Chapter 19 Chapter 19
Scarlett’s POV
I looked at him. Six months ago, when I first arrived at the Romano mansion, I'd called him brother. I'd been so happy to have siblings. To have family.
He'd pulled me aside that first week. Told me in no uncertain terms that there was only one sister in the Romano family. Zelda. He told me not to get any ideas. Not to try to take her place.
He'd made it clear from day one that I was nothing. That I would never be family.
And now he was here. Calling me his sister. Demanding I come home. Demanding I sacrifice myself.
Not because he cared about me. But because he wanted to protect Zelda.
Customers were pulling out their phones now. Taking videos. Whispering to each other.
"Is that her brother?"
"He's grabbing her like that in public?"
"Should we call the police?"
"There are so many creeps who adopt young girls and do disgusting things. This looks wrong."
"I'm recording this. This needs to go online."
Nico's face went white. He'd never been humiliated like this before. Never been called out in public.
"I'm your brother!" he said desperately. "You have to listen to me!"
"Foster brother," I corrected. "Not the same thing."
"What?"
"You never once called me your sister. You never once treated me like family. So don't stand here now and pretend we have some kind of relationship."
Mike was on the phone with the police. Sarah had come out from the back. She looked scared but determined. Ready to defend me if needed.
Nico grabbed my arm again. Harder this time. "Scarlett. If you don't come back, Zelda will have to marry him. She'll have to spend the rest of her life taking care of a cripple. Is that what you want?"
"I don't care what happens to Zelda."
"How can you say that? She's your sister!"
"She was never my sister. She made that very clear."
Nico's face twisted with rage and frustration. "You selfish bitch. You're willing to let Zelda suffer just because you're too proud to do your duty to this family?"
I felt something inside me snap.
I grabbed the iced caramel macchiato I'd made for him. The one sitting on the counter.
And I dumped it over his head.
The cold liquid and ice cubes cascaded down his face. Down his expensive suit. The caramel dripped into his eyes.
Nico gasped. Froze. Completely shocked.
The coffee shop went silent.
I crushed the empty plastic cup in my hand. It made a sickening cracking sound as the plastic shattered in my grip.
My voice dropped. All the warmth was gone. All the sweetness was gone. This was the real me. The assassin. The killer.
"Nico. Do you think I'm joking? Let me make this very clear. I have nothing to do with the Romano family. Not now. Not ever. Stop coming to find me. Stop calling me. Stop pretending we're related."
I leaned closer. Close enough that only he could hear. My face settled into a smile that didn't reach my eyes. The kind of smile that corpses wear.
"If you come near me again, I will kill you. Do you understand? I will actually kill you. This isn't a threat. This is a promise."
I straightened. My voice went back to normal volume. Still smiling that dead smile. "I'm never going back to that house. I'm never marrying Adrian Santoro. I'm never doing anything for the Romano family ever again."
I let my eyes go completely flat. The way they used to look when I was Sable.
"Now get out."
Nico stumbled backward. His face had gone pale. He looked terrified.
He opened his mouth. Tried to say something. Probably some empty threat about how I'd regret this.
But nothing came out. He just stood there. Soaking wet. Covered in coffee and caramel. Looking at me like he'd never seen me before.
Maybe he hadn't. Maybe this was the first time he'd ever really looked at me and seen what was underneath the sweet, harmless exterior.
"Get. Out." I repeated. Slowly. Clearly.
Nico turned and ran. Actually ran. Nearly tripped over a chair on his way to the door.
The bell chimed as he fled.
I stood there. Breathing hard. My hand was shaking slightly from the adrenaline.
Slowly, I let the smile drop. Took a deep breath. Let the rage drain away.
When I turned back to face the customers, I was myself again. Sweet Scarlett. Harmless barista. Girl next door.
"Hi there!" I said brightly to the next person in line. "What can I get for you today?"
The customer stared at me with wide eyes. Probably still processing what she'd just witnessed.
I smiled wider. "We have a special on pumpkin spice lattes this week."
She blinked. Slowly pulled herself together. "Um. I'll have a medium coffee. Just black."
"Great choice! Coming right up."
I went back to work like nothing had happened. Like I hadn't just threatened to murder my own brother in front of a room full of witnesses.
Nobody said anything. They just watched me move around behind the counter. Making drinks. Smiling. Acting completely normal.
As if the girl full of murderous intent had never existed at all.