Scarlett OHara felt as if her heart had been pierced by a thousand needles as she stood there, watching the man she had loved for three years betray her in the most despicable of ways.
Tom Joads words were like venom, his touch with Kitty was a stark contrast to the tenderness he had once shown Scarlett. The room seemed to spin around her as she tried to make sense of the situation.
"Scarlett, after three years, I always thought you were pure and untouched, which is why I hesitated to defile you. But it turns out youre nothing but a wanton woman," Tom sneered, his eyes scanning the marks on her body that were a testament to the previous nights ordeal.
Scarletts tears fell like rain, her heart shattering into a million pieces. "Tom..." she whispered, her voice barely audible.
Abruptly, Tom released her, and she crumpled to the floor like a discarded rag doll. The impact was jarring, but it was nothing compared to the emotional turmoil that was ravaging her inside.
Tom turned to Kitty, his voice softening. "Are you alright?" he asked, his concern for Kitty a painful reminder of how quickly he had discarded Scarlett.
"Im fine," Kitty replied, her eyes wide with feigned innocence. "Im just worried about the Kennedy and Lannister families reputation with this scandal so close to the wedding."
Toms expression turned cold as he glanced at Scarlett, who was still on the floor. "The families reputation can be preserved, and the wedding can continue," he stated matter-of-factly.
Kitty looked puzzled. "How can we continue?"
"By you and I getting married," Tom declared, taking Kittys hand in his.
"What about... Scarlett?" Kitty asked hesitantly.
" Shes insignificant. What matters is us and the familys honor," Tom said, his gaze intense. "I can tell you have feelings for me too, dont you?"
As Tom spoke, he leaned in closer to Kitty, his intentions clear. Before Scarlett could process what was happening, Tom and Kitty were locked in a passionate embrace, their bodies pressed against each other as they moved towards a private room.
"Tom, Scarlett is still here..." Kitty protested weakly, her eyes flickering towards Scarlett with a mix of triumph and malice.
"Let her watch," Tom replied roughly. "Shes no stranger to such acts."
The sounds of their lovemaking filled the room, each moan and sigh a knife twisting in Scarletts heart. She felt frozen in place, unable to look away from the painful scene unfolding before her.
Scarlett didnt know how she found the strength to leave that room, her mind a blur of pain and confusion. She moved like a ghost, her destination unknown, when she heard voices coming from the stairwell.
"Times up. The boss said once hes slept with Catherine Genovese, Scarlett OHara is of no use to us anymore," one man whispered.
"Lucky for us Catherine took the initiative. It saved our boss the trouble of getting rid of Scarlett himself," another man responded.
Scarletts blood ran cold as she realized the depth of Toms deception. He had never loved her; she was merely a pawn in his game to get closer to Kitty and the Kennedy family fortune.
Rage and betrayal surged through her, and she knew she couldnt let them win. As the men approached, Scarletts survival instinct kicked in, and she ran in the opposite direction.
Her foot slipped, and she tumbled down the stairs, bracing for the impact. But instead of pain, she found herself at the feet of a man. She looked up into a pair of cold, piercing eyes that seemed all too familiar.
The man was imposing, his features sharp and his gaze unwavering. He was dressed in an expensive suit that accentuated his powerful build. There was an air of authority about him, a sense of danger that was both thrilling and terrifying.
"Help me," Scarlett pleaded, her voice barely more than a whisper.
Before she could say more, her world went dark, and she collapsed into the strangers arms.