淑女的欲望

Chapter 444 Birthday Surprise (3)

Zara feels amused looking at Scarlett\'s sulk expression. She laughs, "Hahaha, I apologize, my dear. Blame your husband — he made it crystal clear that I can\'t spill the secret to you!" Her grin was all playfulness.

"So, that whole story about wanting to meet Carter... was a lie?" Scarlett\'s tone shifted to a more serious note.

Zara\'s expression changes instantly. A shadow crosses her face.

"How could you say that?" Zara heaved a deep sigh, her gaze locking onto Scarlett\'s. "When we talked on the phone, I thought you were just lying to me. I figured he was probably furious with me, and I\'d never want to meet after I turned down his proposal. It put me in such a foul mood. But then, I got here, and he wasn\'t around. And then... I started to feel like your words were genuine."

She continued, "And now, Scarlett, my mood is all over the place again because it seems like I still have a chance to meet him. That he\'s not angry with me for rejecting him," Zara\'s words carried a weight that made Scarlett\'s eyebrows raise slightly.

"Zara Marks," Scarlett\'s tone shifted, her voice deeper and more serious, "...just tell me the truth, are you falling for him?"

Zara\'s response was bittersweet, her smile carrying a hint of bitterness. "Jeez... I\'ve been saying it all along. I do like him. I\'ve been intrigued by Carter, and I even entertained the idea of getting closer to him. But then I discovered his age and the whole brother-in-law situation, and it seemed like a huge red flag."

She suddenly glared at Scarlett, "And you were the first person who warned me to forget about Carter, did you forget!?"

"Damn it! So you weren\'t joking back then?" Scarlett was taken aback at Zara\'s candid confession. "I thought you were just kidding, not taking it seriously. That\'s why I forbade you. I was worried you\'d mess with his feelings like you\'ve done with your past exes."

Zara shook her head, her silence acknowledging the undeniable truth in Scarlett\'s words.

"Anyway, Zara, thank you for coming today," Scarlett shifts the conversation away from the gloom. "So, when did Xander get you involved in this surprise party plan?" She asked, curious.

"About a week ago. Your husband reached out to Tyler and asked us in on the plan. And then he gave us strict orders to keep it under wraps," Zara explained, sharing all the details she had about Xander\'s plan.

Scarlett\'s emotions were a mix of amusement and being deeply moved as she absorbed the information. The fact that Xander had been secretly orchestrating this surprise for her over the past week without having a clue made her feel lucky and cherished.

Her gaze slowly shifted to Xander, who engaged in a serious conversation with Rex, Taylor, and Theodor. Then, she glanced to another corner where Cruz, Logan, and Xander\'s personal assistants, Ben and James, were gathered.

They were all individuals she had recently become acquainted with and had all gone to great lengths to support her. Strangely, her heart swelled with gratitude. She offered a private smile, thankful to god for the new family she had found. Despite losing her entire family on Island B, it seemed life had brought her a new family.

If only she could locate her mother, her happiness might be complete.

\'Mom, where are you? Can\'t you come out now? I took down your enemy. No one can stop you now, right?\'

The news about Withers\' underground business falling was making waves throughout Country X. Despite that, there was no sign of her mother. This absence gnawed at her, creating a sense of unease. Even her uncle Noah seemed to share her concern — a growing sense that something might be preventing her mother from revealing herself.

The question now is, WHO? Who is the person!?

This question has been bothering her mind for the last few days.

...

The next day.

Scarlett woke up with a sense of joy upon realizing her husband was still beside her in bed. She snuggled into his arms, basking in his warmth.

"You\'re finally awake, my dear wife," Xander\'s arms tightened around her as he kissed her forehead. "It\'s already noon. Time to get up. You must be hungry, right?" he said with a light chuckle.

"I ate so much last night—or before dawn... Zara practically fed me a whole bunch of sweets. Ugh!" Scarlett said. She remembered the previous night, spent chatting and indulging in food. If Xander hadn\'t insisted she get some rest, they might have talked until sunrise.

"I know, but you need to get up now. It\'s almost lunchtime," Xander said, a glint of concern flashing through his eyes. Usually, Scarlett would request to eat every few hours, but now it\'s almost noon, and she\'s still lying in bed.

Instantly, Scarlett sat up, gazing at the window. However, the blinds blocked most of the incoming light. Checking the digital watch on the bedside table, she was surprised to find that it was already 11 AM.

"Gosh! No wonder my body feels stiff... I\'ve slept for so long," she sighed while trying to get out of bed. Xander assisted her to the bathroom and opened the blinds, allowing the sunlight to flood the room. Afterward, he called the butler to prepare their brunch.

Upon arriving at the dining room, Scarlett and Xander found Cassandra and Old Riley already waiting for them.

"Grandpa?" Xander was taken aback to see the old man there. He couldn\'t help but ask, "You haven\'t had breakfast either?"

"We\'ve already had breakfast," Martha replied to Xander. "However, we wanted to have lunch early before heading to the hospital. Today, your brother will undergo a final examination before the team of doctors transfers him to Country M," she explained.

"Auntie, make sure to remind them that we have a flight the day after tomorrow," Scarlett chimed in.

"Of course... I will," Martha affirmed. She felt excitement as she anticipated their trip to Country M, hoping her son would recover swiftly.