Page 33 of Contract Of Shame

Chapter Ten

Scarlet couldn’t believe how magically and beautifully the next few days passed. Richard lavished her with attention and gifts. She didn’t want them, but he loved giving them to her. His face would light up, and he’d give her an indulgent smile. The gifts were so personal. She loved the paperweight with dolphins inside he’d given her. No one but Harry knew how much she loved the sea creatures.

The calls to Harry upset and excited her. She loved and missed her little boy. However, when she was with Richard the contract became a distant thought, as if it had never existed. Soon Wednesday came, and he took her to one of his older houses. She was introduced to his housekeeper, Lydia. Scarlet fell in love with the old house instantly.

“I love this place,” she said.

“It’s been in our family for over four generations.”

“How come your parents don’t live in it then?” She knew he didn’t like talking about his parents, even though they were responsible for giving birth to him.

“This is considered a house for people lower than themselves. Everything has to be top notch and of the highest order.”

“Really? Who owned this house?”

“My great-great-great-grandfather. He bought this for his wife. My family originally came from peasant stock. I guess as we all got older it no longer became acceptable to live in this house. My parents were going to sell it last winter. I couldn’t let them and demanded they give it to me.”

“I’m glad you did. It’s so beautiful.” Scarlet followed him down to his study. “Even though I thought you said you didn’t stay anywhere but in the city.”

“I don’t, but sometimes I like to come here to dream of something I could have.”

Scarlet closed her eyes and shook her head. “You don’t make any sense when you speak like that. You can have anything you want.”

“No, I can’t.”

“You know you behave like you own the world, and then you come out with this yearning that you want. And I don’t know what to say to you.” She watched him go behind his desk and sit down. His pose looked so much like when he forced her to sign that contract.

She wanted to hate him so much, but if she hadn’t signed that contract she’d never know what it meant to love and maybe feel love in return.

He opened his mouth. Scarlet tensed and hoped she was about to hear something she’d wanted to hear for such a long time.

Richard had asked her a question a few days ago. If she’d have come away with him without the contract. At the time she’d answered she didn’t know, but she did. Being at work and seeing him every day had become so important to her. She’d rather watch him from afar than have nothing at all. As much as the contract had hurt her, she would have gone anywhere he asked her to go.

Her heart pounded whenever he was nearby, and her pulse raced. Richard was every part of her. When this week was up she knew in her heart she didn’t want it to end.

Nothing could stop the way she felt about it. Her eyes dropped to the piece of paper he held in his hands, and the smile froze on her lips.

Please, god, no.

****

Scarlet smiled at him, and his whole world became clear. She was younger than he, and he’d fucked up with this shit contract. He had it in his hands right now. Richard had purposefully brought her to his little hideaway to see how she’d react. Since her trust in him with her secret and claiming her and Harry to David he knew what he wanted most in life. He wanted to have a family to come home to. To fall in love and not worry about what the world thought. The time to react was at his fingertips. He’d be forever miserable if he didn’t show Scarlet how much he loved and cared about her.

This wasn’t about sex but about the rest of their lives. In life there are only a few moments, and split seconds to make decisions and he had to act now.

“I want—” He was stopped when Lydia came into his office with the phone.

“Sorry to interrupt, but it’s for you, Miss Hughes.” Scarlet took the phone and smiled at his house keeper.

“What?” she sounded panicked. “Of course, I’ll be there right away.”

Scarlet dropped the phone and ran out of the house. Her hands were shaking, and she dropped her car keys three times before she managed to get the door open.

“Baby, what’s wrong?”

“Harry, he’s had an attack, and they might need to operate. They’re not sure. Lily was a bit hysterical.” Richard stopped her and called for his driver. In no time at all they were at the hospital and rushing toward the paediatric wing.

Lily and Wayne sat in the waiting area looking frantic. Scarlet passed them, and Richard knew she’d pulled away. Everything about her was different.

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