\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 68 A Promise of Trust\u00a0<\/p>\n
Finished\u00a0<\/p>\n
Nolan understood that Scarlett\u2019s actions stemmed from concern for him, but the thought of her demeaning herself on his behalf was equally unbearable.\u00a0<\/p>\n
He took her hand firmly in his. \u201cI need to speak with you,\u201d he said, his tone leaving no room for refusal.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Scarlett offered no resistance and allowed him to lead her away from the car.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Damian squinted as he watched Scarlett walk away, a slow, predatory smirk spreading across his face. \u201cRemember, sweetheart, if you ever change your mind, my line is always open for you. I\u2019ll come running anytime you call,\u201d he shouted after them.\u00a0<\/p>\n
He threw his head back and laughed, a loud, unrestrained sound, then leaned further out the window to add, \u201cAnd darling, you looked absolutely adorable back there, closing your eyes like you were waiting for my\u00a0<\/p>\n
kiss.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Scarlett quickened her pace to keep up with Nolan, but Damian\u2019s wild, arrogant laughter seemed to chase them, sending a cold shiver down her spine and raising goosebumps on her skin.\u00a0<\/p>\n
It wasn\u2019t until they had rounded a corner and put significant distance between them that his taunting voice finally faded.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Nolan stopped walking and turned to face Scarlett. \u201cScarlett, is it that you don\u2019t trust me?\u201d he asked, a note of hurt underlying his words.\u00a0<\/p>\n
He had assured her more than once that Daniel and the others would be the ones begging for his return to the hospital.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Yet, Scarlett never seemed to fully accept his assurances at face value.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Seeing the clear disappointment in Nolan\u2019s eyes, Scarlett quickly explained, her voice laced with worry, \u201cNo, it\u2019s not that I don\u2019t trust you! It\u2019s just\u2026 this entire situation is my fault. I felt responsible, so I thought I should-\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Nolan didn\u2019t let her finish. He gently took hold of her arms, his gaze intense and sincere as he looked directly into her eyes. \u201cScarlett, please, just trust me this one time. I promise you, I can handle this.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Faced with his unwavering conviction, Scarlett finally relented. She offered him a small, trusting smile. \u201cOkay. I trust you.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
A genuine smile finally curved Nolan\u2019s lips. \u201cYou won\u2019t have to wait long to see it resolved.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Scarlett nodded, a tangible sense of relief washing over her.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Nolan hadn\u2019t been born into privilege or power. Every achievement was the result of his own relentless hard work and academic dedication.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Scarlett had no concrete idea what method he would employ to rectify the situation, but his absolute self- assurance was contagious, and she found herself wanting to believe him completely.\u00a0<\/p>\n
1\/3\u00a0<\/p>\n
18:06 Thu, Jan 8\u00a0<\/p>\n
(54)\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 68 A Promise of Trust\u00a0<\/p>\n
Finished\u00a0<\/p>\n
At Ravenshade Villa\u2019s study, Vincent stared at his now-dark phone screen, a peculiar, simmering frustration coiling tightly in his chest.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The memory of Scarlett\u2019s soft, involuntary gasp over the phone replayed in his mind, causing his eyes to narrow dangerously.\u00a0<\/p>\n
If Daniel\u2019s intelligence was accurate, the man she was with tonight was none other than Damian.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Scarlett could choose to associate with virtually anyone else, but Damian was the one exception-the one man completely off-limits.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Driven by this thought, Vincent snatched up his phone again and dialed Abbott.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cLocate Scarlett. Immediately,\u201d he commanded, his voice clipped.\u00a0<\/p>\n
He didn\u2019t wait for a reply, abruptly ending the call.\u00a0<\/p>\n
A short while later, Abbott called back.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Vincent answered instantly, only to hear, \u201cMr. Stewart, I\u2019m unable to track Mrs. Stewart\u2019s current location.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Vincent was silent for a beat, then issued a new order. \u201cThen track Damian.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Abbott called back a second time. \u201cMr. Langley\u2019s location is also untraceable.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
