Billionaire, Let's Divorce (Mark and Sydney) novel Chapter 222

Maybe...I found myself starting to think, suddenly feeling hopeless. Maybe I should just go back home and live in peace with my family. Put this vengeance against Dylan aside before it consumed me entirely. But then, I had come too far, involved myself too deeply in the Esposito world to just slip away unnoticed. Dylan would eventually discover I was missing and he would relentlessly hunt me down to the ends of the earth. I couldn't risk him finding out about Aiden's existence. I refused to put my son in danger from that maniac. No, I had come too far to turn back now, no matter how enticing the thought of returning to my old life was.

But even if I did decide to go back home and he came looking for me, I could at least rest assured that Mark would never let him or his thugs get anywhere near me and the children. He would do anything to protect us...

"So you're just gonna give up, huh?"

The sound of an unfamiliar voice jolted me from my thoughts. First, it was the smell of cigarette smoke that wafted across the terrace and tickled my nose. But it was the mocking words that made my heart skip a beat. I exchanged a panicked look with Bella before we both whipped our heads around toward the source of the voice.

A slim but shapely girl emerged from behind the tall shrubbery at the far end of the terrace, a cigarette dangling lazily from her lips. She looked to be in her late teens and was dressed in the uniform of one of the mansion's maids. My mind raced - had she been lurking there the whole time, listening to our entire conversation?

Bella and I looked at each other again, the question clear in our wide, fearful eyes. Where the hell did this girl come from? I quickly scanned behind her, taking in the hedges that had been sculpted into a tall, enclosing wall shape. I hadn't paid them much mind before, assuming they were just decorative. But now I could see there was likely some sort of hidden path or entrance for staff behind them.

But figuring out how she snuck up on us was secondary to determining how much of our discussion she had overheard. Her smug smile and insouciant attitude spoke volumes. Had Tavon put her up to spying on Bella and I? Or worse, was she reporting back to that snake Dylan, assessing if I was holding up my end of his depraved bargain? One thing was for certain - we could no longer speak freely here.

I steadied my pounding heart and broke the tense silence. "Who are you?" I asked firmly.

The girl exhaled a thick cloud of smoke with a practiced nonchalance that immediately set me on edge. Then she gestured lazily to her uniform and sneered, "As I'm sure you can see, I am one of Tavon's maids. You can call me Scarlet."

My brow creased in consternation. Of course - having the house staff keep clandestine watch over his associates was a classic mob tactic. What better way to monitor everyone's comings and goings?

"Did you hear our conversation?" I asked bluntly, then shook my head, rephrasing. "You heard a handful of our conversation, didn't you?"

Scarlet nodded emphatically. "I heard all of it." She jerked a thumb back towards her hidden alcove. "I hid here to smoke earlier than you guys," she said by way of explanation. Then she cocked her head, a strange half-smile twisting her features as she added mockingly, "You know, discussing secret matters like this in a public place is no different from posting these secrets online.” she cocked her head to one side and I couldn't help but wonder if she did drugs. She kinda acted a little bit like she was mentally unstable.