Chapter 68

**SCARLET**
I opened my eyes and saw a white ceiling on top of me. I blinked rapidly to get a clear view of my surroundings. I wasn’t in my room or in my own bed. I suddenly felt a sharp pang of pain in my right leg.
“Uh, w-what is this…” I moaned. My throat felt dry. “What is going on?”
Right. Everything flashed back in my mind. I remember everything. The graduation, my family, walking away… Raoul came to me and then to the restroom…
Luke… He was there. I remembered he was there.
“Scarlet?” I heard Katherine’s voice.
I shifted my head to the other side. “Katherine?”
“You are awake! Thank God you’re awake!” She immediately sat next to me, squeezing my hand tight.
“Where’s… where’s…”
“Your parents came out for lunch. They didn’t sleep waiting for you to wake up. You’ve been asleep for a day,” Nate said.
“No.” I shook my head. “And Luke? Where’s Luke? What happened to me?”
“Shh… It’s okay. He’s sleeping.” Katherine pointed out the man sitting on the couch with his arms crossed over his chest. His eyes shut, and he had wrinkled eyebrows. I sighed in relief.
“Why am I here, Katherine? Did I get shot?”
She nodded with a deep sigh. “Yes, luckily, it’s just your leg.”
“What are you still doing here? You should be in Edinburgh,” I asked her.
Katherine held my hand. “I told Uncle I’m not going there anymore. Nate and I went to New York, where his parents live, so I’m not leaving anymore. We can be together again, Scar.”
As much as her news was great, I had a deal with Thomas. “What? But I was supposed to go with you. No. I am still going to leave, even if I am alone.”
“Don’t be so stubborn. Your stepfather didn’t want you to go because you’re still injured.”
“I want to leave,” I insisted. “I’ll ask Thomas to help me. I’m not safe here with Raoul around—”
“Scar, Raoul is gone,” Nate informed. “So you can stop worrying about him now.
“What? What do you mean gone?
“He’s dead, Scar. After he shot you, your stepbrother came with the police and shot him,” he explained.
Hope rushed through me. I shut my eyes, letting my tears stream down my face. “Death isn’t enough for that bastard,” I whimpered. “He killed my baby. He hurt me, and so I had a miscarriage. I remember it all now.”
How did you even forget about it? What kind of person was I? When he left in the mud three years ago, everything blacked out. I had forgotten some fragments of my memories of what really happened to me because I was stuck up being depressed. All I could remember was how he hurt me.
I wiped my tears away.
Katherine was now on the verge of crying, and Nate’s jaw twitched.
“But it’s all okay now.” Katherine sniveled. “And don’t worry. The graduation turned out well, and the university won’t publicize this.
“But you can’t really prevent people from talking.”
“You don’t have to worry about it. Just get better, okay?”
“Raoul might be dead, but I still can’t stay here anymore,” I whispered to her, worried that we might wake Luke up and hear our conversation. He was just a few feet away from us.
“You’re still injured, Scar,” Nate convinced. “Do you think you can leave in this situation?”
“I can still feel my feet. It means I’m not crippled.”
Katherine laughed faintly. “Let’s see about that. Do you want to eat?”
“Yeah, I’m starving. Please don’t let me eat hospital food. I heard they don’t taste good.”
“That’s my girl. Alright, what do we have here?” She scanned the bedside table with various kinds of fruits. “We only have this.” Katherine picked up the basket of fruits
“That’s still better than hospital food.”
“Right.” She giggled. “I’m just going to peel these.”
Several minutes later, Katherine talked about what had happened. That day, Nate received my text, and he immediately told Luke, so they called the police. But when they opened the door, I was already unconscious.
Somehow, I felt relieved. I didn’t have to be anxious every time. I got the justice that I wanted for me… for my baby.
I asked Katherine to get me another slice of apples. My taste buds were screaming for something tastier.
“What about a banana?” Katherine asked.
“I’ll take care of it.” Luke suddenly appeared behind Katherine. We didn’t notice him waking up. I gasped at the sight of him. I thought I wouldn’t be able to see him again. But here he was, standing in front of me. It was another chance to be with him.
“Oh sure,” Katherine stepped aside.
Luke stood in front of the table, grabbing an apple and a knife. “It’s okay. You two can take a break, too.”
“Are you sure?” Katherine asked him
“Yes.
“Alright, I’m just going to eat, then. Do you want something?” Katherine asked.
“I want real food. Thanks, Kath. Nate.”
“You’re welcome.” Katherine took Nate with her, and they exited the room.
Luke sat quietly next to me. He began peeling the apples.
“I’m sorry, Luke,” I began.
“You shouldn’t be. Because of me, you are here. If it wasn’t from your friend. I wouldn’t know.”
“My issues with Raoul have nothing to do with you.”
“It has something to do with me because it’s you. Didn’t you realize how worried I was? You’re going to be the death of me.
I smiled weakly. “I know. That’s why I’m sorry.”
Luke cupped my face and pressed a kiss to my forehead. “Please don’t do that again.”
I can’t. I’m so sorry. That was the exact moment I heard the door open. Thomas and Mom came into the room. Luke immediately pulled away.
“I’ll be back,” he said.
“Luke…” I called him, but he turned around to face our parents. “She’s awake.” He said, then he exited the door.
