𝐕𝐞𝐢𝐥𝐞𝐝 𝐎𝐛𝐬𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧

Chapter 60: A New Beginning

Scarlett

The morning sun poured through my apartment windows, warming everything it touched, as if it, too, knew the weight on my heart was finally lifting. For the first time in what felt like forever, the knot of fear, secrecy, and lingering pain had eased. Kai was gone, his shadow finally erased, and Alexander was by my side, a constant, steady presence. I had found love, a real love — not the haunting memories of what once was, but the warmth of what now is. The kind of love I could build a future on.

It was finally time. I reached for my phone, hesitating for a second, feeling a strange rush of nerves. I hadn’t spoken to my parents in what felt like ages, and they deserved to know everything. A part of me dreaded what they might say; after all, I’d left Chicago abruptly, without giving them the full truth. I’d wanted a fresh start, far away from Kai, his manipulation, and the mess he’d made of my life. Now, I was ready to explain it all.

I tapped my mom’s number, holding my breath as I waited for her to answer. It took only two rings.

“Scarlett?” Mom’s familiar voice was warm and comforting, with that gentle concern that mothers seem to perfect. It was almost enough to make me cry.

“Hey, Mom,” I managed, my voice catching. “How are you and Dad?”

“We’re good, honey, just missing you. It’s been so long.” There was a pause, and I could practically hear the worry in her tone. “You’ve been so quiet lately. Is everything okay?”

Guilt crept in. “I’m… I’m really sorry for that, Mom. So much has been happening here, more than I can explain in one phone call.” I took a shaky breath, gathering my thoughts. “I feel like I owe you both an explanation, and I’ll get to everything soon. But, first, I wanted to let you know… I met someone.”

There was a brief pause on the other end, and then I heard a soft chuckle. “Oh, we know,” Mom replied, amusement lacing her voice.

I blinked in surprise. “Wait… you know ?”

Mom laughed softly. “Honey, we might not be the most tech-savvy people, but we do have social media! We’ve seen the photos, Scarlett. It’s like something out of a novel, honestly. Our daughter with the CEO of Blackwood Enterprises? Your father and I still can’t quite believe it!”

“Oh no…” I covered my face with my free hand, half-laughing, half-horrified. “You saw those pictures?”

“Oh, yes. Every single one. We might have watched a video or two as well,” she added with a laugh, her voice turning teasing. “You’re a bit of a celebrity back here, you know. People love seeing you two together. And the way he looks at you…” she trailed off, a hint of awe in her voice. “Honey, he’s clearly in love with you.”

“Mom!” I couldn’t help the embarrassed grin spreading across my face, even as my cheeks burned. Hearing it from her — seeing myself from her perspective — it made everything feel real in a way that nothing else had.

“Don’t ‘Mom’ me,” she teased. “And don’t think for a second that we’re not thrilled for you. We were a little hurt you didn’t tell us sooner, though. Imagine our shock when we had to learn about your relationship from social media! But we figured… well, there must have been a reason. And I’m guessing that’s part of what you wanted to talk to us about?”

I nodded, even though she couldn’t see it. “Yeah, there’s… there’s a lot. More than I can say right now.” I felt my voice falter as memories of Kai surfaced, the mess I’d run from, the heartbreak my parents had always suspected but never truly known about. “When I left Chicago, I wasn’t just looking for a new job. I needed a new start. Things with Kai were… worse than I ever told you. Dad warned me about him, and I didn’t listen. And by the time I realized he was right…” I trailed off, swallowing back the pain.