Scarlett didn't blink as her eyes stayed on the staff, waiting for something to slip up
"I asked if this is your first time delivering something to my room?", she shouted
She still hesitated a bit then
"Yes, my lady. This is my first time delivering something to your room", she said quickly
Scarlett stepped closer, her voice was quiet and calm now
"I think you should learn how to lie better"
The staff opened her lips about to counter but didn't say anything
Scarlett exhaled slowly almost feeling irritated
"Get out"
The staff turned immediately and walked out
The door clicked shut behind her
Scarlett looked back at the paper in her hand as she stared at the codes and numbers
She thought that whoever was behind it was so confident that they wanted her to be very aware
She tightened her grip around the paper
"Well, well, well, I see you", she murmured
A soft sound was heard behind her
She turned towards the door and Jude was standing by the door
She didn't hear him come in as she was lost in her own thoughts
"Wow! So you have been standing there for how long?", she asked
"Long enough", he replied sharply
His eyes went straight to the paper she was holding
"What's that you are holding?"
Scarlett looked at the paper in her hand, folded it, opened the drawer, and threw it in there
"It's nothing"
Jude didn't move
"That has been your regular statement lately"
"And you've been asking too many questions that don't concern you"
There was silence
Jude stepped closer
"You've been very different"
Scarlett let out a quiet breath, almost like she wanted to laugh
"You don't even know me well enough other than the fact that I was an independent escort for you to say I have been different"
"Well, I know enough because we have been living in this house for four years now", Jude replied
She looked at him for a long time as their eyes locked
Scarlett turned away first
"As I said earlier, I think you should focus on your missing files", she said firmly
"And you should stop pretending like a strong woman", he replied
Scarlett stood still and turned slowly
"What if I am a strong woman because I am", she said
Jude didn't answer immediately as he looked at her closely
"I saw a staff member bringing a package upstairs to your room"
Her expression didn't change
"So you were watching?"
"Well, I pay close attention to everything in my house", he said
There was a pause
Then Scarlett said "That's good. Then pay attention to what I am about to say. Stop watching me, I can save myself"
Jude stepped closer
"That's the problem because you are still living in the Maguire mansion, so it won't be easy"
Jude stepped closer again and Scarlett could feel it
Her voice dropped slightly
"Jude Maguire, you're crossing a line"
"But you aren't stopping me", he said
Scarlett knew he said the truth because she could have stepped back
But she didn't
Jude's hand found her wrist again but this time it was very soft
Scarlett looked at her wrist in his grip and then looked at him
"Let go of my wrist", she said softly
Jude didn't move
"Tell me to let go again", he said quietly
Scarlett didn't answer and that gave Jude the answer he wanted
His grip shifted slightly as it slid from her wrist to her hand slowly
He was giving her time to pull away but she didn't
The room immediately felt smaller
Scarlett exhaled softly as she started to lose control slowly but not fully
"This changes nothing", she said sharply
Jude didn't look away from her as he leaned in slowly
Scarlett didn't stop him and for a moment, she didn't respond either
Her mind has paused long enough for her body to forget the rules surrounding the contract
She knew in her mind that once she crossed that line, there was no going back anymore
The distance between Jude and Scarlett disappeared completely
Everything was slow and then it became very blurry
The arguments, the control, and the tension they had both held onto broke quietly at once
And for once, Scarlett didn't think, she only felt the warmth
She never allowed herself to be this vulnerable with anyone talk more with him even though she spent nights with high-value men, it was always calculated and measured
Scarlett didn't know how much time had passed
Reality came back hard and fast when it ended
Scarlett pulled away first like waking up from something she shouldn't have allowed in the first place
There was silence in the room
She turned away from him as she put space between them and raised the blanket to her chest
"This shouldn't have happened", she said sharply
Jude didn't argue
"Okay"
He agreed too easily but she didn't mind
Scarlett nodded once to herself
"This meant nothing", she whispered under her breath
Jude heard her
"Of course this meant nothing"
They both didn't want to accept that they had just had an intimate moment together
Scarlett stood up with the blanket around her chest and walked toward the mirror table as she opened the drawer to check to make sure the paper was still there
Jude adjusted his sleeve slightly and buckled his trousers as he slowly stood up
His expression was neutral like nothing had just gone down
Scarlett picked up the paper and folded it once again carefully
Then she spoke
"I think you should increase your security internally", she said without looking at him
Jude nodded once
"I already did that"
Scarlett walked towards the door and Jude didn't stop her this time
She was about to reach for the door and then paused
A sharp thought came flooding
She lifted her eyes slightly as she turned back to Jude slowly
"You saw the door open when you came in, right?", she asked quietly
Jude frowned slightly
"No, I opened it myself"
Scarlett's eyes stayed on him
"Are you sure because I didn't hear you open the door", she said
Jude's expression changed slightly
"What are you insinuating?"
"Nothing", she replied sharply
"Well, I ... didn't notice whether the door was completely closed or not", he said softly
Scarlett's grip on the door handle tightened
She remembered very clearly that she closed the door completely after the staff left
"So, you're saying you just came into my room without knocking?"
Jude was already irritated
"You were focused on the paper in your hand when I came in, so you wouldn't notice"
There was silence immediately
"So, who opened the door when I was distracted?", she whispered under her breath