I Fell For The Boy His Daddy Was A Bonus

Chapter 6

Chapter 6: Scarlett Barnes

Scarlett’s heart was galloping profoundly. Her breaths were heavy against Kalet‘s frame, and the fluttering feeling in her stomach was going wild. She might have escaped from Luca that evening, but she may very well get a heart attack from this strange excitement she was riding out

As the tip of her nose brushed against Kaleb‘s inviting neck, she took a good whiff of his spicy cologne, and that further added to the static that ran through her body,

“God, I feel so hot,’ she thought silently. ‘How long have I been in his hold? How long did it take for them o leave this hallway? Seriously!’

She sucked in a breath and use everything in her willpower to free herself from what it felt like a spell, binding her toward Kaleb. Faintly, she managed to find the words to say, “They should be gone by now It’s already been what? Five minutes?”

It was as if she heard the man groan, but Kaleb quickly coughed, pulling away. He responded, “Yes, they are gone now. Damn, who walks that slow? That woman must have the wrong shoe size on.”

Scarlett was chasing her breath, her back leaning flat against the wall. With her face still burning, she answered, “Perhaps.”

There was an awkward silence between them while both appeared to be fixing their clothes. When Scarlett was about ready to leave, Kaleb suggested, “If you need any help hiding next time, don’t forget to … give me a call. You have my number.”

Scarlett, “...”

“This is the place,” Scarlett said, her eyes landing on an old apartment building where she lived. She turned to Kaleb with a smile and said, “Thank you for taking me home, Mister – I mean, Kaleb.”

“Of course. I owe you for coming with me and Liam to his doctor‘s appointment,“ Kaleb acknowledged, his athletic face peering at Scarlett‘s frame. “Driving you home does not even cover for when you returned Liam to me. I owe you so much –”

“Oh, please. Don‘t think much about it,” Scarlett assured him. “In fact, spending time with Liam was very entertaining.”

Out of nowhere, Kaleb‘s eyes narrowed. He asked, “Just... Liam?”

Scarlett clearly saw the hurt flashed in Kaleb‘s eyes. She did not know whether to be amused or to be watchful. She quickly added, “And, of course, with you, Kaleb. It was fun spending time with you, too.”

Eventually, a wider grin formed on her face as she revealed, “In fact today, I could say, I enjoyed your company too much, I feel like I owe you more than you owe me.”

Hearing that, Kaleb was quick to find another opportunity. He answered, “Really now, you feel like you owe me? Then you should really return the favor.”

“Eh?” Scarlett. ‘Does it work that way?‘

He winked at her and claimed, “I‘ll collect in due time.”

Scarlett gulped, feeling nervous.

“Anyway, Scarlett, about earlier. Do you want to talk about it?” Kaleb immediately asked, still recalling Scarlett in a frenzy over the sight of the couple from the hotel.

Silence fell upon them, and Scarlett sighed heavily. She forced a smile as she glanced outside the window of the car, replying, “Those two were part of my past, one that I wished I never had. I just did not want to see them and I definitely did not want them to see me “

” hope you don‘t mind, I really don‘t want to talk about it,” Scarlett said, her voice weakening “I‘m really tired, Kaleb. I think I should go now. Thank you again for taking me home

“Scarlett.” Kaleb said, holding her wrist. He asked, “Are you sure everything is fine? is that something that I can help you with

‘Was it?’ Scarlett reflected inwardly. Her mouth parted for a second, and then she replied, “Maybe. ! let you know if I need help. Thank you again for tonight, Kaleb.”

From inside his car, Kaleb watched as Scarlett‘s figure slowly disappeared from his sight. Only then did h e take out his phone and called Boris. “Find out from the hotel security who was the couple who walked past us earlier in the hallways. And what about Scarlett‘s background”

“I already have her information on my laptop, Mister Wright,” Boris answered, and that was all Kaleb needed to know to make him rush back to his penthouse.

