Scarlett (Second Edition) by Karima Saad Usman novel Chapter 41

Jun 5

Scarlett

Chapter 41

Clay’s POV

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Lucian’s announcement had stunned me. Of all of us, he was the last I expected to accept Scarlett. For so long, he’d been consumed with resentment, determined to push her away and make her suffer. Yet here he was, embracing his bond with her, even before Maxwell and me. I couldn’t wrap my head around it.

“How?” I asked, my voice full of disbelief as I let my bag fall to the floor, too shocked to keep holding it.

Lucian met my gaze, his expression raw and unguarded. “The same reason neither of you could let her go,” he said quietly, his honesty catching me off guard. “I realised there was no point holding a grudge against her. Tiger wouldn’t allow it, and I couldn‘ keep resisting the bond.” He paused, searching for the right words. “The goddess tied us together, and I’ve come to believe reason for that. It’s time I stop punishing myself–and her. I decided it was time to accept Scarlett as my mate.”

“a

there’s

I could see the sincerity in his eyes, something I hadn’t seen in a long time, and his words struck a chord. I wanted to believe him, to hope that he had truly let go of the bitterness he’d clung to for so long. But after everything he’d done to her, I couldn’t ignore the small flicker of doubt that lingered.

Maxwell, standing beside me, cut through the silence. “And what about the promise you made to your sister?” he asked, his voice

gentle yet probing.

Lucian looked away, shame and regret evident in his face. It was clear he’d wrestled with that promise, with the loyalty he felt

toward his sister’s memory and the hurt it had caused. I knew Scarlett had been the one to suffer the most from that conflict, and

her resilience in letting him in after everything was both admirable and surprising.

“I’ve decided to let go

of

my grief and live my life,” Lucian admitted, his voice rough. “Nikolay’s gone. There’s no point fighting

with his ghost.” His confession hung in the air, and for a moment, I saw a glimpse of a man who was finally ready to put the past to

rest.

Maxwell let out a low chuckle, shaking his head with a mix of disbelief and relief before heading off to his room. I picked up my bag

and did the same, retreating to the quiet to gather my thoughts.

As I changed clothes, my mind wandered to the sight of Scarlett and Lucian earlier. The intimacy, the way he held her with such tenderness–had they…? A flash of doubt crossed my mind, the nagging suspicion that maybe Lucian had accepted Scarlett to cover up something else. It was hard to let go of my distrust. He had done so much damage to her, and trusting him, even now, wasn’t

easy.

But, as I recalled the look on his face and the sincerity in his tone, a part of me dared to hope he was genuine. I only wished he

wouldn’t let us, or more importantly Scarlett, down.

After getting dressed, I returned to the living room and found Scarlett and Lucian cuddled on the couch, quietly watching television. I poured myself a drink, stealing a glance in their direction. Lucian looked so natural with her, as if he’d always been meant to hold her close like this. Despite the warmth of the moment, a nagging doubt crept into my mind..

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Chapter 41

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“I hope you didn’t touch her, Lucian?” I linked him, keeping my tone as casual as I could manage. He glanced at me, a flicker hurt crossing his eyes.

“I might be difficult, but I’m not a pig, Clay,” he replied, linking back. “And besides, I only just learned she’s a virgin. I’m still mad you and Maxwell kept that from me,” he added, and I saw his sincerity.

“So that’s why you accepted her,” I teased lightly, and he let out a sigh, pulling away from Scarlett to walk over to me.

“No,” he linked back. “I had already accepted her before I found out. I started to Realise it during our walk–she turned away when was shifting, almost like she was shy. That’s when it clicked.”

I couldn’t help but chuckle at the mental image, but a flicker of movement caught my attention. I turned to see Scarlett watching us, her expression wary. There was something different in her gaze–a hint of emerald shining in her usual brown eyes. They looked

radiant but guarded, a subtle reminder of her continued distrust.

“Relax, Scarlett,” I said aloud, smiling to ease her tension. “I just remembered something funny.”

She glanced away, a faint smile gracing her 1 lips, but then she rose to her feet. Her expression softened as she looked at Lucían. “It’s

getting late,” she murmured. “I’m go

Comments

Michele Gremillion

to my m.”

now to gain trust among themselves again.

7 days ago

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