The Resilient Lady Collins

Chapter 125: Giving in (1)

’Why did I allow her to convince me?" Scarlet wondered.

Scarlet couldn’t understand why she was standing before Ian’s place of business. She had no reason to meet with him today. He could be busy and not present as he had informed her of another business he had.

What was she to do if Ian was not present? She had sent the carriage back to her estate for Alana to be dropped off and then it was to come back here for her.

Scarlet wanted to hit herself. "I am a fool," she muttered.

This would only make Ian happy to have her visit him for no reason. The only positive side of this for Scarlet would be to see what he was doing when he wasn’t expecting her. Perhaps she could catch him in the act of carrying out one of his plans for his return.

Scarlet walked toward the door which was opened for her by the two guards outside. As far as anyone was concerned, she came here because she wanted tea. Not for anything else.

"Oh. The lady boss is here," Owen said right upon seeing her. "He didn’t tell us to expect your visit. We are closed right now."

Scarlet glanced back at the now-closed door. "So why was I allowed in?"

"Simple. The boss said we are to let you in when you come and no one wants to upset him, so you are welcome when we are closed. Do you need me to escort you to him?" Owen said, crossing his fingers behind his back for her to say no.

Scarlet still scared him. Owen didn’t think anyone other than Ian would scare him but he was wrong. Now the two people he feared were a couple. He truly had the worst luck in the world.

"If he is in his office, then I know the way. I’m sorry to disturb you at this time," Scarlet said, planning to keep her visit short to not get in the way of whatever reason they were closed for.

"Oh!" Owen remembered. "I must warn you that he is not in a good mood right now. Family trouble. That is all I can share right now."

"I see. Thank you for the warning."

’Maybe it wasn’t bad timing,’ Scarlet thought.

What was it that the Kingsleys were doing now to upset Ian? Was it something about Noelle again or was Hank and Layla just upsetting him?

If not for wanting to find out what happened to the woman who used to take care of him, Scarlet would have suggested to Ian to leave Lockwood again. Sometimes revenge wasn’t worth it. It might not be as satisfying as you imagined it to be and you might have wasted time you could have spent on something to make you happy.

Scarlet came to a stop before Ian’s door and knocked on it. There was no response the first time. She hated the idea of just barging in though Ian would welcome her. Scarlet knocked again, but this time, she let her voice be heard. "Ian, it is Scarlet."

If he didn’t want to be disturbed, Scarlet would gladly leave. She only needed to wait for her carriage to return. It could be like she never showed up here. Like she-

The door finally opened.

"It is you," Ian said.

At first, he didn’t believe the faint sound of her voice that reached the inside of his office. The door hardly let sound in from the outside so she had to be much louder with her voice. It came like a visit so he didn’t believe it when he first heard her voice. The knocking on the door made him get up to check.

Ian reached for her hand and guided her inside. "Have I forgotten plans?"

Scarlet stepped inside, listening to the door close behind her and then locked. "No. I just came because Alana suggested that I do."

"Do the Castros have special abilities? How did the princess know that I would love to see you now? I am in need of a distraction and what better than you?" Ian replied.

Already he was starting to forget what had annoyed him.

Scarlet took notice of his messy appearance. If her mother were present, she would say that Ian needed a hug. What troubled him so much that he looked this way? ’What happened?’ fɾēewebnσveℓ.com

"I do not want to speak of it now. I would rather you," Ian stopped just as he was close to touching her face. "Never mind."

"The rule of no touching is off," Scarlet said, unable to believe she was reminding him of it. "We should sit first so you can tell me what happened."

Ian smiled as it sounded like Scarlet was going to do something to the people who put him in a terrible mood. "I forgot I had a knight in my life," he said as he followed her. "Not there. Here is more comfortable," he said, pulling Scarlet back to him as he sat down. "Comfortable?"

Scarlet closed her eyes as she tried to calm her anger. She was trying to comfort him but Ian was going to make it hard to continue. "Ian, there are plenty of places for me to sit. So many that I do not need to be on your lap. Even the floor is free."

"Collins shouldn’t sit on the floor and here is more comfortable than where you picked. How are you to comfort me if we are not close?" Ian questioned, sneakily moving his hands to be around her waist. "I am forgetting what upset me already. You are a medicine many would love to get their hands on.

"How am I to comfort you when I cannot see you? Let go of me so I can sit beside you. Wait!" Scarlet exclaimed, trying to find something to hold onto as Ian turned her.

Scarlet now sat sideways on his lap with her feet resting on the free side of the couch where she should be sitting. "Have I ever told you that I know how to flip a man? It is not something you will enjoy."

"You make the mistake of assuming that I would not love that. It would be a little hard for you to do that while we are sitting. I must admit that seeing you smile is making me worry a little. So you don’t try flipping me, I have to keep you secured," Ian said, tightening his hold on her.

"I give up on trying to get you to listen," Scarlet replied. If not for something upsetting him, she would have done what was needed to get out of his arms.

"Because you end up liking our closeness. I hope one day you will admit it. You’re dressed up quite pretty today. What was the occasion?" Ian asked.

"Are you saying that each time you saw me, I wasn’t dressed up pretty?" Scarlet questioned, trying to scare him.

"You are trying to place me in a trap, Scarlet. You know that is not what I meant. You look wonderful everyday but it is even better today. Did you get dressed up to see me?" Ian asked, knowing it wasn’t the case but he could still be hopeful.

"This was my attire to go to work and then go shopping with Alana. There is nothing special about it," Scarlet answered.

"Then maybe it is because it has been so long since I last saw you that you look more beautiful today," Ian said.

"You had dinner with me and my family last night," Scarlet replied, feeling a bit bit unsettled by how he gazed at her. It was the same as how he looked at her after they kissed.

"That was hours ago, Scarlet. Enough time for me to miss you as much as I do now. You come in here with your lips painted red. If it was your intention to tempt me, it has worked as I want to kiss you again. Can I?" He inquired.