淑女的欲望

Next Day.

When Scarlett arrived at the RAS Building, she was surprised to see Rex sitting in her office.

Scarlett could see the expression on his face was irk. It's as if something was bothering him — it was unusual for someone like Rex Morrison to show this expression to others, including her.

"Am I dreaming!?" She muttered while pinching her cheeks. "How could this busy person arrive in this country unannounced?"

"You're not dreaming, little sister..." Rex calmly said when he heard Scarlett's words. A weak smile appeared on his lips as he casually crossed his long, slender legs. His eyes stared at Scarlett when she entered the room.

Confused by his sudden appearance, Scarlett couldn't help but ask, "Why did you suddenly appear here?" she asked as she sat across from him.

Rex didn't rush to answer. He closed his eyes for a moment. After a few moments, his eyes opened as he said, "Something important you should know about Rosalie Withers!!" His voice turned serious, and the light in his eyes slowly turned gloomy.

Hearing and seeing Rex looking serious, Scarlett let out a long sigh. She already knew what Rex was trying to tell her.

"Is the Withers family that powerful? To make you fly here to see me?" Scarlett spoke in a slow but intense voice.

Rex was surprised to see Scarlett looking calm. "Did you know? How do you know about them?" He knew Scarlett couldn't use her abilities, and learning about Withers's family wasn't easy.

Even though he and Ten couldn't know about them right away, he got complete information about the Withers family this morning. He decided to meet Scarlett in person and tell her about this information.

"...Xander knew them as soon as he heard the name, Withers." Scarlett stared intently at Rex, who seemed taken aback by her words. She knew this man was still hiding something about Xander's real life, his real identity. And it's making her even more curious.

"Please, Brother, you have to tell me more. I can't live in the dark like this. Is Xander a dangerous person!?" Scarlett asked.

Rex's features softened at the desperation in her voice. He heaved a sigh before speaking hushedly, "Little sis, your husband is involved in high-risk operations for the Astington government. He's an expert in his field, but his job is highly classified, and only a few people know about it."

Scarlett's mind was spinning with all the possibilities. She never thought her husband's profession could be so dangerous and secretive. "What kind of operations?" she pressed on.

"I can't say for sure," Rex replied, "but I heard rumors that he's been involved in covert missions requiring extreme measures. Let's say that he's not someone we want to cross..."

Scarlett's stomach churned with a mix of fear and curiosity. "What do I do now?" she whispered.

Rex smiled to reassure her. He said, "Just be careful. Don't pry too much into his work, and don't tell him about our organization. He might not react well to it..."

Scarlett nodded, her mind thinking about dealing with this new information. She thanks Rex for telling her a few details about Xander's secret identity.

"So, what's your next plan?" asked Rex moments later. "I mean about Rosalie Withers..."

Scarlett sat silently for a few moments, lost in her thoughts. After knowing the Withers family background, Scarlett was a little reluctant to make a move now. Besides, she was still dealing with Theodor, the madman.

She wanted to devise the perfect plan to approach Withers. Like her intention from the start, she only needed to find out why her mother had run away to B Island. If her mother's reason was related to the Withers Family, she might be in danger. But, if not, then she should be fine.

Scarlett took a deep breath.

Thinking about all this gave Scarlett a headache. She never wondered that her peaceful life seemed like a mirage. Behind all that, many dangers lurk. Not the danger from her enemies but from her mother too.

Sometimes, when she thought of her mother, she felt that she was not the child that was expected to exist in this world, and that's why her mother ran away to save her.

"This is all so overwhelming," she said, her voice filled with frustration. "I never imagined that my peaceful life was just a mirage. There are so many dangers lurking beneath the surface."

Rex frowned upon hearing her words.

She continued, "It's not just the danger from our enemies that worries me," she said, her voice low. "...It's my own mother. Sometimes, I can't help but wonder if I'm the reason she ran away from her family!"

He looked at her with concern. "What do you mean, sister?"

Scarlett took a deep breath, her eyes clouded with emotion. "I don't know," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. "Sometimes, when I think about my mother, I feel I'm not the child that was supposed to exist in this world. Maybe she ran away to save me..."

Rex was silent for a moment, his expression thoughtful. "I don't think your mother would ever regret having you," he said finally, his voice gentle. "You're an amazing person, Scarlett. And I believe your mother knew that."

Scarlett looked at him, her eyes filled with gratitude mixed with sadness. "Thank you, brother..." she said, her voice gentle. "I need to hear that."

Rex opened his mouth but didn't really speak. He didn't know how to comfort her right now.

"Honestly, I don't want to get involved with the Withers Family. My only goal is to discover my mother's identity, her real name, her life, and why she fled to Island B," Scarlett said.

Rex nodded in agreement with her.

"Brother Rex, are the results of your investigation one hundred percent accurate if Rosalie Withers is my mother?" asked Scarlett. If proven, she intends to visit Country X and do her own research.

Rex took a deep breath and chose his words carefully. "Rosalie Withers was the only daughter of the Withers family, but she disappeared a few years ago. Rumor has it, she may have passed away."

Scarlett's heart sank at the thought that this woman was really her mother.

"However, to confirm all of that, we will do a DNA test with your blood sample and compare it with members of the Withers family," explained Rex. "...However, it isn't easy to get a suitable sample from their side. That's why I sent a core team to deal with it. I'll get the results in a few days and let you know as soon as the results come out."

Scarlett nodded, her mind racing with possibilities. He couldn't help but wonder what had happened to Rosalie and what secrets she might have that made her run away from her powerful family.

"Brother, who did you send to go there?" Scarlett asked curiously.

"Nine!" Rex said.

"N-Nine? Y-You sent him there?" Scarlett was surprised. If Rex sent Nine there, that meant Rex was ready to go all out against the Withers.

"Hmm! We can't make any mistakes. Because if they notice our movements, they might know your existence. Don't let that happen because we don't know yet why your mother ran away from them." Rex said seriously.

Scarlett's heart sank when she heard Rex's words.

Were the Withers much feared by people? If so, what did the Withers do that made people fear them? Her mind raced with questions, but she kept her voice steady as she asked, "But why are we so careful around them? Have we had any dealings with them before?"

She had been a member of The Fox for a few years. And the name 'The Withers' had never come up in her missions. Not once.

Rex's expression turned stiff, and he spoke seriously. "There are very few organizations and families on this planet that we would like to avoid," he said in a low, measured tone. "Unfortunately for you, the Withers Family of Country X is among that concise list of names."

Scarlett's curiosity was piqued even more. "What have they done to earn such a reputation?" she asked.

Rex let out a long sigh as if considering how much to divulge.

After a few moments, he said, "Okay, let's just say that they have a history of violent behavior and a tendency to get what they want by any means necessary. And they have the power and resources to do so." His eyes narrowed as he added, "We do not want to cross paths with them, Scarlett. It's better to stay far away from The Withers."

"Oh? Hmmm…. I understand!" After a few minutes, those are the words Scarlett finally said with a deep breath. Now, she's fully aware that what Rex had said was similar to what Xander said.

In her mind, Scarlett is starting to feel she is in big trouble if she has anything to do with the Withers, primarily if she is related by blood.