Chapter 6 Is There Someone Else?
By the time Scarlett finished her part-time shift, the sky outside had already deepened into the warm glow of evening.
For the past year she had been teaching modern dance at this studio—adult classes on weeknights and weekends.
Tonight, however, the manager had called her in at the last minute to cover the children's group. She was graceful, patient, and strikingly beautiful, and the children had warmed to her instantly. The feedback was nothing short of glowing.
The manager greeted her with a warm smile and pressed a small cash bonus into her hand.
"Ms. Lewis, you really saved the day today. How about transferring to the children's group? We'll add another hundred dollars to your hourly rate."
Scarlett's eyes lit with interest. "I'd love to. I'm free during the day lately."
Leaving the studio, she took a cab straight to the hospital.
Last night, Blair's words had unsettled her enough to walk away, but she hadn't stopped worrying about Elliot.
When she entered his room, a servant was trying to coax him into eating. Elliot was being his usual stubborn self, refusing every bite. Among the Wilson family, he was the most headstrong, and the servant looked visibly relieved to see Scarlett, slipping out immediately.
"Scarlett! What took you so long to visit me?"
She crossed the room, her tone light but firm. "I'm here now. Eat."
"Why didn't you come with Daniel? Did he bully you again? You're gorgeous, Scarlett—break up with him and find someone who actually cares. Or… you could wait until I grow up."
Scarlett laughed under her breath. Elliot was far too young to be talking about "caring" in that way. Still, she nodded with mock seriousness. "Alright, I'll keep that in mind."
Before she could say more, Elliot pulled a phone from under his blanket and spoke into it.
"Daniel, did you hear that? Scarlett doesn't want you anymore!"
Scarlett fell silent. Elliot ended the call and grinned at her.
"When you're upset with him, you should let him know, not bottle it up. That way he'll come and make it right."
"You're just a kid," she said, tapping his head.
Daniel would never "make it right."
"That's age discrimination. Kids can be good at relationships too."
"Better not," she warned. "You're not allowed."
"I wouldn't waste my time on the girls at school."
"As if you're not a child yourself."
"I'm not—"
His protest was cut off by an enormous, involuntary fart. Scarlett shook her head, amused. Elliot groaned and pulled the blanket over his head. She reached over to tug it away.
In this generation of the Wilson family, there were seven children. Elliot was the youngest, with a wide age gap from his siblings, and he had always clung to Scarlett like a sister.
He kicked at the blanket, playing with her, then poked his head out and leaned close.
"Scarlett, did Daniel give you the jade bracelet yesterday?"
Her hands stilled. She changed the subject. "Still running a fever?" She reached to feel his forehead.
Elliot wasn't so easily distracted. He caught her hand and pushed her sleeve up. "He didn't give it to you? I'll go ask him myself!"
He jumped off the bed, and warmth welled in Scarlett's chest. Her eyes burned with worry for his health.
A voice came from the doorway. "Ask me what?"
Scarlett turned to see Daniel step inside. The words were meant for Elliot, but his eyes—dark and unyielding—were locked on her. She quickly looked away, unwilling to share the same air with him.
"I'll go wash some fruit," she said, brushing past him toward the small kitchen.
From behind, Elliot's voice rang out. "Daniel, you didn't give Scarlett the bracelet? If it wasn't for her, I'd want it for myself! Otherwise I'd tell Mom to save it for my future wife…"
Scarlett froze at the kitchen door. A sharp cry followed—Daniel had smacked the back of Elliot's head.
"Stay out of grown-up business."
She shut the door, her lips pressed tight. So he'd given the bracelet to Alice. He hadn't even thought she deserved an explanation.
What she couldn't understand was why Daniel refused to sign the divorce papers and marry Alice outright.
"I know exactly what I'm talking about," Elliot muttered. "If you like a girl, you should treat her well. Keep this up and Scarlett will leave you."
Daniel lounged on the sofa, legs crossed, scrolling through emails as if Elliot's words were nothing but background noise.
"You're not taking me seriously," Elliot complained. "In our class, Lisa and Lino were dating. Lino gave his only chocolate to Ella, so Lisa dumped him and went to Jerry. Then she told the teacher Lino brought his phone to school, and his parents got called in. Scary, right?"
Daniel had no interest in playground drama. He stood, eyes narrowing. "Quiet."
Elliot shrank back, muttering, "You'll regret it."
Scarlett was slicing an apple when a pair of arms slid around her waist from behind, pulling her against a broad, unyielding chest. His scent filled her senses. She went rigid.
Daniel rested his head against her shoulder, his voice low and cold in her ear. "Planning to see someone?"
Her lips tightened. "Once we're divorced, who I see is none of your business."
"We're not divorcing."
His tone was absolute, as if her opinion had no place in this marriage.
Scarlett drove the knife into the apple with a sharp thrust. "Whether we divorce isn't up to you alone."
She broke free, carried the fruit plate out, and picked up her bag. Stroking Elliot's hair, she said, "I'll visit again tomorrow."
"You're not going home with Daniel?" Elliot asked.
"He just got here. Let him spend time with you," she replied, without so much as a glance at Daniel, and walked out.
"Daniel, is Scarlett really done with you?" Elliot challenged once the door closed.
"We're fine. Listen to the doctor," Daniel said, heading for the door.
Elliot didn't try to stop him, but called after, "You should make it up to her. Scarlett's easy to win over."
Outside, Daniel passed a nurse wheeling in a cart for Elliot's blood draw. His eyes narrowed. "Check on Elliot's condition," he ordered Tom. "It's just a cold—why all the blood tests?"
Scarlett's foot injury had worsened after a full day of teaching. Leaving the hospital, she'd planned to catch the subway, but the pain forced her to order a rideshare. She leaned against a tree, waiting.
A black car rolled to a stop, window lowering halfway. The streetlights hadn't come on, and Daniel's profile was cut in shadow and pale glow. His fingers rested on the steering wheel like carved ivory. He glanced sideways. "Come home with me."
She met his gaze through the glass. Maybe it was the decision to divorce, but despite the short distance between them, it felt as though miles of misty hills lay in the way.
She shook her head. "I've called a car. My things are already moved out. I'm not coming back."
His fingers tapped the wheel—a telltale sign of his fraying patience. "Scarlett, get in the car. Don't argue."
She'd been following his orders for fourteen years, and he'd never loved her. She wasn't a child anymore.
Blinking back the sting in her nose, she shook her head firmly. "Find a time that works. Let's go get the divorce papers."
The shadows on his face deepened. A car approached from behind, honking. His patience had run out. He rolled up the window and drove away.
Scarlett's fists slowly unclenched. She lowered her head, hiding the redness in her eyes.
A white sedan pulled up in front of her. Ramon stepped out—tall, lean, with refined features. The silver frames of his glasses lent him an air of quiet sophistication.
"Ramon?"
She blinked in surprise as he came around the car and opened the passenger door.
"Where are you headed? I'll take you."
"No, I've already called a car—"
"It's about James. I have new information."
Ramon had been her senior in high school. They'd both studied dance under Beatrice, and now he was James's attending physician.
A year had passed since James Lewis, Scarlett's older brother, was in a car accident that left him in a vegetative state. Since then, Ramon had been watching over him.
Scarlett canceled her ride and slid into the seat, urgency tightening her voice. "What happened to James?"
She'd been so busy these past days she hadn't had time to visit him.