Scarletâs wrist was bandaged from the slashes sheâd made in her desperation to drown out the emotional agony with physical pain.An IV was dripped into her arm.Her mother, Eva Thompson, sat beside her, eyes red and puffy, clutching her hand tightly.âYouâre awake,â she choked out, tears spilling down her cheeks. âOh, thank God.âScarlet hissed bitterly, then turned away, shame and anger bubbling inside her.They should have just let her die!She didnât want pity.She didnât want comfort.She wanted only Sebastian.She wanted her life back.âSweetheart, why?â her mother whispered. âWhy would you do this to yourself?âScarletâs lips parted, but no words came. She had nothing to say.How could she explain the emptiness, the rage, the obsession that consumed her?That Kourtney had taken everything, and Scarlet had nothing left: nothing but the burning need to reclaim what was hers.âScarlet,â her mother said again, squeezing her hand. âYou really scared us so much. What would people say
The front door creaked open, and Jamie, Sebastianâs assistant, stepped inside, freezing mid-stride. His eyes widened, his tablet nearly slipping from his hands as he took in the scene.Okay! This is awkward!The sudden intrusion shattered the spell, and Kourtney squeaked. Her face turned tomato-red as she scrambled to sit up straighter, smoothing her dress in a futile attempt to look composed.Jamie had walked in just in time to see them smooching and making out shamelessly on the living room couch. She felt a little embarrassed.Sebastian, on the other hand, looked ready to fire someone. âJamie,â he said, his voice dangerously calm, âthis better be good.âAs usual, Sebastianâs reaction was different. His face was filled with annoyance as if he had just been denied his favorite cookie. It was obvious he hated being interrupted like this, especially when he was having a good time with his wife.Jamie better have a damn good reason for barging in here.Meanwhile, Jamieâs mouth opened an
âSo⊠did you miss me that much?â Kourtney asked as she stared deep into his icy blue eyes while playing with his left ear.Sebastian chuckled, a dark, sinful sound.âBaby, you have no idea what you do to me.â His voice was a low rumble, sending shivers down her spine.She bit her lip, trying to hide how much his words affected her.His gaze dropped to her lips, then lower, taking in the way her dress hugged her curves. âHow am I supposed to focus on anything else when youâre sitting here, driving me wild?âThe villaâs grand living room, with its high ceilings and polished marble floors, seemed to fade into the background, the servantsâ quiet movements barely registering. It was just the two of them, caught in a bubble that made her skin tingle.âYouâre not exactly subtle, Mr. Woods.âSebastianâs grin widened, his voice glinting with that dangerous, playful edge that always made her âwaterâ down there. âSubtle? Never been my style, Mrs. Woods.âHis hands slid up her sides, slow and del
The servants standing close by were all putting on a straight face. Kourtney wondered if they weren't paying any attention to her conversation with Lilian. Or maybe, they were just so good at pretending they weren't.Whatever the case may be, she suspected that it was the latter.âHe what?? Donât leave me hanging! Did he sweep you off your feet? Did he growl at the paparazzi like a sexy caveman? I need details!â Lilian was screaming into the phone now, so much so that Kourtney had to turn down the volume, not wanting the servants to hear her.For a split second, she thought she had gone deaf from the screams.âYouâre too much. Letâs just say he made it clear Iâm âhis.ââOoh, possessive billionaire vibes!â Lilian said dreamily. âOkay, weâre meeting on Wednesday at our favorite Coffee shop by 5 p.m. I need to see your famous face in person. Remember, you also need to get your glam up and take more photos. We have to make plans.ââDone,â Kourtney agreed, her heart lighter.She loved the
Scarletâs grip on the blade loosened, and it slipped from her fingers, clattering to the floor.Her body hit the ground along with it.Her motherâs cries grew distant, toned down, like they were coming from underwater.âScarlet!â her brother roared, his voice barely reaching her. âHold on, weâre coming in!âShe wanted to tell them to stop, to leave her alone, but her lips wouldnât move. Her body felt weightless, like she was floating.The last thing she saw was the blood pooling around her wrist. The last thing she heard was her motherâs scream as the door finally gave way, splintering under her familyâs intense force.And then, darkness.***********Serenity Villa.Kourtney sank into the plush velvet couch in the sprawling living room, her legs stretched out, toes wiggling in cozy socks. The room was a masterpiece of luxury, yet, despite the magnificence, it was actually the people who made this place feel like a palace to her.Her favorite cherry cola drink sat fizzing in a crystal
âKourtney,â Scarlet hissed, the name tasting like poison on her tongue.This was personal.The comparisons, the discussionâthey all stung like hell. But more than anything, she hated the fact that Sebastian was indeed legally married to that woman.Scarlet felt like she was going crazy.It could have been anyone else and she was pretty sure it wouldn't have hurt this much.Why her?Last night at the Gala, sheâd felt a flicker of triumph when Kourtney was being humiliated during the announcement. Scarlet hadnât needed to lift a fingerâKourtney was crumbling on her own.But then Sebastian had stormed forward, his presence commanding the room. Heâd wrapped her in his arms, his voice booming with pride as he called her his wife. The crowd had erupted, and Scarletâs world had shattered.She remembered the moment vividly. The way his eyes sought her out, the way he had rushed to defend her honor when the odds turned against her on stage. Sebastianâs powerful aura had shielded her from the w