AHHH!! SECOND TO LAST CHAPTER!!
*BOOK 2 WILL BE OUT IMMEDIATELY AFTER BOOK 1 ENDS*
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Another couple minutes of awkwardness. My mother, father, and Lisa were making small talk, while I sat there.
Lisa looks down at her watch, "Oh, God. I should be heading back now."
"Heading back? Like to your house?" My mother asks.
"Yeah, I have to return this rental car and then pick up my car from the shop," she replies, "If I don't get it back they might charge me some fee."
"Okay," My mother says, "David and I were just about to head out too, we have a meeting to attend."
"Oh, what about Scarlet?"
I quickly jumped in, "I'm fine! You guys do you! Plus, Jackson will be home any moment now."
"Aw, Jackson. I would love to stay and say goodbye to him, but I'm really pushing my time limit," Lisa says.
I frown and shrug, "I'll tell him that."
Lisa and my mother get up and walk out, but my father stays behind.
"Rose, can we talk?" my dad asks.
"Sure, Dad. What's up?"
"So, you know, your brother was supposed to take over my company." My Dad's voice is filled with anticipation.
"Yeah..." I say.
He sighs, "I'm going to retire."
"Oh..."
"Yeah, since you have no interest in taking over, I was thinking about merging the company with the Vanderbilt's," He says.
"Oh. Are you sure you want to do that, I mean I'm cool with that, the Vanderbilts are great."
"Yeah, I want that. I'm not getting any younger and managing a company isn't exactly the easiest thing. I haven't talked to Jason nor Jackson. I wanted to run it by you first."
"Okay. Thanks, Dad. I think the Vanderbilts will do great with the company."
"Yeah, I think they will. Bye, Rose. Stay safe."
"Bye, Dad."
My dad leaves, and I feel so happy. Finally, I'm alone. This past week has felt like everyone has been breathing down my neck. Especially Jackson, but I guess that just goes to show how much he loves me. Or at least I think he does. He does, I'm just overthinking it.
I breathe freely for ten minutes until the doorbell downstairs rings. Sigh. There goes my freedom. I'm sure it's Jackson, so I grab my crutches and make my way downstairs, but to my surprise, it's not Jackson.
It's Jason.
"Oh, Hi Mr. Vanderbilt, Jackson isn't home right now," I answer.
"I know. I actually came to meet you."
"Me?"
"Yes, it's very important," He says, inviting himself inside and taking a seat in the living room.
I follow him and sit down in front of him, "Is everything okay?"
"I'm afraid not."
Panic fills me, "What happened?"
He sighs and looks around for a second, "This feels terrible because I'm about to talk badly about my son."
I don't say anything, but confusion takes over my face.
"There's a lot you don't know about Jackson," he begins.
"What...?" I trail off.
He takes a deep breath, "Everything that has led to you and Jackson becoming closer has not been some coincidence."
"I'm not catching on."
"From the night you met, to this whole car accident, Jackson caused all of it."
"I still don't get what you're saying."
"You weren't supposed to come to the dinner party that night you guys met. Jackson wanted me to invite you."
Silent again. Why would he invite me if he didn't know me?
"You being evicted was Jackson's doing. You losing your job was Jackson's doing. You getting hit was Jackson's going..." He pauses, "I think you get it."
"But... I don't get why he'd do that."
Jason sighs again, "To get your father's company by using you. I'm so sorry Scarlet."
He's lying.
He has to be lying.
Jackson wouldn't do that.
He wouldn't, I know Jackson...
Do I know Jackson? Do I know anything?
My head hurts.
"I know how terrible it must be for you to hear this. I couldn't let him go through with it," Jason says.
All this time, Jackson made Jason the bad guy, but it's always been him. Jackson is the bad guy here. I bite back tears. I am not going to cry. Not over someone who never loved me.
"Thank you, Mr. Vanderbilt. I have to make a call."
"Oh... okay. I'll see myself out."
"All right."
Jason walks out, and I regain my composure and dial my Dad's number.
My heart beats faster and faster. Please pick up.
"Rose? What's wrong?"
"Nothing, Dad. I just wanted to say I want to take over the company."
"What?"
"Your company. I don't want the Vanderbilts to get it," I answer.
"What changed your mind?"
"Nothing, I feel like it'll be good for me."
"All right! I'm so happy you want to do that!" My Dad cheers. I haven't heard him be so happy in so long, "CEO Scarlet Thompson. That has a ring to it."
I fake a laugh, "It does."
"You don't know how happy I am to hear that, Rosie. I'll see you later," My Dad chimes.
"Bye, Dad."
I stare at the ceiling for what feels like forever.
How could I be so stupid?
The doorbell rings again, and I know it's Jackson now.
I don't answer.
He rings again.
I know he has his keys, he's just ringing because he thinks his mother is still here.
He finally gives up and opens the door.
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TO BE CONCLUDED...
holy shit.
THE NEXT CHAPTER YALL!!!
look at how fast i updated!
pat on the back.
pub: 7/14/21
-scarlet
YOU ARE READING
Emerald (Book 1)
Romance"Sometimes trust blinds us so much that we can't see the truth" - After being dragged to some boring dinner meeting, Scarlet meets Jackson Vanderbilt. From leaving dinner early to being kicked out her apartment, Jackson was by Scarlet's side. What...
