My Damn Salvation

Salvation: a state of being saved from the power of evil; a way of protecting somebody from danger, disaster, loss.

In a world which seemed more like a battlefield, with more foes than allies, she was resilient. With her guards up,  and fear crippling down her soul threatening to engulf her,  she stood her ground.  In a world where her existence was loathed, she remained unwavering. She was stuck with her past, she was haunted by her present, she was conflicted ... .Everyday played out like a pensive suspenseful classic piano in an opera (a soap opera) waiting to unravel and unfold itself with time. 

Chapter 1

In a dimly lit opulent room, she tossed and turned on her bed, beads of sweat forming on her forehead whilst trickling down her face; restlessness was written all over her.  It was here again,  the memory which has haunted her and has taken a permanent place as her nightmares.  

On the champ de Mars in Paris, France 

It was a cold foggy night, the air was heavy, a young girl was panting and breathing heavily from running, she was shaken, tattered clothes and sunken tired eyes, bruises all over her skin,  she was entirely horrified, scared and tired but she had to keep running because they were after her life.  “Go after her”! a masked man said, as three sturdy, hefty looking men chorused “yes sir!”. She kept running but she seemed not to be fast enough because they already caught up with her.  She started moving backwards with her back as they came closer to her, she kept moving till she was tripped by a stone and she stumbled on the floor as she winced in pain; darting her eyes in the dark while struggling to steady herself. “Going somewhere?” One of the men asked in a sarcastic grunted evil tone with a devilish grin playing on his lips.  “Please let me go" she pleaded while sobbing profusely, "please I promise I would disappear and you would never find me again,  your boss wouldn't even know that I'm alive”, she pleaded. “Hey it's okay baby girl”, shush! One of the men said while coming closer, “it's okay we're not gonna hurt you, but I just need a little tiny favor from you my doll, I need you to be calm and cooperative with me,” he said while touching her delicate skin as she shivered, he brushed his hands on her face as she shuddered once again, she was getting furious. She knew what was coming, she would rather die while fighting against this monster, than allowing him touch her. Her stomach churned, she felt sick in the stomach from all the nasty touching but no! She wasn't gonna give in, she was ready to give a last fight.  She tried to stand up from the floor, but her wobbly legs wouldn't give in, she retorted to use her fist as she punched him in- between his legs, the man shouted in pain as she carried her frail self up whilst trying to run off, “Get her! You bastards”! The man shouted, as she tried to run, she was caught by one of the men as a slap landed on her face, hot tears trickled down her face as she fell hard on the cold floor. 

She was partially conscious now, “what were you trying to do? Run away from us? With this weak body of yours?” The man scoffed. He held her forcefully as he tore her clothes causing a sharp whisper to escape from her mouth, she laid there motionless as tears trickled down her swollen bruised eye. They all had their turns until they were done satisfying their shameless selves. She just laid there feeling numb and lifeless as one of the men hit her with an iron bat as she passed out. “That should end her”, one of the men said as they hurriedly left, leaving a half dead girl on the floor.

Scarlet Jerked up from her nightmare which has become a part of her ever since that long dreadful night. “Good Morning miss, Leslie greeted. The board called for a meeting this morning regarding the handing over of a new ceo”. Miss Leslie Scarlet's P.A and driver said. Scarlet inhaled and exhaled deeply, disgust written all over her face “those old fools don't really know how or when to give up. Do they? What a good way to start my day”, she hissed as she got up to get ready for work. Work seemed to be the only thing she lived for now,  she participated fully without complaint and it seemed to be the only thing that gave meaning to her life ever since her parents demise.

Scarlet Lionel a 25 year old business woman and workaholic, born into the influential and rich family of the Lionel's. She is an elegant, resilient, strong, independent woman who could be badass and cold when needed. She was a mysterious femme fatale, she had this enigmatic aura and fierce attractive features that could make any man instantly be hypnotized by her. Scarlet was a good combination of her parents, she got her mom's red hair and her father's blue eyes. Feminine fluttery lashes, plump cherry lips, red haired, deep blue feline eyes that you could get lost in; perfect angelic skull and nose with a luminous milky pale skin, and a perfect hourglass figure.

