Scarlett (Second Edition) by Karima Saad Usman novel Chapter 165

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They could all flee and tremble if the wanted. I worldn’t be here long enough for it to matter. My time in this golforsaken place was coming to an end. 1 had revenge to take, and David oh, David was next on my list

There was nothing here worth staying for, not a single thread holding me to this place. I would have to be a fool to te: those three back into my life, to te them again after all they’d done. They were burdens forced upon me by fate, weights! would gladly shed.

As I stood there, my mind flickered to the memories I couldn’t seem to erase. Every hurt, every tie, every broken promise they haunted me, gnawed at my soul like shadows in the dark. But I wouldn’t let that show. I wouldn’t wear my heart on my sleeve. Not anymore. I’d been through enough. I’d been shattered, scarred, and remade by pain. No more. I was done with vulnerability, done letting others think they could break me

“Open it,” I said curtly to the guard standing by the van. My tone left no room for questions. I must have scared him because I could see his face drain of colour as he hesitated, fumbling for the keys.

That’s when it hit me–I must have used my command on him without even realizing it. I needed to control it. Magic like mine wasz’t meant to be used carelessly, to bully and intimidate.

The memory of Lucian using his power on me surfaced, sharp and bitter. I remembered how it had twisted my stomach, made me feel small and trapped. I’d never wanted to make others feel that way, no matter what I thought of them. But maybe it was better if they saw me as a force to be reckoned with, if they finally understood that I didn’t belong to them.

“Y-yes…Ma…Madam…” the guard stammered, nearly dropping the keys in his rush to open the back of the van. I almost pitied him, but then I thought better of it. He needed to understand. They all did. He got the message, loud and clear.

I waited for the van to open, and to my surprise, there he was-Geoffrey, locked in a cage, his body still in the process of healing. He looked disoriented, squinting as his eyes adjusted to the dim evening light filtering into the van. The sight of him in that cramped, filthy space was almost unbelievable. Vomit and who knows what else stained the floor of his cage, and he looked more like a trapped animal than a man.

“Well, it seems Keith has a sense of humor,” I murmured, a broad grin spreading across my face despite everything. “Some jokes are too priceless to let slide.” I turned my gaze to the guards, who were standing uneasily, waiting for orders.

“Lock him up in a cell,” I instructed with a calm, measured tone that I knew conveyed the seriousness of my command. “And know this-if he escapes, your lives are forfeit.” They nodded, swallowing their fear as they hurried to obey.

As they led Geoffrey away, I took out my phone to call Keith. My fingers hovered over the screen, and as I dialed, a sudden, overwhelming wave of emotion washed over me. My heart began to pound, a deep ache settling in my chest.

I knew I had wronged Keith, that my leaving him was a mistake I would feel for a long time. I touched the mark on my neck, the one Lucian, Maxwell, and Clay had left on me, a mark that once held so much meaning. In another life, I might have held out longer, given my heart fully to Keith instead of getting tangled with those three.

I might have felt something feal, something that wouldn’t have left me hollow and lost. The tears threatened to blur my vision, and before I knew it, I had ended the call without a word. I needed space-needed the cool solitude of the woods.

Just as I started toward the trees, Clay’s voice sounded in my mind.

“Scarlett,” he called, his tone soft, but I could feel the desperation behind it. Ignoring him might only drive him to come find me in person, so I reluctantly

answered.

“What is it?” I replied, keeping my voice as steady as I could manage.

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Chapter 165

Coming to see if you’d like to visit the highlands tomorrow,” he saleantly. “It’s beautiful there. Might give you soon tips to heat

Lalmost laughed at the boy, the bitterness of it twisting in my chest.

“Dealing? That won’t be necessary, Clay, Sometimes, pain is what we need. It helps keep memories alive memories that can save your in the future, I know what the three of you are capable of now, so believe me, I won’t expect much. Don’t try to placate me. I’m here for Garland and nothing more. After that. I’m heading south, Maxwell should have told you already I want a divorce, Clay That’s all.” Without waiting for a respuroc, I turned and strode deeper send the woods.

He didn’t respond, but I felt the pang of pain that shot through him, a part of me recognizing it, even if I tried to block it out. If only I could server this connection to their emotions, I thought bitterly. It would be so much easier. But I suppose I’d have to carry that weight along with everything else.

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