Scarlett (Second Edition) by Karima Saad Usman novel Chapter 198

Chapter 198

Scarlett’s POV

I felt a faint tickling on my feet as I stirred in my sleep, my senses slowly awakening. The warm, familiar scent of sandalwood and cinnamon enveloped me, pulling me further from the haze of rest. Groggily, opened my eyes, and there they were-Maxwell and Clay, standing in my room. Maxwell held a feather in his hand, his smirk unmistakable. It didn’t take much to gure out where the tickle had come from.

“Overworked yourself today, didn’t you?” Maxwell teased, his tone lighthearted, and Clay chuckled softly beside him.

I sat up, rubbing the remnants of sleep from my eyes, and glanced at the clock. Nine in the evening. I had slept longer than I intended.

“Elsa has been waiting for you since eight, Maxwell added, his teasing tone fading as he reminded me of my overdue appointment. I glanced at Clay for confirmation, and he nodded.

“And the meal we made for you is cold,” Clay said, his voice quieter, tinged with care. “But I’m sure Elsa.” His gaze lingered on me, assessing.

can be heated up if you want to eat before seeing

I could see it in his eyes-concern mixed with something softer. He looked better now, as did Maxwell. Both of them seemed rejuvenated, as though some unseen weight had been lifted from their shoulders. Their vibrancy was contagious, and I couldn’t help but feel a small measure of relief.

“I’ll eat before I go to Elsa,” I replied, swinging my legs over the edge of the bed. The hunger was a dull ache now, but I knew I would need my strength for whatever awaited me with Elsa. I stretched and stood, deciding I couldn’t meet her in my current outfit. Something more comfortable was necessary- practical, considering I didn’t know how long the session would last. A nightgown with a robe seemed ideal.

As I moved toward my wardrobe to change, Clay spoke up cautiously. “We bought you some clothes from Tealberg. Have you checked to see if you like them?” There was a note of hesitancy in his voice, one that spoke volumes. It wasn’t just about the clothes-they were trying to replace the items Keith had given me, trying to reclaim something that had been taken.

I paused, turning to face him. “I’ll do that tomorrow,” I said gently. “I’m sure I’ll like your choices.”

Clay nodded, but the flicker of disappointment in his eyes was impossible to miss. It tugged at me, but I knew this was the best I could do for now. I couldn’t bring myself to throw away Keith’s clothes just yet, even if it would make them feel better.

Still, the thought lingered in the back of my mind. Most of the items weren’t suited for winter anyway, and maybe it was time to let them go-to take another step toward reclaiming my space, my choices.

prepare

I turned back to my wardrobe, my resolve firming. I would face Elsa soon, but before that, I would give myself a moment to prepare-to eat, to dress, and to ground myself in the present. Whatever awaited me, I would meet it head-on. And tomorrow? Tomorrow, I’d decide what to do with the remnants of the

past.

I dressed quickly, settling into something warm and comfortable, and we made our way to Clay and Maxwell’s apartment to eat. For reasons they didn’t share, Clay and Maxwell didn’t linger once we arrived. After making sure I was settled, they excused themselves, leaving me alone with Lucian.

He sat by himself, his shoulders, tense, the sadness in his eyes as heavy as a storm cloud. No matter how much he tried to hide it, it was impossible to miss. A pang of something I didn’t want to name twisted in my chest.

He needed this. A moment to talk, to let some of it out-even if he wouldn’t say it outright. I wanted him to steal a bit of peace, even if only for a moment.

We sat at the dining table together, the silence between us more charged than awkward. Lucian rose after a while, offering to help take the food to the kitchen to heat it up. But I stopped him, insisting I could manage on my own. There was no reason for him to serve me–it felt unnecessary, wrong

9:47 am

Chapter 198

ppp

“I was amazing what you did out there with Garland,” he said, attempting to fill the silence as I worked on reheating the meal. His tone was light, but there was a weight behind it. “The guy’s healing, by the way. But you did a number on his wolf. He’ll never be the same again.”

I chuckled softly, biting into the filled once it was ready. The flavor was unmistakable-this was Clay’s handiwork, rich and perfectly cooked.

Comments

Michele Gremillion

VERIFYCAPTCHA_LABELVerify