They watched me intently, then turned to the petite woman behind them. Ryder frowned. “Scarlett Thorne, that’s enough. I told you I wouldn’t leave you. Why do you have to be so hard on Brittany? She’s just a young girl.”
I snapped back to reality, looking at the three men’s wary expressions, finding it both amusing and heartbreaking. Had I not been
good enough to them all these years?
Clearly, pets are pets. They only learn through discipline.
3
When I was sixteen, Ryder, who had been with me for a year, still hadn’t quite grasped my temper. But he knew that whenever I was angry, if he just took my hand and pressed it to his face, my anger would subside.
Later, he took it upon himself to fire our housekeeper of ten years and personally hired a new one, Mrs. Miller. And Brittany Miller, the daughter, moved in with her. He told me, “Scarlett, I think they’re quite pitiful. Why don’t we let her stay too? The Thorne estate
Is so big, it won’t hurt to have one extra room.”
At that time, I was utterly infatuated with that face. I never refused any request Ryder made.
Later, during an evening gala, I noticed Brittany didn’t even have a decent dress. I casually took a new one from my wardrobe and gave it to her. It was C–Class haute couture, worth hundreds of thousands. Brittany looked at me with immense gratitude, bowing
repeatedly and thanking me.
However, that evening, Ryder saw Brittany dressed elegantly and seemed to lose himself, just staring at her next to me. A timid girl always seemed to ignite a man’s protective instincts. Suddenly, the shoulder strap of Brittany’s evening gown, as she stood front and center, unexpectedly snapped. Her slight figure was instantly exposed. Brittany, humiliated, cried and left.
After the gala, I intended to go comfort her. After all, it was my dress I had given her. But the three men suddenly blocked my path,
1045
their expressions impatient. Ryder furiously demanded to know:
“Scarlett Thorne, you’re going too far! How could you deliberately give Brittany a faulty gown?”
I was stunned, looking at Brittany, who was bowing her head behind them. I wanted her to explain that I had given her the dress brand new, the packaging box still unopened. But to my surprise, Brittany suddenly tugged on Ryder’s sleeve, tears welling up and
spilling down.
“It’s okay, Mr. Ryder, I believe Miss Scarlett didn’t mean it. Perhaps it’s because I’ve been spending too much time with you lately,
making Miss Scarlett unhappy.”
As if that wasn’t enough drama, she pushed past the three men and walked towards me. She slapped herself across the face, her
delicate, pale cheek immediately turning red and swollen.
