AR

haking the entire room. I flinched, trembling under his intense glare. My mi

w could I explain this mess without making it worse? I was froze

of nowhere,

apped up, and my stomach twisted into knots. Standing at the door, with a smug expression plastered on

ed. His face lit up with relief, and for

cent and the photo on his phone. He smiled broadly, as though all the tension

milar from certain angles, and in the dim lighting of the club, it must have been easy to mistake one for the othe

Instead, he smiled coolly and stepped

othly. "We had a wonderful time last night."

able. His jaw was clenched, and his fists were curled tightly at his s

h a wide grin, "why didn't you tell me you were spe

oat dry. "I... I didn't

is wonderful news! It means the weddi

wedding? My

ir. Scarlett and I have been getting to know each other be

ning? This wasn't real.

'm so proud of you, Scarlett. This is exactly what I wante

t. I glanced at Zayden again, silently begging him to say something, to stop t

say anything, t

ed, desperate for a mo

ding there were two men in dark s

ans?" one of

said he

business. We need to s

ide to let them in. My father's smi

ing on?" h

Mr. Evans, we're here to inform you that you're under

"What? That's ridiculous! I

e," the man said grimly. "We'll need

g between them. "There

[4/1/202

man said. And before I knew it, they had handcu

hem take him away. My entire world was fal

forward, but two officers held me back, their expressions grim and unyielding. No matter how hard I struggled, they wouldn't let me go after him

nd them, and the silence t

alls, and shut out the world. I didn't want to talk to anyone. What was there to say? My life wa

father's face-haunted, broken-and the

ning, everyth

g at nothing in particular, when a black car pulled up in front of the

rlett?" one

ry. Something about t

this house is being seized due to your father's con

ling to process their words. "No,

emotionless. "Everything he owns, including this property, now belongs to the

urned and began placing locks on the front door. I

ng my head. "No, no, no.

it

idn't exist. When they were done, they drove away without another word, leaving me stan

everything hit me all at once, and my knees buckled benea

und, strong arms wrapped

g up, and my hea

ay," he said softly, help

y tears. "I've lost everything. My da

hen took a deep breath. "You can

at him, shoc

ad's best friend, and I promised him I'd look out fo

heart racing. Was th

htened. "You're

smile. This was my chance. My ch

't going t