Free Web NovelChapter 27: Offer (3)
Scarlet was greatly amused by Ian thinking she needed him to keep anyone bothering her away. That was what her guards were for and not letting anyone through her gates. When she visited her business, there were four guards with her.
One would have to be daring to fight her guards to get to her. Now, she couldn’t block out what would be said to her, but what could Ian do differently from her guards?
"You don’t look impressed. I trust that when that guest comes to you, you will come to me. You don’t have to be bothered by men looking to court you if they believe you have me. I’ll be a gentleman and wait until your divorce is final," Ian said.
"How kind of you. A man is the source of my troubles these days. I am not looking for one to be my solution. Besides, I am still getting to know you. Who is to say you won’t stab me in the back and paint me to be a terrible lover or speak of this deal?" Scarlet questioned.
Ian smiled since she wasn’t a fool to just jump into something. Though it meant he had to work hard, he enjoyed seeing that she was a woman with sense. It was why the town’s gossip had not gotten to her and the little mistress wouldn’t have been successful with her childish plan.
"Very well. You are a businesswoman. A contract would ensure that I won’t speak of you. I will put something precious of mine on the line to make sure that I won’t speak ill of you after this is said and done. Though, I wish you remembered that I don’t kiss and tell," Ian said then waited for her response.
"A contract?" Scarlet chuckled. This was starting to sound ridiculous. "What precious thing will you put on the line? This business?"
"If it convinces you," Ian replied.
Scarlet’s laughter slowly died down as this joke was going on long enough. "I am starting to think that it isn’t all about me being in the position you were in, which is why you want to be friends. Share the truth as to why you are trying to stick close to me before I walk out of here."
"That is the very reason I was drawn to you in the beginning. Another person targeted to be the town’s entertainment. You showed yourself to be quite the woman during our first meeting so my wanting to court you is true. Now, getting close to you would benefit me by getting under that woman’s skin," Ian explained.
"You are the woman that she would love for my brother to marry and it so happens that my father is deciding on who will be his heir. Though I am the oldest, how I came to be in this world affects me being picked right away."
"So you are using me to get your father’s title and land?" Scarlet asked.
"Oh no. I don’t want either one. I want nothing more from him and I shall not help to continue what he has started. Lord Kingsley has been a coward of a man all that I have known him. Struggling to meet the eyes of the son created from his affairs so I was mostly raised by the servants," Ian revealed.
Layla couldn’t bear the thought of her precious son being in the same home as a bastard so it wasn’t long before Ian’s room moved from the servant quarters to a small cottage behind the Lord’s estate.
"You might not be aware but my brother is sick. To the point that he could not be out of his room for hours without a doctor by his side. At first, he was healthy like any other child, so my place as heir was gone. Then when his sickness showed, I was a consideration again. I don’t care to be a part of my father’s games." fгeewebnovёl.com
"I was aware that there is something wrong with your brother. It is noticeable how quickly he is sometimes rushed from a gathering. It has happened many times and though he returned seeming fine, it couldn’t be ignored. So, you intend to make her believe you want his spot?" Scarlet asked. frёewebηovel.cѳm
"Yes. I wish to see her lose her mind thinking that I am after what she wants for her son. I also want to uncover what happened to a maid who used to care for me. I have visited her family and learned they reported her missing to the town guards," Ian said then drowned the last of his wine.
"I see. You have one complicated story. Though I am one to love getting revenge on bad relatives, I am not certain about this. Perhaps after this guest you speak of comes to me, I might be more eager to do it. I cannot accept your offer now," Scarlet said as it was something big which needed to be thought over.
Though the men courting her were annoying with their advances, her divorce was not yet final and even though Jack was already showing off his lover, Scarlet didn’t want to be with anyone until it was final. Even if the relationship would be fake. It was her last kindness to the marriage she had.
"I am not against you taking time to think as long as you consider it. Keep in mind that I would be willing to do anything you ask as your fake lover if you ask nicely and there would be good tea served to you whenever you want. Doesn’t that sound good?" Ian asked, enjoying Scarlet revealing a real smile once more.
"It is the first time anyone has brought me a plan with this as the benefits. You certainly stand out. Regardless of whether I one day accept, I hope that you can find out what happened to the caretaker and silence Mrs. Kingsley," said Scarlet.
Scarlet did not think it was fair for Ian to be treated as he claimed he was because he was born out of an affair. Lord Kingsley’s actions were what should be condemned. Layla should keep her focus on her husband.
Scarlet thought of Layla as the position she could have been in should she have stayed with Jack. In another world when she would have been a fool. Regardless of how much it would anger her, Scarlet couldn’t bring herself to hate an innocent child.
Learning of Beth’s child was what called for her to speed up the divorce.
"I’m coming to know you so well that I knew you wouldn’t try to stop my plans," said Ian. A few people had told him to move on. Here Scarlet was encouraging it.
"It is because I am having a few issues with relatives, but my idea of silencing them greatly differs from your plan. I should open my gates, let them wander in, and kill them for being on my land," Scarlet plotted, seriously considering it.
If she had to hear of them wanting her estate because of gifts from her great-grandfather to his wife still being there, she was going to start killing off her relatives or send them somewhere where they never saw the light of day.
