Scarlett and Betty ran towards the door immediately
Then Scarlett suddenly stopped
She remembered she was maintaining distance and nothing in that house was her business except for being Mrs Maguire
"Take care of your business", she whispered under her breath as she turned back inside her room
Meanwhile, Betty had already run downstairs
Minutes later, the mansion was quiet and then she used the intercom to call Madam Tracy upstairs to her room
"What happened earlier downstairs?" She asked Madam Tracy
"Oh! It was one man who always came into the house uninvited", she replied
"Was that why Mr Maguire shouted?"
"Yes, my lady"
"Ok. Thank you. " Scarlett said, "You may leave. "
Scarlett stood still in her room then walked straight to her drawer
She pulled out the envelope and opened it
"Who would have sent this and why?", she murmured
She folded the paper and turned to her closet
There was a slim leather case underneath her clothes
The leather case contained documents and some cash
Then she took out a notebook and a pen from the case
"If the person wants to test me, I have to be well prepared" she said quietly
She started writing
"I have secured the first account and I am rerouting the second account"
She paused slightly and continued writing
"I am building something big"
She stopped writing and lifted her eyes to the mirror
She stared at herself as she pondered
"I stayed too long to secure these accounts", she murmured under her breath
She leaned back slightly
"Hmmmn…. No. I think I got too comfortable with the influence of being Mrs Maguire"
Then she looked at herself again in the mirror longer this time
"It's time to stop being comfortable and get to work"
Then she heard a soft knock on her door but wasn't sure she heard right
And then the knock came again
"Come in", she said
Jude stepped in as he looked around the room and then to the notebook with her
"It seems as though you're busy", he said
Scarlett didn't look at him. Her face was buried in the notebook
"Clearly as you can see"
"Why are you here, Mr Maguire?" She continued
Jude stepped closer
"What are you doing, if I may ask?"
Scarlett closed the book calmly
"I am planning"
"You are planning? Why?"
"Yes, I am planning for the end", she said as she looked at him
"Isn't that too early to start?" Jude asked as he looked at her
"No, it isn't. I am just being precise"
Jude changed the conversation immediately
"I've noticed that you have been avoiding me. Why?"
Scarlett moved slightly in her seat
"I haven't been avoiding you. I have just been maintaining distance", she said
"But that's not the same thing. Or is it?"
"It is when it is intentional", she replied sharply
Jude took another step closer
"You're acting like it's already the tenth year"
Scarlett stood up slowly
"No. I am acting as it will soon be the tenth year soon", she said calmly
Their eyes met
Jude stepped closer
"Don't forget the clause that says you can remain as Mrs Maguire if I deem it fit"
"That's my choice to agree to", she said quietly
"But it's not your choice alone", he said firmly
Scarlett stepped closer
"Then don't make it harder than it needs to be and let's stick to the rules on the contract"
Jude exhaled slowly
"You have changed and I don't know what happened"
Scarlett has a faint smile
"Changed? I have always been like this. I am just correcting the situation", she said
"Correcting what situation?", he asked sharply
"The mistake I made earlier by thinking I can be comfortable", she said without blinking
Scarlett turned away immediately
Betty was downstairs as she was looking at the direction towards Scarlett's room
She was boiling with anger
"She's getting too comfortable around Mr Maguire", she murmured
Violet was standing behind her calmly
"Or maybe she's just prepared for things like this", Violet said
Betty turned sharply as she looked at her
"But I don't like it"
"That's because you are losing control", Violet smiled faintly
Betty didn't like what Violet said
"No, I am not losing control but I am about to take it back completely "
Jude was still standing in Scarlett's room looking at her
"You're hiding something", he said
Scarlett didn't look at him
"Everyone in the Maguire household is hiding something" she said
"That wasn't what I asked you"
"Well, that's the only thing you are getting out of me"
Jude's eyes dropped back at the notebook which is now on the table
"If that affects my company in ….."
"It won't affect your company in anyway", Scarlett cuts in
Jude didn't respond immediately because she had said what he wanted to hear
"Be careful", he said
Scarlett was shocked to hear a bit of concern in his voice
"I am always careful", she said
Jude turned and walked out
Scarlett stood still for a bit and then walked back to the table and picked up the notebook and the envelope
She placed the notebook and envelope inside the leather case, locked it, and slid it back underneath her clothes in the closet
Soft footsteps can be heard outside her door
She lifted her head towards the door slowly
"Who's there?", she shouted
No response
Then a voice came from outside the door
"Are you getting tired of being Mrs Maguire already?"
Scarlett didn't move, nor did she answer
"Won't you say something?", the voice continued softly
Scarlett tiptoed toward the door
Then she stopped right before opening the door
"If you know something I don't know, then you know what I need to know", Scarlett said calmly with her hand on the door handle
"I know something but I don't know if you want to know", the voice chuckled
She pulled the door open quickly but the hallway was empty
Scarlett stepped out slowly as she looked around while she thought whether she was dreaming or hallucinating
And then she saw a small, sealed envelope in front of her door
This time, the envelope was different from the one Madam Tracy brought to her
Scarlett bent slightly and picked it up
MAGUIRE INDUSTRIES; CONFIDENTIAL
Scarlett read those words written on the envelope and her expression changed
