That night when Killian received a call from the prison warden that Scarlett hadn't returned to her cell and couldn't be found, he couldn't even describe how he felt… all for a woman he barely knew. He didn't even think twice when he rushed back to the prison, risking his life and searching for her even when the prison had caught fire.
At that time, he convinced himself he was doing that for her because she was the only one who could bring the Saunders to their knees along with him.
But all that thought vanished from his mind the several months he watched her fight for her life in a coma. Suddenly, the urge and desire to protect her, to help her, grew strongly within him. Maybe that was when he finally recognized what he felt for her. Something he definitely shouldn't.
Killian couldn't deny it; he wasn't blind; Scarlett was a beauty then as Diana and even more now as Scarlett. And she has helped Ava so much already. His little angel, who barely smiled now, laughed at all times, and this was because of Scarlett. Killian didn't want to imagine what would happen to Ava when their revenge was complete, and he had to unwillingly let go of Scarlett. After all, this was just a fake relationship.
“Last night went well,” Killian said after breakfast as he and Scarlett walked out to the balcony of his office in the Ford's mansion.
“Better than expected,” She smiled, sipping from her cup of coffee. “Gabe hasn't changed. He’s still, well, the same. It makes me so happy Emily will get to experience exactly what I did, seeing the man she loves fall for someone else who isn't her,”
Killian leaned slightly on the railings, studying her. “Seeing your husband last night must have felt different. Do you still love him?”
Scarlett remained silent for a second. “Ex-husband,” She corrected. “And yes, it felt different being close to him than it did in the photos and footage, but the only thing I felt for that man was hatred for everything he's done. I'll break him, Killian,” She met Killian's blue eyes. “I'll make him know what it feels like to love someone you shouldn't,”
Killian looked away from her, mainly because her words pierced him in a way he didn't like. She may not know it yet, but he knew exactly what it felt like to love someone he shouldn't.
“Killian,” He felt Scarlett's touch on his arm, as her soft call made him look into those green eyes again. “Are you okay?” Her hand was still on his arm igniting a spark he wished she could also feel. He wanted nothing more than to lean in and kiss her but he also knew that would be a terrible idea.
“I'm good,” He lied beautifully. “You need to get ready for tonight. Everyone will be there,”
“Except Antonia,” Scarlett sighed, leaning against the railing.
“Unfortunately, but tonight will be the first time everyone will be meeting the beautiful woman I'm engaged to. The whole world will be talking about you,”
Scarlett knew he was right. Only a few people knew her as Killian's fiancee, but tonight, the world will be finding out.
“Don't worry, everything will go as planned,” A smile tugged her lips, and she took another sip of her coffee. She couldn't wait.
*****
Gabe Patterson was a little bit nervous; he wasn't sure why exactly, but he was. And the woman next to him didn't make the night any better. Emily was suffocating. He hadn't realized how he didn't notice this before. Tate Group wasn't invited to the exhibition but somehow, they had found a way to get in.
Stylishly, Gabe detached her hand around his arm, walking around to greet a few familiar faces and also to make new connections. The exhibition would probably be the most talked about tonight, and tonight, the hall was full of so many wealthy guests. But he wished he could talk to the most important, Mr Killian Blackford.
The man who was at the top of the hierarchy for the rich and powerful had arrived but before the press could even get a handful of his photos, he excused himself into the VIP lounge. Gabe couldn't just walk in there and demand he needed a few minutes with Mr Blackford in hopes he could talk him into approving the next proposal for the Bardin project he'd been working on for years.
So instead, Gabe mingled with those of his class, and soon the party finally started as the hall grew more with guests.
It was almost an hour into the party and Mr Blackford still hadn't left the VIP lounge. All of a sudden, a loud ruckus was heard just outside the hall. It looked like another guest had arrived, one who was definitely gaining so much attention.
The guests in the hall had started to wonder who the new guest was when the large double doors swung open and a beautiful woman in a red dress walked in, standing at the top entrance of the stairs.
The hall that had more than a hundred guests suddenly became as quiet as a graveyard; only the sound of music filled the hall, and everyone's gaze was on the beautiful woman.
Scarlett looked beautiful. Too beautiful in her red dress and diamond accessories as stood at the top of the stairs, staring down at the large multitude that stared up at her. Even in the crowd, she could spot her cheater asshole of a husband and her scheming step-sister, but she couldn't see Killian even though he'd arrived hours earlier. They could have easily gone together, but she wanted to make quite an entrance, giving the press enough headlines for tomorrow and, at the same time, ensuring it was a night neither Gabe nor Emily would forget in a hurry.
Gabe at once recognized her. How couldn't he, when she had been the only thing he could think about? He tried to ask around the hotel for her, but unfortunately, no one knew her, and he was denied access to check the CCTV footage. But now, here she stood, right in front of him in her dazzling sirenic beauty, placing every male in the hall under her spell.
Slowly she began to descend the stairs, and as she approached the last staircase, Gabe could see almost every man in the room ready to walk to her and offer a hand, helping her down the last staircase as a true gentleman would. And he wanted to be that man. He had to be.
Gabe was already on the move, his eyes never leaving his beautiful goddess and he could tell her eyes were on him too. But before he could give his hand out someone beat him to it. Someone he didn't expect. Someone he didn't realize he could start to hate. The almighty Killian Blackford.
