Chapter 11: Between Jealousy and Danger
Night in Manhattan is never truly dark; it merely changes into the glow of neon lights reflecting off the glass of skyscrapers. Inside the Caldwell residence dining room, the atmosphere felt far calmer compared to the storm at the training studio earlier that afternoon. The aroma of truffle risotto and grilled meat drifted through the air, blending with the soft clink of silver utensils against porcelain.
Victoria Caldwell sat at the head of the table, looking elegant with a silk scarf wrapped around her neck, as if the dramatic heart attack a few days ago had been nothing more than part of a theater script she had already completed.
"I heard from Arthur that you're starting to find Elara's 'soul,' Scarlett," Victoria said, her voice calm yet carrying undeniable authority. She sipped her mineral water with measured grace. "But don't let small praise make you careless. This industry is like the ocean. Calm on the surface, but the sharks are always hungry."
Scarlett nodded politely, though she felt slightly suffocated under the older woman's sharp gaze. "I understand, Madam. I still have a lot to learn."
"And Julian," Victoria turned to her grandson, who had been silently cutting his meat with surgical precision. "I've decided. This weekend, the two of you will go to Villa Blue Sapphire in the Hamptons. Consider it a delayed honeymoon, or simply a… distraction from the media eyes starting to sniff around Scarlett's presence in this house."
Julian stopped his movement. He looked up, his clear blue eyes meeting his grandmother's with a flat expression. "Scarlett's shooting schedule is starting to get busy, Grandma. I'm not sure the Hamptons is a good idea right now."
"Oh, come on, Julian," Victoria waved her hand dismissively. "Even a construction worker needs rest. Blue Sapphire is already prepared. Besides, the public needs to see you 'a little relaxed.' Your image as an ice man is starting to bore investors."
An elderly servant, who had worked there for decades, passed by to pour wine. He whispered softly, almost inaudible, yet enough to make Scarlett blush while holding back laughter. "Perhaps the Young Master is just afraid that the romantic beach atmosphere will melt his ice walls too quickly."
Julian merely scoffed quietly but did not argue. Meanwhile, Scarlett busied herself with her vegetables, realizing that in this house, every move was strategy, and every servant seemed to be a sharp observer.
The night grew deeper as Scarlett passed by Julian's study. The teakwood door was slightly open, casting a warm yellow light. She intended to walk past it toward her room, but Julian's deep voice stopped her.
"Come in, Scarlett."
She pushed the door open. Julian stood near the large window, his back facing the room. His suit jacket was off, leaving only a white shirt with sleeves rolled up to his elbows. That slightly disheveled look made him appear far more human, and far more dangerous to Scarlett's heartbeat.
"What is it?" Scarlett asked softly.
Julian turned. He walked toward her, his steps slow and steady, stopping right in front of her. The distance between them was close enough for Scarlett to catch the lingering scent of coffee mixed with his masculine fragrance.
"How was your practice with Sean today?" Julian asked. His tone sounded casual, but his eyes held an intensity that was anything but casual.
"Smooth. Sean was very helpful. He has a unique way of keeping me from getting too tense when dealing with Arthur," Scarlett answered honestly.
Julian narrowed his eyes. "A unique way? Like holding your hand every time you forget your lines? Or laughing too much at jokes that aren't even funny?"
Scarlett blinked. She searched his rigid face for any sign of humor but found none. "He's just trying to be friendly, Julian. We need chemistry for this role."
"There's a thin line between acting chemistry and… something more," Julian cut in sharply. He stepped closer, locking his gaze onto hers. "JTC doesn't need its lead actress involved in a scandal with her co-star in the first week."
Scarlett fell silent for a moment, then a faint, mischievous smile appeared at the corner of her lips. The courage she had built during the afternoon's rehearsal suddenly surfaced. "Julian Caldwell, are you interrogating me as the head of JTC, or… as someone who feels bothered?"
Julian did not answer. His jaw tightened.
"Because that sounded like… jealousy," Scarlett whispered boldly.
A heavy silence fell between them. The distance between them became almost nonexistent. Scarlett could see a flicker of hesitation in Julian's blue eyes before he quickly put his cold mask back on. He lowered his head slightly, his breath brushing against her forehead. His hand lifted as if to touch a strand of her hair, but instead, he clenched his fist at his side.
"Don't be too confident," Julian said in a low, husky voice. "I'm just making sure my investment stays safe."
"Of course," Scarlett replied, her voice equally low, "investment."
They stood there for several seconds that felt like forever, an invisible pull of gravity hanging between them. Before anything could truly happen, Julian turned quickly toward his desk.
"Go back to your room. We're leaving for the Hamptons tomorrow night."
A Different Reality
The next morning, the warmth of the previous night vanished instantly. Scarlett sat in the kitchen sipping her tea while Amanda chattered excitedly over her tablet.
"Look at this, Kak!" Amanda showed her the screen. "Julian Caldwell and Claire, that top model, looked 'close' at a charity gala last night. Netizens say they're the most perfect couple in Manhattan. Look at the way Boss Julian smiles at her in front of the camera. So sweet!"
