Scarlett only wished for one thing at the moment. She desperately wanted to turn invisible.

"Greetings and salutations, Mr. Aaron Carter. It's good to see you for the first time after all this time, Scarlett," Dylan cheerfully exclaimed, though, not at all attempting to hide the mockery in his tone as he approached them, carrying a satisfied smug expression. He stood there facing Aaron and the evil grin refused to leave his lips as Scarlett tried hard not to show what she experienced at that moment.

Scarlett could never let Dylan know about her disturbed and traumatized state. She was tormented and angry. Overall, she was overwhelmed and letting that man know about her state was the last thing she would wish.

Nevertheless, she successfully maintained a firm look, trying hard to express the fact that his presence was actually affecting her – to the core. However, in reality, her insides were deeply troubled. She felt as if she got herself punched right to her gut and the wind was knocked out of her forcefully.

In addition, the fact that Dylan kept on staring at Scarlett continuously did not seem to help her. Her heartbeat raced – exactly matching his intense gaze and all she could do was to deliberately avoid his continuous stares on her and look everywhere but at that smirking devil.

Scarlett couldn't help but to recollect. Since his exit from her life, everything has been an emotional experience for her. There were times when she'd pathetically longed for him and there were those times as well, where she ended up being angry and depressed for ruining everything; every little thing that felt so perfect at that point of her life.

She was brought back to reality by Aaron's hold as his grip tightened on her hand before he snapped at Dylan, bringing him back to real life as well. "Are you done staring at her?" The latter passed him a half-crooked smirk.

His gaze followed Aaron's arm, which was holding a lost Scarlett and instantaneously, his eyes turned icy, but he was quite quick in changing his apparent emotions. Scarlett could easily recognise. He was incensed.

As a response, Dylan cleared his throat as he folded his arms in arrogance, planting yet another smirk on his face, leaving the new couple agitated.
"How did you manage to..." he cut off before Aaron could complete his queries.

"Creativity has never been a big deal for me, my dear friend," he shrugged, showing a smug face and a tricky smile. He instantly shifted his gaze towards Scarlett and finished with a smirk, "Don't you remember, Angel? Haven't you introduced my ways to him yet?"

"Don't you dare –" Aaron gritted, forwarding his steps and finally letting go of Scarlett's hand.
"Calm down, my dearest friend. It's all right. You'll know it all soon." He stopped him as he placed his hand on his shoulder faking assurances.
"I am not your friend." He responded furiously as he let go of his hand on him, getting away from his hold.

"You look breathtakingly beautiful today," he started randomly, openly ignoring Aaron's wrath. "It felt amazing, seeing you after a long time, Angel," he finished, the knowing smile not leaving his lips.

The moment he'd uttered that, Aaron busted at him in acrimony. "Don't you ever try to trifle with her, she's my fiancée now," he said as his voice turned deadly serious. He stormed in anger.

Scarlett tried to calm him down, and naturally, her hand ended up on his shoulder with an intention to calm his raging temper. She started having a migraine and an aggressive fight between those two ex-friends would be the last thing that Scarlett would want to witness at that time.

Dylan curled up his brows, precisely staring at Scarlett's hand, which unknowingly still rested on Aaron's shoulder and his expression showed a kind of stretch.

He definitely noticed the big diamond on her ring and his eyes glowered down there for a moment. However, like a master he was, Dylan soon masked his true emotions. He started, "Oh that's something new to find out. Are you guys going to get married?" He asked, faking an amusement, followed by an annoying chuckle.

"Are you, though? Just a thought here my friend. Those who are really together, they do not need to declare openly like this." He satirically exclaimed, faking a deep thought and later, glancing towards Scarlett, he smirked.

"That should not concern you, my dearest ex-friend. So, do you mind leaving us alone?" Aaron gritted again, his eyes burning in fury as he stepped an inch further, giving him a hard glare, "I don't know how you managed to escape from your sentence, but this isn't over yet. You will go back to where you really belong, those four walls of prison." Aaron completed as he finally backed away, his face red with the excessive amount of anger he experienced as his brows downed and his lips thinned.

Scarlett was perplexed towards everything going around her. She realized – she had never witnessed Aaron getting angry to this extent. Of course, he had been, if something was against the firm's wellness, the employees had faced the worst of him. On the other hand, he is always seen as calm and composed. He knew better ways to deal with his disruption, but, now that Dylan was in front of him, his provoking attitude got the worst of him and so, he was losing it.

