Chapter 34: Can’t You Just Give Me The Money?
He was worried that she had gotten herself into some trouble, so he asked, “I can lend you however much you ask for, but I need to know what you’re gonna do with the money.”
Scarlett kept silent for a while. She then shook Chuck’s shoulders and said, “Can’t you just give me the money?”
Chuck put on a serious face, “I take you as a serious friend, so I need to know the reason. I just wanna know you’re not in trouble.”
“My brother got a recommendation to go to Cambridge for a doctoral degree.”
Chuck was almost choked by a full mouth of whisky when he heard the word Cambridge. “What the fuck,”
Scarlett didn’t care for his astonishment. “I’m not able to pay for his tuition fee and my family…” She paused for a while and continued, “Forget about them. I really need the money because I do not want to let him down.” “I’ve heard you talk about your younger brother. Do you have an elder brother too?” Chuck was puzzled.
How could her younger brother be pursuing a doctoral degree when Scarlett was just an undergraduate? “I only got a younger brother, Skyler. He’s gifted, so he skipped several grades.” Chuck finally took a tumble. He knew Scarlett was amazingly special and excellent, but he didn’t expect her brother to be outstanding.
“I’m happy for you and Skyler. I will definitely lend you the money and if you need more, feel free to let me know. It would be best if you didn’t think money comes easily, though, and I’d like for you to pay me back. You can take as long as you need for that, but I do hope you’ll pay me back. Alright?”
“Yep. I understand. Thank you. Thank you, bro.”
Scarlett didn’t know how to express her gratitude, so she took up a full glass of brandy, turned to Chuck, and swallowed it neat. When her cell phone buzzed, Scarlett was already dizzy. She pulled out her phone slowly.
It was a text message. Thwack! The sound of something hitting onto the ground caught Chuck’s attention. When he turned in the direction of that sound, he found that Scarlett had already stood up and was about to run out.ConTEent bel0ngs to Nôv(e)lD/rama(.)Org .
He walked over and grabbed Scarlett’s hand to stop her from running out. “What happened?”
“Skyler was kidnapped! Fuck! Let me go! I need to go get him!” Scarlett used all her strength to struggle against Chuck, and her anger made her too powerful to control.
Chuck let her go and ordered his two bodyguards to stop her. He picked up the phone on the ground and read the message: Skyler is in my hands. Hello, there, again, Scarlett.
Chuck clicked open the attachment to see a video of Skyler being tied up and then passing out.
“Fuck off! Let me go!!” Scarlett yelled out desperately.
“Shut up and calm down! What’s the point of you rushing out now? Do you know where they are? Do you know what they could do to you if you show up there all alone? They could hurt you too! Don’t be stupid.” Chuck walked to stand in front of Scarlett. She was trembling with anger and fear.
He gently took her face in his hands and comforted her in a low voice, “Scarlett, calm down. Stay here for now. I’ll call Francis. He will definitely find Skyler for you before the clock strikes midnight!”
Chuck put Scarlett on the sofa and prevented her from leaving. Scarlett had calmed down a bit but was still overwhelmed and panicky. Skyler had once been kidnapped by David Morris’s enemies when he was little. At that time, Scarlett was still young, only knowing that his brother had been lying in bed for half a year to recover. She couldn’t understand why those devils would come again since she and Skyler had almost cut off their connections with all the people of the Morris family.
She didn’t know what they wanted from her, but she knew clearly that Skyler was suffering– again! Her mind was full of horrific scenes of Skyler in pain. She couldn’t imagine her life without Skyler. Her heart felt like it was breaking.
When Francis arrived, Scarlett was already on the verge of breaking down.
“Skyler was found, warehouse 138, Downing Street. I’ve sent out a team to save him. Don’t worry too much!” Francis’s big hands held Scarlett’s shoulders in place; he pulled her into his arms regardless of the presence of Chuck and other people. Scarlett was shocked and suddenly burst into tears.
“Let’s go home first and wait for the news, alright?” Francis asked the girl in his arms with a gentle voice. Scarlett just cried. She shook her lips but couldn’t say a word.
Francis took Scarlett’s hand and pulled her up.
“I promise to bring Skyler back to you uninjured. Trust me, Scarlett. Now, let’s go home first.” His calm temperament and deep voice had the power to calm people down in an instant. It was almost like magic.
Scarlett followed him, walking out of the private room of the bar. In the corridor, Scarlett stopped and said to Francis, “Excuse me for a second. I need to go to the washroom.”
Francis nodded and stopped to wait for her. He took out the phone to ask about the progress. After the phone call was over, Scarlett still had not appeared. His heart suddenly sank, and he rapidly rushed into the women’s room and kicked open a door that was half-closed. Scarlett was gone!
“Fuck!” Francis’s face turned red as he looked up to find a window that had been opened from inside. She must have gotten out from there. Francis had no choice but to rush to Downing Street with two of his bodyguards. Everything had been running smoothly and had been under his control until Scarlett had run away. “Stupid, reckless girl! So annoying! Did she think she can save her brother?” Francis was usually very calm, but he couldn’t control his fury this time as anxiety filled his mind.