Page 70 of His Cruel Billionaire Scorecard

He stood tall and confident in his leather jacket while Scarlett, a fellow problem child, caught his eye—a dazzling figure in the middle of a racing crowd.

Their eyes locked, and Roman, forever the Playboy, approached her.

“So, ready to eat my dust?” he teased, a mischievous grin playing on his lips.

Scarlett, never one to back down from a challenge, met him with a defiant smirk. “Don’t get too comfortable in that first-place spot. I plan on giving you a run for your money,” she retorted.

The race commenced with a gunshot, and cheers from the starting line, and Roman and Scarlett took off and weaved through the twisting streets with expert precision. Their bikes danced in synchrony as they navigated sharp turns and accelerated with controlled fury.

The thrill of the chase intensified, and amidst the exhilarating rush, Roman stole glances at Scarlett, his heart pounding with adrenaline and admiration. “You’re pretty fast for a girl,” he remarked.

Scarlett smirked. “Oh, don’t be fooled by appearances, darling. I’m not just fast; I’m faster than you,” she replied, her voice dripping with playful arrogance.

“Oh yeah? we’ll see.”

And he turned up his speed, leaving her behind. The crowd erupted in applause and cheers.

Breathless, Roman found Scarlett in the middle of the crowd, a triumphant smile on his face. “Looks like I beat you fair and square.”

Very few women he’d met were daredevils. She excited him.

“For now, Mr., but don’t think this is the end of our rivalry. I’ll be back to claim my victory,” she replied, and Roman walked up to her, took off his helmet, and kissed her. Then and there, they began dating; it was a whirlwind romance fueled by adventure and shared passion.

Their last argument was when she crashed his car two years ago.

“You used to be fun!” she yelled.

“One of us has to grow up,” he’d respond and ended his relationship by walking out. She tailed him for weeks, refusing to believe it was over, and harassed the woman he went on a date with. Bouquets of expensive flowers and a second date with the woman fixed the problem. But over the years, Scarlett appeared in his life, sometimes quite suddenly, craving his attention which he never gave her.

Roman woke up with a jolt and a deep sigh. Barely 15 minutes had passed; he must be really tired; he couldn’t remember the last time he fell asleep in his office.

His mind returned to Olivia, a woman who captivated him in ways he never thought possible.

His phone pinged with a text; he already knew who it was from without checking.

I WANT TO MEET. ASAP.

Taking a deep breath, he composed himself and replied to her text, his fingers tapping on the screen. “Where should we meet?”

He knew that meeting with Scarlett could complicate things further, but he also knew avoiding her could have repercussions.

After, he responded, asking where. Moments pass, stretching time until her reply arrives. A location—an upscale café—glows on his screen.

***

Half an hour later, Roman was seated opposite Scarlett.

“That’s all you have to do. I’ll give you time to consider it. What’d you think?” She took a long drag of her smoke.

Roman’s eyes narrowed as he leaned forward. “You can’t just waltz back into my life and threaten me. You need to have something to blackmail me with. That’s how this usually works.”

“Oh, Roman, you always had such a flair for the dramatic. But you forget, I have the power to expose your dirty little secrets. Your illegal races, the shootout in your house... It’s all just a phone call away from being front-page news.”

Of course, she had to go there. He unclenched his fists and took a deep breath, his voice now tinged with steely resolve. “You won’t win, Scarlett. I won’t let you destroy everything I’ve worked so hard for. And I promise you, if you go after Olivia, there will be consequences.”

Scarlett laughed, a harsh, mocking sound. “Consequences? Oh, Roman, I’ve faced worse than you. You can’t protect her forever.”

His gaze hardened.

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