Chapitre 36: A Smaller House, A Bigger Heart

Scarlet was impressed by the scene as they zoomed past traffic lights, cars, and people. The bushes by the road were neatly trimmed and the people looked very relaxed despite the sweltering heat and awful humidity.

She wasn't aware about anything happening in the back seat of the sedan. Claire was driving and Scarlet asked if she could sit in front, curious about everything in the new country. The Liu's used to travel a fair bit and Scarlet enjoyed seeing new sights while they travelled. She was particularly interested in the buildings unique to every country and studied the traditional shophouses as they passed by.

When they arrived at the new house, Scarlet thought that the Wilde's owned the entire building and was immediately alarmed.

"Claire, can I sleep with you? I don't think I would be able to find my way around the building if we slept separately..."

The maid blinked. "Milady, what are you talking about? My room will be right next to yours."

Scarlet blinked and pointed to a random window. "How would I know which room I will be sleeping in? There have to be at least a hundred rooms in this building!"

Hearing his adored daughter's question made Wilmer laugh. It was an adorable misunderstanding and he explained the concept of a penthouse in an apartment complex.

"We don't own the entire building, at least not in Singapore."

"You don't?"

"No, we don't."

Alex watched her father laugh and look at Scarlet with affection and lowered her eyes. Her father used to shower her with the same affections. Now that Scarlet was a Wilde, she was no longer everybody's number one. This served to fuel her self doubt and hatred for her best friend turned sister.

Jasper saw the strong hatred in Alex's blue eyes and was momentarily startled. It was such an evil look that the boy started worrying for Scarlet. He knew that Alex was a kind person by nature. However, seeing the way Alex glared at the unsuspecting Scarlet made him doubt his belief. Girls were really scary when they become jealous. Now he understood why his mother repeatedly warned him to never offend females.

They huddled in a small lift and travelled to the top floor. It was awkwardly silent with only the lift humming in the background. Jasper never felt happier hearing the ding of the lift indicating they have arrived. All he wanted to do was get out of that metal chamber, away from the hostile aura radiating from Alex.

Scarlet was surprised to be introduced to two other maids upon arrival. Their names were Sue and Tina. Apparently, the Wilde's had local contacts. There was even an arranged chef to take care of the meals.

"We've been waiting for your arrival," Sue greeted. "The bath has been drawn and the rooms are ready. Dinner will be served at six. Please press the bell button on the bedside table if you require anything. We will do our best to make the necessary arrangements."

Scarlet felt uncomfortable with the amount of hospitality she received. Jasper was treading very carefully around everyone, blending in effortlessly with the paintings on the wall. Nobody paid him any heed, not even Claire. Scarlet wondered how he managed to do that. It was a skill she wanted to acquire very badly.

The blogger was shown her room and was blown away by how much it exceeded her expectations. The Wilde's may have downsized their houses, but not their hearts. Claire let Scarlet explore her new room without rushing her. The young girl's curiosity made her happy. Compared to the overworking habits and lifeless eyes from before, she much preferred the active participation. The move to Singapore might just be a good thing for Scarlet.

Scarlet didn't know what to think about the expensive-looking computer and new empty bookshelves against the wall. The blogger was wondering if she should try visiting the library first before requesting for books. The Wilde's have done so much for her and it was a cost that she didn't think she could repay, even while working for them as an intern.

The expensive clothing on her felt nice on her skin. The clothes her parents often bought chafed it so badly that she would have rashes after wearing them for a few hours. If they didn't chafe, they would be some really cheap thread worn second-hand clothes from her cousins. Her mother thought that it would help save them some money if Scarlet wore hand-me-downs. It never really bothered the blogger before because she wasn't fussy. But seeing and living the difference made her wonder if she really was deserving of such treatment. Wouldn't Alex be unhappy that she was taking up too much of the resources the Wilde's had? Was her friend now regretting calling her 'sister'? Although nobody has realised it yet, Scarlet thought that Alex was getting a little harsher in her tone whenever she talked to her. However, the image of a kind girl begging for a friend was still fresh in her kind and Scarlet dismissed it as her imagination. The Wilde's had big hearts despite their wealth. Surely, Alex would have inherited it too.

As Scarlet stepped into the shower, she thought about how she could help Mr. Wilde. She wouldn't want to disappoint him and be accused of a freeloader after all. Those who didn't work didn't deserve to eat.

The girl sat in the tub for a long time, not realising that the water had already gone cold until someone knocked on the door.

"Miss, I'm coming in!" Tina announced before barging in.

The maid got a shock when she noticed how blue Scarlet's lips were turning and immediately grabbed a fluffy towel to wrap the girl in.

"How long have you been sitting in there? Your lips are blue and your fingers are pruning!"

Scarlet didn't know how to reply as she looked at her gnarly fingers. All she could think of was how much of a worrywart Tina was. The maid fussed over her hair and helped her get dressed for dinner. Apparently, an hour had gone by without Scarlet noticing. Tina came upstairs to check on her, afraid that she might have accidentally fallen asleep in the tub.

"It has non-slip mats," Scarlet pointed out.

"That doesn't stop me from worrying about family," Tina huffed as she helped Scarlet dry her hair with a hairdryer.

Family... the word felt heavy on Scarlet's tongue but as Tina ran her fingers through her tangled hair, Scarlet found herself believing in them even if just a tiny bit more.

This was now her new family and home. For the first time in her life, the blogger felt like she was finally being looked at for who she was. She no longer felt unwanted and smiled shyly.

Perhaps... Perhaps this was where she belonged.