Chapter 199: I Feel Like I’m In Hell
Francis reached his hand out to tenderly wipe away Scarlett’s tears. Her cheeks were streaked. “Scarlett, you know what, since I married you, I promised myself that I would never do anything that might endanger my life. Do you know why? It’s because I’m a family man. I’ve always been like that. I don’t want my loved ones ever to be worried about me….”
When she heard that, Scarlett knew she was wrong again, so she just stayed quiet.
Francis continued, “I never doubted that you’re basically a pro racecar driver… but I couldn’t help but worry about you. How did you feel when you heard that I had a car accident? How do you feel? Does your heart hurt?”
“I feel like I’m in hell!” she answered
“So now you know how I feel all the time.”
Scarlett didn’t know how to argue with him. He would always find some way to pin all the blame on Scarlett and her wayward behaviors.
“You are an adult now. You are 23 years old now, isn’t that right? I hope you can really think about what I’m saying. You can come back to me after you figure it out.” he said calmly.
Scarlett moved her fingers and grabbed his big hand, and said in tears, “You want to give up on me again?”
“I’m not giving up on you, I just want you to reflect on what’s really important to you in this world, Scarlett,” he said.
Scarlett covered her face and started sobbing. But this time, Francis did not feel his heart soften as it had before.
***
At the bottom of his heart, Francis believed that there was nothing truly wrong with being wild and headstrong when one was young. It was, he knew, his own fault for coaxing Scarlett into marriage while she was still so young. He had made her grow up quickly, and he had forced her to keep up with him. What’s worse, he didn’t want to pay the price for her petulance. He only knew how to instruct on avoiding obstacles and risks in life.
Seeing her crying face, Francis felt, deep down, that perhaps he was the one who had been at fault this entire time. Was he just a selfish man, like all the other selfish men of the world? Scarlett was, after all, still a young girl. She was full of youth, vigor, and unending excitement for all the possibilities that the path ahead presented to her. With his presence, he had just snatched all of that away from her… he had forced her to give up on her dreams.
Meanwhile, Scarlett had scuttled out of the room. She was squatting on the ground by the door, her head in her hands.
“Madam, there is a bench right there,” Amanda said, worried by the hunched oversight of Scarlett.
“Well, I need to clear my head,” she muttered with tears still streaming down her face.
Chuck’s arrival broke the silence. He had come to visit Francis on behalf of his entire family.
“When did you come back? My uncle is fine, so you don’t need to act like he is dying!” Chuck said as he walked over and saw Scarlett sitting on the ground in a daze.Exclusive content © by Nô(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.
Scarlett said nothing. Her mind was elsewhere. She was having trouble focusing and thinking straight.
Chuck tried to pull her to stand up, but she just slapped his hand away.
“What the hell are you doing? What’s wrong?” Chuck asked in surprise.
Scarlett looked up at him and said, “Just get inside, and just leave me alone!”
“Why are you sitting here? Are you repenting, atoning for your sins?” Chuck asked.
“It’s none of your business! Get out of my face!” she yelled angrily.
“Are you out of mind?” Chuck said. After taking a look at her, he pushed the door open and decided to leave her alone so she could calm herself down.
When Francis saw it was Chuck, he looked down again and focused his gaze on his computer screen.
“Just tell them I’m fine,” Francis said.
“Uncle, what’s that all about? Why is Scarlett sitting at the door like that?” Chuck asked.
“She is right outside?” Francis raised his head.
“Yeah, it has been a while. Did you two have a fight again?”
“I told her to go back home to take care of Carlos. I don’t need her here!” he said.
Without looking at him, Francis had his eyes on the computer and said, “I need you to take her back and make sure that she gets proper rest. Tell her that if she has something to say, we can just talk about it tomorrow.”
“Okay!” Chuck answered.
But Francis was not as calm as he was pretending to be. He had decided to take this golden opportunity to make Scarlett ponder their relationship deeply.
Meanwhile, Chuck carried Scarlett over his shoulders and took her to his car. She had been sitting at the door for almost three hours, so she was truly exhausted. Her legs felt like jelly. She had no strength to resist Chuck, so she just let him carry her off.
When they arrived at Francis’s villa, Chuck walked her in.
“Just go to bed, Scarlett! If you want to pick a fight, just leave it for tomorrow.” Chuck said before he left.
Lying on the big bed all alone, Scarlett’s mind was in chaos. At first, she was confused because of his injury, but she realized she had everything figured out after a second thought. She now understood what was really going on.
Francis had decided to get a divorce because he knew that Scarlett had the upper hand, but he couldn’t allow that. He had to gain the upper hand and make Scarlett pine for him. That’s exactly what finalizing the divorce did for him– it gave him power. It looked like she had been tricked by him again. What a cunning man he was!
After that, she fell asleep. She did not wake up until 3 pm the next day.
When Scarlett finally got up, it was the smell of milk. She turned around to see Carlos fast asleep next to her.