Secrets 291
r 291 A Sudden Collision
She didn’t want to waste another word.
—
90
Finished
Her mind was already set she would find a way, but her way was to bring Rebecca under her own roof.
Stepping out of the club, she thought she caught a glimpse of a familiar figure, someone who looked like Scarlett.
But that had to be her imagination.
Scarlett was probably out shopping with Sophia.
She rubbed her temples. Scarlett had to return soon for her graduation defense, and surely she was focusing on school.
She wouldn’t be here.
It was just her nerves acting up.
Inside a car, Scarlett glanced at Jack in the driver’s seat, then at Jasper beside her.
“You two are going to Trenwyn too?”
She paused, then added, “But Mr. Fletcher? He has a lab at my school. What would you need there?”
Jack groaned. “Do you have to put it like that? I asked for leave from my old man just so I could personally take you back to school. He almost pulled out the family stick on me!”
“Just to take me back?” Scarlett asked dryly.
Jasper’s answer was short. “The last cooperation in Trenwyn had problems.”
Jack nearly jumped. “We agreed not to tell her! You betrayed me!”
“Talking behind your back would be betrayal,” Jasper said evenly. “This is open and aboveboard.”
The meaning was clear: this wasn’t betrayal at all.
Jack nearly choked on his own indignation. But he had to keep his hands on the wheel.
8:33 Sat, Sep 27
Chapter 291 A Sudden Collision
Life was bitter indeed.
A
89
Finished
Scarlett laughed, realizing the earlier deal must have collapsed. No wonder Jack had been sent to clean up the mess.
Curious, she looked up the company he’d worked with.
And sure enough–illegal.
A mess of tax violations, labor disputes, and other scandals.
No wonder the internet was buzzing.
A company like that could never handle Jack’s goods again. They would need a new factory.
A spark flashed through her mind.
“This is something I can actually help with,” she said.
The car screeched to a stop.
Caught off guard, Scarlett lurched forward. Jasper pulled her back, and she tumbled straight into his chest.
The evening wind drifted through the open window, carrying the warm scent of camphor trees. Scarlett’s nose collided with the firm press of his chest, carrying the clean, natural scent of cedar.
Not detergent, but something that belonged to him alone, something steady and grounding.
The next second, his hand braced her arm. The touch was steady, not forceful, holding her until her swaying body settled.
Scarlett’s heartbeat had already stumbled the moment she hit him. Now it pounded wildly, so loud it seemed to echo in her ears.
Half–sprawled against him, her cheek brushed the fabric of his shirt. Through the thin cloth she could feel his warmth, the slow and powerful beat of his heart beneath.
“S–sorry!” she stammered, scrambling to sit up. Her hand slipped in the confusion, fingertips brushing against the firm muscle at his side.
The faint texture beneath his shirt made her jerk back as if shocked, her face flushing hot.
Above her, Jasper’s voice came steady and low. “It’s fine.”
Scarlett dared to look up. Her gaze met his dark eyes- calm as ever, giving nothing away.
8:33 Sat, Sep 27
Chapter 291 A Sudden Collision
89
Finished
But for just an instant, she thought she saw something ripple there, like a stone dropped into a still lake, gone before she could be sure.
His arm still rested lightly at her waist, neither pressing closer nor pulling away, just steady.
Even through the thin fabric of her dress, Scarlett felt the warmth of his touch, seeping into her skin, leaving it tingling.
“I didn’t mean to. I wasn’t thinking, I-” She tried to explain, but her voice trembled, betraying her fluster.
It had only been an accident, yet being half–held by him made the air thicken, tinged with something unspoken.
His gaze lingered half a second on her burning cheeks. “Mm,” he murmured, finally letting go. But as she straightened, his hand brushed her arm, making sure she was steady before withdrawing completely.
That small gesture made her heart skip again.
Scarlett ducked her head, staring at her shoes, trying to cool her face.
But the warmth only spread deeper, creeping from her cheeks to the tips of her ears.
Send Gifts
She
978
(