The Resilient Lady Collins

Chapter 184: The truth (3)

"Can I stay here with you-"

"No," Ian quickly answered. "Don’t you have your own money to find somewhere to stay?"

"I do but I don’t want to live alone. I promise Scarlet won’t notice me whenever she comes to spend the night. I’ll hide in my room and not come out even if I am starving. I can quiet," Victor promised.

He could make himself like a ghost if Ian just gave him a chance to live here.

"I doubt you can stay quiet and I like living alone," Ian replied, standing up as he didn’t want to hear Victor’s request. Scarlet was alone and being with her sounded better than being here.

"But you invited Scarlet to be here," Victor said, pointing out Ian’s lie.

"She’s an exception," Ian answered. The two couldn’t be compared. One he could annoy and the other annoyed him.

"Picking a woman over your brother. Rude," Victor muttered. Ian would always come first before any woman he would ever meet.

"You seem to be doing much better. Find yourself out the door after the doctor looks at you. I am going to bed," Ian said as he walked to the door.

"No!" Victor yelled, trying to reach for Ian’s hand but he missed and ended up sliding off the side of the bed. "Ow," he cried.

Ian shook his head as once again he confirmed that Victor was a big fool who could not sit still. He secretly hoped Victor fell head first and hit it so it might put everything in Victor’s head the way it was meant to be. "Did that fall fix you or make you worse?"

Victor rubbed his head. "Why are your beds so high up?"

"It didn’t make any difference. If you were a good brother, you would be sending me off to go back to Scarlet. Yet here you are, taking up my time. Maybe you don’t understand because you have never been with a woman," said Ian.

Victor’s embarrassment confirmed that it was true. Still, Victor tried to lie. "I have been with a woman."

"You’ve been around your mother and her annoying friends. I’m talking about a woman you were courting," Ian clarified.

"You don’t know what I have done. I have been with a woman before. She was wonderful and beautiful. We talked forever. It was like nothing you have ever experienced," Victor spoke, trying not to stutter like he did when under pressure.

Ian nodded his head. "Dreams are like that. You can come out with the craziest experience with anyone after a good dream. Don’t be embarrassed. Many would find it cute that you are saving yourself. What a true gentleman you are."

Victor didn’t see what was so bad about not sleeping around when he was not married. His mother would have his head if he brought home a bastard from a woman she did not approve of. He had to be the opposite of his father.

"No need to lie to fit in around me. I can see right through you," Ian said, trying to make Victor not be so embarrassed. "It’s good that you are not seeing any women."

"Thank you," Victor replied, appreciative of Ian being so understanding.

It was always a joke that he didn’t bed any women when they were throwing themselves at him because of his wealth. It was about time someone didn’t joke about it and complimented him for not being swayed.

"Oh, I was saying that for you. I was thinking that it’s good no one has to become the daughter-in-law of such a crazy woman. Please stay by yourself for the rest of your life or at least until your mother is gone," Ian said, trying to protect the women in town.

Ian smiled while Victor glared at him.

"I’m not going to be alone for much longer. I plan to get married. I don’t know who yet but I will. My mother is already making plans for the king to help her have me wed Princess Alana. Why are you laughing?" Victor questioned, wanting to be in on the joke. "Do you think I can’t find a woman to be my wife?"

"You’re rich, your father is a lord, and you are handsome. You can find a wife if you go outside and shout that you want one. What I know is that your mother will never succeed in getting you to marry the princess. Especially if you use the king’s help," Ian explained. freewebnσvel.cøm

Scarlet wasn’t fond of Layla for reasons that weren’t just about him, she didn’t like the king, and she certainly didn’t want Alana to get married to someone she didn’t love.

"The princess is in Scarlet’s care and while they are not that far apart in age, Scarlet has been acting as her guardian. Scarlet would not let the princess marry you. She doesn’t like you."

Victor was happy to hear this since he did not want to marry the princess. "That is good. Wait, does Scarlet not like me?"

That couldn’t happen since Scarlet was with Ian. They had to get along since they were going to be family. Victor couldn’t think of a good reason for Scarlet not to like him. They only spoke if they were at a party and their parents greeted each other so why wouldn’t she like him? Was it because he didn’t help Ian?

Ian shrugged his shoulders, pretending not to know the reason. "I welcome you to ask her."

It would be entertaining to see Scarlet kill Victor’s dreams with her blunt side.

"She must like me," Victor said as that was needed for them to be comfortable around each other.

"As far as I am concerned, I am the only one she needs to like. Get back up onto the bed and wait for the doctor. I am going to bed," Ian said, opening the door. There was a surprise waiting for him when he opened the door. "Scarlet." freeweɓnovel.cøm

"I thought I heard your voice here. Are you two planning to share a room tonight?" Scarlet questioned, stepping to the left to get a good look at Victor.

She had become restless while waiting for Ian to come to bed and then worried that his conversation with Victor was not going well. The two brothers looked to be in a playful mood so she didn’t want to disturb them.

"I was curious where you were. I will go back to bed. You should stay here with Victor to continue your talk. I will see you in the morning," Scarlet said, tiptoeing to kiss him goodnight but Ian moved out of the way.

Ian didn’t want the kiss because he was going to bed with her. What idiot would pick sharing a room with Victor over being in the same bed with Scarlet? "I was just leaving to come to you. Victor is fine by himself."

"I am not. I almost fainted and I fell off the bed. You two should at least wait until the doctor says I am fine," Victor said, not ready to be alone. He couldn’t help eavesdropping since he wanted Ian to stay.

Ian thought there wasn’t a need for a doctor to come since he was just going to kill Victor. Since Victor ruined his night, Ian was going to ruin Victor’s need to have them all together. "Layla is trying to get Luke to form a marriage between Victor and Alana."

"What?" Scarlet replied, nudging Ian to the side so she could see Victor better. Over her dead body would she allow that marriage to happen.