Page 91 of Ruthless Legacy

Chapter Twenty-Two

B

y the time it comes for me to get ready for the dinner party, I’m a pent-up ball of anger and hurt. I want to scream and shout and smash things, but I store it all up for later. I laugh at myself for believing that he had found us and brought us home because we were his family and he wanted to do right by us. I’m such a fool. I let my guard down and look where it has got me. I let Archer Savage worm his way into my soul and brand it with his initials, knowing full-well that he was a cold-hearted bastard with a grudge against me. I let myself believe that we could finally build a life here and make roots. That we had a blood relative who cared for us. I feel my insides harden like steel as I rebuild that wall around me that has been slowly breaking down. Never again. Never again will I let anyone play me.

I pull out a pretty green skater dress and pause. He wants a doting, dutiful granddaughter. Well, tonight he is getting Eliza Holton. Throwing the dress in the bottom of the wardrobe, I dig around until I find my black pleather leggings. I pull them on and finish them off with my studded black biker boots. I pull on my black knitted polo neck jumper and then I sit at my dressing table and apply thick black eyeliner and do a dark grey smoky eye. I finish my outfit off with my favourite burgundy lipstick. Now I am ready to face him.

When I walk into the lounge, everyone stops what they are doing and stares at me. Wilbur is standing with Vee’s father and Archer’s grandfather. Vee is in a pretty blue shift dress, and she stares at me open-mouthed with a brow arched. I offer her a confident wink as I pass her and walk further into the room. My grandfather’s hand is at my elbow as he steers me back towards the door.

“I don’t know what this show of defiance is, young lady, but you will go and change now,” he hisses in a whisper.

I yank my elbow from his grip and step away from him just as Edith walks into the room and announces that dinner is served. Wilbur’s eyes burn with rage, but he turns and smiles at his guests and escorts them across the hallway into the formal dining room.

“Scarlet, what game are you playing?” Archer asks as he comes up beside me and places his hand on my back. “I need to talk to you before we go in there.”

“Not now, Savage. I have something I need to do.” I stride away from him and follow the others into the room. Plastering a smile on my face, I take a seat beside Alexis and Chester sits down beside me before Archer gets a chance to. Grinning, he leans into my ear. “That new look is killer, love.”

I don’t respond as I survey the room. Taking in all the people sitting at this table. All members of the founding families. I wonder what they will make of my news tonight. Will they be shocked?

The first course is served, and I sit there like the quiet and good granddaughter Wilbur desires. I can feel Archer’s eyes burning into me from across the table. My eyes meet his and he raises a brow in question at me and in answer I turn my gaze towards my grandfather. He knows I am up to something.

The meal continues on, and I am polite. I answer questions from Rafe’s dad about my studies and when Alexis tells me about another lady’s ball she is organising; I smile and say I’d be happy to help with the arrangements. Once the desert is out of the way, I’ll make my move.

Wilbur derails my plan when he stands to his feet at the head of the table, holding a flute of champagne in his hand as the server brings one round for everyone.

“Now, before we enjoy desert. I have an announcement.” He looks over at me and smiles at me with such warmth and affection that it makes me want to vomit. He’s the perfect actor. “I have had the recent joy of welcoming my two grandchildren home.” He looks from me to Kit, and Kit grins back at his grandfather and blushes when he feels everyone looking at him. “There is nothing more important than family. Our four families have stood together for the last two centuries. We stood together in business and in family union and became the powerhouse of this region. Our loyalty to each other is what keeps us at the top.” He smiles and looks around the room. “So, with our continued unity in mind, it is my great pleasure to announce that the next union to strengthen our ties will be the engagement of my beautiful granddaughter and the grandson and heir of the Savage legacy, Archer Savage.”

You can hear a pin drop as I drop my glass and it smashes on the floor. “What did you just say?”

My grandfather maintains his cool composure. “You and Archer will announce your engagement to the world when you turn eighteen. Edward and I have discussed it and we both agree that a union between our families is necessary to keep our four families strong and unified.”

“No,” I say firmly as I stand to my feet. “Not now, never.”

Wilbur smiles apologetically at his guests before he turns his sharp eyes on me. “You will do your duty to this family and join our two families together.”

I laugh, I tip my head back and I laugh. “Oh, this is hysterical. How did I not see this one coming? It all makes sense now. What a complete fucking idiot I have been!” I turn my attention to Archer, who has remained in his seat and silent. “Well, don’t you have anything to say about this?”

Archers clears his throat before he meets my eyes. His face is devoid of any emotion. “Scarlet, I know it’s a shock for you, but just hear him out.”

I scoff and stare at him, open-mouthed. Why isn’t he shocked or angry? And then my brain remembers all the time he has looked at me and told me he owned me, that there was no escaping him. “Oh, wow. You knew. You knew the day I arrived here.”

“Scarlet, look—”

I hold my hand up. “You played me. Was that always the plan? To seduce me and make me pliant so that when he dropped this news, I’d just smile and agree. God, no wonder you always looked so smug. Did it feel good to know I didn’t have a clue this was coming?” I look over at Vee. “Can you believe this, Vee?”

Vee keeps her eyes trained on her glass and then she slowly lifts her eyes. I am still at what I see in them. Guilt. “You knew.” I look over at Seb and then down the table at Rafe. “You all knew.”

I turn to Chester. “Well, did you know as well?”

He shakes his head, grinning. “I’m as in the dark as you are, love.”

I turn my attention back to the four people I’d trusted. The four people who told me that I am one of them now and that they’d always have my back. “You all knew. Vee, you were my friend. How could you do this?”

She looks up at me, her eyes wet with tears. “I’m sorry. It wasn’t my place to tell you.”

“Like hell it wasn’t. Friends have each other’s backs.” I wipe a tear from my eye. Furious with myself that I am letting any of the people in this room see me cry.

I turn my rage back towards Wilbur. “I found your little file on me today. The photos of me and Kit. For a long time, you’ve known where we were. You let us think we had no one in this world. You watched us move from foster home to foster home and you did nothing.” I laugh. “Well, now, I know why. I didn’t serve a purpose to you three years ago, did I? But now, now you can palm me off in marriage like I’m some kind of disposable possession. I am just a means to an end to you.”

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