淑女的欲望

When Scarlett woke up, she didn't find Xander sleeping beside her, even though the sun had just appeared on the horizon. It was too early for him to wake up.

As she looked around, she realized he wasn't in the room. A long sigh escaped her lips as she pondered Xander's recent behavior. Lately, he seemed to avoid touching her, which was quite unlike his usual self, who constantly desired intimacy at every opportunity, especially in the morning. This change in him made her suspicious, and she couldn't help but wonder about his peculiar act.

'Why is he avoiding me?' This question now fills her mind. 'Does he not like me anymore?' The mere thought of it makes her heart tremble. She shakes her head while pulling the blanket to cover her entire body. She tries to sleep again, but soon, her stomach growls.

Sigh!

She lowers the blanket, and to her surprise, she sees Xander standing at the end of the bed, bare-chested with only a white towel covering his waist down.

"X-Xander..." Scarlett's eyes widened at the sight of her hot husband, who had just finished taking a bath. "W-Why are you showering at this hour?" She glances at the bedside clock; it's only seven in the morning. "Are you going to the office this early?"

"Hmm, I have to go to North City. There's an important meeting there," Xander said as he walked towards the walk-in closet.

Scarlett felt even more curious because Xander hadn't mentioned anything about his plan to her last night. Was it a sudden business trip?

She got off the bed and followed him, "Xander, how many days will you stay there?" she asked anxiously, worried that he might forget her birthday tomorrow. It would be her first time celebrating with Xander, and she was concerned that he had either forgotten or didn't know at all.

Xander glanced at her slightly, but he didn't rush to answer. He put on his white shirt and grabbed a dark charcoal suit matching the color of his pants.

"Of course, I won't stay there for long, babe," he reassured and walked towards her. "I'll be back tonight," his voice sounds gentle.

"I see," she said with a smile, though it didn't quite reach her eyes like usual.

Seeing her dim gaze, Xander frowned slightly and pulled her into his arms. He could sense the change in her mood, which made him worry. 

"Babe, why do you look sad?" Xander said softly, trying to comfort her. "Don't be sad, I'll be back before dinner and..." his voice trailed off when he noticed her nodding and smiling widely.

"I'm not sad," she faintly said.

"Alright, get changed. I'll be waiting for you in the dining room," Xander chuckled as he saw her quickly walking into the bathroom. "Babe, my flight is at 8.30 am..." he reminded her.

Scarlett nodded and responded, "I'll make sure you won't miss it!"

****

After Xander left the house, Scarlett spent her entire morning chatting with Martha on the terrace behind the house. That morning, the weather was warmer, and they could enjoy their conversation while admiring the view of the beautiful flowers starting to bloom in the backyard.

Scarlett was eager to learn about her mother's past, hoping to discover new facts that could lead her to find her. With a gentle voice, she asked, "Auntie, if I'm not mistaken, you've been friends with my mother since middle school, right?" She glanced at Martha, who was sitting beside her.

Martha's expression turned solemn as she replied, "Yes, we became best friends in the second grade at middle school. However, at that time, her identity as Withers was unknown because she used her mother's surname. No one knew her true identity..." Her voice trailed off with a tinge of sorrow.

Scarlett was surprised to learn that fact, realizing why her previous investigations about Rosalie Withers had yielded little information about her school days. Curiosity drove her to ask, "Since when did you discover her real identity?"

"In high school, I accidentally discovered the truth, and she finally confessed to me. But she made me promise not to tell anyone, as it could put me in danger," Martha recalled, her voice filled with fear and concern. "This is the first time I've ever spoken about it to someone." 

"Thank you, Aunty, for telling me this," Scarlett smiled warmly at her. Then continued, "Did you notice anything strange about my mother during that time?" she asked further, trying to uncover more information.

Martha fell silent, her eyes gazing into the distance as she recollected her memories. After a moment, she nodded sadly, "A few months after I found out her true identity, she started coming to school less often. She would skip classes and rarely contact me. Whenever I tried to call her, her phone was always off."

"It sounds strange," Scarlett murmured, her mind racing with possibilities. Maybe at that time, her mother had started to do secret missions as an assassin.

"It was. The last time I saw her was during the year-end exam. After that, she disappeared, and I never saw her again. She didn't even show up on graduation day," Martha's voice trembled with sorrow as she shared these memories with Scarlett. The pain of losing her dear friend after all these years still showed in her gaze. 

The two of them sat silently for a while, lost in their thoughts. However, Martha eventually turned to Scarlett, her eyes filled with pleading sincerity, "Scarlett, if Rosalie is truly alive, I hope you two will meet again soon. And if you do find her, please let me know. I miss her so much, and I long to see her again."

Scarlett reached out and placed a comforting hand on Martha's hand, offering her a reassuring smile, "Aunty, don't worry. I will do everything in my power to find her. My mother would be delighted to know that we are family now. I know that for sure."

Martha's sorrow began to fade, and a warm smile slowly appeared on her face, "Heaven! You are right, Scarlett. Now, she is my real sister because you are my daughter-in-law. I am truly blessed..."