This news only served to fuel Vincent\u2019s anger. He didn\u2019t waste further words on Abbott, simply hanging up and immediately dialing Scarlett\u2019s number directly.\u00a0<\/p>\n
He let it ring once, then hung up. A moment later, he initiated a video call instead.\u00a0<\/p>\n
*****\u00a0<\/p>\n
Scarlett had just entered her temporary room when her phone screen lit up. Distracted, she didn\u2019t check to see if it was a regular call or a video request-her finger simply swiped to answer by accident.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Suddenly, Vincent\u2019s face filled her screen, his expression dark and intense, his gaze almost predatory. Scarlett frowned, irritation evident on her features. \u201cWhat is it now?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Seeing that Scarlett was fully and properly dressed, the boiling rage within Vincent cooled and subsided almost instantly.\u00a0<\/p>\n
His voice was noticeably calmer when he spoke again. \u201cWhat are you doing right now?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Scarlett found his behavior strange and evasive. \u201cJust tell me what you want, Vincent,\u201d she replied, unwilling to engage in small talk.\u00a0<\/p>\n
His voice took on a familiar, commanding chill. \u201cReturn tomorrow morning. Make breakfast for Vanessa.\u201d Annoyance sharpened Scarlett\u2019s tone. \u201cI already told you, I\u2019m not coming back tomorrow.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Even though they were face-to-face on the screen, Scarlett pointedly avoided looking directly at Vincent. Vincent, meanwhile, used the video feed to subtly scan her surroundings, his eyes searching for any sign of\u00a0<\/p>\n
2\/3\u00a0<\/p>\n
111\u00a0<\/p>\n
O\u00a0<\/p>\n
<\u00a0<\/p>\n
18:06 Thu, Jan 8 \u2013\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 68 A Promise of Trust\u00a0<\/p>\n
another presence in the room.\u00a0<\/p>\n
54\u00a0<\/p>\n
Finished\u00a0<\/p>\n
But it was Scarlett\u2019s dismissive, impatient reply that finally ignited his temper. \u201cScarlett!\u201d he barked, raising his voice in an attempt to intimidate her, a tactic that had often worked in the past.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Scarlett simply sat on the edge of her narrow bed and placed the phone on the nightstand, angling it so she moved completely out of the camera\u2019s frame.\u00a0<\/p>\n
With her no longer visible, Vincent\u2019s frustration began to simmer anew. He realized, with a pang of something akin to nostalgia, that he still preferred the old Scarlett-the one who had always been so attentive and compliant.\u00a0<\/p>\n
This new, defiant version of her was a constant source of aggravation.\u00a0<\/p>\n
On her end, Scarlett had visibly composed herself. Her voice was much softer, almost gentle, when she next spoke. \u201cVincent, raising your voice doesn\u2019t automatically make you right, you know.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Noticing the change in her tone, Vincent dropped his aggressive posture. His voice lowered, becoming almost quiet. \u201cJust come back tomorrow. There\u2019s something I need to discuss with you in person.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Scarlett\u2019s reply was firm. \u201cIf you have something to say, you can say it over the phone.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
She leaned back against the hard headboard, determined not to look at Vincent\u2019s face on the screen, nor to grant him the view of hers.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Between the two of them, unless it was absolutely unavoidable, she saw no need for any further face-to-face\u00a0<\/p>\n
encounters.\u00a0<\/p>\n
1.0K\u00a0<\/p>\n
3\/3\u00a0<\/p>\n
Awakened Housewife: Ignore Betrayer\u2019s Begs\u00a0<\/p>\n
Silent Dreams Never Die \u2014 Author: John Miller 68 \u00a0 Chapter 68 A Promise of Trust\u00a0 Finished\u00a0 Nolan understood that […]<\/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":[81],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-27432","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-the-impossible-condition-novel"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27432","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=27432"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27432\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=27432"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=27432"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=27432"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}