Chapter 99 The Revenge She Couldn't Take, He Took for Her
This was Scarlett's first time initiating a kiss. Usually, Ambrose couldn't even make a slightly flirtatious comment without her immediately drawing a hard line between them.
The fact that she'd kiss him first now? She was desperate.
Ambrose caught the shift in her mood. The playfulness drained from his face. He pulled her close, his lips grazing the corner of her mouth. "Whether it's the Reynolds family or the Mitchell family—I'll find that child for you."
Relief flooded through Scarlett. She nodded.
They left the hotel room together. It was past five now, rush hour, but Ambrose headed back to the office.
They'd just secured the art museum project. Mountains of follow-up work awaited. He needed to call a meeting, hash out the next steps.
Scarlett went to pick up the kids. When she arrived at the preschool, dismissal was in full swing. Waves of little ones streamed out, racing toward their families with squeals of joy.
Hayden and Yara ran toward Scarlett just as enthusiastically. She took each by the hand and headed for the parking lot.
"Mommy, we had a trivia contest at school today!" Yara tilted her face up, practically glowing with pride. "Hayden and I both got first place!"
Scarlett smiled down at her. "Then Mommy will make you something special for dinner tonight."
Yara's little legs did a hop. "I want pizza!"
Scarlett turned to Hayden. "You want pizza too?"
Hayden glanced at her and nodded. "Can we go out to eat? I've never eaten out before."
Scarlett paused. Then it clicked—someone with his background probably wasn't allowed to eat at regular places.
"My dad's never taken me," Hayden mumbled, a note of complaint in his voice.
Her heart squeezed. So Ambrose had never taken Hayden out for pizza. But then again, running a corporation that size... he probably couldn't spare the time.
Maybe that's why Hayden had become so quiet.
Without warning, her thoughts drifted to her son—the one she'd just learned was alive. How was he doing right now? Did anyone take him out for pizza?
A dull ache spread through her chest.
"You can eat whatever you want from now on," Yara chirped to Hayden. "Mommy and I will go with you!"
Scarlett shook off the emotion and softened her voice. "That's right. We'll go with you."
Hayden looked up at her, and his face broke into a smile. A genuinely beautiful one.
The three of them reached the car. After Scarlett clicked the remote, both kids expertly opened the back doors and clambered in, buckling themselves like pros.
Once Scarlett fastened her own seatbelt, she announced, "Pizza it is! We'll eat and then head home."
Yara clapped her little hands. Hayden beamed.
Scarlett took them to a nearby pizza joint and let them order whatever they wanted. The two kids devoured their slices, radiating pure joy. Watching Hayden's bright expression, Scarlett finally saw a flicker of the carefree child he should be.
On impulse, she pulled out her phone and snapped a few photos of them. She sent the pictures to Ambrose, typing a quick message.
"See how happy Hayden is? He's just lonely. Spend more time with him, and he'll thrive."
A moment later, Ambrose replied.
"I'll try. But I don't have time right now—you take care of him for me."
Scarlett frowned at her phone and fired back.
"It's not the same. You're his father. Family is what matters most."
A few seconds later, another message.
"To him, you matter more than I do."
Scarlett stared at the screen in silence. Hayden really did adore her. Maybe seeing Yara with a mom made him long for that, too. Maybe that's why he'd latched onto her—he wanted to know what having a mother felt like.
She was about to reply—to suggest that Hayden might miss his own mom—when another text came through.
"I'll be home late tonight."
Scarlett's eyes went wide. Was he moving into Lakeside Garden tonight?
The memory of what happened at the Celestial Waters Hotel flashed through her mind. Heat crept up her neck. He really was planning to move in.
But then again, she'd just asked for his help finding her child. That meant she'd agreed to whatever came next. Of course, they'd be living together now. She sat there, debating how to respond.
"Why aren't you answering?" Ambrose's follow-up text popped up.
She typed back: "I know."
She pocketed her phone and focused on the kids' dinner.
On his end, Ambrose read her reply, and a grin tugged at his lips.
The executives presenting reports in front of him caught the smile. Shock rippled through the room.
Is Ambrose smiling? They'd never seen him smile. Does he have a girlfriend?
Who could've possibly softened the iceberg?
Ambrose pocketed his phone, still in a ridiculously good mood. "Let's take a break, everyone. Pizza's on me tonight."
The room breathed a collective sigh of relief at the break—but then the words sank in. Pizza?
Ambrose usually treated his team to private chef tasting menus. Why pizza all of a sudden?
After Ambrose left the conference room, the executives swarmed Ryder, fishing for intel.
Ryder just smiled. "I handle company business. Mr. Boleyn's personal life? Not my department."
The execs wandered off empty-handed, but they were convinced: Ambrose definitely has a woman in his life.
The notorious bachelor suddenly entangled with someone? That was front-page material. Even if they didn't have proof, it was practically confirmed.
Back in his office, Ambrose took a call from Chase—an update on Wesley being hauled into the station.
"No bail. He needs to face consequences."
"And start blacklisting his company. I want him finished in Silverlight City."
By the end, that cold, vicious edge had crept back into Ambrose's expression. He'd never wanted to destroy someone this badly. Wesley topped the list of people he wanted dead.
"Understood."
"Also, follow the lead Brielle gave you. Pull the park surveillance from four years ago. Find everyone who entered or left that day. Cross-check them all. We will find that child." Ambrose stood by the floor-to-ceiling window, his gaze dark as he stared out over the city.
"I'll handle it immediately."
After hanging up, Ambrose gazed at the sprawling view of Silverlight City below. His eyes held nothing but ice-cold fury.
Anyone who'd hurt Scarlett would pay a hundredfold. The revenge she couldn't take? He'd take it for her.
After the kids ate their fill, Scarlett took them to the mall's arcade. Hayden had never played these games before, but one glance and he understood every mechanic. He was good, too.
It was the best night Hayden had ever had.
When Scarlett got home and tucked both kids into bed, Rhea burst into the room, panic written all over her face.
"Scarlett—Tatum found us. He's here."