friend’s wife. He saw the concern and the worry, and he couldn’t keep it in anymore.
He told her the whole story. The contract and Harry. What had happened in the aftermath. How Scarlet despised everything about him. “I don’t get it. I was prepared to give her the world.”
Lily sat silently at his side staring out at the sea of people dancing and laughing. “Let me get this straight. You cornered Scarlet into signing a contract to screw her body for a week, and in return you’d pay her money which would supply all medical professionals and care for Harry?”
“Yes.” He hoped for some form of explanation into the female mind.
“And that’s different from what Wayne did to me because?”
He glared at her and thought about what she said. “Wayne was trapping you into marriage.”
“As opposed to being trapped in a loveless physical relationship that wouldn’t last any longer than a week?”
“You make it sound bad,” he said.
“No. The fact that it is bad is the reason it sounds bad. I can’t believe, when you were so against what Wayne did to me, you did worse than that with Scarlet. At least he offered me marriage. You didn’t offer her anything.” Lily sipped her water.
“I offered her money.”
“Yes, and from where I stood she loved spending the damn stuff,” Lily said sarcastically.
“What else could I have offered her?” he asked. “If you’re so bloody wise, tell me.”
“With everything she went through with that scumbag and the way she looked at you, I’d say she would have been happier with your love. If you ask me, Scarlet doesn’t know what it means to be loved. I saw the way she stared at me and Wayne at that casino.” She paused as Opal came over.
“Hi, big brother.” Opal embraced him before kissing Lily on the cheek. “Where’s Scarlet?”
“She stayed at home with Harry.” When his sister was about to ask more questions his mother called her over.
“You’ll regret letting her go, Richard.”
He didn’t need Lily to tell him how he’d feel. Being alone at night killed him. He couldn’t even face going to his penthouse anymore because of the memories of her. Hours were spent gazing down at the engagement ring he’d bought her.
Richard drank his whisky and watched his parents. They didn’t stand close together, no hands touched. His father stared off in the distance staring at the driveway.
Did he want this from his life? To have a stuck-up old fish as a wife and forever to want someone else?
He swigged his whisky and stared at his friends when Wayne came back. Opal was being introduced to a man older than she. He recognised him as Charles Clarke, another man from his parents’ society.
Another glass of whisky was swung back.
This would be his life without Scarlet.
Chapter Twelve
On Monday morning, Richard watched from his office as Scarlet gathered her belongings. A few of the other office workers came to wish her goodbye. She smiled at them and continued to gather her things. He couldn’t watch this. With every item she placed in the brown boxes a punch landed directly over his heart.
He fucking hated this. Erratic fingers ran through his hair, and he watched her fish out her keys and come to his office.
She didn’t look at him or say any words as the keys to the files and office landed on his desk.
“Please, don’t go,” he asked. He’d promised himself while he fought for sleep last night he wouldn’t beg or plead for her to stay. The thought of losing her wasn’t as powerful as physically watching her leave.
How could he cope without seeing her every morning? Take away all the sex and everything he’d forced on her, and his life wouldn’t be worth living. Very dramatic for a man of his age and his standing. Being alone he could deal with, as long as he could see Scarlet every day. Ever since she’d begun working for them, he’d lived his life begging for the next smile or touch.
Without even realising it,
He told her the whole story. The contract and Harry. What had happened in the aftermath. How Scarlet despised everything about him. “I don’t get it. I was prepared to give her the world.”
Lily sat silently at his side staring out at the sea of people dancing and laughing. “Let me get this straight. You cornered Scarlet into signing a contract to screw her body for a week, and in return you’d pay her money which would supply all medical professionals and care for Harry?”
“Yes.” He hoped for some form of explanation into the female mind.
“And that’s different from what Wayne did to me because?”
He glared at her and thought about what she said. “Wayne was trapping you into marriage.”
“As opposed to being trapped in a loveless physical relationship that wouldn’t last any longer than a week?”
“You make it sound bad,” he said.
“No. The fact that it is bad is the reason it sounds bad. I can’t believe, when you were so against what Wayne did to me, you did worse than that with Scarlet. At least he offered me marriage. You didn’t offer her anything.” Lily sipped her water.
“I offered her money.”
“Yes, and from where I stood she loved spending the damn stuff,” Lily said sarcastically.
“What else could I have offered her?” he asked. “If you’re so bloody wise, tell me.”
“With everything she went through with that scumbag and the way she looked at you, I’d say she would have been happier with your love. If you ask me, Scarlet doesn’t know what it means to be loved. I saw the way she stared at me and Wayne at that casino.” She paused as Opal came over.
“Hi, big brother.” Opal embraced him before kissing Lily on the cheek. “Where’s Scarlet?”
“She stayed at home with Harry.” When his sister was about to ask more questions his mother called her over.
“You’ll regret letting her go, Richard.”
He didn’t need Lily to tell him how he’d feel. Being alone at night killed him. He couldn’t even face going to his penthouse anymore because of the memories of her. Hours were spent gazing down at the engagement ring he’d bought her.
Richard drank his whisky and watched his parents. They didn’t stand close together, no hands touched. His father stared off in the distance staring at the driveway.
Did he want this from his life? To have a stuck-up old fish as a wife and forever to want someone else?
He swigged his whisky and stared at his friends when Wayne came back. Opal was being introduced to a man older than she. He recognised him as Charles Clarke, another man from his parents’ society.
Another glass of whisky was swung back.
This would be his life without Scarlet.
Chapter Twelve
On Monday morning, Richard watched from his office as Scarlet gathered her belongings. A few of the other office workers came to wish her goodbye. She smiled at them and continued to gather her things. He couldn’t watch this. With every item she placed in the brown boxes a punch landed directly over his heart.
He fucking hated this. Erratic fingers ran through his hair, and he watched her fish out her keys and come to his office.
She didn’t look at him or say any words as the keys to the files and office landed on his desk.
“Please, don’t go,” he asked. He’d promised himself while he fought for sleep last night he wouldn’t beg or plead for her to stay. The thought of losing her wasn’t as powerful as physically watching her leave.
How could he cope without seeing her every morning? Take away all the sex and everything he’d forced on her, and his life wouldn’t be worth living. Very dramatic for a man of his age and his standing. Being alone he could deal with, as long as he could see Scarlet every day. Ever since she’d begun working for them, he’d lived his life begging for the next smile or touch.
Without even realising it,
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