: A second chance.

She did not know how much time had passed. She opened her eyes. The room was dark and quiet. Her body felt heavy, like stone. Her face was wrapped in tight bandages. The air smelled like medicine.

She moved her dry lips. “Am I… alive?”

A voice came from the shadows. “You are alive. But you are not Emily Hart anymore.”