Scarlett didn't move . Her eyes remained firm on the mirror as the words kept playing in her head.
"you don't belong here"
She felt this was a clear and direct warning from someone that keeps invading her privacy when she isn't inside.
She had seen enough and she wasn't going to take that anymore. She lifted her head slowly to the camera and looked at it with a warning like she was about to do something.
She stepped back, turned around and walked towards the door.
Her walk was very fast and intentional. She wanted to make sure she wasn't down for any game like this.
She walked down the long and quiet hallway with purpose this time. Her heels struck the floor with a sharp and controlled rhythm . She made her way to the main wing of the mansion. She didn't wait to ask for permission . She moved like she knew exactly where she was going.
If Jude wanted to play games with her then she would want to meet him and talk to his face directly .
She was almost at his office when she saw a woman standing in front of his office door.
She had the same facial features with Jude, same controlled posture but with more elegance. The kind of elegance that didn't need to be announced but spoken about.
It was Violet Maguire. Jude's younger sister who is also the senior director of Maguire Industries.
Violet looked at Scarlett slowly but deliberately telling her that she wanted her to know that she was looking at her.
She was evaluating , judging and dismissing Scarlett with the look.
"You must definitely be her", Violet said coldly but with finesse.
Scarlett didn't react to the tone. She was just trying to go to the office door.
"And i assume you are Violet, Jude's sister" she said
Betty already gave her details about the household including all members of staff and the Maguire family members.
Violet had a faint but not a welcoming smile on her face as she looks at her from head to toe in disgust.
"We don't work with assumptions in this house", she said
Scarlett looked directly into her eyes with so much confidence.
"And you think pretending not to know your brother's new wife will work?"
Violet felt the confidence as the air between both of them changed and she realised she isn't dealing with a weak woman.
"Is this confidence natural or practiced?", she asked slowly
Scarlett stepped back a bit.
"This confidence is necessary in the world I come from" she said with a smile
Violet took a step forward and went round her in circles slightly like she was inspecting a crime scene she was about to solve.
"Hmmmmn…. Jude has always been very particular about his choices when it comes to women and so i'm very curious" she said as she folded her arms
"What exactly made you worth ten years of bearing the Maguire name?" Violet continued
Scarlett didn't hold back because she was starting to get irritated.
"That question isn't for me but for your brother", she said as she tried to catch Violet's eyes
Violet stopped instantly in front of her as the tension grew between both of them.
"You think i would ask you before i made my findings?"
Scarlett didn't move
"Then i am guessing you already have your answer"
Violet looked at her for a longer period this time. She looked at Scarlett's eyes, her hands, posture and her stance.
She was looking for a weakness,a flaw . But she didn't find any as Scarlett had already fitted herself into the role of Mrs Maguire perfectly.
"I hope you understand that the Maguire family doesn't make mistakes?" she said
"Everyone including the Maguire family makes mistakes", Scarlett said
"Not the ones that would last for ten years", Violet fired back instantly
Scarlett understood why she would be saying those words. Violet didn't trust this arrangement, neither did she trust her person .
"Well, this is only a contract and not a mistake like you call it" she said
Violet's expression changed into annoyance.
"And contracts can be broken"
"Not this contract until i say it can be broken and that's after the tenth year" Scarlett said with a smirk
It was clearly written on Violet's face that she doesn't like Scarlett one bit.
"You need to be very careful. This house has a way of exposing things people try so much to hide" Violet said as she tried to walk away from her
Scarlett looked at her with the mind of 'what is she talking about'.
"But i am not hiding anything", she said
Violet smiled again and this time it was with intent
"We'll see about that" she said as she stepped past Scarlett and walked away.
Scarlett didn't turn to watch her go . The message was clear that she isn't only in Jude's world but she was also in Violet's world.
Scarlett looked at Jude's office door in front of her as she stepped forward but she stopped. She thought about what had just happened between her and Violet, then she turned back and walked back the same way she had just come.
When she entered her room, everything was the same. The writing on the note , the contract still laying on her bed and the camera still blinking.
She went close to the mirror again and pressed her palms on the mirror table. She tapped the table hard, turned towards the door and stepped out again.
Down the corridor, Betty Kane stood at the far end of the hallway watching her, partially hidden by the shadow of one of the pillars.
Her eyes followed Scarlett down the hallway as she watched her disappear around the corner.
She waited until the sound of Scarlett's footsteps faded completely.
Betty stepped forward as she walked down the hallway, stopping right in front of Scarlett's door.
She put her hands inside her pockets and pulled out a master key. The master key only someone permanently living at the Maguire mansion would have .
She opened the door quietly and stepped inside.
Betty looked across the room slowly from the bed to the dresser and then to the mirror.
She went close to the mirror table and saw the note with the writing "you don't belong here" .
She smiled brightly as she brushed her fingers lightly over the edges of the table with a quiet satisfaction.
"Let's see how long you will last", she whispered as she looked at her reflection in the mirror .
Her eyes went to the bed where the contract was laying as she knew exactly where to look. She smiled coldly.
Outside the door, she could hear a sound. She stood still as she turned her head sharply, listening to the footsteps getting closer.
Betty didn't panic. She just stepped into the shadows in the room behind the large curtains.
Just as the door handle began to turn.