Chapter 49

Olivia's gaze shifted to Zoe; a warm smile appeared on her face. “Oh, Zoe’s here too. Well, I’ll leave you two to it,” she said, her voice cheerful. Before Zoe could even greet her, Olivia turned and walked away with a smile, leaving Zoe blinking in surprise. “She didn’t even wait for me to say hello,” Zoe said, feeling slightly puzzled. Leto chuckled softly. “Don’t mind her. She’s always like that. You’ve probably seen it at the hospital,” he explained. Zoe nodded slowly, still processing Olivia’s quick exit.

Across town, Scarlett returned to her villa. Cedric rushed to meet her at the door, his face alight with excitement. “Lettie, don’t worry, I handled everything for you!” he exclaimed. “That Leroy Olson really doesn’t know his place. Does he think a divorce gives him the right to push you around? I made sure he understood his position.” He reached out to take Scarlett’s hand, his expression earnest. “No matter what happens, Lettie, I’ll always be here for you,” he added, his tone filled with sincerity. Scarlett looked at him, her expression neutral as she recalled the incident at the restaurant. A flicker of unease crossed her face. “Cedric, next time don’t be so impulsive,” she said, her voice calm but firm. Cedric froze, his brow furrowing. “What do you mean by that?” he asked cautiously. “I was only standing up for you.” He studied Scarlett’s face, suddenly wary. Could she possibly still care about Leroy? The thought made his stomach churn. “Lettie,” he said, his tone low, “you’re not still thinking about that guy, are you?” Scarlett’s expression turned incredulous. “What are you even talking about?” she asked, her tone sharp. “I divorced him a long time ago. You’re my one and only.” Her words seemed to reassure Cedric, and a relieved smile spread across his face. “I just get worried,” he said, his voice softening. “Seeing him today made me think you might be reminded of the past.” As he spoke, Cedric’s eyes grew misty, and his voice trembled slightly as though he were on the verge of tears. Scarlett sighed, taking his hand in hers. “Cedric, you’re overthinking. I’m just worried about you acting out and causing unnecessary trouble,” she explained. Cedric visibly relaxed at her words. “You don’t need to worry about me,” he assured her. “As long as you’re by my side, I’ll take on anyone, even Samuel, if it comes to a fight with Samuel,” she said, her voice tinged with exasperation. Scarlett’s eyes widened in alarm, and she shook her head. “Don’t be ridiculous, I would never let you get into trouble with Samuel. Leroy saved Mr. Black Senior’s life. That makes him a hero in Samuel’s eyes, and you can’t afford to offend someone like that.” “Lettie, we’ve been together for so long now. Don’t you think it’s time we took the next step?” His words caught Scarlett off guard, her cheeks flushing as she hesitated to respond. Before she could say anything, her phone rang, cutting through the moment. “Grace?” Scarlett said, glancing at the caller in surprise. “What is it? Why are you calling this late? Did something happen at the company?” On the other end of the line, Grace’s voice was filled with exasperation. “Scarlett, how could you have time for irrelevant matters?” she asked bluntly. “Do you even realize what’s happening? Your sudden departure from the meeting has stirred up the entire board.” Grace sighed audibly, clearly frustrated. “The board members are furious. They’re already working together to stand against you.” Scarlett frowned, but her face remained defiant. “Is that all? They’re just a bunch of old men stuck in their ways. This has happened before, hasn’t it?” Her dismissive attitude made Grace’s frustration boil over. “Ms. Payor, get it together,” Grace snapped. “If the board unites against you, your position and everything you’ve built will be on the line. Can’t you see that?” Grace was breathless, and she couldn’t understand how Scarlett could be so blinded by love.