Chapter 3: Scarlett is Born

I flinched. I stared at him with wide, broken eyes. “You are cruel.”

Victor’s mouth moved a little. “Yes. But I am offering you life.”

My throat felt tight. My voice broke. “I really don’t want to die. But I can't go back there.”

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

I shut my eyes. I was shaking all over. My voice was a soft whisper. “Y-yes…”

“Say it louder.”

“Yes…”

Victor’s look did not get soft. He turned. “Then you will belong to me.”

Victor’s eyes did not move. He walked to his car. He pulled open the door.

“Get in,” he said. His voice was low and heavy with command.

My chest moved up and down. My breath was shaky. For a moment, I was frozen. My mind was spinning. I saw the laughter at school again. The cruel stares. The whispers that cut deep. I saw Ayden’s face. He had laughed at me too.

My lips shook. I swallowed hard. Then, with unsteady steps, I climbed into the car.

Victor’s look hardened. He was pleased. His voice was short. “Good.”

The car ate up the dark road. Its engine was a low sound in the quiet night. I sat in the back. My wet clothes were cold on the leather seat. Jaxon drove without a word. His big hands were firm on the wheel. Victor was like a statue next to me. His eyes looked straight ahead. He never blinked. He never moved.

I hugged my own arms. I tried to stop the shivering. It came from inside me, not from the cold. I made my voice come out. It was small but clear.

“Where are we going?”

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

“Why?” I asked.

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

My throat felt tight. I 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. It was softer than Victor’s. “You’re safe now. Safer than you were on that bridge.”

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

Victor’s voice cut through the car. It was 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.”

I 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. It turned through big iron gates. A huge house stood in front of us. Bright lights made it look like a castle. My breath caught in my chest.

“This is your house?” I asked.

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

The inside was huge. The floor was shiny black stone. My bare feet were quiet on the cold floor. I held my 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.

My body went stiff. I looked from the man to Victor and back. “A doctor?” I asked.

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

My 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.”

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

Victor’s eyes got sharper. “You will wake up. But not as Emily.”

The room was very quiet. I lifted my 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 me from the side. His voice was rough. “You got more guts than most.”

I shook my 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. I touched it with my fingers. My hand shook, but I did not pull it back.

I 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, I lay down on the table. It was cold through my thin clothes. Jaxon stood by the wall. His arms were crossed. He was watching.

I looked at Victor. My 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.”

I 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 my nose and mouth. “Breathe in,” he said softly.

I took a breath. My eyes felt heavy. The last thing I thought before the dark took me was: A second chance.

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

I moved my dry lips. “Am I… alive?”

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