Honestly, they had it coming.
That many trained men, and not one of them could stop her?
Embarrassing.
If anything, it only made Scarlett more dangerous.
Then Theron spoke again.
“Get antiseptic. Bandages.”
Rhys frowned. “You hurt?”
“Just go.”
“Right.”
When Rhys came back, Scarlett was stepping out of the room.
“He’s asleep,” she said.
Theron barely reacted.
His attention had already shifted-to the faint stain of blood at her sleeve.
“I’m taking care of that first.”
He took the antiseptic and reached for her hand.
This time, she was ready.
She pulled back.
“I appreciate it, Mr. Cross, but I’m fine. It’s nothing.”
He didn’t like that answer.
Not even a little.
How could she brush it off like it didn’t matter?
If she didn’t take care of herself-
Did she think no one else would?
He exhaled slowly.
“Let me,” he said, quieter now. “For Theo.”
Scarlett hesitated.
She imagined the boy waking up and seeing her hurt.
Her expression softened.
That was enough.
Theron caught her wrist and guided her to the bench.
“I can do it myself,” she said, reaching for the bottle.
He didn’t hand it over.
Instead, he looked at her calmly.
“You saved his life.”
He paused, voice lowering just slightly.
“If you won’t even let me do this…”
“…then I might have to take a more extreme approach.”
Scarlett narrowed her eyes. “What kind of approach?”
His expression didn’t change.
“I take responsibility.”
A beat.
“Properly.”
“…”
Scarlett let out an exasperated breath.
“Mr. Cross, a joke might be funny once. But if you keep repeating it, don’t you think it gets old?”
“A joke?”
After placing a bandage over the small cut on her hand, Theron didn’t let go of her fingers.
He held them firmly, his gaze locked onto hers – serious, unwavering.
“I don’t joke,” he said flatly. “And I have no interest in doing so.”
In other words –
He meant every word.
Scarlett frowned, confusion flickering across her face.
Off to the side, Rhys stood frozen, completely stunned, his mind in chaos.
He knew his boss better than anyone.
Theron was not the type to joke.
Yesterday, when he said he’d “repay her with himself,” Rhys had been shocked – but he hadn’t taken it seriously.
But now?
He was saying it again.
And this time, he looked dead serious.
No way…
Was this really love at first sight?
Impossible.
There was no way his boss would fall head over heels for some mysterious woman he just met.
No way.
Scarlett pulled her hand free and stood up, her expression cool and unreadable.
“Whether you’re joking or not has nothing to do with me,” she said evenly. “And I don’t care either way.”
What exactly was this man trying to do?
Was he starting to suspect her identity?
She thought it through carefully.
Unlikely.
She had always kept a low profile. There was no way she’d slipped up.
At that moment, her phone rang.
She answered immediately.
“Hello?”
“Boss, the Hayes family is here,” Howard reported. “They brought backup.”
Scarlett’s eyes darkened.
“Protect my family. I’m on my way back.”
She hung up and turned to Theron.
“When Theo wakes up, tell him I’ll come see him tomorrow.”
“Alright.”
Theron nodded, his gaze following her as she walked away – watching until the elevator doors closed and she disappeared from sight.
Only then did he slowly look away.
Rhys couldn’t hold it in anymore.
“Boss… do you have some kind of ulterior motive toward Miss Hayes?”
“Ulterior motive?” Theron repeated, raising a brow slightly. “Isn’t it obvious?”
“Obvious? What’s obvious?”
Theron narrowed his eyes slightly. After a brief pause, he said calmly:
“I want her to have my children.”
Rhys’s jaw dropped.
Then it dropped even further.
He looked like his soul had just left his body.
So –
His boss was serious?!
In that case…
He should probably abandon any idea of sparring with Scarlett.
New Book: Back Home to Marry Off Myself
Loredana’s father left the family for his mistress, leaving them to fend for themselves abroad. When life was at its toughest, her father showed up with “good news” after 8 years of absence: To marry off Loredana to a paralyzed son of the wealthy Mendelsohn family.