Chapter 16
Chapter 16
Chapter 16: Finally Taken Advantage
Cindy: Scarlett, we need to talk to you about an urgent matter. Come to the mansion on Tuesday.)
(Cindy: Why are you not answering? Don‘t forget Tuesday. 10 AM.)
(Analisa: Scarlett, I have been calling you for two days. How come I cannot reach you? Your parents have called me to speak to you. You are needed at the Barnes mansion on Tuesday morning. Philip is deciding on his last will. He has not been well lately.)
Scarlett sighed, seeing the text messages of her biological mother, Cindy Barnes, and her so-called mother, who had raised her for sixteen years, Analisa, Courtney’s real mother. She grumbled, “So that’s why they wanted me to go to the mansion.”
“Should I go?” She asked herself. “Are they even going to leave something for me?”
For minutes, Scarlett just sat on the edge of her bed, considering. ‘Courtney will be there and what are the chances that Luca will be there too? Do I have the courage to face them?‘
Then again, the thought of her father being unwell made her heart ache. She wondered what was wrong with him. Her father was an athletic man and took care of his body well. ‘What had changed over the year?
Despite the friction between Scarlett and her parents, deep down, there was still a big part of her that wished they accepted her. She was their real daughter, after all.
She belatedly replied to both her mothers. (I will be there.)
Just as she hit send, Liam came in the door, saying, “Let‘s go my Beauty. We need to have breakfast and pick the biggest sandwich at the restaurant to show to Troy.” Content is property of NôvelDrama.Org.
Scarlett earlier had a heavy heart, but hearing Liam and his plans, she laughed. He easily erased all the miseries around her head. “Let‘s go.”
“You slept well?” Kaleb asked, while bitterly chewing on his bagel. He had dark circles around his eyes. One can only guess he was up all night.
The woman before him never took advantage of him last night. Nope. His door was wide open, and he was half–naked in bed. Any woman would jump at him, but Scarlett never sleepwalked her way to his room.
A basic cuddle would have been nice, to simply savor her scent as they lay in the same bed. Sadly, that never happened.
Scarlett was chewing down her food when he spoke. Her eyes widened as she swallowed it down. She answered, “I slept pretty fine.”
The truth was, like Kaleb, she also had dark circles around her eyes. Only that she had make–up to cover them. She barely slept, thanks to how he practically offered his body last night.
Kaleb sucked in a breath and asked, “So you did not... sleepwalk last night?”
‘When is he ever going to let this go?‘ She said silently. “Um... No. I slept well in my bed. I think maybe, the other night, I was just so worried about Liam that I ended up sleepwalking to his room.”
“Really now?” Kaleb said, his brow raising. “So that’s how it works? That’s how you end up sleepwalking?”
“Yes, well. I’m usually tired whenever that happens,” she lied. “And thinking so much. As I said, I was
worried for Liam.”
“Worried about me?” Liam caught up, his eyes shifting from Scarlett to his father.
“Yes, Liam. The other night, I ended up sleepwalking into your room, because I was worried about you.” Scarlett smiled and caressed the boy’s cheek. She revealed, “I care for you too much.”
“So let me get this straight. You were tired, and you were concerned for my son. Because of your care for him, you wound up sleepwalking into his room,” Kaleb clarified, making a mental note as well.
“Yes!” Scarlett insisted.
Shortly then after, Liam went to the sandwich station and chose the best one in the house. Only Scarlett was left alone with Kaleb. He said to her, “You know, Scarlett. I am often tired from work. Especially now that my brother is away on a business trip.”
“Uhuh,” she replied, bemused at his lines.
“And by now, you should know that I care about you. I care enough to occasionally worry about you, too,” Kaleb added.
“Oh, god,‘ she thought, having an inkling where this was going.
“I‘m just saying I might pick up the skill of sleepwalking too,” he warned. His athletic face was the most serious she had ever seen.
Scarlett,“...”
Taking the same vehicle out, Boris first drove to The Wright Diamond Corporation. Upon pulling up the driveway, Kaleb gave last–minute instructions to Boris for Liam‘s school.
Scarlett was simply listening to their exchange, all while sitting next to Kaleb, when suddenly, he leaned closer and a peck landed on her cheek!
Her eyes widened in shock, but she saw no hint of mischievousness on Kaleb‘s face. In fact, he appeared surprised himself.
Kaleb leaned back and reasoned, “I‘m sorry. It‘s just that. Liam often sits there.”
“Oh, I see,” she replied, realizing it was a mistake.
“No, I don‘t! This is my usual seat,” sitting across Kaleb, Liam said, his arms sailing across his chest, his lips pouting. “Only I get a kiss from my Beauty!”
“Yes, you do sit here, Liam,” Kaleb said, raising a finger up in the air. “You forgot.” He turned to Scarlett, saying, “He forgot.”
“No, I did not! This is my seat right here!” Liam raised his voice, pointing to his chair. “I never sit there.”
At that point, the father and son were shooting laser beams at each other with their eyes. Scarlett easily felt the tension over a mere peck on the cheek. Thus, she said, “Hey, hey. Guys. It‘s okay. It’s okay, Liam. It’s okay, Kaleb.”
“It’s okay?” Kaleb asked, leaning back.
“Yes.” She smiled and suggested, “Sometimes, people greet each other or say goodbye with a peck. Like Italians.“
“It’s okay?” Kaleb clarified.
“Yes, it’s okay,” she confirmed.
pally taken Adventage
Seeing how Liam sighed in surrender, Kaleb leaned closer to Scarlet, and this time, he pecked not only on one, but on both of Scarlett’s cheeks. He smirked and said, “Goodbye.. the Italian way.”
Scarlett turned a shade darker, completely dazed.
In the evening on the same day, Scarlett was torn about whether to lock the doors to her room. Kaleb had already said his goodnight. She saw him go to Liam‘s room and earlier, while peeking outside her door, she saw him leave and walk toward his room.
A groan left her lips, and she grumbled, “What am I thinking? Why do I even want him to sleepwalk into my room?”
She locked her door and stomped on the way to the bed.
After an hour, she was still wide awake. Kaleb did not even try to enter her room! If he tried to open the door, she would have noticed it, right? With this in mind, she returned to her door and unlocked it.
In the wee hours, Scarlett found herself still restless. Kaleb did not at all try to disturb her rest. It was all talk!
She formed a pout on her face as she complained, “This is all Kaleb‘s fault. All that talk about sleepwalking!”
Minutes passed, and sleep was nowhere near her. Her mind was constantly telling her... to sleepwalk.
She got up from the bed
Morning came. The sunlight touched Scarlett‘s beautiful face, and she blinked awake.
She had the best four–hour slumber. It may have been just a few hours, but it was potent enough to give a noverwhelming zest.
She opened her eyes to the sight of Kaleb‘s smirking face, his head resting on his fist, his body lying sideways. By the look of it, Scarlett was certain he had been staring at her for some time.
“Good morning,” he greeted with satisfaction plastered all over his face.
Scarlett reached down to the blanket and pulled it just above her nose. While her face heated up, she replied, “Good morning.”
“Thank you, Scarlett... For finally taking advantage of me,” he said and a sly grin.
“Pfft.” Covering her face completely with a blanket, she replied, “Whatever.”
“Are you ready for our date?” He asked. She nodded under the blanket; her face burning with embarrassment.