I WANT YOUR BACKING
+25 BONUS
I WANT YOUR FULL BACKING
Scarlett
My gaze drifts off to Nathan, who finally decided to make his presence known. I honestly didn’t even think he would be home.
“Mother, what’s going on here?” He roughly demands from Clarissa who says nothing.
“I was just leaving,” I replied. “Right, Clarissa?”
The intention behind my question was to put her on the spot. It was up to her to decide whether she was going to let me walk out
of this house or not.
Clarissa stood frozen, her lips pressed in a thin line. Even the guards hesitated as they waited for her next order.
Without taking her eyes off me, she finally spoke. “Stand down.”
Immediately, the guards stepped back. Without sparing any of them a single glance, I turned around on my heel and walked out of the Gance’s family residence.
Only after I slid into the backseat of the car and shut the door did my shoulders relax. “Drive.”
The residence gate closed behind us as the car pulled away. Even though I had managed to put Clarissa in her spot today, I knew this was only the beginning as she wasn’t the type of woman who accepted humiliation quietly.
“You handled that better than I expected,” Leonard’s voice drifted through the phone, making me realize that the call was still connected.
A faint breath escaped me. “I wasn’t sure I could pull it off. I’ve never stood up to someone like that before. Things could have gone wrong.”
And that was the truth. I had spent years lowering my head down at others until obedience became an instinct.
“You were lucky,” Leonard agreed bluntly. “Had your stepmother and cousin been more ruthless, you might not have been able to leave the house.”
I forced my thoughts to drift off elsewhere. “Any updates on what I asked you to investigate?”
“There is very little. Everything online says the same thing about Adrian’s influence, achievements and wealth but nothing personal.”
My brows pulled together. “Nothing? Is that even normal?”
“No confirmed romantic history, scandals or detailed family information either,” Leonard added.
Was it possible for a man like that to live without leaving a single footprint behind? It was normal for an ordinary citizen, but for the heir of Hartley Global? He should have been the center of constant media attention. Yet, he was entirely untouchable.
I winced as I felt my head throb. Maybe digging further into Adrian wasn’t the smartest move – at least not yet.
“That will do for now,” I replied. “Adrian isn’t my biggest problem.”
Even with my father’s inheritance now legally under my name, the truth in hindsight was that I still remained “Alistair Gance’s illegitimate daughter.”
To the high society, a lady like me wouldn’t be treated seriously but rather as a spoiled brat who had everything handed over to her.
If I wanted to blend in, I had to act the part and give no room to be looked down on by anybody.
“Your biggest problem could be easily solved, Mrs. Scarlett,” Leonard said, interrupting my thoughts. “You mentioned Adrian offered you a marriage proposal. I think you should consider it seriously. Marrying into the Hartley family would give you
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+25 BONUS
leverage no one could challenge.”
I hated how reasonable Leonard sounded but the reason why I was hesitating was because of the problem marriage represented even though it wasn’t going to be a real one.
I had already lived one life being used by a man who smiled sweetly at me while crafty planning my death. The thought of tying myself to another man left me restless.
Even if right now, Adrian was the only available weapon to me.
“I know. I’ll think about it.”
After ending the call, my thumb hovered over Adrian’s contact for several seconds before I finally pressed dial.
Adrian answered almost immediately. “Scarlett. I didn’t expect you to call so soon.”
Liar. He answered so fast it felt like a hunter who had been sitting patiently in the dark, waiting for his prey to make the first move. A sudden wave of unease washed over me. For the first time since my rebirth, it felt like someone else was subtly pulling
my strings.
“I’d like to meet.”
“Same club?”
“No. At the restaurant you bought me,” I paused. “After all, it’s a date.”
That word felt strange on my tongue but I would say it over again as long as there were no feelings involved.
“I’ll be there in thirty minutes.“
By the time I had arrived at the restaurant, Adrian was already waiting. Even dressed casually in a dark chambray shirt and white trousers, he effortlessly commanded the room.
The table was flawlessly set. An expensive bottle of vintage wine was already breathing, alongside a spread of food and a single, perfect red rose resting inside a crystal vase.
“I wanted to make a better impression than our first attempt,” Adrian said, pulling out a chair for me with lethal elegance. There was no apology in his voice, only the absolute calm of a man who knew exactly what he was doing.
“You did,”
He exhaled, relieved. “That’s good. Please, sit.”
I took the seat across from him. On the table sat two identical, heavy leather folders. The marriage contract. He hadn’t even waited for me to say yes before preparing the legal documents.
“I’ve thought about your proposal and-”
“Can we eat first?” Adrian interrupted gently, his hazel eyes locking onto mine. “You look starving.”
My stomach grumbled, giving me out. The dishes spread across the table made my mouth water-creamy pasta and perfectly grilled salmon. My two absolute favorites.
A chill ran down my spine. “How did you know what I like?”
“I asked around,” Adrian replied smoothly, pouring a dark red liquid into my glass. He didn’t sound like a man trying to flatter a girl; he sounded like a strategist who had thoroughly researched his opponent. “I don’t like unprepared meetings.”
He was flexing his muscles, letting me know that my preferences-and likely my secrets-were already on his radar. It was a subtle threat wrapped in a Michelin-star dinner. Instead of letting him see me sweat, I decided to enjoy the food he went through so much trouble to find.
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I WANT YOUR BACKING
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I picked up my fork and took a bite. The flavor was incredible, and for a few minutes, the silence between us was filled only with the quiet clinking of cutlery.
Adrian took a slow sip of his wine, leaning back in his chair. He gestured slightly toward the leather folders. “Since you called me, I assume you’ve made your decision.”
I placed my fork down, wiping my mouth with a silk napkin. “I have. I figured it was better to give you my terms now than later.”
His dark brow quirked up, a dangerous glint in his unreadable eyes. “I’m listening.
“I agree to the marriage.”
No surprise crossed his face. Instead, he calmly took a sip from his wine glass.
“I had a feeling you would.”
“But I have a condition,” I countered, leaning forward slightly. “You mentioned this marriage would benefit both of us, and that your offer to give me whatever I wanted still stands. Does it?”
Adrian didn’t hesitate for a single second. “Of course. No questions asked.”
I wasn’t trusting Adrian; I was simply placing a bet. If I don’t get the end of my bargain, neither will he.
“I want your full backing,” I said, my voice dropping into a cold, hard line. “I want your help securing my position as the rightful heir of my family’s business.”
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