The mansion was unusually quiet when morning came.
The air was heavy with polished silence — the kind that meant someone was already angry.
Breakfast had been served in the main dining hall.
Mary sat by Gale's right, stirring her tea slowly. Mia was next to her, pretending to check her phone. Charles and Nana stood near the doorway, uneasy.
Levi arrived last. Black suit, crisp white shirt, expression blank.
He sat opposite his father without a word.
The clink of cutlery filled the room for all of thirty seconds before Gale spoke.
"Where is she now?" he asked, voice calm but sharp.
Nana's hand tightened on the napkin she was holding.
"She—she hasn't returned yet, sir."
Mary's brows drew together. "Hasn't returned?"
Nana swallowed hard. "No, ma'am. Not since last night."
Gale's eyes turned to Charles.
"You knew about this?"
Charles hesitated. "We… assumed she went to the city, sir. Miss Scarlett didn't seem in distress."
Gale's tone hardened. "Assumed."
He looked at Levi.
"You were the last one to speak to her, weren't you?"
Levi didn't answer immediately. He stirred his coffee once, then set the spoon down with deliberate calm.
"She spilled tea on herself," he said finally. "I told her to clean up and rest. She decided to walk out instead."
Mary frowned. "You told her to rest? That's it?"
"She wasn't listening."
Gale's voice deepened. "You mean she wasn't afraid."
Levi's gaze flickered upward. "She had no reason to be."
The silence that followed was suffocating.
Gale's eyes darkened — not with fury, but disappointment heavy enough to silence the entire table.
"When emotion clouds your judgment," he said slowly, "you stop being my son and start being a liability."
Mary looked between them. "Gale—"
He raised a hand. "Not now."
Levi's jaw tightened, but he didn't respond.
He finished his coffee in one swallow, set the cup down, and stood.
"Then maybe," he said quietly, "it's best if I handle my liabilities myself."
Gale didn't stop him as he walked out — but his voice followed, low and final:
"Make sure you do."
The door closed softly. The sound lingered like thunder after lightning.
----
The first thing Scarlett felt was the sting of sunlight.
It pressed through her curtains in thin, golden stripes, cutting across her face and dragging her out of a dream she couldn't quite remember.
Her head throbbed. Her throat was dry.
She sat up slowly, the bedsheets twisted around her legs, and blinked at the room — her room.
The air smelled faintly of coffee and lavender detergent.
"How... did I get home?" she murmured.
Her clothes from last night were folded neatly on the chair beside the bed. Her bag sat on the table, untouched — except for the faint smell of cigarettes that didn't belong to her.
Then it hit her — flashes of the night before.
The café. The laughter that got too loud.
The glass of wine she shouldn't have accepted.
And a voice — deep, calm, and smooth as smoke.
"Renji…"
She pressed her fingers to her temple.
He had been there — the man with sharp eyes and that quiet confidence that unsettled her.
He'd offered to call her a cab. She remembered refusing, insisting she could walk.
After that… nothing. Just darkness.
Her phone buzzed weakly beside her pillow.
When she picked it up, a message blinked on the screen.
> Unknown Number:
You should be more careful where you drink, Scarlet. The city isn't kind at night.
Her heart stopped.
She stared at the message until the letters blurred.
No name. No emoji. Just that quiet warning.
And below it — a single initial.
> – R.
Scarlett's fingers trembled slightly as she dropped the phone back on the sheets.
Her eyes darted to the window — the morning sunlight suddenly felt too bright, too intrusive.
Somewhere deep down, she knew that last night hadn't been an accident.
Renji Shikamaru had wanted something — and now, he had what he wanted.
He knew where she lived.
---
Dr. Harper's Clinic
Scarlett sat on the examination table, wincing slightly as she adjusted her position. Dr. Harper entered with a gentle smile and a concerned look.
"Good morning, Scarlett. Let's take a look at those burns and see how they're healing," Dr. Harper said warmly.
Scarlett nodded, carefully removing her top halfway to reveal the bandaged areas on her chest and shoulder.
Dr. Harper examined the burns carefully, her expression a mix of empathy and professionalism.
"It looks like they're healing well, but we'll need to keep them clean and moisturized. And you should definitely take it easy for a bit," Dr. Harper advised, gently applying some soothing ointment.
Scarlett winced a little but tried to keep her humor. "Well, at least it's not as bad as it could've been. I guess Levi's attempt at a cooking lesson didn't go as planned."
Dr. Harper chuckled softly. "Well, let's make sure we get you back to full strength. And remember, plenty of rest and hydration will help with that hangover too."
As they finished up, Scarlett felt a bit more at ease, knowing she was in good hands.
---