manynovel Chapter 221: The Threat
Chapter 221: The Threat
Scarlett’s POV
"What is the meaning of this?" I demanded.
Instead of backing down, all three of them glared at me, hate burning in their eyes.
"Scarlett, what the hell is going on?" Camilia spat, taking a step forward.
"What?" I countered, crossing my arms over my chest and keeping my expression entirely blank.
"First, you went out with Liam and even had sex with him... and now Leonard?" Bianca chimed in, her voice trembling with accusation as she pointed a manicured finger at me. "How could you be so heartless? We are pregnant!"
A cold scoff bubbled up inside me. I had to actively restrain myself from rolling my eyes right in their faces. It was pathetic, really. They actually still thought I was foolish enough to believe their lies. Did they take me for a complete idiot?
"That is none of my business," I said coldly, looking at the three of them. "Talk to your husbands. And if that’s the case, why don’t you just go straight to them and tell them you are pregnant?"
The moment the question left my mouth, the collective confidence of the trio fractured.
Camilia’s face paled slightly, but she quickly covered it with a scowl. "You know we can’t tell them... they will force us to terminate it."
"They won’t," I told them flatly, stepping closer so they could see I wasn’t intimidated by their little ambush. "Just tell them. Because if you do, they will finally leave me alone. In fact, maybe I should just go ahead and tell them myself."
The words had barely left my lips when I saw obvious panic spike in their eyes. Their breath hitched, and Talia actually took a half-step back.
Of course they were lying. Their fear exposed everything. There were no babies, and absolutely no truth to their words—just a desperate, failing attempt to scare me away from the Alphas.
"You have no right to tell them!" Bianca snapped, her voice rising in panic as she tried to reclaim her ground. She stepped in front of Talia, her shoulders shaking with a mix of rage and terror. "They are our husbands! If anyone is going to tell them anything, we will tell them ourselves when the time is right!"
She took another aggressive step toward me. "Just go away, Scarlett! Leave them alone! Pack your bags and get out of this mansion before you ruin everything!"
A slow, mocking smile spread across my lips. I didn’t flinch. I didn’t back down. I just looked at her, letting the silence stretch between us until her jaw tightened.
"Well, I can’t," I said, my voice smooth, steady, and entirely unapologetic. I tilted my head, letting the absolute truth of my words sink into the room like lead. "I am their mate. Do you understand what that means? The bond chose me. I can’t just up and leave them, even if I wanted to."
Camilia sneered. "Listen to me, Scarlett. We are asking you to leave nicely, and you better do it. Leave."
"Or else what?" I challenged, crossing my arms tighter.
"You don’t know us, Scarlett, and you don’t want to find out what we’re capable of," Camilia threatened, her frown deepening. "We are giving you exactly three days to pack your things and leave this place. Three days. Don’t test us."
Without waiting for me to respond, she spun on her heel. Bianca and Talia followed right behind her as they unlocked the deadbolt, threw the door open, and walked out, slamming it shut behind them.
I scoffed loudly at the empty room, completely ignoring their pathetic threats. They thought they could scare me out of my own destiny? Not a chance.
Needing to wash off the disgust of that encounter, I went into my bathroom, took a long, hot bath, and changed into a soft, comfortable nightwear set. Once I was ready, I slipped out of my room and walked down the dimly lit corridor to Leonard’s door. I didn’t knock. I just turned the handle and walked right in.
Leonard was seated on the edge of the bed, clearly waiting for me. The moment his eyes landed on me, his protective instincts flared. He immediately noticed my mood—it was completely different from the flushed, breathless state he had left me in just an hour ago.
His dark brows furrowed with deep concern. "What’s wrong, Scar?"
"Nothing," I lied softly, avoiding his intense gaze. "Just exhausted."
He stared at me, his sharp Alpha senses telling him I was lying, but he didn’t want to pressure me into talking. He let out a soft sigh and reached his hand out to me. "Then come... let’s sleep."
He pulled back the heavy covers and led me into the bed. I climbed in beside him and immediately lay on him, burying my face against his broad chest and closing my eyes. God, how I wished Liam and Leo were here right now, too. It would have been so nice, so comforting, to sleep wrapped in all three of their arms, just like we innocently used to do when we were younger, before the titles, the wives, and the heavy mating bond complicated everything.
Leonard wrapped his massive arms around me, pulling me impossibly closer. He kissed the top of my head softly, his deep voice rumbling against my cheek. "I know all this is hard on you, love. I can’t even imagine what you are going through right now. I’m so sorry, Scar."
Hearing his gentle apology broke something inside me. My eyes immediately filled with hot tears, and before I could stop myself, I began to sob. The suffocating weight of everything—the secret calendar, the clashing Alphas, and the wives’ vicious threats—finally landed on me all at once.
Leonard didn’t rush me to stop crying. He didn’t demand explanations. Instead, he just tightened his grip, holding me tightly against his racing heart as if he could shield me from the entire world.
I forced myself into his arms, molding my body against his as if I could physically press myself into his strength. For a few hours, the chaotic world outside that bedroom completely faded away. It was a peaceful sleep, the kind of deep, heavy rest I hadn’t realized my body was desperately craving. Surrounded by his warmth and the calming scent of my mate, the nightmares couldn’t reach me.
Until they did.
The shock of freezing water splashed over us, violently ripping me from my dreams.
I gasped, my lungs seizing at the icy temperature as the liquid soaked through my nightwear and drenched the mattress. Blinking through the wet strands of hair plastered to my face, I opened my eyes to see Talia standing at the foot of the bed, holding an empty bucket.