Let Me Go, Mr. Howard Chapter 83

Edith immediately grew anxious. She bit her fingernails, her leg bouncing uncontrollably.

"Adele!" she suddenly called out.

Before Adele could respond, Edith continued, "She can't stay. She absolutely cannot stay!"

Adele had only meant to give Edith a warning and was startled by such an extreme reaction. "You want to kill her?"

This ridiculous suggestion made Edith roll her eyes. "We need to make her go far away!" she said through gritted teeth, as if speaking about her sworn enemy.

Adele disliked Scarlett too and smiled at the idea. "What do you plan to do?"

Edith knew Adele wouldn't refuse. With a sly smile, she whispered, "Aren't you a manager? I remember..."

As she listened to Edith's whispers, Adele's eyes gradually widened, her lips curling into a smile. "Don't worry. I'll handle this discreetly."

---

Scarlett was still working overtime. Though the department had gained a new manager, Adele never actually managed anything and had no experience. 

The mess Scarlett had to clean up was enough to make her brain feel like it might short-circuit.

While the mental overload made her head throb, it at least temporarily kept her from thinking about Sebastian and Edith. 

From a certain perspective, Scarlett almost preferred being this exhausted.

When she finally looked up from her work, she realized it was nearly ten o'clock. The building would close at ten-thirty, so she quickly packed up her things and headed downstairs.

It was the height of summer, and even at this late hour, the air remained stifling. Scarlett had initially worn her hair down, but after walking a short distance, she gathered it with one hand to expose the back of her neck, finding some relief from the heat.

She walked along the street, debating whether to return to Windchime Villa or find a hotel for the night, when a car horn sounded behind her. She turned to look.

A silver and black Bentley was slowly approaching. At first, Scarlett didn't take much interest, but as it drew closer, she recognized the license plate—one of the rare tri-regional plates. 

In Sovereign City, only four cars had such plates, and two of them belonged to the Howard family.

As the Bentley pulled up beside her, Scarlett took a step back, her heart pounding. 

The obsidian-black body gleamed with a cold luster under the sparse street lights, every line exuding steady power. Silver trim, like meteors across a night sky, extended from front to rear, adding beautiful yet sharp edges to its elegant form.

The passenger door slowly opened.

"Get in."

Sebastian's body was almost hidden in the shadows. Scarlett could only see his hand resting on the gear shift. 

He wore an all-black suit, and as he extended his arm slightly, a bit of crisp white shirt cuff revealed a glimpse of his wrist.

Scarlett instinctively checked his right ring finger. Engagement rings were supposed to be worn there. In that photo, Sebastian's right hand had indeed worn a ring, but now it was nowhere to be seen.

She pressed her lips together, increasingly irritated by their relationship—unable to be open, even removing rings when meeting. She ignored the open door and determinedly walked forward.

The Bentley followed closely. When she walked, it moved; when she stopped, it stopped.

"What exactly do you want?" Scarlett finally snapped, glaring at the car in frustration.

This time, Sebastian got out. With his height and long legs, he reached her in just a few strides.

"Angry about the ring?" His tone was questioning, yet hit the mark perfectly.

Scarlett wiped her eye. "No." Her tone was so stiff that anyone could hear her bad mood.

Sebastian reached out and embraced her. "It's not worth getting upset over."

His casual dismissal nearly pushed Scarlett to her breaking point. She pressed her lips together, restraining herself again and again. "Just let me go."

Sebastian suddenly tightened his hold, his voice deepening. "What nonsense are you talking now?"

Scarlett struggled against him. Through gritted teeth, she said, "I don't want to play this game anymore! Marry whoever you want, but can't you just leave me alone?"

"Leave you alone?" Sebastian's eyes darkened as his hands gripped her arms, his tone turning cold. "You were the one who came after me in the first place. Now you're asking me to let you go?"

"So what? It's been years! Can't we just part ways amicably?"

Tears filled Scarlett's eyes, her voice becoming desperate.

Sebastian just chuckled softly, looking her up and down before asking lazily, "If everything is decided by you, what does that make me? Don't forget we still have an agreement."

This statement made Scarlett pause. Seeing her silence, Sebastian let out a cold snort. He lifted her chin, forcing her to look at him. "The world doesn't work that way, Scarlett. I'm not a chess piece you can discard whenever you want."

"Sebastian, I won't be your caged bird." Scarlett avoided his earlier point, turning her face away in frustration.

Sebastian lowered his gaze, his eyes on Scarlett's illuminated profile. "Wait for the engagement party."

Scarlett closed her eyes, feeling as though her words had fallen on deaf ears. She desperately wanted to leave, yet couldn't escape Sebastian's control.

---

Sitting in the Bentley, Scarlett maintained a sullen expression.

"The engagement party is in ten days. You need to be there," Sebastian suddenly said.

Scarlett couldn't hold back a cold laugh. "Why should I go? Aren't you afraid I'll cause a scene?"

"You won't."

His tone was so certain that even Scarlett was taken aback. After a moment of surprise, she gave a self-deprecating smile. "Indeed."

The car fell into silence after this self-mocking remark.

When they arrived at the villa, they got out of the car one after the other.

"Go to the third floor."

Scarlett's finger hadn't even pressed the number two when Sebastian spoke, his voice so close it was almost as if he were whispering directly in her ear.

Scarlett lowered her gaze, her eyelashes trembling slightly. Then she turned and, seeing Sebastian standing right behind her, still pressed the number two.

Sebastian reached out to cancel the second floor button and pressed the third floor instead. Scarlett frowned and immediately moved to press the second floor button again.

But Sebastian chose that moment to embrace her from behind. He bent slightly, resting his chin on Scarlett's collarbone. "Don't be difficult."

This rare gentleness made Scarlett's fingers tingle. "I'm not being difficult."

"Go to the third floor. I'm tired."

Sebastian spoke slowly, with a trace of fatigue, but there was an invisible pressure woven into his words.

Scarlett pressed her lips together, not wanting to go to the third floor. Sebastian lowered his eyes and took her hand to press the third floor button.

Her fingers curled slightly as Scarlett gritted her teeth. "You—!"