Chapter 138 All my fault.
CHAPTER 138
All my fault.
SCARLETT – POINT OF VIEW
“Can you get to the point, Rue?” Adeline snaps impatiently.
Rue looks at me and rushes out, “Mr Sterling has been calling you, and he is a little worried. You should probably call him back soon. Also, we believe Mr Carmichael has checked out.”
“Checked out?” I blink, confused.
“We are not certain yet, but –”
Adeline cuts her off, “Go call Roman, Scarlett. We are on a timer, remember?”
I nod and slip back into the bathroom. I push back my nerves and pull out my phone to find two missed calls, with a twenty-minute interval between the calls. Roman won’t spam me with calls, but I know these calls are important; he probably stepped out of meetings to make them.
I lean against the wall and call him back.
He picks on the third ring.
“Scarlett,” he says tensely, tone curt and flat.
“I’m sorry, baby. I’ve been so busy with Adeline, and forgot my phone.” It’s a white lie.
“Busy with Adeline? Shouldn’t you be entertaining your ex-boyfriend? No offence.” He clears his throat, and a smile tugs at my lips.
“I had no interest in seeing him, so I stood him up.” I shrug, another white lie.
“Where are you now?” He asks curiously.
I hesitate for a second, and lie, “In a boutique restroom. Shouldn’t you be in a meeting right now?”
He ignores my question and rasps, “I want to see you.”
Goosebumps break over my skin. My belly tightens with need. What’s the harm?
I switch to video call and smile when his handsome face fills the screen.
“Hey, gorgeous.” He whispers, running his gaze over me.
Warmth floods my veins, and my body feels light. “Hi, my love. Shouldn’t you be in a meeting?”
“I have about forty seconds left and want to spend it looking at your face. Have you had anything to eat?” He asks, his attention on me.
I can see a small framed picture of me in the background, in his office, for everyone to see. This is being loved openly, and I am probably seeing too much of it, but I don’t care. I want to be delusional.
“Not yet. Can I ask you something? This is very important, but you don’t have to agree.” I choose my words carefully, my pulse throbbing loudly.
“Ask me anything.” He urges, sitting upright.
“Would it be possible for me to visit your mother today?” I blurt, heart, roaring.
He stiffens, frowns, and asks, “What?”
Eleven years ago, I was arranged to marry Emiliano, until my father discovered his trafficking, and backed off from the deal. Except this is the mafia, the Cartels, and people do not back off from anything without consequences. Eleven years ago, Roman lost his father to a fire. There is probably no connection, but I am willing to bet there is. The only person who can tell us is his mother, a living witness.
“You don’t have to say yes, but I’m idle right now. Adeline is with me. The security detail, too, of course, and I … I’ve been thinking about us. We have to get married soon, and this … I need to see her, speak to her, and see if we can achieve a balance, together. Please, Roman, let me do this for you.” My voice softens, wrapping around the words, but that does not change the fact that I’m lying to him. Another white lie.
He does not speak, glances at his watch, and sighs, “I have a meeting right now. I’ll be done in twenty minutes. Stay where you are. I’ll call you soon.”
I nod, heart racing, “Alright. Bye.”
He ends the call, and I am left staring at the dark screen. I sigh, puff out my cheeks, and massage my temples.
Then, my gaze catches on to something by the trash.
“What?” I whisper, get on all fours, and crawl to it.
My eyes widen in shock as I pull out a journal. A fucking journal. What?
I rush out, careful not to hit my head on the counter.
“Look what I found!” I announce, adrenaline rushing through me.
“Percy is gone,” Adeline announces at the same time.
I freeze, “What?”
Russell and Addie’s details are in the room, too.
“He checked out this morning. He is gone. We don’t know where he is.” Russell informs me.
“He’s not at the university?” I blink, stunned.
Addie’s security detail looks at each other, then they break the news gently, “He is not. He never checked into the University either, which means he wasn’t here for what he claimed.”
“You need to find him. He cannot have disappeared like that. We must find him and make sure he doesn’t get out of the country. He’s very fucking suspicious, and he needs to answer.” Adeline snaps, face flushed.
“We … we do not have the jurisdiction to put him on a no-flight list, Mrs Valentino, unless you want to inform your husband? He has that authority.”
My eyes widen because that’s the worst thing to say right now.
“Get out,” she seethes, trembling with rage.
They look at me, and I nod. They walk out and leave us alone.
“Did he expect us? How is he one step ahead of us? Did he want us to find all these?” She is back to pacing, sweat beading on her forehead.
I halt her motion, take her hand, and speak, “Listen carefully, Adeline. Think. Roman’s dad died eleven years ago in a fire, one that almost killed his mom, too. His parents were activists and were known all over the country. What are the possibilities that my father reached out to his, in an attempt to take down Emiliano’s network, which in turn …”
I am unable to complete my sentence as it dawns on me.
If we are right, if my father reached out to Roman’s, then it means my father is indirectly responsible for the death of his parents, and since my father is dead, I’m responsible.
I sit down on the bed, numb and defeated.
This is all my fault.
Fuck.
This … this is not something we get back from. This is not something we can survive. Roman will never look at me again. He will never be in the same room as me.
My phone rings. He is calling.
I look at the phone, dread curling deep in me.
We are close to the endgame, and maybe it’s time to finally let him in.