All  the influential men in Paris drool over her, and have constantly sought for her hand in marriage but she has consistently turned them down. Rumor has it that Scarlet is attracted to women because she has never been in any romantic relationship and doesn't even see herself being in one. She just has this contempt for men that no one, (not even herself) could possibly explain. 

Scarlet's POV

All my life, I've  prepared for this day, to be the CEO of Legardère Group. I literally overworked myself in the past years training myself in every aspect for this day.

As I walked into the office, I could sense it all, the hatred and resent this set of people who are supposed to be family( or at least pretend to be family felt for me). It has always been like this, they're always wearing a smile (a pretentious one at that), acting like they care or give a shit about you, but they would be the happiest to find you miserable, they wouldn't care less if they found me dead right now. In fact, it would be an accomplished goal for everyone here, especially him uncle Tim.  I've always known him to be callous and very cunning, but to every other person he's a good man right? Everyone saw him as a literal Saint but do they even know him? Do they even know that this man could go to any length to satisfy his dirty selfish desires? I've always had this eerie indescribable bad feeling about uncle Tim ever since I was ten, and he keeps proving that my assumptions about him are correct.  Do I even really know to what lengths this man could go for anything he wants? Especially for the Legardère Group.  Maybe, just maybe, I kind of underrated his perfected crafty skill of always trying to reap where he did not sow.

I confidently walked into the board room,  taking my seat beside uncle Tim's wife laurel who is a literal pushover, who didn't have a say of her own, (always siding with her husband). She's always been like this, quiet and pretending; always pretending to not know what is going on around her, and always turning a deaf ear to the truth. Would you blame her, she was just a poor girl who was married out of pity. She used to dance at the club, when she had a one night stand with uncle Tim and she later discovered she was pregnant,  so uncle Tim's parents (my grandparents) forced him to marry her. 

My grandparents have always been good parents to their children but it just wasn't enough for uncle Tim.  This whole selfishness and hatred  started…

Flashback 15 years ago

On a cold rainy day, in Lionel's mansion. Mrs Evelyn Lionel was seen pacing from one end of the room to another,  frustration and worry written all over her face…

“Timothy”! Sir Lionel Jones shouted,  “if you keep behaving in this manner, you would leave me with no choice than to leave the company to Matthew and make him the ceo of Legardère Group ''. “Go on father, is that the best you could come up with? Besides, you've always favored Matthew over me, so it's not a surprise to me”. That is never true, it is your wrong doings and your lack of responsibility that has always limited you in life. You know what father, you can keep your company or better still, give it to your precious little son, as for me I'm out of here but let me promise you one thing; you will pay dearly for this mistreatment, you all will pay! Timothy yelled. Sir Lionel jones clenched his fist, he was raging with anger, don't you dare walk out on me while I'm talking to you. If you dare walk out of that door you will cease to be my son henceforth.  Timothy had already left, leaving sir Lionel foaming with 

………

“Hey there,  my beautiful niece scarlet” uncle Tim said with a sardonic smile playing on his face, “I see you made it on time”. “Morning uncle Timothy Lionel”, scarlet said, never forget that I'm never late for anything.  Uncle Tim gave a weak wry  smile, let the meeting begin he said to the board members.

A man in his 60's presented some documents.  He is Mr Christopher de laurel,  grandfather's trusted staff. He is the director of Legardère Group and has worked in this Company for the past 25 years and has always been a loyal staff to Legardère Group and a kind man to grandpa Lionel.

 Mr Christopher cleared his throat as he began his speech “miss scarlet you've proven that you are a hardworking and dedicated young woman, over the past two years you worked in Legardère Group and you've passed all the criterias  and you are deserving to be the ceo of Legardère Group. But, there is a very vital quota that is yet to be met in all of this… miss scarlet, you'd have to be legally married to a reputable man for you to be able to be the ceo of Legardère Group, this is the condition for you to be ceo.