She Accepted Divorce, He Panicked

Scarlett's POV

His sorrowful tone digs up all the memories I bury deep -- all the moments where he would stare at me with pure hatred in his eyes, only to try to cover it up when he notices me, and failed to no less. In the end, he would just avoid looking at me with his tone getting colder

and colder.

I just thought it was because I was adopted, but now I understand.

"Does...does your wife know about it?" I ask, not able to say the word "mom" even though I tried to. In my memory, she tried to love me, or at least, she tried to act as if she does.

"She only knew I found an orphan with the same blood type in a hospital," He shakes his head quickly, "She loves you, you know that. Everything Ava has she wants you to have, too."

No, quite the opposite. Everything I had, she wanted Ava to have, including Sebastian. Every "reward" she got me for donating blood, she got Ava; and when Ava got something just for being their lovely daughter, it was always kept unique for her.

"I didn't know your parents were so rich or I would have returned you to them!" Jack Fuller lets out a long sigh, as if tired of the secret he has been carrying all these years, "At that time, I just thought I was giving you a better life..." Now THAT is a lie.

He has been trying to hide my identity from Damian Vanderbilt, when the guy is right here in his home!

I suddenly realized where his confession came from. It's because of Damian Vanderbilt's questions! I'm not supposed to know about any of these, but tonight, I admitted that I knew about the necklace, the Vanderbilt's lost daughter, and Ava's involvement.

So he figured out that I knew the truth already because if anyone could put all these together without a stupid fake DNA test, it's me!

"I'm really sorry, about everything," Jack Fuller glances back at the door of his house. Behind the door sits his beloved daughter and wife, and MY brother, having a lovely dinner together, "I have to go, but please, come to Ava's birthday party? I'd love tell you about any and every details I know, if you would give me the chance."

I frown at that invitation. I don't know what he wants from me. After all these years, I still can't read him.

"I'll think about it," I take a step away, not looking at him.

Even after we drove off, we could see Jack Fuller standing by the front gate in the rare view mirror. I stare outside of the window, can't digest the bomb he dropped even though I knew about the Vanderbilt for a while now.

If what he said was true, then he

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tried to save my Mom, but failed to. Still, he saved me from my death. Should I be grateful for that? But after that, he took me home purely for his sick daughter, and he not only hated me for years, he prevented me from looking for my real family.

I want to hate him, but he saved my life; I want to be grateful, but he hurt me so deeply. It's so mixed that I e don't know how to feel. If he wanted anything, it was to make sure that I would NOT come to the birthday party after this talk. ConTEent bel0ngs to Nôv(e)lD/rama(.)Org .

I mean, at this point, I hardly want to ever see him again. I just want him out of my fucking life.

"Sorry," I glance around, realizing we are back to our own house. Sebastian stopped the car, and we sat in the dark, apparently for a while now. "Have we been here long?"

I don't even know when the car stopped.

"Just a few minutes," Sebastian shakes his head, looking over at me, "How are you feeling?"

I shake my head slowly. I don't know, honestly.

"Do you want to spend a few more minutes in the car?" He asks, unbuckling my safety belt, "I mean, it's not as comfortable as inside the house, but maybe you would want some companion right now? Even just..." Even just him.

I blink slowly at his almost humble offer, not recognizing the proud man I married. He has been caring lately, loving, considerate...timid even. He is everything I hoped for now, but I can't seem to enjoy it. I keep waiting for the dream bubble to pop.

I'm afraid that after the clock past 12, I would turn back into the old, dirty, bullied Cinderella and he would turn his back on me like he did before.

"Would you... Would you like to come

inside with me?" I grab the shred of courage that pops up at a reckless impulse, but I have been brave for him so many times now. One time more wouldn't hurt, right? "I.have a lot to tell you."