Chapter 6\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cYou shouldn\u2019t finalize the divorce so quickly. What if he actually fights for the inheritance? You have to milk him for all the alimony!\u201d Lucy exclaimed.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Scarlet could practically sense her greed, and she shut Lucy down instantly. \u201cIt\u2019s ten at night, Lucy. Stop daydreaming! I already signed a prenup with him!\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cDamn it!\u201d Lucy\u2019s dream of becoming a billionaire instantly went up in smoke. She complained, \u201cWell, then I hope he doesn\u2019t get any of the inheritance. It sucks that you don\u2019t get a cut!\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Scarlet had no clue what William was planning.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Arthur had been dropping hints about stepping down recently. From what Scarlet understood, the plan was for the eldest son, Julian Cooper, to take the reins of the family empire. William\u2019s quiet return to the country right at this sensitive turning point had naturally triggered a wave of speculation.\u00a0<\/p>\n
However, William had always been close with Julian. Besides, his own private equity firm, Bova Capital, had been quite successful over the years.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Scarlet found it hard to believe that the two brothers would go against each other. She couldn\u2019t help but wonder why he was back. It was probably to finalize the divorce. He must be eager to end their marriage.\u00a0<\/p>\n
A few minutes later, Lucy headed off to the restroom. Scarlet was hunched over her plate, focused on her food, when she heard someone say, \u201cSmall world, isn\u2019t it?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
She looked up and saw Silas Brooke entering the bar while holding a woman in his arms. Silas was William\u2019s childhood best\u00a0<\/p>\n
friend.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Silas instinctively glanced toward the second-floor lounge, a strange look flickering across his face for a split second. \u201cAre you here on your own?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m here with Lucy. It\u2019s such a coincidence to see you here,\u201d Scarlet said.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cJust a few friends getting together,\u201d Silas replied briefly. He made no move to invite her up.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Scarlet wasn\u2019t particularly close to him, so after a brief, awkward small talk, the conversation died. Silas gave a polite nod and led his date upstairs.\u00a0<\/p>\n
It wasn\u2019t long before Lucy came charging back, her expression grim. \u201cYou\u2019ll never guess who I just saw!\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Scarlet joked, \u201cThe fairy godmother?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Lucy was in no mood for jokes. \u201cYour husband!\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Scarlet\u2019s hand froze. No wonder Silas had looked so shifty.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s up there with a whole group of women dressed so scantily! That scumbag. No wonder he\u2019s never home. He\u2019s out fooling around with other women. The man has zero morals!\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cYou must have him confused with someone else. He never had any morals to begin with,\u201d Scarlet said, acting like it didn\u2019t bother her as she ate her fries.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Scarlet had spent her afternoon getting lectured by his mother while he was out having fun. The realization made Lucy\u2019s blood boil. \u201cHe\u2019s been back for what, five minutes? And he\u2019s already hitting the town? Is Amriva a desert or something? Is he just that desperate for attention?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cForget about him. Just drink up!\u201d Scarlet said.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Lucy wasn\u2019t as calm as Scarlet. She kept glancing up at the second floor, getting more worked up by the second. Finally, she slammed her glass down and stood up.\u00a0<\/p>\n
X CLOSE\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 6\u00a0<\/p>\n
2\/3\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI have to go to the bathroom again.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
She was going to the bathroom so frequently, Scarlet thought she might need a trip to the doctor.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cYou might want to see a doctor about your bladder.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m fine! My bladders are in peak condition!\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cThen you definitely need a doctor, because humans only have one.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Lucy left before Scarlet could finish her sentence.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Less than two minutes later, a commotion broke out on the second floor. A security guard was trying to block the way.\u201d Ma\u2019am, this is a private lounge. You can\u2019t go in there!\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI can\u2019t go in? Why don\u2019t you ask the people inside if they have the balls to stop me!\u201d Lucy shoved the guard aside and stormed through the doors.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Scarlet froze for a second, then ran after her.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Before she even reached the door, she heard Lucy\u2019s voice dripping with sarcasm. \u201cOh, I\u2019m so sorry. I must have stumbled into the wrong room. But wait-you guys look so familiar! Why do you look exactly like my best friend\u2019s deadbeat husband and his idiot friends?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Scarlet was speechless.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Lucy was a loose cannon, and the men in that room weren\u2019t people to be messed with. They all came from powerful families. They could easily ruin her life if they wanted to.\u00a0<\/p>\n
For a split second, Scarlet wanted to turn around and leave Lucy to fend for herself. That was what best friends were for, right? They\u2019d buy you breakfast, but they wouldn\u2019t take a bullet for you. In a crisis, everyone would take care of themselves\u00a0<\/p>\n
first.\u00a0<\/p>\n
A deep, irritated voice rang out. \u201cLucy, what the hell is wrong with you? Why are you acting like a lunatic?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
