Chapter 4

Scarlet woke up with a rumbling feeling in her stomach. It occurred to her that she hadn't eaten anything last night. Immediately after her eyes locked with Adrian's last night, she rushed back into her room.

She sat up again to reason. But had he really seen her? She couldn't help but doubt the implausibility of it, or perhaps it was just her imagining things. She got down from the bed and ambled out of her room, and in the hallway, she saw some of the maids strutting about busily. They greeted her, curtsying.

"Have you seen my mom this morning?” She asked one of them.

"Yes, madam, she left for a quick trip this morning.” The maid answered with both her hands brought loyally forward.

Scarlett smirked; it wasn’t surprising to her anymore. Her mother was never around; she was always leaving, always heading somewhere.

Which was the reason she preferred staying in the penthouse when she resumed college, even though the main house was just four hour's drive from it.

The penthouse was her 18th birthday gift. She will never forget the event of thirteen years ago. She was just five at the time, yet the memories still lay hazy, yet she fastened to her seat of remembrance. It was about some months after her father died, and their family lawyer had gathered them together to read her father’s will.

"He willed everything to Scarlett. Everything." The lawyer kept repeating, bearing the white piece of paper in his hand. As young as she was then, she knew what it meant to be given everything; that wasn’t quite hard not to crack, even for a five-year-old.

Indeed, she was her father’s heiress; everything was given to her, from the estates to the companies, and all other thinkable assets were all willed to her name, except the money that was given to his family and foundation.

She remembered the look of deprivation her mother had worn and how she kept saying,

"So you’re saying George left nothing for me after all the years we shared?"

The lawyer’s answer had been firm and concise: "Yes, he did not.”

So when the lawyer requested that Scarlett choose who she would like to manage her company pending the time she comes of age, she gladly chose her mom without hesitation.

***

She heard a knock on the door to her room. "Madam Scarlett, food is ready; may I come in?”

“Come in,” she said.

The door creaked open as the maid entered, bearing the shiny silvery tray that had plates studded with oatmeal and waffle nachos. She seemed to look around for a stool, but Scarlett waved her hand and said,

“Don’t worry, serve it on the bed."

The maid nodded respectfully and did as told, and before she could turn to leave, Scarlett added,

“Tell the others I said you guys can leave; I don’t think I’ll be needing you around in the meantime.”

The maid nodded respectfully again before she finally turned to leave, gently closing the door.

Scarlett sighed. It was better if they left, working or not working; they get their salary monthly anyway. They were only around when her mom was around.

So it was better if it remained like that. She readjusted to eat. After the meal, she kept the empty plates in a corner on the floor and rearranged the sheets. When she felt it was comfortable enough, she jumped on the bed and brought out her phone. The first thing her mind could think of was to check out Adrian on social media and see if he was registered on any of the available platforms.

She typed Adrian Hartfield into the search box on Fa***ook, clicked send, and gasped when numerous hot pictures of him got splattered on her screen.

“He’s so perfect.” She couldn’t help whispering to herself, looking by the side of her shoulder to see if anyone was close by, even when she knew no one was. She continued to scroll down; the lower she scrolled, the hotter the pictures became. She felt a surge of hormones internally. She dipped her hand beneath her skirt to confirm that she was getting wet. Then she brought out her vibrator from under her pillow and started to rub herself while at the same time checking the pictures. 

The more she did this, the more her mind kept going back to yesterday night: how Adrian had flipped her mom over, his wild thrusts, his monstrous efficient dick, his sensational bites, and suckers. She rolled over from side to side, desperately wanting to feel everything that her mother felt when Adrian was slamming into her. A moan escaped her lips as she moved the vibrator up and down her clitoris. 

The vibrator was now digging into her. She pressed her nipple and imagined it was his strong hands that were grabbing and touching her the same way they did the night she met him. She did not know when Adrian’s name escaped her lips.

“Fuck me… Adrian… Adrian…ah…ah.” She was still lost in ecstasy, moaning with his name when she heard someone shout.

“What the fuck are you doing?”

She flinched and pulled the bedsheets over herself.

“Can’t you knock?” She shouted back, trying to gather herself.

“Sorry, I mean, I did, but I got no answer.” Adrian defended.

Then there was a moment of silence between the two of them. Adrian was gazing straight at Scarlett, while Scarlett, who was obviously aware of his inquisitive stare, looked away.

“Why were you calling my name while touching yourself?” Adrian asked with a furrowed brow.

Scarlett glanced at him and looked away again while this was going on. She grabbed her phone and skillfully slipped it under the bedsheets to hide it.

“I thought you left with my mom.” Scarlett finally opened her mouth to say.

“Scarlett, I love your mom, and I’m very serious about getting married to her."

Adrian stated, not changing his gaze nor following up on her previous statement.

She looked him over again. She wanted to ask if he was indeed pretending not to know her, but what she ended up asking was:

“Where did you spend your Saturday night?”

“Saturday night? And why would you want to know that?”

“Just answer, Adrian.” She insisted, fixing her gaze on him this time and being mindful of his gestures.

He threw his hands casually in the air and said,

"I don’t know, what else do people do on Saturdays apart from drinking in a stupor with friends and making silly jokes with friends?"

'Lily was right; he was indeed drunk.' Scarlett thought, clicking her fingers at this new realization.

“So you mean you were out drinking?" She stressed the question again, inwardly urging him to remember the experience. But his reply was again just as casual and innocent.

“Yeah, I guess you’ve found another reason to hate me now."

When Scarlett discovered that he had forgotten their short encounter, she changed her line of argument.

"Fine, but I maintain that she’s far older than you; she’s 43."

“True, but that’s what I want; I don’t do young girls; I prefer mature women, just like your mom.” Adrian maintained.

Was he lying again, or was he so drunk that he couldn’t choose? Would he have refused to approach if he had been sober on that day? She thought and decided to ask if he was indeed a player; she wouldn’t mind even if he was.

“Is it because of the money? Be candid with me. How much is she giving you? Tell me. You know all that money belongs to me, right?”

“What do you mean? Like, what are you trying to say?” Adrian returned to looking inquisitive again.

“Name your price. Adrian, just leave my mom. I don’t know how you’ll do it but just do it. I will give you whatever you need.” Scarlett proposed, sounding desperate.

“In exchange for what?” Adrian inquired with raised eyebrows.

“In exchange for…you know…someone as young as you are.”

“Like you? You are 18. Did you calculate the difference?” Adrian followed up in a low voice. When she didn’t answer. He sighed and started to walk towards her, then sat on the bed. Scarlett’s heart wanted to explode; this was the second time he was getting this close to her. He touched her shoulder; she closed her eyes and opened them, fighting the urge not to shiver at the familiar firmness of his touch and the urge to kiss him.

Adrian’s phone rang at that moment, then he got up and said, “Give me a minute, please; let me quickly take this one.”

Scarlett nodded as she watched him proceed to the hallway to take the call.

She whispered a quiet “Fuck it. This is starting to piss me off.”

She was still waiting for him when the door creaked open again, and he came in.

Now wearing a very cold, blank expression. Then he started to speak; it felt like doing a recitation.

“Like I said before, I don’t do young girls; they are inexperienced. I am getting married to your mom, and I will be your stepdad. Get yourself together.”

With that, he left her room.

Scarlett could hear her heart beating so fast as he fired those words at her.

No man had ever made her feel that way, and despite all she knew, she was still not ready to give up on him.

“My name is Scarlett, and I don’t take no for an answer.” She mumbled to herself stubbornly. She was determined to bed him, even if it was just for one night.