“Here, Mister Wright,” Boris said, turning his laptop into Kaleb‘s view. “Scarlett Barnes’ full background”

“I‘m impressed at how you got her info so quickly.” Kaleb remarked as he leaned closer to the file on the laptop

“I did not have to look deep, Mister Wright. Her name was all over the internet. Scarlett Barnes became a sensation after she was accused of assaulting her sister.” Boris shook his head and revealed, “I thought she looked familiar, and then I realized it was her in the video that went viral a year ago.” © NôvelDrama.Org - All rights reserved.

“After this video was uploaded, there were many sides to the story published. Some left comments that Scarlett was the actual victim, but from what I have gathered, she never had the resources to defend herself. With the connections of the Jameses, she never really had a fighting chance. The remarks were deemed hearsays.”

Kaleb instantly frowned. Recalling the “hiding” incident from earlier, he said in a deep voice, “I see. So the couple from the hotel hallway – ”

“Luca James, a partner of the James and Powel Law Firm and Scarlett‘s sister, Courtney Barnes,” Boris filled in for him.

There was already a shortcut on the video Boris referred to and Kaleb watched it twice. In his view, it wasn‘t definite to suggest that Scarlett hit Courtney. In fact, it looked to him like she was throwing something at Courtney. He mumbled, “Who slaps with a fist to suddenly open her palm?”

Boris shrugged and added, “You can read the comments below. It was said that the man behind her was her ex–fiance, Luca James. The conflict began after Luca got together with Courtney while he and Scarlett were still together, three months after the dude proposed to her? Fuck, yeah. A despicable person!”

As Kaleb read further through the research, he discovered that Luca and Scarlett were not only lovers, but were childhood friends. The discovery instantly made him grit his teeth, thinking of how Scarlett must have been in pain, utterly betrayed.

“And to cheat on Scarlett with her sister? That is just sick,” Kaleb could not help but remark, his head shaking disapprovingly. What was even more puzzling to Kaleb was how Luca preferred Courtney when Scarlett was the more beautiful one. Heck, they did not even look related.

To Kaleb’s amazement, he also learned how Scarlett graduated with high honors in law school at the age of twenty–four, only that she was not allowed to take the bar examination. His heart easily swelled with pride, knowing that Scarlett was a capable woman. It was just unfortunate that she was suppressed and bullied by the influences of one, Luca James.

“Barnes, though, the last name is very familiar,” Kaleb said, his hand caressing his chin as he dug through his brain.

“Barnes Supermarket and Galerias? You‘ve probably met them at social gatherings, charity events,” Boris pointed out

“What?!” Kaleb leaned back, his long legs crossed as he revealed, “I thought that Courtney was really familiar, but the Philip and Cindy Barnes, they – they said they only had one daughter?”

“What the fuck is going on, Boris –”

“Ready for the bomb, Sir?” Boris said, his voice strengthened. “Scarlett Barnes is the real daughter of the Barnes. She and Courtney were switched at birth by mistake. It was already during Scarlett’s teens when she was returned to her real family, but based on my reports, Scarlett‘s parents, Philip and Cindy Barnes, only recognize Courtney, their adopted child.”

“Courtney grew up with Scarlett‘s parents. So she naturally earned the love of Cindy and Philip, even before Scarlett could try. So when the bitterness between Courtney and Scarlett became irreparable… Guess what? They chose Courtney over Scarlett.”

It could not be helped. Kaleb‘s blood boiled, and the heat went up to his head. He speculated in his head, coming up with his own assumptions. ‘Are they denying their own biological daughter? Did they abandon her?’

A hiss left his lips, thinking of how Scarlett was living in a substandard apartment building and waiting tables, while she was the true heir of the Barnes Supermarkets and Galerias. Even if there was a misunderstanding between the daughters of the Barnes, was it not the parent’s responsibility to rebuild their relationship?

Kaleb felt his heart ached for Scarlett, and he grunted in a low voice and said, “How–how dare they?” He craved to go back to Scarlett’s apartment and just… hide her with his.