Chapter 29

**SCARLET**

When we arrived at the apartment, I jumped straight to my bed. Katherine seemed to understand that I wasn’t in the mood, so she asked Nate to go home. I lay on my bed and buried my face in the pillows.

I wasn’t a crybaby, but I’d cried a lot before, whenever I missed Mom when I was forced to marry Raoul or the other heartbreaks in the past. I let out my emotions moderately, but it was never like this. Hearing Luke’s name alone could make me cry.

I was in too deep. I kept remembering the night I was in his arms, his body, his scent, and the warmth of his skin against mine. It was only one night, and I had already missed him. I doubted I would ever meet another man who would make me feel the same. Katherine came back to my door an hour later. I was reading Luke’s messages from back when he was still Jax.

I felt Katherine sit on the edge of my bed.

“Hey, you can’t be like this all the time, you know?” she said softly.

I sobbed hard. “He’s still texting me, and I’m itching to respond. I wanted to avoid him, but I can’t do that when he’s my stepbrother.” I wiped my tears away.

“Oh, honey. Nobody’s perfect, and I completely understand you. But you must get up and wash up, don’t you think?”

I forced myself to sit up. “I’m sorry. You must be so tired of me.”

“Oh, come on. Who wouldn’t be acting like this?” Her shoulders fell. “He’s not your boyfriend, and you are torturing yourself like this.”

“I feel pathetic.”

She slapped my arm. I swear Katherine had a heavy hand.

“Ouch!”

“No. You look pathetic. I shouldn’t have let Nate leave so he would see you like this. I’m sure he could slap the truth out of you.” Katherine sprang up. “Anyway, you should come out. There’s a package for you,” she lowered her voice.

I blinked. “From who?”

“I don’t know. I didn’t open it. There’s probably a note inside. Just come out now and check it.”

“Fine.” Lazily, I got off the bed and walked out of the room. Katherine handed me the blue velvet box she’d picked up from the center table.

The package had a pretty yellow ribbon around it. I hadn’t received a package that was so small before, so I was pretty sure it wasn’t from Mom or Thomas. I pulled off the ribbon and opened the box.

My jaw dropped to find a pair of pink-stoned earrings.

“Goodness gracious, is this for real?” Katherine squealed, almost exploding my eardrums.

“What?” I mouthed. I couldn’t stop staring at it. I touched the stones with my finger. They were so beautiful, and as expected, a small card was inside. I picked it up and read the note.

 

Let’s talk.

Yours, Luke

 

“From Luke?”

“Yes.”

She raised an eyebrow, but a playful smile curved her lips. “You know what? I changed my mind.”

I looked at her. “What?”

“I’m pretty sure he wouldn’t be such a loser and send you fake jewelry. He’s into you too. I can see it now. These are real pink diamond earrings, Scar. That’s not just any diamond.”

I stared at the jewelry again; the crystals shined before my eyes. My knees went all wobbly. “How did he even know our address? I didn’t give it to him—” I paused. “Right. Must be Thomas.”

“Oh my God, Scar. And it’s delivered here by a man in a black suit—which didn’t seem just an ordinary delivery guy.”

“I-I can’t…” I stuttered. “I can’t accept this.” I closed the box again and tried to secure it with the ribbon.

“This guy really is something.” She rested her hands on her waist. “What are you planning to do with it then?”

I rolled my eyes. He was probably just using this as bait so he could talk to me. And he won. I couldn’t keep such valuable things like this. This was too much.

“Taking this back to him, what else?”

“You sure? You told me this guy doesn’t do relationships. What am I seeing now?”

“He’s rich. He can buy anything he wants with his money,” I pointed out. “I shouldn’t be blinded by things like this.”

“What if you’re wrong?”

“I can’t be wrong. I knew him as Jax, remember? For three months, I’ve known what kind of a person he is.”

I hate assuming things, but he clearly told me he wasn’t going to see any woman, but he admitted that he fucked her. What are they going to do then when they meet? Play hide-and-seek? Watch TV?

Luke wasn’t that type. It’s funny how he could hate liars, but he was an exemption from his own rules.

“I know about that, but how about in the real world? He’s not Jax anymore, and…” She took the box and opened it again. “This will look good on you. He has taste.” She pouted.

I chuckled at her remark and crossed my arms. “What happened when you told me I was pathetic and he’s not even my boyfriend?”

“What? I can’t change my mind?”

I shook my head. “You can’t. You’re supposed to be my saving grace. I’ll give that back to him.”

I pulled out my phone from my pocket to send him a text, but there was already one that came from him via company email. He didn’t just know my address, but now my personal email address too. The message was sent ten minutes ago.

 

Subject: Earrings

 

Do you like it?

 

Lucas Alejandro

CEO, Alejandro Technologies, Inc.

 ______________________________________

Subject: Re: Earrings

 

Unfortunately, I like it, but I don’t think I can accept it. Why did you send me this, Luke?

 

Scarlet

 ______________________________________

Subject: Re: Earrings

 

Peace offering? Two months is a short time.

 

Lucas Alejandro

CEO, Alejandro Technologies, Inc.

 ______________________________________

Subject: Re: Earrings

Is this a bribe, then? Okay, let’s meet, and I’ll return this to you.

 

Scarlet

 ______________________________________

Subject: Re: Earrings

 

Keep it. It’s yours. And stop defying me. One more night. Just talk. I will let you go if you think I’m lying to you.

Deal?

 

Lucas Alejandro

CEO, Alejandro Technologies, Inc.

 

I hesitated to reply. I realized now what was wrong with me. It was the effect he had on me that I couldn’t resist, and he knew it. Sneaky bastard.

 

Subject: Re: Earrings

Sounds fair. I’ll see you tomorrow.

Scarlet