Chapter 231 Save him from himself.

Chapter 231 Save him from himself.
CHAPTER 231
Save him from himself.
SCARLETT

“I need to take a walk.” I glance at the drip.

She gets a nurse who helps me with all the drips. Eve holds my arm and steadies me carefully. My feet are a little swollen, which makes me pause. Pregnancy symptoms that I never noticed because I was stuck in survival mod,e but now, I’m safe, or I am supposed to be. How can I ever be safe when Emiliano is still out there? How? He hangs over my head because any moment I can find myself back in hell, but I will not go quietly. I clawed my way out and do not intend to go back there, no matter what. 

“Where are we?” I ask as she helps me out of the door.

“Poland. You are safe here. You are always safe.” She assures me, and I nod slowly.

Poland. What an odd choice, but I know it had to be somewhere we could disappear. Will I ever go back to New York? Do I even want to go back there? Is this supposed to be a clean slate for me? Who am I here? Scarlett or Rose? Or an entirely different person?

“Do you want to see our friends? They are excited to see you.” She smiles at me, eyes twinkling.

“They’re here? All of them?” I frown, confused.

“Everyone.” She nods, excited.

We walk down the hallways. I spot the security cameras easily, as well as the security guards hanging out in every nook and cranny.

“Is this one of Luca’s hideouts, or Mei’s?” I ask, impressed by the security measures. It puts me at ease.

“No, this is Roman’s. He prepared everything immediately after you were taken. He knew you would come back home and wanted you to be comfortable.” She explains and opens a door. I stand there, looking down the hallways. I should be with my husband right now, holding his hands or something, but –

“Scarlett?” 

I turn towards the room and see everyone standing there. Everyone – Luca, Adeline, Liam, Jun, Mei, Damian, Elena, Caleb, and Bastian. They’re all shades of messed up. Liam had a bandage around his midriff, Luca had one around his arm, and Jun's left palm was bandaged. The air smells so familiar, like home. Adeline has abandoned her elegance and is wearing a mismatched sweatsuit and pants, which makes me comfortable because I feel like shit. 

They’re staring at me as if I were a cannonball waiting to go off.

“Hi.” I smile, trying not to cry. 

Emiliano counted on me being alone, but I am not alone. I have not been alone for a while. I have a family, one he can’t take from me. 

“C … can I touch you?” Adeline sniffs, nose turning red.

I nod, as my vision blurs. She throws her arm around me, pulling me into a tight hug. She holds me tenderly, sobbing against my hair. “You look so different now, Scarlett, and you’re pregnant! I hope I glow this much when I am pregnant.” She stares at me, with tears clinging to her lashes.

I swat her off, “Don’t flatter me.”

Elena basically shoves her out of the way and hugs me tight without saying a word. Damian kisses my forehead and hugs me, too. The hug is never-ending. Caleb holds me for a moment longer, and only when his shoulders shake do I realise he’s crying. I start crying immediately, too, my lungs constricting. He rubs my arms and kisses my cheeks. “Fuck, Scarlett, I don’t know what to say.” 

I laugh softly, “Yeah, me too.”

“How do you feel?” Luca leads me to a stool, and I nod, “I’m okay. Any details from Roman?”

Bastian nods, “Yes, yes. The surgery went well, and you should be able to see him soon. Do you need me to get you water, a heating pad, or … food?” He falls over his words, cheeks flushed.

I shake my head and look at Liam. “You’re alive.”

“Disappointed?” He narrows his gaze at me, amused.

“I guess we’ll find out.” I smile and turn to Mei.

She’s staring at me as if she can’t quite figure me out.

“I’m not quite sure what to make of you, Rosaline. You remind me of Helen of Troy, the face that launched a thousand ships. I can see why Roman lost his sanity.” She utters softly, and my smile falls.

The tension thickens in the room immediately, and I clench my jaw. Roman lost his mind. I could tell from how he moved, the way he killed those men, the way he shoved a blade straight into Emiliano’s eye, the rage in him. The question is – will he find his way back to me, or have I lost him forever? 

“How many people has he killed?” I ask Luca.

He shakes his head, “I don’t think … you cannot just ask that question and judge the entire situation from that. You need to understand that you were taken away from him on a day that should have been the happiest. You were gone, and he was left behind with the memories and losses. He tried to function properly, to be a businessman, but come on, Scarlett, did you really think he would hold it together for long? You were in Mexico, in hell, with that bastard. There was no way of reaching you. You were out of his reach, and he did what he had to do.” He expresses himself passionately, defending himself.

“I … I just,” I sigh, heart aching heavily. “I just wanted him to be fine.”

“Well, he wasn’t, and he murdered a lot of people.” Caleb scoffs. “I murdered a lot of people, too, but I was able to tame the rage in me because I had Eve. He had no one. He wanted you, and nothing could keep him from you. For the few minutes that Eve was missing, I know how I felt, so all I have is a little understanding because you were gone for weeks. It is unrealistic to expect him to hold on to his sanity. You are back now, and you just have to bring him back.”

“How am I supposed to do that?” I frown, running my hands through my hair in frustration. 

“By being you. You are here, you’re safe, and that makes all the difference. He saved you, and it is your turn to save him from himself.” Adeline rasps fondly.