Scarlett (Second Edition) by Karima Saad Usman novel Chapter 201

9:56 am P p pp

Scarlett

Chapter 201

“I can’t… not when I still want you

continued, my voice trembling slightly. “And I can’t hide that from you-you know it. Tiger knows it. But I can’t promise that I’ll just get over the pain. I can’t because it’s a deep wound, Lucian. One that’s left a scax and I’m still trying to heal from it. But…” { hesitated, taking a steadying breath, “I am willing to try again.”

Before I could say another word, Lucian pulled me into his arms and kissed me. It wasn’t gentle or restrained-it was desperate, a raw expression of everything he couldn’t put into words. The kiss was fierce, filled with longing and regret, a testament to how deeply he felt for me. I could feel his heart bleeding through every movement, his hands trembling as they held m

When he pulled back, he rested his forehead against mine, his breathing uneven as he inhaled my scent like it was the only thing keeping him grounded. “Thank you, Scarlett,” he whispered, his voice thick with emotion.

I stepped back, putting a little distance between us. His gaze followed me, attentive, hanging onto my every word like a lifeline. I studied him for a moment, trying to gauge the sincerity behind his actions. Finally, I spoke, my voice quiet but resolute.

“I just have one question for you, Lucian,” I said, and he straightened, his focus entirely on me. The way he looked at me reminded me of a puppy desperate to please-Maxwell’s self-description suddenly made perfect sense.

“Why, didn’t any of you check on me while I was locked up?” I asked, my voice steady but tinged with the hurt I’d carried for so long. “Why didn’t you come to see me? To make sure I was being treated fairly? To ensure that your orders were being carried out properly?”

Lucian’s shoulders slumped, and he exhaled deeply, the weight of the question visibly bearing down on him. His jaw tightened for a moment before he spoke.

“We weren’t here,” he said quietly, the guilt in his voice unmistakable. “We were on a desperate search, crossing town after town, trying to find Geoffrey

Olsen. We even went into the West without Keith’s permission, risking everything to clear your name. For two months, Scarlett. Two months, we searched

endlessly, and all we had were phone reports-‘She’s fine.” That’s all they told us. We relied on those reports because we thought… we thought we were

doing the right thing.”

His voice cracked again as his hands clenched at his sides. “But we failed you. I failed you. I should have come to see you myself. I should have made sure.

And I’ll regret that for the rest of my life.”

His head dropped slightly, his shoulders sagging under the weight of his admission. “I thought finding Geoffrey would fix everything, would clear your name and bring you peace. But in doing that, I didn’t give you the support you needed while you were suffering. And for that, I am so, so sorry.”

His words hung in the air, heavy with sincerity and remorse. For the first time, I saw just how much the guilt had eaten away at him how deeply his choices

had cut him as well.

“Clay was going to see you the night you tried to escape,” Lucian said, his voice trembling. He paused, taking a shaky breath, his head bowing as if the weight of his next words was too much to bear. “But… we drank the water, too.”

The admission hung in the air, heavy and raw, cutting through any lingering defenses I might have had. His hands clenched at his sides as he forced himself to continue, the shame in his posture evident.

“I should have insisted on more direct contact,” he went on, his voice hoarse. “I should have demanded they bring you to the phone or let me speak to you. But I was so focused on clearing your name legally, on fighting the system that condemned you, that I failed to see how wrong it was to leave you in that place, alone and abandoned.” His voice cracked, and he exhaled shakily, as if the confession itself was tearing him apart.

“And the truth is, Scarlett,” he said, his tone dropping to barely above a whisper, “for a moment, I believed Bianca. I regret it with all my heart. I should never have placed her word-or anyone’s word-above yours.”

9:56 am PP pp.

Chapter 201

He led a hand to his face, wiping at the tears streaming down his cheeks. He looked utterly shattered, his eyes swollen and red “ven if you exp won’t forgive myself,” he admitted, his voice cracking. “Maxwell and Clay doubted Bianca from the start. They believed in yes. But me? 1 ed betrayed you, Scarlett. And that’s something I will carry with me forever.”

As he spoke, the weight of his guifwgs clear in every word, every glance, every tremble in his voice, grasn’t just that he had wronged so it was the realization that he had failed in ways that would haunt him for the rest of his life. Even if i stayed, I knew this guilt would linger in hies, a wound the might never fully heal. Would it fester? Would it consume us?

Lucian stepped forward, his movements slow and deliberate. His face was solemn, his features etched with regret so raw it was almost difficult to meet his gaze.

“I should have sent Stasia away,” he admitted, his voice steady but soft. “I should have stood up to the people of Redcape. I should have made it clear where my heart truly lay. But I didn’t. I was weak, Scarlett. His voice broke again, his shoulders sagging under the weight of his admission. “Of all the Valken Alphas, I feel like a joke-a poor excuse for a leader, for a man. I don’t feel worthy of you, of your love.”

He took a deep breath, as if trying to gather the last scraps of strength he had left. “But if you’ll give me a chance,” he said, his voice full of resolve, “I’ll do whatever it takes to become the mate and husband you deserve. Just tell me what you need, Scarlett, and I will do it.”

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