Chapter 3

• SCARLET
• I still couldn’t get over the thought of Luke being here in Cambridge. I’d been debating with myself whether to show up and introduce myself formally, but how could I? I couldn’t ask Mom for his number. I didn’t know where he lived.
• However, I was more concerned about what I would feel if I see him. I would certainly have mixed emotions. I’d heard Thomas assigned him to a new business project in Cambridge, and he was going to stay for three months. It would be enough time before I graduated in two months. I badly needed the help of someone with IT expertise for my thesis. Luke had been an IT genius during his Harvard days.
• I frowned at my wristwatch. The Uber came at last, after fifteen minutes of waiting. I dragged my suitcase along with me and stepped into the car. To my irritation, my phone rang precisely the moment I settled in the car.
• “Good evening, Miss Scarlet Carter?” the driver greeted. “Your destination is JFK airport?”
• “Yes, thank you.” I drew out the phone from my pocket. Jax’s name appeared on the screen. “Yes, what is it?” I snapped.
• “What’s with your tone?”
• “I’m sorry. I’m going to be late for my nine o’clock flight.”
• “Is it today?” he asked, then cleared his throat.
• “Yes. Why did you call me?”
• “I just want to remind you of our agreement. Nine days to go, Ericka.”
• I rolled my eyes. “Why? Don’t you just find another woman to screw this weekend?”
• “Unfortunately, I’ve been busy. I flew back home last night.” He groaned. I noticed the grogginess in his voice. Jax told me that he was a businessman and that he often flies around the world. I wasn’t sure if I believed him, but he made himself clear about how much he hated liars, so I guessed he was telling the truth. Though, I didn’t bother asking about it.
• “You flew back home?” I frowned. “Isn’t your home in New York? I still don’t understand the coincidences between us.”
• “Yet, you won’t let me see you.I’m starting to hate answering your queries about your job. Are you sure you’re a graduate?”
• “Of course I am. I wouldn’t be able to register in the app if I wasn’t, right? Also, as I said, your expertise in IT is wider than mine. I’m still new to this.”
• “I’m pretty sure you also didn’t give your real name on Pro-Express.”
• “Ericka is my real name,” I lied. “But I’m sure yours isn’t Jax.”
• “Do you want me to tell you my real name?”
• “No. Thank you,” I declined right away. I had stalker tendencies. If I knew about him, I would search for his name all over the internet.
• “You’ll soon find out when we meet.”
• “What if I’m ugly?”
• “I’m pretty sure you’re not.”
• “I said, what if? What if I’m not your type?”
• “Then I’ll cover your head with the bedsheet.”
• I laughed. “Okay, okay. Because I’m sure you’ll be disappointed. I’m not pretty.”
• “I don’t care. I care much about how wet you could get if I’m inside you.” And there, I felt something building up inside me.
• “You don’t care about appearance, is that it?”
• “No. I care, but it would be much easier if you’ll tell me what you look like.”
• “I look like a woman.” I giggled. “Why are you in New York? Didn’t you just arrive in Cambridge a few days ago?”
• “It’s family matters. Something came up,” he said. “I can easily find you when you get here, you know?”
• “You won’t do that.”
• “I said I can. I didn’t say I will. And I don’t stalk. I only search for people if they committed fraud.”
• “Good. Because I’m going to sue you.”
• He laughed softly. “I’ll see you in nine days, then when is your flight back?”
• I shrugged. “Maybe in a week.”
• “Good, I have to hang up, my father’s calling from the other line. Have a safe flight, Ericka.”
• “Thanks, Bye.”
• I hung up then tried to call Thomas’ number, but his line was busy so I just sent him a message. I told him about my expected time of arrival. I just hoped he received it. He’d insisted on having me picked up at the airport.
• He was happy that I was finally coming home. If only he could wrap me in a box with a ribbon as a present to my mother. Thomas was a great man, and he was a good husband to Mom. Whenever we talked over the phone, he said never-ending things about how much he loved her. But I’d heard that he was a strict man, and the King of the house—and someone shouldn’t break a King’s word.
• However, his son Luke was no prince, since he hardly stayed in the house. Then that made my Mom the Queen. I wonder… would they treat me like a princess? I giggled at the thought, but I remembered that I didn’t want to be one.
• The flight went smoothly. Honestly, I was excited and nervous at the same time. It’d been six years since I last saw New York. As usual, even the airport was crowded. I dragged my luggage off the baggage carousel and decided to find Thomas’ driver.
• After a few minutes of searching, I still couldn’t find him. Mom said he should be an early-forties man, and he had my picture so he would quickly find me. My shoulders and feet were beginning to feel heavy. I was thinking he got jammed in traffic.
• I drew out my phone and decided to call Thomas. But, as I was scrolling through my contacts, someone approached me. I lifted my head to see who, and to my surprise, Luke was standing in front of me. I gasped a little at the sight of him. My heart pounded abnormally.
• “Hello, little sister,” he greeted. His voice was cultured and strangely familiar. My imagination and memory didn’t do justice to how beautiful he was. He was even more gorgeous than I last saw him. He was dressed in a tailored navy-blue suit with a gray silk tie, a Constantin wristwatch, and I was sure that he was wearing a pair of custom-made shoes.
• My knees started to feel weak. Luke’s deep gray eyes were piercing through mine, and his chiseled jaw was sharp and defined.
• “Luke,” I breathed. “How did you find me?”
• He flashed out a half-smile. I almost melted. “Technically, I remembered your face a little.”
• “Where’s…. Where’s the driver?” I asked, my mouth still felt dry. He was too beautiful; it was too much to handle.
• “He’s not here. Come on.” He snatched the handle of my suitcase from me. I felt tingles in my stomach when his fingers brushed mine.
• “Wait. What’s going on? How come you are here?”
• “Unfortunately, Dad asked me to come and pick you up.” He looked briefly at his wristwatch; his left eyebrow raised. “Come. It’s getting late.” Luke walked first.
• I wanted to ask him why he was in New York since I thought he was in Cambridge, but my tongue suddenly felt too big in my mouth and I couldn’t get the words out.