Chapter 5 Five

SCARLET

I was almost ready to head, but I felt like my throat dried up, so I walked through the suite's minibar. To my satisfaction, the liquor cabinet had a full range of beverages, and it had my favorite bottle of Chateau Lafite. I grabbed the bottle then poured myself a glass.

I shut my eyes and took my first sip of the wine's heaven and earthy taste. I ran my tongue on my lower lip as the bitter-sweet liquid ran through my throat. I was pretty much having 'me' time when the door suddenly glided open and the sexiest man I know marched into the room.

Luke came back, and my precious glass of wine splattered on the rug and the glass shattered into pieces. It's like he brought a storm with him wearing a furious expression.

"Don't you ever knock?" I bent down and picked up broken pieces of glass.

"This is my suite. Get up there, " he ordered.

What? I even walked around naked earlier, used his bathroom, and he now was saying this was his personal space? No wonder everything was provided. I shouldn't have come here if I knew. I ignored him and continued picking up the mess.

"I said, get up!" he bellowed. Luke's grasped my arm and hauled me up. He dragged me aside. "Do not ever kneel like that." His gray eyes peered at me.

I wasn't able to respond. I was losing my balance. Luke almost dwarfed me with his height. I suddenly felt small in his presence.

"W-why did you come back anyway?"

He let my arm go and walked to the minibar. I noticed he already changed into black Italian bespoke tuxedo with a letter "A" cufflinks on his dress shirt. His dark hair was roughly brushed up. It's like I wanted to run my fingers along his body while inhaling his spicy, sandalwood scent.

What the hell was wrong with me? I should be angry with him for leaving me earlier and for shouting at me as if I was a piece of trash. I utterly lost my damn mind.

Luke grabbed a glass and poured himself the same drink I was having.

"I don't want to appear the bastard son so I came back to pick you up so we could go together to the party like a happy sibling." He drank the wine straight then finished his sentence, "Do you get what I mean?"

I shook my head. I just could not believe why I was too consumed with this man who was such a prick. I sighed. "Then you should have shown your true bastard self to your father."

"We need to leave, " he said, ignoring my remark.

"How about my things?"

"I'll have it picked up later." And just like that, he walked out of the door again.

I picked up my purse and rushed outside. Luke was about to step into the elevator. Damn. He just couldn't wait for me. He certainly did not care if I was running for my life just to keep up. He did not hold the elevator, and the poisonous bastard could not stop smirking as if I was some comedian.

Then I realized maybe he just really hated me. He wouldn't be such an ass. Even if we weren't real siblings, he could've just treated me like a normal person.

"What is wrong with you?" I ranted.

He didn't answer, but he could not stop twitching his mouth.

"It's not my fault your legs are short."

I stunned. "What did you just say?"

My distress towards him began to fill up. I was starting to hate him. Unfortunately, I knew I would never win.

I looked away from his goddamn pretty face. Instead, I stood graciously and fixed my eyes forward. I would not play with his games.

When we reached the hotel's ground floor, Luke continued to march outside as if I did not exist. The hotel staffs greeted him but didn't respond. He must think so highly of himself. He walked towards a black Bentley on the hotel's main driveway and get into the driver's seat. I was not expecting that he was going to open the door for me, so I just quietly stepped inside.

There again, the car was filled with his intoxicating scent. I probably went crazy. There's no point on admiring him.

Luke was very silent and uninterested the whole drive. I began to worry about myself. I didn't want to live under the same roof with my stepbrother.

***

I gaped at the stylish and luxurious home towering me when I stepped out of the car. The two-acre land bore three-story mansion which combined with steel, concrete, wood, and mostly glass. This was Thomas Alejandro's home; the place where my mother wanted me to live.

I wanted to explore the interior, but the party was being held by the garden, so we proceed to the venue. As we move, camera flashes instantly blinded my eyes, and there were hundreds of guests in fancy suits and dresses crowding at one place. The party had already begun, and I could already hear my stepfather's voice speaking on the microphone.

To my surprise, Luke grabbed my hand and brought me to the stage with him. "Come on! I told you we're late."

"Hey, where are we-"

Luke's warm hand grasped my wrist, leaving small tingles and tiny bolts of electricity radiating from him and he was transferring them to me. I wasn't sure if he felt it.

We stopped at the side of the stage as if waiting for something to happen. I seriously didn't know what he was planning to do.

"I would like to greet my beautiful and lovely wife Gene, " Thomas continued to speak. "You are perfect in everything you do. You have become the light of our home, and I'm grateful to you for taking care of my son, Lucas. But right now as we are celebrating your forty-seventh birthday, I'm going to give you the best I can do, " he paused, making eye contact with my mother, who's wiping her tears in pure joy. He kissed her temple and continued the speech. "I would like to invite our precious daughter on stage. She came here straight from Cambridge to witness her mother's special day."

Thomas shifted his body to one side and spread out his arm at me. "Let's welcome Scarlet Carter, my daughter. Let's give her a big round of applause."

Oh, my God! This was the surprise he was talking about.

Mom's mouth dropped open when she found me, and her expression was in awe and priceless. She was so beautiful with face blessed with youth. She curled her brunette hair, and she's was wearing a sparkling, emerald evening dress that hugged her curves. The life Thomas had given her suits her well. I sent her the smile of yearning, realizing I did miss her so much.

Luke leaned over my ears and whispered. "Go on, she's waiting, " he urged, offering his arm to me.

"But, Luke... I'm not prepared for this."

"Who is?" he hissed.

"Scar, my dear?" my stepfather called. "Come up here, sweetheart."

Luke rolled his eyes. "Come on, " he pressed and brought my hand to his arm and took me to the stage with quivering knees. A round of applause erupted the whole place as soon as made my grand entrance.

"Hi, Mom."

"My daughter, you are here." Mom immediately caught me around her arms and squeezed me so tight as if there were no tomorrow for both of us. It's been months since she last visited me in Cambridge.

"You are here, this is a surprise." She parted away a little, and cupped my face between her palms and wiped my tears away with her thumb. "I thought you're coming home on Sunday?"

I chuckled between my tears and embraced her again. "Well, surprise. I am here now. Happy Birthday, Mom."