Chapter 148 *
Viviana's eyes narrowed. "Your household staff."
"Yes."
"That man has to be fifty years old if he's a day." Viviana crossed her arms. "And you expect me to believe he's just your driver?"
Scarlett felt the exhaustion settling into her bones already. It was nine o'clock in the morning and she was already tired of this conversation.
"Believe whatever you want, Viviana." She started walking toward the campus entrance.
Viviana grabbed her arm.
Scarlett stopped. Looked down at the hand on her arm. Then back up at Viviana's face.
"Let go."
"You're being kept by some rich old man, aren't you?" Viviana's voice was getting louder. "That's how you afford everything. The apartment. The clothes. The tuition."
A couple of students walking past turned to look.
Scarlett felt her jaw tighten.
Arthur was distinguished. He had that classic silver-fox thing going on with the salt-and-pepper hair and the perfectly tailored suits. He probably was in his fifties.
But Viviana refused to believe that.
"I need go." Scarlett pulled her arm free. "Excuse me."
She turned and walked away.
Behind her, Viviana's voice rose to a near-shriek.
"Don't you walk away from me! I'm your mother! You owe me an explanation!"
Scarlett kept walking. Her backpack bounced against her shoulders with each step.
She heard the rapid clicking of heels behind her. Viviana was following. Trying to catch up.
Then she heard something else.
A sharp gasp. The clicking stopped abruptly.
Scarlett glanced back.
Viviana had twisted her ankle. She was crumpled on the pavement in a heap of cream-colored Chanel and wounded dignity. One of her Louboutin heels was bent at an odd angle.
She was clutching her ankle with both hands. Her face was twisted in pain.
Zelda rushed to her side immediately.
"Mom! Are you okay?"
Scarlett stood there for exactly two seconds. Watched Viviana writhing on the ground. Watched Zelda fussing over her.
She felt nothing.
She turned back around and walked through the entrance into the campus.
Behind her, she could hear Viviana's voice getting fainter.
Zelda knelt beside Viviana on the pavement. Her face was the picture of concern. Her hands were gentle as she helped Viviana sit up.
"Can you stand?" Zelda asked softly. "We should get you to a bench."
Viviana was still clutching her ankle. Tears of pain and rage were streaming down her face.
"I can't believe her." She choked back a sob. "After everything... she’s just so ungrateful and shameless."
Zelda helped Viviana to her feet. Let her lean heavily on her shoulder as they hobbled toward a nearby bench.
Inside, Zelda was absolutely thrilled.
She had suspected the truth for months now. She was certain that Scarlett was being kept by some wealthy benefactor—an old man with more money than morals. It was the only explanation for the apartment and the sudden independence.
But Zelda hadn't said a word to anyone. Not to Viviana. Not to Salvatore. Not even to her brothers.
She didn't stay silent to protect her sister. Quite the opposite. She wanted to let Scarlett self-destruct.
By keeping the secret, Zelda was giving Scarlett the rope to hang herself. She wanted to watch Scarlett sink deeper and deeper into this shameful, illicit life until she was completely beyond saving.
Watching Scarlett dig her own grave was so much more entertaining.
Every time the Romano family jumped to the wrong conclusion, every time they accused Scarlett of something worse, every time they pushed her further away—Zelda stayed silent.
Let them destroy the relationship themselves. Let them drive Scarlett out permanently.
Once Scarlett was completely cut off from the family, there would be no chance of her ever coming back.
The Romano princess title would belong to Zelda. And Zelda alone.
She helped Viviana sit down on the bench. Pulled out a tissue from her purse and dabbed at Viviana's tears.
"It's okay, Mom." Her voice was soothing. Comforting. "Your ankle will be fine. Let me call Dad. He'll send someone to pick us up."
Viviana nodded. She was still crying. Still muttering about Scarlett under her breath.
Zelda pulled out her phone and typed a quick message to Salvatore.
Her eyes drifted toward the building where Scarlett had disappeared.
A small smile played at the corners of her mouth.
Enjoy your last year of freedom, Scarlett.
By this time next year, the Romano family will have nothing to do with you.
And I'll have everything.
Twenty minutes later, Viviana was sitting in the passenger seat of Salvatore's Mercedes. Her ankle was propped up on the dashboard. An ice pack from a nearby convenience store was pressed against the swelling.
She'd stopped crying. Now she was just angry.
She hit the call button.
"Mom? What's wrong?"
"I saw him." Viviana's voice was tight. "The man who's keeping Scarlett. I saw him with my own eyes."
There was a pause on the other end.
Then the sound of screeching tires.
"You what?" Lorenzo's voice was sharp. Controlled. "Where are you? Are you okay?"
"I'm fine. I'm with your father." Viviana shifted the ice pack. "We were dropping Zelda off at Columbia. And there she was. Getting out of a BMW. With him."
"What did he look like?"
Viviana closed her eyes. Tried to remember every detail.
"Older. Distinguished-looking, I suppose. Salt-and-pepper hair. Expensive suit. He has to be at least fifty."
Lorenzo went quiet.
"Are you sure?" His voice was careful now. "You're sure he looked that old?"
"I know what I saw, Lorenzo." Her voice rose slightly. "He looked old enough to be her father. Maybe older."
More silence.
"He was driving a BMW," Viviana continued. "Black. Looked new. He dropped her off at the back entrance of the campus."
"Okay." Lorenzo's voice was still controlled. "Okay. Listen to me carefully, Mom."
"Don't tell anyone outside the family about this," Lorenzo said. "Not your friends. Not your book club. Nobody."
"Why not?"
"Because it's about our family's reputation." His tone left no room for argument. "If word gets out that Scarlett is being kept by some older man, it reflects badly on all of us."
Viviana's jaw tightened. "So we just let her—"
"No." Lorenzo cut her off. "We don't let her do anything. But we handle this internally. Quietly."
"I need to meet this guy face to face. Get a read on him. Figure out what his angle is."
Viviana nodded. "What should I do?"
"Nothing. Don't approach Scarlett. Don't make a scene. Just stay away from her for now."
"But—"
"Mom." His voice got firmer. "I mean it. Let me handle this."
The line went dead.