淑女的欲望

Trying to shake off her surprise, Scarlett slowly raised her hand and accepted Theodor's handshake. She purposely didn't remove her hand gloves, unwilling to let this man touch her skin, afraid the evil genius man might recognize her.

"Hello, sister-in-law, it's an honor to meet you," Theodor said, then he looked at Xander again. "Xander, you're so mean! How could you not say anything to me? Since when did you guys get married?"

"Recently! Sorry, we really didn't have a big party. We just got married secretly." Xander started to feel bad that his friends were now mad at him. A few days ago Alex, now Theodor.

"Jesus fucking Christ, Xander!! It would help if you shared the news much earlier. So I could send you a wedding gift..." Theodor chuckled, stealing a glance at Scarlett.

Jealousy suddenly appeared in Theodor's heart, seeing how beautiful Xander's wife was. However, he felt that this woman did not like him. Her gaze was cold. He shook his head, trying to get rid of the feeling.

"Theo, thank you, but no need," Xander said with a smile but a faint one. He takes Scarlett's hand and gives it a reassuring squeeze. He wanted to escape from this awkward encounter, but the coincidence couldn't be ignored.

"Did our friend in X country know about this?" Theo asked.

"He found out recently, just like you, when I met him a few days ago," Xander replied.

"That's a relief," Theo chuckled. "At least he didn't show up at your wedding," he added, shaking his head.

"When are you heading back? Let's meet up before you leave for Astington. I'd love to treat you both to lunch tomorrow," Theo suggested eagerly.

Scarlett remained silent, feeling caught off guard. How could she have lunch with her enemy?

"Apologies, Theo, but we can't. We're actually returning to Astington tomorrow. How about this? Where do you live? Let's have breakfast before I depart in the morning..." Xander suggested, trying to divert the situation.

"..." Scarlett felt a sinking feeling. How could Xander make plans to meet with her enemy?

"That sounds great! I have a villa nearby," Theo eagerly provided Xander with his address. However, he paused, seemingly contemplating something. "Actually, it's better if I come to your place. I wouldn't want my sister-in-law to go out of her way to visit me." He tries to be polite to his sister-in-law, who doesn't seem to like him.

Scarlett wanted to cry. She felt as if her world was collapsing. How could this Theodor suggest coming to her house? Her home was the safest haven in the city, unknown to Theodor and his search team.

Squeezing Xander's hand tightly, Scarlett conveyed her discomfort, silently urging him to leave and rejecting Theo's idea of stopping by her house.

Understanding Scarlett's signal, Xander bid Theodor farewell, declining the offer. He couldn't disclose Scarlett's address to anyone, not even his best friend. Respecting her privacy was paramount; he needed her permission before revealing such information.

As the car pulled away, Scarlett felt a sense of relief. Glancing at the rearview mirror, she watched Theodor and his bodyguard enter the building beside the club.

Quickly grabbing her cell phone, she texted Rex, informing him of Theodor's presence. This was their chance to catch him, especially since he seemed to have minimal security detail—something she couldn't recall ever happening.

After discussing the plan with Rex thru text message, Scarlett set her cell phone down and focused on the traffic ahead. Her mind raced as she tried to devise a strategy. She needed to meet Theodor tonight and ensure she wasn't followed by Xander or his men. It was going to be quite challenging.

"Babe, who are you texting?" Xander asked. 

Scarlett hesitated for a moment before responding, "Rex. I apologize again to him because we left early..." She felt a tinge of guilt for not revealing the true nature of the conversation. "Xander, I don't mind extending our stay in this city for one more day, so you can have a nice chat with your friend. I can see, you and your best friend haven't seen each other in a long time..." She smiled. 

Xander's eyes widened with surprise as they stopped at a red light. He turned to look at Scarlett, his expression mixed between curiosity and concern. "Are you sure about that, babe?" he asked.

"Yes, I'm sure!" Scarlett chuckled, observing Xander's surprise. "I can tell... Theodor is close to you, and I assume he also knows Alex Hill?" she asked, hoping to gather information about Xander's relationship with Theodor to help her strategize her approach.

Xander maintained a calm demeanor as he drove the car slowly, taking a moment to compose himself. He breathed deeply before responding, "Well, Theodor is indeed one of my closest friends. The three of us share a strong bond..."

"You mentioned that he's from country M, right?" Scarlett interjected casually, attempting to hide her growing excitement.

"Yes, he is," Xander confirmed, his voice trailing off as he recalled something. "Babe, regarding your plan to investigate there, it might be better to ask for his help. His resources... No, I mean his network is extensive in that country..." His words flowed casually, but Scarlett felt like she had been struck by lightning.

How could she consider asking her enemy for help investigating her mother? It was a decision she could never bring herself to make.

Scarlett composed her thoughts before responding to Xander, her voice steady and determined. "Please don't mention my plan to him. I want everything concerning my mother to remain a secret. I don't know how much Jude Withers knows about her being alive and her current whereabouts."

"I apologize for forgetting," Xander replied sincerely.

Scarlett smiled briefly before continuing, "Xander, do you remember my plan?"

He nodded in affirmation.

Scarlett took a deep breath before continuing her words, "I will search for my mother, and once I find her, I will return to X and confront my wicked uncle. He must be held accountable, and I will be the one to end his life!" Scarlett's tone turned irritated, and a glint of anger danced in her eyes.