Chapter 39 Everything Will Be Fine
POV Scarlett:
“Noah…”
“We’re going home, princess. You’re going to lie in bed and watch Ethan’s rare movies while eating Liam’s expensive chocolates.” He opens the car door and helps me into the passenger seat. “And maybe later we’ll take a little shopping trip—with Damian’s card.”
“And Ethan? Liam?” I ask once he gets into the driver’s seat. “Aren’t they coming with us?”
“They’ll come later,” he says, speeding away. I glance back and see Ethan on the phone, Liam talking to my father.
“Everything’s going to be fine. Trust us.”
“What are you planning to do?” I ask, my voice shaking, afraid for my father.
“We’re going to put him in a rehab clinic,” Noah says as if it’s nothing, and I turn to him, stunned. “It’s obvious he’s an alcoholic. You can’t let him humiliate and hit you as if you did something wrong.”
Shame floods through me.
“How… how do you know?” I hadn’t told Damian about my problems—let alone my father’s drinking. In fact, I’d never told anyone.
“Shit!” Noah curses, drumming his fingers on the steering wheel.
“Noah?”
“Ethan… he… Ethan found out and told us.”
The sickness from humiliation fades, replaced by a feeling I can’t even name.
“What exactly did he find out?” I ask hesitantly. Noah glances at me for a moment before answering.
“About your exes, your father’s alcoholism, and… about your mother.”
Bile rises in my throat.
They suspected me—so they went behind my back to dig into my life? They didn’t trust me to tell them when I was ready, in my own time?
Why does everyone have to doubt me? Why does everyone always think they know better than Scarlett Monroe?
“Scarlett.” He called me, but I stayed silent. “Please, don’t get the wrong idea. Ethan just wanted to know more about the mother of his baby, don’t think he meant any harm.” Anger rises inside me.
“If he wanted to know so much about me, why didn’t he just ask? Why did he think he had the right to learn about me and my life behind my back?”
An uncomfortable silence falls between us, but it doesn’t last long before Noah speaks again.
“He was going to respect your time…” I can feel his exasperation. “But Liam and I told him what we saw…” I frowned, not understanding what he meant. “We told him about the scars on your legs, and he wanted to know what happened so he could help you.”
I go quiet, visibly shaken by his confession. They saw my scars? I don’t feel well—so many emotions, so many things hitting me at once. I can’t breathe; my head starts to spin as I look at Noah.
“Noah, I’m not feeling well.” His eyes dart to me. “I can’t breathe. I… I’m…”
A sudden brake throws me forward, but thanks to the seatbelt, my head doesn’t hit the dashboard. Noah pulls the car to the shoulder, and as soon as he turns off the engine, his hand rushes to unbuckle my belt.
“Breathe slowly,” he says, and I do as he instructs.
“I… I’m tired of everything,” I confessed, and tears burst out. “Everything’s been so hard. I don’t know what’s going to happen with this baby.” I looked at Noah, who listened to my outpouring without interrupting. “I don’t have a home. I don’t even know if I still have a job. I barely have money to buy things for myself. How am I supposed to handle all the needs of a baby?” I sob, covering my face. “And as if that weren’t enough, I’m worried about my father.”
I don’t know how long I cry for; Noah doesn’t say a word for a long time. And I understand—what could he possibly say to a pregnant woman terrified by her reality?
“Scarlett.” His voice is low when he calls my name. Slowly, I remove my hands from my face and look at him. “My brothers and I are going to take care of you and the baby. We’ll give you all the help you need, just like we’re helping your father right now. Ethan didn’t mean any harm; he just wanted to understand what you went through. Damian didn’t know much when he told us about the night he brought you home. We’re sorry for worrying you—we acted wrongly. It won’t happen again. We’ll wait for you to tell us whatever you want, whenever you’re ready, and only if you want to. No pressure.”
I’m touched by Noah’s words, and not caring that I’m a crying mess, I lean toward him and hug him. His arms come around me quickly, and I feel safe in his embrace.
“Trust us. Everything will be fine,” he whispered in my ear, pressing a kiss to my forehead.
I stayed silent, accepting the affection Noah gave me as he gently stroked my back and kissed my forehead from time to time. It had been so long since I’d felt cared for that all I could do was close my eyes and trust his words.
Everything will be fine.