Chapter 136
Aria's POV
Victoria's hand clutched my father's arm, her manicured nails digging into his sleeve. "Scarlett has been very good lately. She wouldn't go to any bar with a man." Her eyes darted nervously between my father and Scarlett.
I took another deliberate sip of my wine, letting the silence stretch uncomfortably. "As Victoria says. Though, we could always check the club's surveillance footage to prove it. That shouldn't be too difficult."
My heart beat a little faster as I watched my father's gaze move between me and Scarlett. His jaw clenched, a vein pulsing at his temple. Scarlett's fingers were now gripping her knife and fork so tightly her knuckles had turned white. She knew as well as I did what was at stake. William Harper, the patriarch of the Harper family, prized the family's image above all else. He would never tolerate anything that might tarnish the Harper name.
More importantly, after my breakup with Ethan, the Blake and Harper families had announced Ethan and Scarlett's engagement to avoid scandal. But the Blakes had failed to help the Harper Group through its financial crisis, which had left my father fuming.
Victoria grabbed my wrist, her fingers cold against my skin. "Darling, we're just having a family dinner. Why are you making such accusations?"
I gently but firmly removed her hand from my wrist, fighting the urge to wipe my skin where she'd touched me. "I'm not accusing anyone of anything. I'm merely suggesting a way to clear up any misunderstanding."
The tension in the room was palpable. Scarlett's face had gone from pale to ashen. Victoria was frantically trying to maintain control of the situation, while my father looked ready to explode. I felt a strange mixture of vindication and unease building in my stomach.
Suddenly, Scarlett's silverware slipped from her trembling fingers, clattering loudly against her plate. The sound seemed to break something in my father.
"Enough!" he roared, slamming his hand down on the table. The crystal glasses jumped, and wine spilled onto the pristine white tablecloth. "Everyone be quiet!"
Even Victoria dared not speak. My father turned his cold gaze to Scarlett. "You. Come to my study."
Scarlett rose shakily from her chair, casting a desperate glance at Victoria, who could only lower her eyes helplessly. As Scarlett followed my father out, I noticed how her shoulders slumped in defeat. A small, dark part of me savored this victory, while another part wondered if I was becoming as manipulative as Victoria.
I excused myself shortly after, my dinner barely touched. As I approached the dining room exit, Scarlett was waiting for me, her body trembling with emotion.
"Are you happy now?" she hissed, her voice shaking. There was raw hatred in her eyes.
I adjusted my silk scarf, maintaining a mask of indifference though my pulse quickened. "Happy about what? I didn't say anything definitive. I merely offered a suggestion."
Scarlett's fists clenched at her sides. For a moment, it seemed she might lunge at me. Instead, she turned and hurried up the stairs to face my father's wrath.
An hour later, as I climbed the stairs to my room, I encountered Scarlett coming from my father's study. The bright red handprint on her cheek was unmistakable, and her right cheek was visibly swollen. A twinge of something—not quite guilt, but perhaps discomfort—flickered through me at the sight of her injury.
I leaned against the bannister, studying her. "Father seems to have been quite harsh," I said, my voice softer than I'd intended.
Scarlett glared at me, eyes brimming with unshed tears. Without a word, she pushed past me and slammed her bedroom door.
"Biting the hand that feeds you," I murmured, continuing up the stairs, trying to silence the small voice inside that questioned if I'd gone too far.
From behind Scarlett's closed door, I heard frantic dialing. Curiosity got the better of me, and I paused, listening.
"When are you going to tell your parents about our marriage?" Scarlett's voice was desperate. I could hear loud music and voices in the background of the call. "Ethan, are you at a club?"
I couldn't make out his response, but Scarlett's next words were clear: "Didn't I tell you this would happen? My father just hit me! He's furious about someone seeing us together."
A pause, then: "You said you'd handle it! When are you going to—" Another pause. "Hello? Ethan?"
I heard a scream of frustration, followed by something shattering against the wall. "Why is everyone against me?" Scarlett's voice broke into sobs.
I continued to my room, a conflicted smile playing on my lips. Let her feel a fraction of the pain she had caused me, I thought, though the satisfaction wasn't as pure as I'd expected.
---
Hours later, I was jarred awake by my phone ringing. The clock on my nightstand showed 2:17 AM. The number on the screen was unfamiliar. My heart immediately began to race—nothing good ever came from calls at this hour.
"Hello?" I answered cautiously, my voice thick with sleep.
"Miss Harper." The voice was low, tense. "This is Marcus, Mr. Kane's assistant. There's a situation that may require your help. Could you come downstairs immediately?"
I sat up, suddenly alert, my drowsiness evaporating instantly. "What's happened?" My fingers tightened around the phone.
"It concerns Mr. Kane. The situation is urgent." His voice was strained in a way that sent a chill through me.
"I'll be right down," I said, already reaching for clothes.
Five minutes later, I hurried down the mansion's grand staircase, my mind racing with possibilities. Outside, a sleek black car waited. Marcus opened the door, and I noticed the bruising on his face immediately. My stomach dropped.
"What happened?" I asked as we pulled away, unable to keep the worry from my voice.
Marcus coughed, then winced, a trickle of blood at the corner of his mouth. He wiped it away quickly, but I'd seen it. My concern deepened.
"I can't explain now. We need to get to the Artemis Medical Center."
I recognized the name immediately – the exclusive private medical facility Devon had taken me to when I had severe cramps. Anxiety tightened in my chest as we sped through the deserted streets. The facility was owned by Kane Technologies, which explained how Devon could bring me there in the middle of the night before. Now, seeing Marcus's labored breathing and the awkward way he held his left leg, I felt a growing sense of dread.
"Is it Devon? Is he hurt?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.
Marcus kept his eyes on the road, but I caught the slight tightening of his jaw. "Mr. Kane will be fine. He just..." He hesitated. "He's refusing treatment."
"Refusing treatment for what?" The worry in my voice surprised even me. When had I started to care this much about Devon Kane?
"Please, Miss Harper. Just wait until we arrive."
The rest of the drive passed in tense silence. My thoughts raced with worst-case scenarios. Devon had always seemed so invincible, so controlled. What could have possibly happened that would leave his assistant injured and Devon himself needing medical attention he was refusing?
We pulled up to the sleek, modern building of Artemis Medical Center. Unlike my previous visit, the place seemed eerily quiet, with only minimal security and staff visible. Marcus led me through a private entrance, using a key card to access a separate elevator.
As we rode up to the top floor, I noticed Marcus wincing when he shifted his weight. "You're hurt too," I said softly.
"It's nothing. Mr. Kane received the worst of it." His voice was tight with pain despite his dismissal.