With a swift motion, Aaron grabbed Scarlett's hand as he walked away from Dylan. She could not avoid the bitter smile that replaced his lips while they were leaving. She could surely say that Aaron did not notice it. He was busy in his own rage. Scarlett's heart suggested looking back at her past lover. She ended up tilting her head a little to have a tiny glance at him for some reason.

A firm look of accusation welcomed her hopeless eyes. His gaze showed emotion. She could not read his eyes; she could not put her finger on it that started irking her to the core. She experienced a strange feeling inside her. It was all overwhelming. Someone that was once a world to me in the past has turned to a stranger. Even in those days, at times, she failed to understand him. He was the most mysterious person Scarlett had ever met in life. He'd attracted her by all means and if there was someone who was good at hiding their true feelings, then it was definitely Dylan.

Aaron's frustrated tone snapped Scarlett out of her thoughts as he growled once in a while, "How did he manage to get out," his forehead showing the deepest frown as he seemed totally impatient. He glanced her way, "Are you okay?" His expression turned soft as he forced a small smile. Releasing a sigh expressing weariness, he started again. "Scarlett, I am just worried for your peace. Can you please be careful around him? I'm not insecure, but knowing him, he will be finding ways to bother you." He completed, his eyes showing worry. Scarlett felt bad for him. He genuinely cared for her and finding him caring actually relieved her to some extent. He knew about her relationship with Dylan in the past. Scarlett responded by a weak nod as he squeezed her hand in assurance, making her smile a little, glancing his way.

Scarlett thought – Dylan should not have come back. Even if he was released, he should have gone away somewhere else. Anywhere, but not near them. He should not have come back into their lives, turning it to living hell.

All she could do now was hope that he does not cross her path ever again.

Whom was she kidding? Noticing him in the party, he surely had some conspiracies and intentions in his mind and that's the sole reason he's back with immense amounts of confidence and power. His expressions had given away everything, the way his accusing eyes stared at her, the way his words tested them, expressed it all. Scarlett only wondered – why was he back in front of her? After all the pain he'd caused; for what he'd done years ago, she was finally on her way to heal herself and her heart, she patiently tried to move on. He cannot let everything get smooth for her, can he?

Scarlett was experiencing a hard time already, to accept the changes, and now when she'd explained herself to be submissive; he had to turn everything upside down. She deeply sighed big time, shaking her head in agony.

Again, her thoughts got disturbed as the car came to a halt. Aaron came by her side, opening the door for her, like a true gentleman he already was. Scarlett walked towards the entrance of the mansion.

"Scarlett," he called out, his tone small as she stopped. She turned to look at him and he took a few steps forward, coming closer to where she was rooted. This doesn't look good either. She doesn't want to see Aaron under trouble just because her past decided to bring up difficulty in their perfect life.

Aaron started in a normal voice, "I think we should ignore telling this to your mom. She would be vexed unnecessarily if she'd know about Dylan," he suggested thoughtfully. Scarlett nodded in agreement.

He sighed and a moment later, he stared at her for a moment, probably examining her emotional condition. While Scarlett, as usual, could not stare back holding his gaze. He took a step before he stood in front of her, holding my face. His eyes truly deciphered affection and fondness. Scarlett internally wondered – how could she never witness this earlier. Obviously, she was not looking at him as she did now. Even in the present, when he'd expressed his love for her, she could not return the love he deserved.

He whispered in a soothing manner, bringing her out of her inner battle, "I understand what you'd feel now. Just know that I'm always there for you," he promised as he dropped a light kiss on my head reassuringly. Scarlett openly accepted his care.

Then the next instant, taking her into his warm embrace, he stroked her hair gently. Scarlett let out a silent sigh as he released her stepping back. Giving her one last look of admiration, he drove away and she stood there for reasons unknown.

Finally, getting back to life, Scarlett walked inside making her way to her room and settled on her bed. She closed her eyes to give them a rest but in no time, tears rolled down her face continuously. She could never hold them in anymore. She felt so translucent at the moment. Definitely, Scarlett may showcase herself as a strong entrepreneur, but at the end of the day, she's a hopeless woman, who finds it hard to move on from a heartless heartbreaker and is still stuck on her past.

All those years they had been together, all those times they'd spent together, all those moments they'd shared together and all those memories she tried to forget, immediately came back running into her mind, making her mourn silently yet profusely.

