Not after that.
Scarlett turned and walked toward the car parked by the road.
Without looking back, she lifted a hand in a lazy wave.
“See you at the wedding in three days.”
She didn’t have time to waste here.
There were people she needed to see-
Her adoptive parents.
Her brother.
Five years.
It had been five long years.
“Damn it!”
James ground his teeth so hard it felt like they might shatter.
He had always been the one standing above everyone else-untouchable.
And today?
He had been humiliated like never before.
Not only that-
He was supposed to go to the airport with his father to welcome an important figure.
Instead, he came here to force Scarlett to sign the divorce papers.
And what did he get?
Nothing.
He missed everything.
All because of her.
Scarlett.
His expression darkened.
Fine.
If she wanted to show up at the wedding in three days-
Perfect.
He’d make sure she paid for everything.
But remembering her terrifying strength, his eyes narrowed.
He’d need backup.
This time-
He’d make her kneel.
Beg.
…
Inside the car, Howard glanced at Scarlett through the rearview mirror. She had changed into civilian clothes. Her eyes were closed, resting.
“Where to, Commander?”
“My adoptive parents’ place,” she replied calmly. “And from now on, call me Boss. I don’t want my identity exposed.”
“Understood.”
Just then-
A child suddenly ran into the road.
“Shit-!”
Howard jerked the wheel sharply.
The car screeched, barely avoiding the roadside barrier.
Scarlett’s eyes snapped open, her hand gripping the overhead handle.
“What happened?”
“A kid ran out!”
Without hesitation, she pushed the door open and stepped out.
A small boy lay on the ground ahead, struggling to push himself up.
He looked about four or five years old.
“Hey-are you okay?” she asked, hurrying over and helping him to his feet.
Then-
She froze.
The boy’s face…
Why did he look so much like her?
The child’s eyes widened.
He stared at her, bright and clear.
For a few seconds, he said nothing.
Then slowly, uncertainly-
“…Mommy?”
That single word-
“Mommy…”
It hit Scarlett like a shockwave.
Her heart jolted.
For a split second, she was dragged back four years… back to the tiny life she had lost the moment it entered the world.
If her child were still alive-
He’d be about this age now.
The thought tightened painfully in her chest.
As she looked at the boy, her gaze softened without her realizing it.
A storm of emotions surged through her-
Longing. Grief. Guilt. Tenderness.
Feelings she couldn’t quite name… all tangled together.
At that moment, Howard walked over, his eyes flicking between Scarlett and the boy.
“Bo-Boss… is that your kid?” he blurted, stunned. “He looks just like you. Same eyes, same face-it’s like a copy-paste.”
Good grief.
The leader of Obsidian Unit… the infamous War Goddess…
Had a child?
If word of this got out, it would send shockwaves through the entire underworld.
Scarlett shot him a look.
“I don’t know him,” she said evenly. “He’s probably just scared and mistook me for someone else.”
Still, she studied the boy more closely.
There was a resemblance.
But lookalikes weren’t exactly rare…
And deep down, she knew-
It wasn’t possible.
Her child…
Was gone.
The boy’s expression crumpled the moment he heard her answer.
The light in his eyes dimmed, replaced by quiet disappointment.
“Let me check if you’re hurt,” Scarlett said, her voice softening.
But before she could move-
A harsh shout cut through the air behind them.
“There he is! Grab him!”
The boy’s small body stiffened.
His eyes widened in fear as he stared at the group rushing toward them.
“Hey… it’s okay,” Scarlett said gently, resting a hand on his head. “I’ve got you. No one’s going to hurt you.”
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.