Scarlett stared at the photo. Julian looked incredibly handsome in his tuxedo, giving a charming smile to the blonde woman beside him. In front of the camera, he was warm and captivating. Completely different from the Julian she saw in his study the night before, cold, rigid, and demanding.
"He's good at acting," Scarlett murmured, feeling an unwelcome tightness in her chest.
"What? Are you jealous?" Amanda teased with a mischievous grin.
"Jealous? Of a man who treats me like a stock to be monitored? Don't joke around, Manda," Scarlett denied, though she drank her tea too quickly and slightly burned her tongue.
"But body language doesn't lie, Kak. You've been squeezing that tissue into pulp," Amanda laughed. "Relax. Claire is just his public 'accessory.' You're the one with the official certificate."
Scarlett only scoffed, trying to ignore the discomfort lingering in her thoughts.
The training session that day carried a different dynamic. Scarlett felt more confident. She began to understand how Elara spoke, how she saw the world.
"Good, Scarlett! That's Elara!" Arthur called out.
Sean approached her during the break, handing her a bottle of cold water. "You were amazing today," he said with a wide smile.
Scarlett smiled, but she remembered Julian's warning. She took the bottle and kept a slight distance. "Just been reading the script a lot, Sean."
"Oh? I thought it was because of special motivation," Sean winked, noticing the subtle shift in her behavior, but he was not offended. Instead, he seemed intrigued by the mystery behind her life.
Unbeknownst to them, Selena Harrington stood quietly in the control room. She did not enter. She simply watched Scarlett through the small glass window on the door. In her hand was a phone displaying a photo of a secret marriage document she had obtained the night before.
"Official certificate, huh?" Selena murmured, her lips curving into a deadly smile. "Let's see how long that piece of paper can protect you, Scarlett."
That night, the outdoor shoot ended later than scheduled. Amanda had gone home earlier due to family matters, leaving Scarlett to return alone in a taxi arranged by management.
The road leading to the back gate of the Caldwell complex was quiet at one in the morning. Dim streetlights cast long shadows along the sidewalk. Scarlett quickened her steps, feeling the cold air seep through her jacket.
Suddenly, she heard footsteps behind her. She stopped and turned, but saw no one. Only the wind rustling dry leaves.
She continued walking, faster this time. The footsteps returned, quicker, as if chasing her. Her heart pounded wildly. She began to jog. As she reached the dark corner leading to the side gate, a shadow darted from the opposite direction.
"Who's there?" Scarlett shouted hoarsely.
A masked figure shoved her roughly, sending her crashing to the ground. Her elbow hit the concrete hard. The person did not try to take her bag. Instead, they stared at her briefly with cold eyes, then threw a red envelope straight at her before disappearing into the darkness.
Scarlett trembled violently. Pain spread through her elbow and knees. She tried to stand, but her legs felt weak.
"Scarlett!"
A voice she knew too well came from the gate. Julian ran toward her. He had just returned from the office and noticed the disturbance on the security camera.
His usually stone-like face was now shattered by raw panic. He dropped to his knees beside her, his trembling hands touching her shoulders.
"Are you okay? What happened?" His voice was no longer cold. There was real fear in it.
"He… he pushed me," Scarlett whispered, tears falling from the shock. She pointed toward the dark alley. "He threw this."
Julian picked up the red envelope but did not open it. He saw the blood on her elbow. Without a word, he lifted Scarlett into his arms and carried her inside as if she were the most fragile thing in the world.
In her room, Julian treated her wounds himself, refusing help from the servants. The room fell into silence, filled only with their breathing and the scent of antiseptic.
Julian was careful, but his movements carried restrained anger. When he finished bandaging her elbow, he did not leave. He remained kneeling in front of her, staring at the wound.
"I shouldn't have let you come home alone," Julian said quietly, his voice filled with regret Scarlett had never imagined hearing from him.
"I'm fine, Julian. It's just a scrape," Scarlett reassured him, her hand hesitantly touching his slightly messy hair.
Julian looked up. His gaze melted something inside her. The silence felt different.
He stood slowly, his face moving closer to hers. The distance vanished. "Never walk alone at night again," he whispered near her lips. "I can't… I don't want anything to happen to you."
Scarlett saw another side of him, protective, warm, deeply emotional. She began to see the man behind the ice wall. But in the middle of that moment, Julian's eyes shifted to the red envelope on the vanity.
He opened it. Inside was a single photo: their secret wedding picture, marked with a large black cross over Scarlett's face, and a neat but chilling handwritten message:
"The game has just begun, Mrs. Caldwell. Prepare yourself to fall."
Julian clenched the photo until it crumpled. He looked at Scarlett, his gaze now more than protective. It was the look of a man ready for war.
"Selena," he hissed.
Scarlett stared at the photo, cold fear creeping down her spine. Julian's past danger had now become hers. But as Julian gripped her hand tightly, she knew that although this marriage began out of necessity, she was no longer facing it alone.
"We're going to the Hamptons tomorrow," Julian said firmly. "Not for a vacation, but to make sure you're safe. I won't let anyone touch you."
Outside the window, New York continued to shine, but for Scarlett, the world felt much smaller now, only the space between her and Julian, where the line between contract and feelings had finally begun to crack.