Why'd he have to turn into a traitor!? She mindlessly questioned, looking at oblivion. She thought they were perfect and their life was amazing and beautiful. Why did he have to betray her? Whatever he did, was it more than their relationship? Did his betrayal have more worth than his love for her?

Scarlett wanted him here, right now and she wanted to hit him as hard as possible and ask him the things that he'd left unsaid, leaving her hopeless and clueless. He'd destroyed everything, he'd broken her and he'd ruined everything around her. He'd damaged her. Wiping her tears abruptly, she lies down on her bed. Her gaze landed at the side table, where a tiny picture frame of her father resided. She took a hold of  it as she ran her fingers against the glass frame.

"Everything would have been fine, if you were there with me now. I miss you so much, dad," she whispered, a drop of tear escaping her eye against her wish, falling on the glass frame. She wiped it off immediately with her thumb.

Not long after, she realized something. She needs to stop being exposed and magnifying things. She can try to pass this as well and she has to believe in herself. He was in her past and now, she has changed. Everything has changed. Moreover, Scarlett has moved on to better and happier things, which included her wedding with Aaron. It was his mistake, choosing to break everything apart and this time, it's going to be her turn – showing not to get affected, either by his charms or by his words.

+++++

The continuous series of events from yesterday's party played inside Scarlett's mind, leaving her befuddled. Stepping out of the shower, she got herself ready into business attire and walked downstairs for breakfast.

She did not forget to plaster a fake smile before descending from the staircase, making her way towards the breakfast table where her mother, Julia was found enjoying her morning newspaper. However, she'd always waited for her at the breakfast table and that thing about her mother was so endearing and she liked it.

"Morning, mom," she greeted her, dragging the chair to sit.

"Good morning, honey," Julia cheered, sparing her daughter a glance and she smiled, "How was the celebration yesterday?" She asked the moment Scarlett settled beside her.

"It was good." Came her casual response and at the same time, she poured herself a cup of coffee.

Julia hummed in response as she continued flipping the newspaper, "So, did you guys talk, I mean to say you and Aaron?" She asked after a while.

"About what," she reacted nonchalantly.
"About the wedding, Scarlett," she chuckled, "What else do you think, honey?" She added in a matter of fact tone.

Scarlett choked on her drink, coughing vigorously. Instantaneously getting up from her seat, she rubbed my back, rocking me to make me feel better. "Are you okay now?" She asked once she was still, as she nodded at her gulping half a glass of water.

"So, what day is it?" She inquired about taking back her seat, looking over my way. She went on further adding, "When did you people decide? I don't mind..." Scarlett didn't let her finish as she cut her off in the middle.

"No, mother. We haven't talked about it yet," Scarlett answered and Julia looked at her daughter in horror.

"What? Why?" She asked, her brows twisted in disappointment as she finally kept the paper aside, folding it and shifted her full attention on her.

Before Scarlett could clear all of her queries, a voice interrupted her. It was undoubtedly, Aaron.

"Actually, it was my idea," he started as he advanced a few steps. Stopping by her side, he hugged a confused Scarlett. Julia had a frown on her forehead but soon smiled it off.

"I think I want to enjoy this time with her, I mean, I am quite enjoying the phase that we're in. We're going to marry anyway. I want to explore my engagement period with her," he said. In that moment, Scarlett felt so relieved and thankful for having him in her life.

It was just a few days ago that Julia had said that Aaron was the right guy to spend her life with and now, Scarlett couldn't agree more. He understood her well. Aaron knew how this was making Scarlett feel. She felt everything was going like a rush and definitely, she'd need time to accept and engage with him romantically.

With an intention to express her gratefulness, Scarlett smiled at him heartily, mouthing him a thank you. He definitely had an idea about how Julia wished everything to be done quickly and he realizes she has been pressuring her to marry soon and knowing that Scarlett wants time for that, he'd saved her.

"Okay," she sounded quite satisfied though, as she smiled at them in adoration, Julia further added, "I have no objection to that. But don't delay more." She warned jovially, glancing at both of them simultaneously.

Scarlett nodded and looked at Aaron who was already glancing at her carrying an understanding smile.

"So, ready to go to work sweetheart?" Aaron asked as he stood there, holding my blazer, waiting for Scarlett to wear it. She acknowledged by smiling at him and he shrugged in response as if it was no big thing.

Later, in no time, the new couple were on their way to SD Holdings, Inc.

**********