“In the past, you just ran off alone to save Skyler… I know you love Skyler, but why don’t you just let me help? I have connections and resources…” He said as he held her shoulder tightly and went on, “It’s my responsibility to deal with Vivian. Can’t you just have some faith in me? I’ll handle it, Scarlett. I’ll make it all better.”


    Looking up, Scarlett stared into his serious eyes and said, “Francis, you don’t have to keep acting as if you have the answers all the time. This is a difficult situation, and I’m allowed to have a say or try to fix things in whichever way I see it. Could you just let me handle her this time? Is that so uneptable to you?”


    “Come on, babe, sometimes you are so na?ve…these aren’t simple matters. The world of business is shady, cruel, and full of bullshit… I don’t want you, Skyler, or Carlos to have to get involved… I’m the one who caused all these problems, and I want to be the one to resolve them and return peace and joy to our family….”


    Scarlett pouted and said, “Well, don’t you know that sometimes I’m very stubborn? I won’t let you be the one to handle this all by yourself. I want to help out. I know business can beplex, and I’m capable of understandingplex things. We’re a family, Francis. You have to loosen the reins sometimes and let me handle things… or at least help you out. You make me feel stupid and powerless….”


    “I’m sorry. I’m not used to having someonee to my rescue.” Francis replied, close to tears.


    “Just give me a chance to prove to you that I can help you out.”


    “What if you fail? What are you gonna do when that happens?” he asked.N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material.


    Upon hearing that, Scarlett was angry and said, “Hey, whose side are you on anyway? Sometimes I think you just want to sabotage me, Francis.”


    “If that happens, do you want me to give you a hand?” he asked.


    “No need! I can handle this by myself. I don’t need your help.” she turned him down in an instant.


    “Wow, you do have guts!”


    Francis kissed her and continued, “I believe in you, babe, I always have. You’re superwoman to me.” Scarlett kissed him back and said, “You’re my superman.”


    ***


    When Eve learned from Scarlett that Francis was going to deal with Vivian, she pped her hands and cheered.


    “I could tell Vivian is not a nice person from the very first time that I saw her! I thought she was kinda creepy, to be honest… I mean, if I were Francis, I wouldn’t have waited long to get a divorce,” Evemented.


    Scarlett felt a headacheing on and said, “Why aren’t you busy talking to your ex-husband? Why do you have time toe here and counsel me anyway?”


    “I have nothing to say to him. But I have something really important to tell you. Don’t you need my help?” Eve asked.


    “No, not really. What would I need your help?” Scarlett said as she sat down on the sofa calmly. She picked up a magazine and began pursuing it.


    “Stop pretending to read! You’re holding the magazine upside down!” Eve snatched the magazine from her and threw it away and then went on, “I have some important information, don’t you want to hear it?”


    “What kind of information could you possibly have?” Scarlett said as she crossed her arms.


    “Hey, what’s that supposed to mean?” Eve snapped.


    Scarlett frowned at her and said, “You don’t look like you can be trusted, and I don’t want to be fooled, OK?”


    “You are ridiculous! I have a lot of connections with people around the world. What are you on about anyway? People tell me things, alright? You don’t know everything about me.”


    “Around the world? Wow! Thank you! That’s really impressing me!” Scarlett said sarcastically. She rolled her eyes.


    Eve stayed very quiet and gave her a frosty stare.


    Scarlett was tired of being entangled in Eve’s drama, so she just asked, “Fine, whatever, so, what information do you have that’s relevant to me? Just tell me already! Stop wasting my time, Eve.”


    “But I have one condition!” Eve’s eyes glittered brightly as she held up a finger.


    “What the fuck? First, you go on and on about this ndestine information, and now you’re out here trying to get me to sign a non-disclosure agreement or something. What conditions? What are you talking about?” Scarlett said in a huff. She started walking upstairs because she was done with Eve’s nonsense.


    “Do you know that Vivian used to have a lover in France?”


    Upon hearing that, Scarlett stopped dead in her tracks. Eve stood behind with her hands on her waist. She looked triumphant.


    Scarlett looked back in shock and asked, “Doesn’t she only have a fondness for Francis?”


    “Oh, you are so naive!” Eve stood up, then walked over to hold Scarlett’s hand, and added, “When Vivian was forced to leave America, she suddenly became the boss of the multinational corporation from once having been bankrupt. Don’t you think that was a little suspicious? You never thought twice about it? Really?”


    “I thought it was just Francis helping her out…” Scarlett said, confused.


    “Of course not. It was way bigger than just her rtionship with Francis.” Eve said, shaking her head.


    “Who is her lover?” Scarlett asked.


    Eve narrowed her eyes at Scarlett and said, “Oh, what’s that now? You’re curious, and you want to know more? I thought you didn’t care for the information….”


    Scarlett gave her a defeated look.


    “Fine, whatever. Promise me you’ll do this one favor.”


    “What is it? What do you need done?”


    “Well, here’s the thing, Damon wants me to remarry him, but I don’t want to, so I need you to ask Francis to get me a new identity. I want to escape abroad. Start afresh in a strange country…” Eve said.


    “Hey, they have been friends for years, how can you ask him to help you with that? Aren’t you afraid that he will turn you in, tell Damon everything about what’s going on?”