I Took Off The Dress And Took Back My Life Chapter 04
“Open the door.”
I repeated myself.
The door opened a crack. Scarlett leaned halfway out, wearing my loungewear—that light gray silk robe I bought last year. She shifted her body as if she were embarrassed to let me see inside.
But I had already seen it.
On the living room sofa, a guy in his early twenties had his feet up while playing video games, my TV was on, he was drinking milk from my fridge, and his bare soles were pressed against my coffee table.
Jax Rose.
The “troubled” brother who was supposedly out clubbing at 2:00 AM. He looked alive and well, not at all like someone suffocating under the pressure of a six-million-dollar settlement.
“Move,” I said, pushing the door open.
Scarlett was brushed back a step, instinctively clutching her stomach, her expression shifting slightly. “Audrey, take it easy…”
I ignored her and walked into my own home.
There were two extra pairs of men’s shoes and a pair of women’s slippers in the shoe rack. Unwashed dishes soaked in the kitchen sink, and a greasy pot sat on the stove. Scarlett’s and Jax’s clothes were hanging out on the balcony to dry.
My bedroom door was ajar. The sheets had been changed to an unrecognizable pink floral set, and the nightstand was covered in Scarlett’s cosmetics.
In the corner, the cat tree was empty. The cat bowls were gone, too.
“Where is my cat?”
Scarlett followed behind me, her voice light and airy: “That cat was too noisy, and Jax is afraid of cats. I sent it to a pet boarding facility.”
“Which one?”
“I don’t really remember… it was on some street or other.”
I clenched my fists, my nails digging into my palms. That cat had been with me for four years—one year longer than Julian’s companionship.
Jax didn’t even look up, muttering under his breath: “This dump isn’t even that big; I’m just making do for now.”
I walked over to him and turned off the TV.
Only then did he look up, glaring at me with annoyance: “Who are you?”
“The owner of this house.”
“Julian said this house is going to be his.”
Jax and I locked eyes for two seconds.
From behind me came Scarlett’s timid voice.
“Audrey, there’s something… I didn’t want to tell you originally.”
She was standing by the bathroom door. In her hand was a pregnancy test—two lines.
“I’m pregnant with Julian’s child.” Her head was bowed, her fingers trembling slightly, posing like a little girl waiting to be scolded for doing something wrong. “It’s been six weeks… Julian said he’d tell you after you moved out.”
Footsteps sounded at the door.
Julian pushed his way in. The moment he saw the pregnancy test in Scarlett’s hand, he froze for a second; then, instead of looking at Scarlett, he looked at me.
His expression wasn’t one of surprise or panic.
It was avoidance.
“You knew all along,” I said.
He didn’t deny it.
Scarlett spoke in a small voice: “Julian, I’m sorry… I didn’t want to hide it anymore.”
He rubbed his temples and took a document envelope out of his bag, placing it on the table.
“Audrey, you don’t stay in this loft much anyway. Transfer it to my name. Scarlett is pregnant and needs a place to settle down. The paperwork is all ready; just sign here—”
“What did you say?”
“It’s just a signature. Just do the right th—”
The doorbell rang.
Everyone froze.
I opened the door.
Two people in uniforms stood there, one holding a folder: “Are you Ms. Audrey Vance? We’re from the Bureau of Urban Redevelopment. We need to confirm some information with you regarding the eminent domain compensation assessment for the land where this loft is located.”
The air behind me changed instantly.
Especially Scarlett.
The layer of cautious grievance on her face vanished cleanly. It was replaced by a sudden, uncontrollable panic.
I turned around and looked at her.
Her eyes flickered. It was very fast, but I caught it.
That was not the look of an innocent pregnant girl.
It was the look of someone whose calculations had just been derailed.
“Scarlett. You worked at the Bureau of Urban Planning for three years and resigned last year.”
I said each word slowly.
“You knew all along that this loft was going to be redeveloped, didn’t you?”
