Gold Digger// JJ Maybank- OBX

six

*TW for this chapter- slight blood and abuse* (Scene marked with stars, if you wish to skip)

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SINCE FINDING her mother's necklace, Scarlett had secured it around her neck, refusing to ever take it off and let it out of her sight.  Wearing it just made her feel closer to her mom and the hope of seeing her again slowly increased the longer she wore it. As girls night with Kiara had been cancelled that evening, Scarlett decided against staying at John B's. And so she braved another night at home with her dad.

She stepped through the front door, not expecting him to be awake. However, he was. And he was completely wasted. Scarlett tried to walk past him without being noticed. Unfortunately for her, he managed to corner her in the kitchen as she began to make herself some dinner. "You actually went food shopping?" She asked, putting a couple of slices of bacon in the frying pan.

"Nah, some posh Kooks dropped off a food parcel." Steven slurred, opening another bottle of beer. "As if we need charity." He scoffed.

Scarlett shook her head, reaching up to the top cupboard and grabbing two slices of bread. "Should have figured." She mumbled. "But yes, we do need charity. Because no one does shit around here."

"That's new." Steven said, pointing to the necklace.

"I'm surprised you noticed." Scarlett muttered, reaching for the butter.

Steven grabbed her left wrist, his grip so tight that his fingers dug into Scarlett's skin. "Where'd you get it? You stealing my money, bitch?" He snarled, spit flying off his lips.

Scarlett raised her other hand, gripping his wrist and trying to pull away from him. "No! I haven't!" She yelled. "Besides, it's not even your money, you don't work two separate jobs just to pay for food and rent."

"Liar!" Steven screamed, tightening his grip on Scarlett's arm. She yelped, using all her remaining strength to try and pull his arm off of her. "You've been stealing my money! Admit it!" He shoved the frying pan off the stove and moved her hand so it was over the gas ring.

"I didn't do anything with your money!" Scarlett screamed, squirming as she tried to get away from him.

Steven turned up the gas, forcefully holding his daughter's hand over the flame. "You must have brought that necklace somehow, it looks very expensive!"

Scarlett screamed as her palm began to burn. Tears streamed down her face. "I didn't buy it!" She stammered out. "I found it. At the bottom of the marsh. It was Mom's!" Steven froze, his grip on Scarlett's wrist slacking. She took that opportunity to pull away from him, cradling her now bright red hand. "It's a sign." Scarlett told him, stepping back. "She's alive. I know it."

Steven shook his head, his body tensing. "She's dead. You watched me sign the papers." He turned around, quickly becoming angry again.

"There wasn't a body! Nothing to prove that she's gone!" Scarlett yelled. "I know she's not dead! I just know she isn't! I can feel it!"

Steven stepped forward, towering over her. His hands grabbed her shoulders and he shoved her backwards into the wall. "She's never coming back!" He roared. "When will you get that into your head?! She's gone!" Spat flew at her as he yelled. Scarlett couldn't help but let out a small cry as she watched him storm out of the house.

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Scarlett awoke the next morning, lying on the couch with a blanket pulled over her body. She frowned in confusion, pushing herself into a sitting position. She didn't remember moving herself from the kitchen, in fact she was pretty sure she had fallen asleep on the kitchen floor. Scarlett raised her hands to her face, rubbing the sleep from her eyes. And that's when she noticed it. The bandage wrapped around her left hand. Someone had tended to her wounds while she was asleep. "What the-"