淑女的欲望

'Goodness! Looks like I need to play cupid!' Scarlett wondered silently, a mischievous smile forming on her face as she contemplated matchmaking Rex and Casey.

"What makes you smile, babe?" asked Xander, watching Scarlett smiling alone, staring at her cell phone.

Startled, Scarlett turned to face Xander. "I was just reading messages from my office group chat," she replied, quickly tucking her phone back into her bag. "Are you two finished talking?" She swiftly changed the subject.

"Why?" Theodor, sitting across from Scarlett and Xander, asked with a warm smile gracing his face. "Sister-in-law, feeling bored? Would you like to do something else?" He offered to lift her spirits. 

"What do you have in mind?" Scarlett inquired.

"How about a home tour?" Theodor suggested with a grin. Before Scarlett could respond, he continued, "Or perhaps you'd like to read a book? We have an extensive library in this house, where you can find any book you want to read..." He continued proudly.

This grand villa, originally belonging to Theodor's family, had been passed down through his grandfather. During the summer, his grandfather often resided here, indulging in his passion for reading. The library in this place was similar to the one they had in his grandfather's castle in M country's Kingdom city.

"That sounds wonderful, Theodor!" Scarlett exclaimed. She would much rather immerse herself in a book than listen to their discussions about sports, a topic she had little interest in.

...

Later, 

Scarlett found herself inside the vast library, surrounded by towering bookcases that stood in perfect order at the center of the room. Opposite is a comfortable lounge area decorated with a very comfortable couch, inviting readers to enjoy the time while reading a book.

She began her search for a book that would captivate her attention. However, after perusing several rows, not a single book piqued her interest. They all seemed unappealing and mundane.

Just when she was about to give up and had the idea of sitting on the sofa enjoying a game on her cell phone, Scarlett's gaze drifted to the glass-covered bookshelf across the room. It houses a beautifully arranged collection of old books.

Drawn as if by an unseen force, she unconsciously approached the bookcase. Unaware of her actions, she found herself standing directly in front of it, her eyes immediately falling on a gold-framed photograph nestled among the books.

The image took her aback, her curiosity intensifying as her heart twinged slightly upon noticing the resemblance between a few individuals in the photo and herself. Their shared hair and eye colors sparked a deeper curiosity within her.

"This! Do people in country M have this kind of hair and eye color?" Scarlett marveled in astonishment, her words murmured under her breath. She couldn't help but compare Theodor to herself.

In truth, this wasn't the first time she had such thoughts. Ever since she first laid eyes on Theo, she had found it peculiar. Encounters with individuals who shared her unique hair and eye color were rare. It was this curiosity that initially drew her towards him. Unfortunately, Theodor had a peculiar obsession with her at that time, and his insistence on doing her work as his hacker had frightened her, leading her to sever ties with him.

But as they grew closer once again, Scarlett's curiosity resurfaced, driving her desire to learn more about Theodor and his family. Perhaps through them, she could uncover clues about her own biological father.

After minutes of gazing at the photograph, Scarlett inexplicably felt the need to capture it. She quickly took out her phone and snapped a photo. With that done, she turned her attention to the bookshelf, selecting a random book before settling down on the sofa, engrossed in a game on her cellphone.

As she plays, immersed in her company's new game, she feels a surge of energy and happiness. It proved even more endearing than reading a book, allowing her to escape the live virtual world momentarily.

Unbeknownst to Scarlett, time passed quickly, and in her exhaustion, she eventually drifted off to sleep — falling asleep in the middle of a game session.

...

Xander's surprise turned to concern when he found Scarlett sleeping peacefully on the couch in a sitting position. In a hurry, he approached her and gently draped his coat over her.

"It seems my sister-in-law is really exhausted," Theodor remarked, also taken aback by Scarlett's deep sleep in an odd position.

"Yes, indeed. We should head home now, Theo!" Xander turned to face Theodor, who stood behind him.

"You two can stay here. We have plenty of room," Theodor suggested, still hoping to spend more time with Xander and Scarlett.

"Apologies, but we should go home. Besides, we have an early morning flight to Astington," Xander replied, cradling Scarlett in his arms as he prepared to leave the library.

"Oh, you're right! I forget you guys will depart tomorrow..." Theodor said. Then, he followed Xander, who carried Scarlett tenderly, as they made their way toward the main entrance. 

Two black cars were already waiting in the front yard as Xander and Theodor exited the house.

Logan promptly opened the car Xander had been in earlier upon noticing his young madam sleeping in his master's arms.

After gently placing Scarlett in the backseat of his car, Xander instructed Logan to drive. He turned to Theodor and said, "Alright, we'll meet again soon, Theo." Xander bid his final farewell to Theodor before getting into his own car.

"Yes, see you next month, Xander!" Theodor replied cheerfully, but his expression quickly changed as he realized something.

Xander stops to open the car door when he hears Theodor's words. He glanced at Theodor with a puzzled expression. "Do you know we're heading to Country M?" he inquired. Hadn't Scarlett explicitly stated that her visit to Country M should remain a secret and that she didn't want Theodor involved or informed about her plans?

After inwardly cursing himself, Theodor cleared his throat and responded, "Well, my sister-in-law mentioned earlier that she intended to visit Country M early this year. So, I offered to be her travel guide there." He provided the safest answer he could, subtly shifting the blame onto Scarlett while she was asleep. Moreover, he believed Xander wouldn't suspect that he had known Scarlett before their meeting yesterday, right?