Chapter 3-WHEN THE PAST RINGS.

Four years later. 

Napa Valley- California.

Sunlight poured through the windows of Scarlett’s estate, dancing across the gleaming Italian floors. Outside, her home was nestled in between rows of lush vineyards that stretched into the hills like something out of a fairytale. A vintage crystal chandelier sparkled above her open-spaced living room and a grand staircase curved at the far end of the room.

The air was crisp ,perfumed with a faint mix of grapes, lavender and roses. 

Scarlett Monroe was no longer the ex wife who was forcefully divorced and sent away or the girl who had scrubbed tables in a rat-infested motel. She was now a self made billionaire and CEO of Monroe Luxe.Co - an elite interior branding company that catered to private jets, luxury hotels and billion-dollar real estate empires. She was wealthy!

Her phone buzzed on speaker as she leaned on the edge of her sleek marble counter. Roxy’s voice came through the line, now smoother but unmistakably her. Their friendship had grown so much stronger over the years and Scarlett had opened up to her about everything.

“So they actually sent a letter? What century is this?”

Scarlett smirked as she flipped the engraved envelope in her hand. Ashbourne family Estate. Sealed in wax. Of course they had to make it ceremonial.

“It arrived yesterday,“ Scarlett replied , walking over to the bar cart. She poured a glass of sparkling water with lemon for herself. “ Apparently, they want me to sign NDAs, some legal paperwork and ‘clarify my involvement’ in some of the family’s business. Whatever that means.”

Roxy scoffed “You think they’re being genuine?”

Scarlett fleered “ Nothing about that household is genuine Rox, they don’t move without deeper , personal reasons “

“Exactly! They want to look as neutral as possible. Professional. But mark my words my friend, they have bigger problems. Fire must be consuming them somewhere. You don’t go searching for a ghost out of nowhere. After four years!”

Scarlett was quiet for a long moment- thinking. The only sound was the breeze whooshing softly through the maple trees outside, “ Cassian offered to come with me” she finally said “As my fake fiancé”

“Tell me you said no”

“It’s not that simple, Roxy. These people ripped my father off everything he had and even had him marry me off to them to pay his debts. And after everything, they discarded me like used toilet paper. If this is my chance to get back at them for everything they put me through then I wouldn’t miss that opportunity “

Roxy paused for a moment “ I agree. So use Cassian as a shield? Do you trust him?”

Scarlett hesitated “ I mean, I trust him to a fault.”

Cassian Blackwell had walked into their lives when Roxy and Scarlett took a one way ticket to restart their lives in California. He had held Scarlett’s calloused palms with a baby about to be born inside her and invested in her dreams. He always told her he saw potential in her. He was her first investor in Monroe Luxe. Co, now among the top selling venture firms on the West Coast. 

He was also an enigma with his own empires. Ruthless in business, one of his Industries in Manhattan- Blackwell Industries was always a threat to the Ashbourne Empire .

“And what does dear Cassian get out of it?” Roxy asked. She had never really trusted Cassian completely but was entirely grateful to him for believing in Scarlett and changing their lives. It was Scarlett’s company that she now worked in- prim and polished.

“As far as I know, he’s just offering me protection. And since he has a business too in Manhattan, he wants to use the time to oversee things.”

“Hmm”, Roxy teased “Someone is in love with Miss Monroe, or should I say- Mrs.Blackwell “ she giggled.

“Stop it” Scarlett’s voice came with a warning but with an undertone of amusement “you know Cassian and I have always been professional. This is also business”

“Sorry Mrs. Blackwell. I mean-Miss Monroe” Roxy laughed harder, clearly enjoying messing with her good friend.

“What about my son?” Scarlett asked as she picked up a picture frame of her son from the counter. The image captured her little boy’s bright smile , his features unmistakably mirrored Grant’s.With jet black hair and long lashes and honey brown eyes that stared at her the same way Grant did before ripping her heart to pieces.

“ What about him? You already know he’s staying with me-his best aunty. Go do what you have to do if you feel it’s the right choice my friend, you know I support you.”

“What will I ever do without you Rox?”

“Well, excuse me?- nothing”

They both laughed when a soft chime rang through her home- a visitor. She glanced up at the camera feed on the tablet at the familiar black car.

“ Oh my! I totally forgot I was meeting with Cassian this morning.”

“What? He brought the ring?” Roxy laughed.

“Girl bye!”

Scarlett hung up and pressed a button on her smart home integration “ Gate one. Access Granted.”

Cassian grinned when Scarlett opened her front door, stepping inside like he owned the place “Still in a robe by 8 in the morning. Dear Scarlett, you must be living the perfect billionaire American dream.”

Scarlett shot him a look. Her tone was half amused, half weary “ Well, some of us don’t have board meetings at dawn, Cassian”

He grinned again and portrayed perfectly pearly white teeth. His sharp jawline caught the morning light , shadowed just enough to highlight the strong planes of his face. His perfectly tousled jet black hair hinted at his effortless style- he was handsome!

“ So straight to business. Are we doing this or not?”

“We are”, Scarlett walked into the kitchen and returned with a cup of coffee for him.

“They gave a date for the 17th. I heard Charles Ashbourne is being buried on the 14th. I say we show up that day instead. See what they’re really up to”

“I agree” Scarlett’s mind wandered “Charles is dead. There was something about his inheritance when I was married to Grant. Do you think that’s why they need me now? Maybe they don’t have an heir and know about Theodore?”

He leaned back on the sofa he sat , slow and calm “ That’s why I’m going with you, as your fiancé. They revere me and me being by your side with the woman you already are will give you all the power and control you need”

“Okay let’s do it” Scarlett agreed after one final thought.

“Cassian if you screw up, I’ll castrate you with a nail file “, Roxy’s voice sprang up from the tablet.

“I thought I hung that up”, Scarlett whispered to herself and ran to the tablet , slightly embarrassed.

But Cassian wasn’t angry at all. He laughed even “ Well good morning to you too Roxy “

Scarlett exhaled a laugh too as she finally hung up.

She tucked strands of her bob black hair behind her ears as she thought of the journey she was about to embark on.

She was walking back into the lion’s den but she wasn’t scared-her bite was even more deadly.