<i>(</i><i>Scarlett’s </i><i>POV</i><i>) </i>
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The next morning, Lily skips beside me as we walk through the farmer’s market, her small hand warm in mine. She’s chattering about the cookies we’re going to maketer, something involving strawberries and way too much chocte.
“And then we can put sprinkles on top, Mama! The rainbow ones that make everything pretty!”
I smile, squeezing her fingers. “That sounds perfect, baby.”
This is what happiness feels like. Simple moments with my daughter, no drama, no painful memories. Just us against the world, the way it’s been for four years.
We’re heading back to the car when a loose cobblestone catches my heel, and my ankle
twists with a sharp c***k that makes me cry out.
Pain shoots up my leg like lightning. I stumble, trying to catch myself, but my ankle gives outpletely.
“Mama!” Lily’s voice is high with panic.
I hit the ground hard, my knee scraping against the rough stone. The pain in my ankle is so intense it makes my vision blur.
“Mama, are you okay? Mama!”
“I’m fine, baby,” I gasp, even though I’m clearly not. When I try to put weight on my foot, agony shoots through me. “I’m okay.”
But I’m not okay. I can’t even stand up.
“Scarlett?”
I look up to find Dorian jogging toward us, his face creased with concern. He must have been shopping at the market too.
“What happened?” He drops to his knees beside me, his hands gentle as he examines my
ankle.
“I twisted it. I think… I think it might be sprained.”
Even through my jeans, I can see my ankle starting to swell. Dorian’s touch is careful, professional, but I still wince when he probes the tender area.
* Chapter 24
“We need to get you to a hospital,” he says firmly. This needs to be looked at propeny”
“I can’t. I have Lily, and I need to get back to the bakery-
“The bakery can wait.” His voice is gentle but firm. “And Lily cane with us. Right, sweetheart?”
Lily nods eagerly, tears still shining in her eyes. “Will the doctors make Mama better?
“They’ll make her much better, Dorian promises,
Before I can protest further, he’s scooping me up in his arms like I weigh nothing. The movement jostles my ankle, and I bite back a cry of pain.
“I’ve got you,” he murmurs against my ear. “Just hold on.”
The ride to the hospital passes in a blur of pain and Lily’s worried chatter from the backseat Dorian keeps one hand on the wheel and the other on my knee, his thumb tracing soothing circles that help distract from the throbbing in my ankle.
“Almost there,” he says as we pull into the emergency room parking lot.
The hospital smells like disinfectant and fear. Dorian carries me through the automatic doors while Lily clutches my purse, her eyes wide as she takes in all the medical equipment and rushing staff.
“We need someone to look at her ankle,” Dorian tells the receptionist. “Possible sprain, significant swelling.”
The paperwork takes forever. I’m sitting in a wheelchair, my ankle elevated and wrapped in ice, when I see him<i>. </i>
Jasper.
He’s walking down the corridor with Virginia beside him, her hand tucked into his elbow like they’re a couple. She’s wearing a soft blue dress that makes her look fragile and innocent, while he’s in <i>one </i>of those expensive suits that used to make my heart skip.
<i>Now</i><i>, </i>it makes my blood turn <i>to </i>ice.
“Lily,” I say quickly, trying <i>to </i>keep the panic out of my voice. “Baby, I need you to go with Mr. Dorian <i>to </i>get me some water from that machine over there.”
“But Mama-”
“Please, sweetheart. I’m very thirsty.”
<Chapter 36
More Rewarde
Dorian catches my tone, follows my gaze, and immediately understands. “Come on, Lily. Let’s find the best water machine in this whole hospital.”
“Can I push the buttons?”
“You can push all the buttons you want.”
They disappear around the corner just as Jasper’s eyes find mine across the waiting room.
For a moment, we just stare at each other. He looks tired, older somehow, with lines around his eyes that weren’t there four years ago. But he’s still devastatingly handsome in that way that used to make me forget my own name.
Then his gaze shifts to Dorian’s empty chair beside me, and his expression hardens.
“Scarlett.” He approaches slowly, like I might bolt if he moves too fast. Which isn’t entirely wrong. “What happened? Are you hurt?”
“I’m fine.”
“You’re in a hospital emergency room. You’re clearly not fine.”
Virginia appears at his shoulder, her eyes bright with what looks like curiosity mixed with something darker.
“Oh my,” she says, her voice dripping with false concern. “What happened to you?”
“Sprained ankle,” I say curtly. “Nothing serious.”
“It looks serious,” Jasper says, his eyes on the ice pack wrapped around my foot. “Yeah, well. I’ve been through worse. And funny enough, you’ve never cared before.” The mockery in my voice isn’t lost to anyone. Jasper’s face turns stiff, and for a brief moment, just a tiny moment, I feel a sense of joy in tearing off his mask.