It was Shaun, the black sheep of the Thompson family. He was spoiled, reckless, and had a nasty temper. He was easily the most dangerous of William\u2019s inner circle. He was currently lounging on a couch, glaring at Lucy.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ll show you what a lunatic is like!\u201d Lucy hadn\u2019t had much to drink, but she was fueled by pure rage. She had spotted William from the floor below and snapped, \u201cShow some respect when you\u2019re talking to me!\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cYou must be insane!\u201d Shaun smashed his glass on the ground and stood up.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Lucy crossed her arms and laughed. \u201cWhat? Are you going to hit me now? You\u2019d better think twice about that!\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cWhy you little\u2026\u201d Shaun walked up to her, his face dark. Scarlet stepped out from behind Lucy and pulled her back.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Shaun stopped dead in his tracks, the anger vanishing from his face. \u201cScarlet?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
At the mention of her name, the music and chatter in the room died down. Everyone turned toward the door.\u00a0<\/p>\n
William was holding a cigarette loosely between his fingers. His gaze drifted past Shaun and landed on Scarlet.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Scarlet was undeniably stunning. Even without makeup, her features were striking and elegant, perfectly balanced without a single flaw. Under the glow of the crystal chandeliers, her pale skin seemed to radiate a soft, ethereal light.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m sorry. She\u2019s had too much to drink. Don\u2019t take it personally,\u201d Scarlet said calmly.\u00a0<\/p>\n
If it had been anyone else, Shaun would have had them thrown out by now. He glanced back at William and forced himself to swallow his pride. \u201cWhatever. I don\u2019t waste my time on idiots.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Lucy opened her mouth to snap back, but Scarlet pinched her arm, turning the insult into a sharp yelp of pain.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 6\u00a0<\/p>\n
3\/3\u00a0<\/p>\n
Shaun looked away, still annoyed. \u201cSince you\u2019re both here, you might as well grab a drink and join us.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Scarlet looked over at William.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The scent of expensive liquor drifted through the air of the massive VIP suite. The room was decorated with champagne- colored chandeliers. The air itself felt more expensive than the lobby downstairs.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The table was covered in bottles of premium drinks that Scarlet couldn\u2019t even name. A circle of people sat on the oversized leather couch-half of them were wealthy heirs, and the other half were beautiful young women.\u00a0<\/p>\n
William was sitting on a black couch at the far end of the room with his legs crossed. His dark suit trousers emphasized his lean, powerful build.\u00a0<\/p>\n
A pretty woman sat beside him. Scarlet recognized her. She looked like the woman in the short skirt from the photos she had seen recently.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The moment Scarlet walked in, the relaxed atmosphere turned incredibly awkward.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cSo, this is what you meant when you said you were busy?\u201d Scarlet asked.\u00a0<\/p>\n
He was busy drinking and fooling around with women.\u00a0<\/p>\n
William rubbed his temple with the hand holding the cigarette. Through the hazy blue smoke, the faint smile on his lips held a touch of playful mockery.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve barely started having fun, and you\u2019ve already caught me. Are you following me?\u201d He sounded completely indifferent, as if ignoring her calls and staying away from home for days was no big deal.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cThen please, don\u2019t let me stop you. I\u2019ll just sit here until you\u2019re free,\u201d Scarlet said.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The room turned dead silent.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Shaun sat nearby, staring in disbelief. Silas kicked him under the table and hissed, \u201cYou moron! Why would you invite her to stay?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Shaun whispered back defensively, \u201cI was just being polite! How was I supposed to know she\u2019d actually do it?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Scarlet remained quiet. She didn\u2019t say another word or bother William. She sat a good distance away from him and started picking at a bowl of nuts.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Lucy hadn\u2019t expected Scarlet to stay either, and she felt a bit out of place at first. But that didn\u2019t last. Within minutes, she was whispering furiously to Scarlet while clutching a wine bottle.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is insane! Our entire table downstairs didn\u2019t cost as much as a single glass of whatever they\u2019re drinking up here.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cThen drink up,\u201d Scarlet said, handing her another bottle.\u00a0<\/p>\n
William had more money than he knew what to do with. Since they were here, they might as well enjoy the top-shelf liquor. \u201cWilliam, why are you ignoring me?\u201d the woman in the short skirt, Blair Porter, chirped in a sweet voice.\u00a0<\/p>\n
William leaned back, looking bored. His unfocused gaze didn\u2019t seem to land on anything in particular. \u201cI\u2019m tired.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cWhy don\u2019t I take you upstairs to a room so you can rest?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
The women in the room didn\u2019t know exactly who Scarlet was, but they could read the room. They guessed she was either his wife or girlfriend. But if William himself wasn\u2019t worried, they saw no reason to be.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 6\u00a0 \u201cYou shouldn\u2019t finalize the divorce so quickly. What if he actually fights for the inheritance? You have to […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-114","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-end-of-the-contractstart-of-his-obsession"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/114","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=114"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/114\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=114"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=114"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=114"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}