Chapter 152 Free to leave
CHAPTER 152
Free to leave.
ROMAN – POINT OF VIEW
Scarlett collapsed from blood loss, and it is all my fault.
I saw the sighs. I saw her exhaustion, how she trembled, the weakness, and I ignored it all, swept away in my emotions. I said she wasn’t worthy of anything, which is the biggest lie I have ever told. Immediately, I saw the marriage certificate, her age, and Emiliano’s. I'd decided to go to the ends of the earth for her.
She is worthy, but words have a funny thing about them – I cannot take it back. No apology will undo the damage I have done, and soon I will see how bad it truly is.
The doctor rushed in immediately, and she is now stabilised. She had ripped her stitches while moving. A very big mistake, one we had allowed, I had allowed.
I exhale deeply and walk into the bedroom. The doctor placed her downstairs. She is to avoid stairs for the next week. No stress, no stairs, no arguments, just good food, enough sleep and mandatory healing. She has said enough, and it is time to listen to me. Would she ever forgive me? Isn’t it odd that I am asking for forgiveness?
“Get out,” Eve whispers immediately as I step in.
My heart drops.
I look at her. She is holding Scarlett’s hand. Scarlett, who is hooked up to wires and drips.
“Eve,” I whisper, tone thick.
She shakes her head, “I don’t want to talk to you, or even look at you. Do not come in here again. You will stay away from her this week, or I swear, you will never see her again. Do not doubt me. I might have broken up with Rick, but I have Caleb on my side, Adeline, too. Think carefully about what you do next because you will never see her again. You’ll wake up one day, and she’ll be gone. Moved elsewhere, away from you.” Her tone is vile, vicious and necessary.
I nod slowly, take a step back and murmur, “I am sorry, Eve.”
“I’m sorry, too.”
Everything is a mess. The news has been digging into what happened, the explosion, deaths that we have tried to cover and the attack overall. I don’t want it to be traced back to us. I want to give Scarlett the reprieve she needs. The reprieve we need.
“You are all the most self-centred group of people I have ever met.” Adeline seethes, looking at everyone.
“Look, Adeline, we are –” Damian starts, and she cuts him off, “You are done talking. Zip it, and listen.”
Luca grins like a fool, and she glares at him, “You, too, honey. Don’t push me.”
“Now, listen,” she begins calmly.
“That woman in there is not Rosalina Diaz. You have all never met Rosalna. You know Scarlett, and that is Scarlett. She is not Felicity, or Belle, or Elena, or Rosa, she’s Scarlett, the one you all know and love. Nothing will change, except that everything has now been revealed. Let’s keep it that way. Things have advanced. She has stepped out of the shadows, and I am happy for her.” She articulates softly.
“None of you know what it means to be her. You look at my husband and me, and think we are better because of how we carry our burden. I had siblings growing up. I had Vincenzo and Gianna. I was never alone. I was free, but Scarlett has never been free. She has constantly been moving, hiding, and protecting herself. That is an exhausting way to live, and the only time she has ever felt comfort was when she was with us, as Scarlett,” she sighs and continues.
“Here is the ultimatum – we are knee deep in a war that has been brewing for decades, one that has affected my family, my husband’s, Roman’s and Scarlett. We are in it, but you aren’t.” She looks at them – Damian, Caleb, Elena and Bastian.
“You are free to leave. You don’t have to be here. You don’t have to help us. We can get people. We can build a team with the best people, but it’ll be a bit counterproductive because this is supposed to be a secret. We can do it, though. I am giving you an out – you have not lost anyone to Emiliano and his insanity, but we have, Scarlett has, and she’s done running, so you’re either with us or out. Make your decision now, and be quick about it.” She claps her hands, sets her timer and adds, “You have two minutes.”
I watch everything unfold with my arms folded.
She is right to ask them what they want to do, because I am going in headfirst into Scarlett. I don’t care who she is or who she has been. She’ll always be mine, and I am willing to do anything to prove that.
“What are we talking about?” Eve walks into the room, and my heart races.
I slip out fast before anyone sees me. I sneak into Scarlett’s bedroom and shut the door behind me.
She’s still asleep. Her blood pressure is down, and her pulse is steady. She’s fine. She’ll be fine. She’s the strongest woman I have ever met.
I sit by her bed and take her hand.
Goosebumps break over my skin, and I push my nerves down.
“I … I am sorry, Scarlett. Fuck, baby. I am so sorry.” I begin, pressure building behind my eyes.
“I was an asshole. I wasn’t thinking. I shouldn’t have said that to you, when you are everything to me. I don’t care what name you take. I don’t care what identity you slip into, as long as I am there with you. Your family was a burden placed upon you. You were a child. Your father shouldn’t have even allowed the idea of that bullshit. You should have been protected and loved. I am going to protect you. I am ready to die for you because you are worth it. You are worth it all.” I whisper and kiss her wrist.