Three years of marriage couldn’t make him call a doctor for me when I fell ill. Who is he acting all concerned and worried for now<i>? </i>
“Scar-<b>” </b>
“If you’re trying to give me one of yourme ‘I was busy‘ excuses, don’t bother. It doesn’t matter anymore,” I say. “Nothing about me should matter to you anymore.”
Pain shes across his features. “Scarlett-”
“Ms. Stone?” A nurse appears with a clipboard. “We’re ready for you now.”
< Chapter 36
Thank God.
“I can walk,” I start to say, but Jasper is already moving toward my wheelchair.
“I’ll take her,” he says to the nurse.
“No.” I grab the wheels, stopping him. “I don’t need your help.”
“You can barely move-”
“I said no.”
More Rewards >
We stare at each other, the tension crackling between us like electricity. I can see the hurt in his eyes, the frustration, but I can’t let him in. Can’t let him close enough to hurt me ever
again.
I’ve moved on. And right now? There’s no space in my life for Jasper ke.
“I’ll take her.”
Dorian’s voice cuts through our standoff. He’s back without Lily, clutching a bottle of water and looking confused by the tension between us.
Jasper’s eyes narrow as he takes in Dorian, his protective stance, the easy way he moves behind my wheelchair.
The sight makes Jasper’s face turn dark and stormy. He res at Dorian, turns to me, usation, disappointment, and admonishment flickering in his eyes.
Once, such a gaze would’ve stopped me cold, nervous and uneasy about what I did to make him upset, desperate to appease him and make him happy again.
This time, I just sneer and look away.
“Ms. Stone?” The nurse is getting impatient. “We really do need to get you into an examination room.”
“Of course.” I look up at Dorian gratefully. “Would you mind?”
“Not at all.”
As he wheels me toward the examination area, I can feel Jasper watching us, the weight of his stare like a brand between my shoulder des.
“Mama,” Lily appears as we move down the hallway. “That man looked sad. Did you make him sad?”
<Chapter 36
More Rewards >
“Sometimes grown–ups get sad about things that happened a long time ago,” I tell her. “It’s not your fault, baby. It’s not anyone’s fault.”
But even as I say it, I know it’s a lie.
There’s plenty of fault to go around. And sitting in this hospital, with my daughter asking innocent questions and my ex–husband just down the hall with the woman who destroyed our marriage, I feel the weight of all my choices pressing down on me.
The examination room is small and sterile. Dorian helps me onto the table while Lily settles into a chair with a coloring book the nurse gave her.
“The doctor will be with you shortly,” the nurse says, but as she turns to leave, she pauses. “Oh, and there’s a gentleman outside asking about you. Says he’s your husband?”
“Ex–husband. And no, I don’t want to see him.”
“I’ll let him know.”
After she leaves, Dorian moves closer to the examination table, his expression concerned.
“Are you okay? And I don’t mean your ankle.”
“I’m fine.”
“Scarlett.”
The way he says my name makes me look up. His eyes are kind, understanding, and for a moment I want to tell him everything. About Jasper, about what happened between us, about why seeing him again put me in such a bad mood.
But I can’t. Because sitting right there, coloring a picture of a butterfly, is the beautiful soul I vowed to shield from every storm in our lives.
“Scarlett, if you need protection from him-
“I don’t.” The wordse out sharper than I intended. “I can take care of myself.”
“I know you can. But that doesn’t mean you have to.”
Before I can respond, there’s a soft knock on the door. The doctor enters–a middle–aged woman with kind eyes and gentle hands.
“Ms. Stone? I’m Dr. Phil. Let’s take a look at that ankle.”
The examination is thorough but mercifully quick. Sprained, not broken, but I’ll need to stay off it for a few days and keep it elevated.
<Chapter 36
“I’ll write you a prescription for pain medication,” Dr. Phil says as she wraps my ankle in a proper bandage. “And I want to see you back here in a week to check on the healing.*
“Thank you.”
As she leaves, Dorian helps me back into the wheelchair. Lily has finished her coloring and is now asking a million questions about how long my ankle will take to get better.
“Not long, baby. A few days and Mama will be good as new.<i>” </i>
We make our way back through the hospital corridors, Lily chattering about how she’s going to take care of me, how she’ll bring me ice and make me soup.
I’m almost rxed, almost believing we’ve escaped without further drama, when we round the corner to the exit.
And there’s Jasper, leaning against the wall like he’s been waiting for us.
My heart ms against my ribs.
“Lily, baby, go get a bottle of water from the vending machine.” I tell my daughter, pushing her away, and out of Jasper’s sight. <fn1e6b> The rightful source is Find[?]ovel</fn1e6b>
I don’t want her to ever appear in front of him.
I can’t afford to let him discover she’s his daughter until our divorce is finalized.
Violet Moon
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