Chapter 79: I Can Do Whatever I Want
Scarlett rolled over and buried herself in the pillow. “I’m gonna give you the cold shoulder,” she said. “You always affect my judgment.”
But deep inside, Scarlett was really thinking about becoming Mrs. Sandler.
Scarlett thought to herself. “Mrs. Sandler, what a fascinating title… But am I asking for too much?”
***
After class was over, Scarlett walked through campus. She passed by the mailroom and stopped to check if there was any mail for her. The old mailman handed her a thick envelope.
“Scarlett Morris, correct? It looks like this document needs your urgent attention.”
Scarlett nodded in surprise. “Oh, okay… thank you!”
The mailman smiled, waved his hands, and then walked back into the room.
Scarlett tore open the package while she was walking. When she walked out of the school gates, a familiar voice came, calling her “Miss. Scarlett!”
She turned around and found it was Francis’s chauffeur, Uncle Williams. “Hey, Will! Why are you here?” Scarlett said with a bright smile.
“I’m here to pick you up to take you to the house for Mr. Sandler’s family gathering.”
“Oh, I see. Hmm… Do I have to go? Actually, I have to handle something urgent right now.” Scarlett hesitated and said.
“I will probably lose the job, Miss. Scarlett, if you insisted on not coming with me.” Williams looked worried.
Scarlett frowned. She looked at Williams, the driver, who was clearly negotiating quite the dilemma. Scarlett could be so capricious as to ignore or outright reject Francis’s invitations, but she was concerned that Williams would actually lose his job if she did not comply. She did, after all, know Francis’s temper very well indeed.
“Mr. Sandler was angry the last time you didn’t go to dinner. But it is only you who can keep his temper under some sort of control. With other women, I just can’t imagine…”
Williams suddenly realized that he had said something awkward and immediately changed his tone. “Oh, look what I’ve said, don’t take it seriously!”
“No problem. Don’t worry about it.” Scarlett didn’t pay attention to what he said but only focused on the papers she had just pulled out of the envelope.
It was an application form for the Saudi Arabia research mission that Dan had mentioned to her a couple of days ago. Scarlett read every line very carefully. She then took out a pen, quickly jotted down a personal statement, and included all her background details. After signing her name in the lower right corner, she folded the form carefully and put it into her bag. She smiled to herself. She was satisfied with the day’s work.
The old Sandler mansion was luxurious and imposing as ever. The large house made Scarlett feel absolutely tiny– like a nobody who didn’t belong in such luscious environs, to begin with.
Scarlett got out of the car and immediately caught a glimpse of Chuck standing by the door, smoking a cigarette. She picked her bag up and went over to him, “Hey.”
“Oh, hey, good to see ya. I was just wondering whether you would actually come through tonight or not. I made a bet with myself, and it looks like I just lost. Anyway.”
“How did you lose to yourself, by the way?” Scarlett scoffed.
“Most of me bet that you wouldn’t come. So, that means the smaller part of me is lost! Look, you won’t get it. You’re too simple. I’m a complicated dude, okay?”
“Okay, Chuck, sure. Whatever you say.” Scarlett rolled her eyes at him. “What are you doing out here right now?”
“I needed to take a breath. It’s stifling inside the house.” Chuck said, squinting at the cigarette between his fingers.
“Give me one,” she said. Without waiting for Chuck to respond, she reached into his coat pocket and took out the pack of cigarettes and a lighter.
“Don’t look at me like that! I have to embolden myself before entering that creepy house!”Content held by NôvelDrama.Org.
Scarlett lit a cigarette, squatted down with her bag in her arms, and began to smoke.
Chuck squatted along with her with a smile on his face. He flicked his cigarette, and ash fell to the ground.
“Is it tiring to date, my uncle?” Chuck put his hand on her shoulder, “You know what, like Spiderman said, with great power comes great responsibility. You chose to date my uncle, so you have to learn to accept all the pressures and risks that come with that. Isn’t it?”
“You’re really the worst friend, you know that? I really don’t need you to repeatedly remind me of whatever fucking responsibilities and risks, okay?” Scarlett rolled her eyes at Chuck and started smoking faster out of stress.
“It’s just a kind warning, my friend. But don’t give up easily! Patience is a virtue. Good things come to those who wait!”
“Shut up. Like, please.”
Scarlett stubbed out the cigarette and stood up. She then took out a small bottle of perfume from her bag and sprayed a bit around her mouth and neck.
“Perfume doesn’t work, little girl! I would be able to tell that you’ve smoked from five miles away!”
“Fuck off!” Scarlett turned around; she was ready to walk through the yard into the main house.
Scarlett stumbled up and breathed deeply, thinking of the sight that awaited her inside the house. Right then, she saw that Francis was walking toward her. He was, at that time, only ten meters away from her. So he must have seen everything!
“Uncle Francis!” Chuck greeted him enthusiastically but awkwardly.
“Get in.” Francis hinted at Chuck.
Chuck shrugged his shoulders and followed Francis’s order. A few steps away, he looked back at Scarlett and gave her a weak smile. Scarlett knew she was done.
“Do I stress you out so much that you have to smoke it off, Scarlett? Do you have to smoke?”
Scarlett looked up at him. “I can do whatever I want. I can choose my own lifestyle. Stop acting like you’re my father. I don’t need that from you or from anyone.”
Francis pulled her up, and she staggered against his chest.
“I’m not your father, but it is still my duty to take good care of you.”
“If you really want a woman who doesn’t smoke, you can date another one! I have a lot of bad habits, and I can’t change them!”