Scarlett (Second Edition) by Karima Saad Usman novel Chapter 27

Maxwell’s POV

Clay stepped into the room, and it hit him immediately a thick, almost stifling tension filled the space, weighing down on every

corner.

His brows furrowed as he tried to make sense of the strange atmosphere.

“What… what happened here?” he asked, voice edged with confusion. His gaze wandered slowly around the room, taking in the fragments of what he didn’t yet understand. Then, as if a realization dawned on him, he looked up. “Where’s Scarlett?”

I noticed Lucian’s eyes flick in my direction, a silent cue that did little to comfort me. So, with a sigh, I confessed.

“I told her to rest in your room,” I said, almost bracing for his reaction. I fully expected him to object, maybe even demand an

explanation, but he didn’t. Instead, his response was different–unexpected, even.

“It’s about time,” he murmured, and his words tugged at something deep within me, filling me with a pang of shame I hadn’t

anticipated. He didn’t know the things I knew, the secrets that had slowly poisoned my thoughts. Yet, he continued to love her, with

a kind of purity and strength that made my own love feel small, like a flickering candle beside a blazing fire. His heart was wide and

boundless; mine, in comparison, seemed selfish and flawed.

“So why the gloom?” Clay finally asked, a gentle attempt to break the silence. His eyes moved between Lucian and me, searching for answers we hadn’t offered yet. Lucian, rigid and unyielding beside me, remained silent, the weight of his pride and anger sealing his lips. I knew he wasn’t going to speak, so I decided to bear the burden of explaining.

“Lucian brought Stasia to live with him,” I began, my voice barely above a whisper, as if each word might shatter the fragile air around us. “And I suggested he take the other room. But he refused… said he’d rather put Scarlett through torment than give up his stubborn pride. I told him he had to make a choice, that if he was going to be with Stasia, he should let Scarlett go.” My voice faltered, remembering Scarlett’s pained request. “She asked both of us–me and Lucian–to reject her. She wanted that freedom,

yesterday.”

Clay’s eyes widened, shock spilling across his features as he took it all in. “She asked for that?” he repeated softly, as if the words tasted bitter on his tongue. I nodded, feeling a lump in my throat. It was hard to see Clay’s reaction, knowing how much Scarlett

meant to him.

“Guess I missed more than I thought,” he admitted, glancing down as he tried to piece together what he’d just learned. I nodded

shoulders. again, feeling the weight of it all pressing on my

Lucian, who had remained silent so far, finally spoke, his voice laced with bitterness. “He fought me… for that… unable to hold back his contempt. I turned to him, meeting his glare with a calm I barely felt.

whore,”

he spat,

“You charged at me first,” I reminded him, refusing to let his anger colour the truth. “And I’ve asked you–stop calling her that.” My tone was firm, almost pleading, but I knew Lucian was too far gone in his resentment to listen.

III

1/2

15:50 Fri, Jun 5 MJ

Chapter 27

Before things could escalate further, Clay raised his hands, his calm voice cutting through the tension like a balm. “I get it,” he said. his gaze flicking between us, a silent plea for peace.

“Why didn’t you just reject her, Lucian?” Clay’s voice was firm, his gaze steady as he waited for an answer. But Lucian couldn’t bring himself to respond. He just stood there, his silence louder than any words could have been.

I spoke up, unable to hide my frustration any longer. “He has cruel intentions, Clay. He plans to claim her… and then reject her. All so he can end up with Stasia.” The shock and disbelief that flashed across Clay’s face made Lucian flinch, but he still couldn’t bring himself to deny it.

Clay’s voice, low and laced with anger, cut through the thick silence. “You’re willing to condemn yourself for a grudge against Nikolay? You’d actually go that far? For all we know, Nikolay is long gone or reincarnated somewhere, and yet you’re prepared to ruin yourself just to settle this vendetta? This will haunt you for the rest of your life, Lucian.”

Lucian turned his gaze away, unable to meet Clay’s intense stare. There was a heaviness in the air, a tension that left each of us feeling on edge and unsettled.

Trying to break the silence, Clay looked around, his tone softer but tinged with exhaustion, “So… where am I supposed to sleep

now?”

Comments

Michele Gremillion

Lucian has a lot to think about. they need to find the truth about scarlet

7 days ago

12

SHARE

BR

1 Comments >