Chapter 1: Too Hard to Bear

Scarlet’s Point of View:

“I know. I know. I am gonna be there in five minutes!” I shouted from my room and chuckled to myself.

I looked at myself in the mirror and smiled. Things weren’t as bad as I had expected them to be. Drew was happy to stay with Max— even though I wasn’t, but I knew that it was all means to an end.

I had faith in Xavier. He would return and take me away from this man—this man whom I hated from the bottom of my heart. The man who gave me so much pain deserved hell which only a man like Xavier could give.

I fixed my hair and painted a smile before leaving the room. Drew was sitting in the living room on the couch, watching television. As soon as I reached him, he looked at me and smiled, switching off the TV.

“You have grown to be so naughty, Andrew. This isn’t the best thing!” I chuckled as I shook his hair in a messy style.

He laughed. “Mommy, when is dad going to be back?”

I looked towards the door and sighed. “Any moment now.”

It was hard to come face to face with him every single time he did. His face now reminded me of everything he had done to me— and of all the lies he had told to cover it up. I had no idea he could be so dark. He hadn’t only lied to me since now, he had been lying to me since way back.

It hurt a lot if I was being frank, and I didn’t know very well how to hide it in front of both of them. All those memories I used to still think of as good were now completely ruined.

Sometimes it got really suffocating to feel all these screaming emotions but be unable to utter a word.

The doorbell rang at the same second and Andrew ran to open up the door. I took a deep breath, painted a smile on my face, and picked up my wallet and phone.

“Hey Scar,” He looked at me as he entered the house. I smiled.

“Hi Max.”

“Are you ready to go?” He looked around and then his eyes settled on me, “You do look ready, I am not gonna lie.”

I chuckled. “Yeah, I am.”

“Let’s go then.”

I nodded and took Drew out with me towards Max’s car. He locked the Penthouse as we sat in the back seat. I looked out of the car as he drove the car to an expensive restaurant.

…

“Happy birthday to you

Happy birthday to you

Happy birthday, dear Drew

Happy birthday to you!”

We both sang to Andrew and everyone in the restaurant clapped. The big smile on his face was enough to light up everyone’s face. He cut the cake after blowing the candles and everyone clapped again for him.

It was his seventh birthday. It was scary how fast the time went and how much changed for us in every second. He had gone through a lot even at this young age: and I solely believed that he understood almost everything that happened to him but chose to stay quiet.

We sat down beside him and ordered some food. Max behaved too nicely with him— it was almost hard to keep faith in Xavier while he was here, behaving as if he could never do anything bad. But then again, I believed in Xavier and that wasn’t going to change anytime soon.

After Drew was tired, we realized it was time to go back home— it was late anyway.

We drove back with him asleep in the back seat. The happiness on his face even in his sleep was exceptionally beautiful. It was conflicting for me — I couldn’t do wrong to my child, looking at his innocently beautiful face but I couldn’t be a good person every single time when my blood boiled as I looked at Max’s face.

After reaching the Penthouse, I tucked Drew into his bed and covered him with a blanket. I went to another room— mine and Max’s room.

“Max?” I asked as I entered the dark room. The last thing I wanted was for him to come out unexpectedly.

I could feel his presence around me, but I couldn’t figure out where exactly he was.

I felt him hug me from behind and I gasped— then I calmed myself.

“Max!” I said and laughed, trying to ease off the situation but he didn’t want it to go in that direction.

He turned me around and rested his forehead against mine while I breathed heavily.

“Did I do something wrong?”

My breath was even more uneven when he said that. I didn’t know if he suspected me of knowing anything or if he was just playing games — and if he suspected me, then he would ask for it again tonight.

“No,” I whispered. “Why would you think that?”

“You’re distant,” he slowly pushed me against the nearest wall, “A little more distant than I want you to be.”

“It is just… me,” I exhaled. “Not you.”

He brought his lips closer to mine as he stared into my eyes. I looked back with an almost sad gaze — I didn’t want to kiss him. But I couldn’t let him know about it. I couldn’t ruin it for Xavier if he was doing so much to make it right.

If he could train, work, and recruit a new army to fight him for me, was it so hard for me to just kiss him and pretend?

“Do you love Xavier?”

My breath hitched up. I had to do it.

I joined our lips and closed my eyes as I felt his lips rub against mine. I let him in as his tongue devoured my mouth and I let out a breath.

His warm breath fanned over my lips as he got away. “I hope you got your reply,” I whispered to him.

“Or maybe you just avoided the question.”

I stood at my place as he walked out of the room. I exhaled heavily, falling to the floor with my eyes closed. I couldn’t do this— not for two years, at least.