Chapter 172: Be Good My Sweetheart
Scarlett knew he was lying because it was impossible to break a pen so easily– unless you were full of rage.
He sat down in front of Scarlett and said, “I will ask the lawyer to handle the division of property, but I only have one condition, I want custody of Carlos.”
“Okay,” Scarlett nodded in agreement and added, “Actually, I can do it without taking your money. After all, it’s your money, and I feel kind of guilty about taking your money for doing nothing, so I’d better not.”
When he heard her, Francis was almost going crazy for being pissed off; one more word with her, and he might faint with anger and get taken to the hospital.
“You don’t want custody of our son?” he asked again, trying to make sure he had heard right.
“No, I don’t think I can afford him.”
“Well, great, Scarlett! Great to hear what a protective mother you are!” He was sarcastic.
If he had something in his hand, something terrible might happen. Unexpectedly, he kicked the table hard, making the table turn and break as if it was a biscuit.
Scarlett was frightened by that and stammered, “You don’t want custody of Carlos? If you don’t, I’d like to have his custody.”
The more she talked, the more anger Francis felt; if he took one more glance at her, his veins would pop right out of his face.
Francis pulled a file on his office table and threw it in front of her.
“Sign it!” he said angrily, staring at her coldly as if he was gonna kill her.
Scarlett opened the file and took a good look at it. After that, she stood up to get a pen on the table and signed her name on it.
Slamming the door behind, Francis was long gone.
”He is acting weird. He is the one who asked for a divorce in the first place! Why is he acting like that?” Scarlett muttered. After that, Scarlett went on reading the file, and then she signed her name on the page, giving up her son’s custody voluntarily. Then, she turned to the page explaining the division of property and signed the statement she needed to.
After she finished that, Scarlett took her handbag and opened the door. With Amanda staring at her with her mouth wide open, Scarlett left.
When Scarlett got back home, she had her things packed up and called a cab to pick her up. After that, she went upstairs and pushed the door to Carlos’s open. At the time, Carlos was fast asleep.
***
“Scarlett, don’t you need to pack up your clothes?” Skyler asked.
“No, I don’t need any of that,” Scarlett replied. All those clothes had been bought for her by Francis, so she didn’t want to take them along. She just wanted to leave them and leave her deep sense of shame with them. She used to wear cheap clothes, so she could easily go back to that life now.
Skyler asked, “Are you really gonna get a divorce?”
“Yes,” she answered.
“You put it forward, or did Francis?” he asked.
“It’s Francis who put it forward,” Scarlett said. She lowered her head down to kiss her son’s cheek. A single teardrop fell down on his forehead.
Upon seeing that, Skyler grew quiet. He closed the door and left.
“Oh, my sweetheart, I’m so sorry…” Scarlett held his little hand and said in a low voice, “I’m a stupid mum and don’t know how to run this family; otherwise, your father wouldn’t be disappointed with me, would he? I’m so sorry for making you become a child with a single parent at such a young age. It’s so unfair, isn’t it? Your father and I both make mistakes, but my precious baby, you are the only innocent one,” she said.
Scarlett couldn’t hold it back anymore, and she started crying. In her past twenty-three years, she had experienced a lot. Too much. She was used to the struggle to make a living by risking her life. After she met Francis, she started to have a more peaceful life, but she hadn’t really changed on the inside; she still refused to be defeated.
She knew well that if she apologized to Francis, he would definitely choose to forgive her and take her into his arms again. But she didn’t want to. What was this life was for? To keep running away only to keep coming back? It didn’t make any sense. Scarlett believed that the true meaning of life only revealed itself when you followed your heart. And that’s what she was doing right then.
At last, the funny thing she realized was that she was the most selfish one of them all.
In truth, Scarlett didn’t hate Francis for giving up on her; she only hated that she was too young to be a good match for him. What a pity! It was a terrible situation, but there was nothing that could be done right then.
“My sweetheart, don’t forget me; though I have to give up your custody, I still have the right to see you…” She cried as she held her lovely sleepy baby. He was so similar to her– the big eyes, the Roman nose, the plump forehead, and his sweet features. He looked just like her.
“Scarlett, the cab is here. Shall we go now?” Skyler pushed the door open and asked, trying to be as gentle as he could. His sister was obviously in deep, inexplicable pain.
Scarlett wiped her tears away with her hands and turned around to say, “Come here and help us take some photos. I want to keep them in my wallet forever.”
Skyler just forced a smile on his face and took out his cellphone.
“Carlos is still sleeping.”
She lowered her head to give a kiss on his forehead and said, “Be good, my sweetheart. I love you.”
When they got in the cab, they happened to come across Francis’s car. Scarlett ducked down in an instant. She couldn’t help it–tears started pouring down her face.
Upon seeing that, Skyler put his arm around her and said, “You and I are left alone again. So I’m a bit more reliable than him, right?”Còntens bel0ngs to Nô(v)elDr/a/ma.Org