“What happened to him?” Mom asked, frowning.
“That child, let him be,” Thomas said.
“Oh, darling!” Mom came to my side immediately. “I’m so worried about you.” She hugged me briefly. I moaned in pain.
“Oh, I’m sorry, my baby girl.” She pulled away. “Are you alright? Did you already eat?”
“Yes.” I nodded. “Katherine and Nate helped me.”
“Oh, God. I heard everything. Why didn’t you tell me you have an obsessed ex-boyfriend?”
I looked at Thomas, and he shook his head slightly. I bet he didn’t really tell Mom everything, and it’s good this way. I didn’t want to hurt her anymore.
“I’m so sorry, Mom, but I’m okay. I’m actually waiting for you to come. I need to tell you something.”
“What is it, darling?” Thomas asked.
“Katherine is leaving tonight,” I said. “I want to go to Edinburgh with her.”
“You what? Honey, you’re still injured,” Mom refused.
“You don’t need to go anymore, darling,” Thomas suddenly said.
“What?” Luke said as he turned up at the door again. “What do you mean you need to leave for Edinburgh?” he asked in confusion.
Oh, God!
He rushed to the door and stood next to my bed. “Scarlet, what are you saying? You are leaving?”
“Why did you come back?” I asked.
“I forgot my phone—Hold on. That is not the answer.”
“She’s not,” Thomas interjected. “Not anymore, son.”
“What? And you know about this?”
I gaped at the two men. I didn’t know who to talk to, so Mom spoke first. “She has a job offer in Scotland.”
“What?!” he exclaimed, and he looked back at me. “And why didn’t I know about this?”
“We were going to tell you, but your father decided not to send her there anymore.”
“Send her what? Why would you send her there?”
I heaved a sigh. “He knows.” I looked at Thomas and Mom, who were smiling at me.
“Know what?”
“We know about you and Scarlet, Luke.” Mom held his shoulder and smiled at him. “Katherine accidentally told me you were asleep, and I saw you kissed her last night.”
The colors in Luke’s face drained. I gaped at them in astonishment.
“Do you think we won’t find out?” Mom said.
“I’m sorry, Mom.”
“Don’t be, Scar. I think I should be the one who needs to apologize,” Thomas joined in. He took a deep breath, and he took my hand gently. “You are my daughter too, and you are much more important to your mother and me than the others would say. I realize that now. But will you be able to handle this from here?” He looked back and forth at me and Luke, who still couldn’t believe what was happening.
“Are you saying you approve of us?” Luke asked his father.
Thomas patted his son’s shoulder and flashed a small smile. “Didn’t you tell me you love her?”
A hint of hope glimmered in Luke’s eyes. “Dad…”
“We’ll leave to let you two talk,” Thomas said again, who seemed cool about this.
Luke nodded, then our parents exited the room. He sat back in the chair next to my bed.
“Oh, God. Are they really approving this?”
“But were you really planning to leave?”
“Luke…” I heaved a sigh. “Thomas talked to me, and he didn’t like the idea of us being together—”
“But that was before, okay? You heard him. He’s allowing us now to be together,” he said.
I reached for his face and held him. “And I’m only going to do that because I didn’t want him to cast you out.”
“You’d rather leave me, huh?” he asked painfully. His eyes were suddenly bloodshot. “After I thought I’d lost you?”
I swallowed my throat dry and smiled. “Not anymore—now that Thomas and Mom miraculously seemed fine with it.”
Luke squeezed his temples and began to sob. Deep, painful sobs. I let myself watch this beautiful soul in front of me for a moment.
“Hey…”
Luke abruptly lifted his face and sprang up. He cupped my face, then adhered his forehead with mine. “I love you, Scarlet. More than anything. I can’t live anymore without you.”
“I can say the same.”
He kissed me swiftly. “Promise me something.”
I chortled between our breaths. “Promise you what?”
“That whatever might happen to us after this, you would never let go.” I felt him tense.
“Of course, I won’t. Luke, you were my first love. I guess I haven’t told you about it.” I chuckled at his sweet words.
He gazed at me softly. “Really?”
“Yes, but we have a lot of time. We can still talk about that later. But why are you suddenly being like this?”
“Listen.” He pressed a kiss on my forehead, then he stared back into my eyes. His beautiful cerulean eyes were now penetrating deep within my soul. “Because the path we chose is going to be hard. You’re still Gene’s daughter, and everyone knows about it.”
“Luke, you saw how they reacted. Mom and Thomas know. I think that’s all that matters.
“Just promise me.
“Okay. I promise.”
He panted, his cheekbones gleaming from his heated tears. I’d never seen him so exposed like this. How I loved this man so much.
“Good. Because I’ll do anything for you, Scarlet. There are no more limits. Just us. You and me.”
“Then why are you still talking? Just kiss me…”
“You’ve become brazen, witch. I love you,” he whispered softly.
I chuckled at his endearment. “I love you more.”
I trapped him between my arms—never mind the pain in my body. I pushed him against me and smashed my lips into his.
After he had said those words to me, I knew deep inside what he meant. There would still be more challenges and trials our relationship would face. In front of the people’s eyes, he was still my stepbrother.
But none of it wouldn’t matter because he would protect me. We would love each other for whatever it takes…

-END-

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