Hearts Divided: A Mafia-Superhero Love Triangle, Volume 1

Chapter 19 - Scarlett

A year ago

I drove through the city as I searched for the perfect pair of shoes. I had already been to three different stores, but none had the right match for the dress I recently purchased. It was quite frustrating compared to how easily I found my dream dress, with its flawless fit and style.

Accompanied by Skyler, I went shopping with no expectations of finding it so soon. When I first left the house, I had a completely different dress in mind. I had pictured myself wearing something bold with a high slit up to my thighs. But I had chosen a navy blue dress with delicate beading along the V-neckline and lightweight tulle fabric. It was the back of the dress that had really caught my attention—thin straps and an open design, leaving my back exposed. I couldn't help but imagine Cain's hands resting there if we were to dance together. Despite never having experienced a romantic dance with any of my exes, I wanted to be prepared for any possibility with Cain.

I knew that our recent encounter did not imply any desire for something more on his part, and I suspected that alcohol had been the main factor in our night together.

With a weary exhale, I navigated my Arteon into the expansive parking lot of the mall. The reality was that I had no clue what type of shoes to search for, let alone what would be suitable for the upcoming occasion. Cain hadn't given me much information - all I was aware of was that it was occurring on a boat, indicating I would be sailing from Friday evening until Tuesday morning.

Although I thought about politely declining Cain's invitation, using some work-related excuses, I ultimately made the decision to take a few days off. It was much-needed as I had not taken many days off since starting my job here. My preference was to save up my leave days for potential emergencies.

The opportunity to engage in activities that were not related to heroes or hero-related matters was a welcome change. The work had become increasingly difficult, especially with certain heroes in my boss's agency. The issue with the cards still lingered, and now everyone in the agency was aware of their absence. I wasn't aware of how they had discovered the information, and I didn't have a moment to dwell on it anyway.

My focus was split, especially because Kristopher's car seemed to be showing up everywhere I went. It was clear he was keeping tabs on me after Cain's revelations. We hadn't had a chance to discuss it without me being under the influence of alcohol, and now I wondered if he was worried that I would go to the police.

I had no intention of going there. It would have been a futile effort, especially with Eric already "working" there. And he probably wasn't the only one; there were likely others as well. Plus, even if I did speak up, no one would believe me. And let's not forget that someone from Cain's team would most likely retaliate against me in some way.

I couldn't comprehend why I didn't bolt out of the restaurant that day, or why Cain's dark history didn't faze me. Perhaps my own mental state was just as questionable if I wasn't horrified by his actions.

Today, however, I didn't see Kristopher's car at all. They probably assumed that if I hadn't gone to the police station by now, I wouldn't go at all. With a sigh, I reached for my phone in its holder on the dashboard and stepped out of the car.

I was hesitant at first, but I grew to love the new phone Cain had purchased for me. He didn't have to do it, since my old one had been damaged due to my own stupidity. I patted myself on the back for making the decision to upgrade my Cloud storage space. This meant I didn't have to worry about losing important files or panicking when my device malfunctioned.

I scrolled through my messages while approaching the mall entrance, noticing one from Skyler. It had been a while since I had talked to Tiffany. The same went for my sister - we hadn't exchanged any words since our argument. I realized that I was trying to distance myself from Tiffany, but I couldn't pinpoint why. I had a hunch that it stemmed from jealousy over how Cain looked at her, even though he had assured me he wasn't interested in her.