Chapter 1 Let Me Stay

Thunder roared, and the loud sound was followed by a flash of sharp lightning. Heavy rain was pouring down. People were running here and there to find a cover. Amidst the whole chaos, the ambulance's siren echoed through the noise. "Grandma, please hold on," a teary voice whispered. When she didn't get any response, she paused and continued, "Just a few more minutes, you'll be alright." After a few seconds which were not less than an eternity, her grandmother finally called her name. "Scarlett..." Tears welled at the corner of her orbs. Before the old lady could say anything else, the ambulance entered the gates of the VIP emergency of Greenwich Hospital. The moment the ambulance's door swung open, cameras blurred Scarlett's vision. A surge of fear enveloped her mind. Who called them here? She whispered as she saw a swarm of journalists already gathered there. Being an artist always worked as a shield for her but right now it was a curse. Nobody knew that she was a daughter of the Johansson family. If she would be spotted there, then her secrets would be revealed. The one which meant to be hidden. Moreover, she wanted to stay by her grandmother's side, but those prying eyes were making everything hard for her. "Move," a shrilling voice broke her trance. Her eyes immediately moved towards the owner of that syllable. Daniel, the cousin of her step-sister, Camilla who was a surgeon, standing there. "You?" She said in a low tone. "Are you alright?" The slightly worried masculine voice interrupted her thoughts. "Grandma," the moment she was about to turn around, the same hand blocked her view. "Cover your face unless you want to be their prey tomorrow morning." He pointed towards the journalists who were ready to catch every single detail of that moment. Meanwhile, after seeing Daniel, a glimpse of hope flickered in her orbs. She nodded, covering her face with the scarf around her neck. "Done," she said, only to find Daniel moving away, leaving her alone. "Daniel," Scarlett called out, rushing behind him. "Please, help me this time. I want to stay by her side." Even though his cousin and aunt, Camilla and Linda, never liked Scarlett, Daniel always had a soft spot for her. After giving it a long thought, he finally mumbled, "Scarlett, you know I can't. The media is all over this place. If they see you, it'll be chaos." "Daniel, I don't care about anyone except my grandmother." Her voice rose in desperation. "She is the only family I'm left with." She sighed. "I'm sorry, Scarlett. There's nothing I can do." Daniel took a deep breath and turned away. Although he wanted to help her, his hands were tied by the obligation towards his aunt and cousin. "That's what I thought when I saw her lying in the pool of blood," she said, dragging her forearm across her eyes as she tried to get a hold of herself. Seeing that, Daniel's eyes softened. He wanted to pull her into his embrace and tell her that he was there. He wanted to stop those tears welling in her eyes. But he couldn't. "She will be alright?" Scarlett said in a questioning tone. While maintaining a stern tone, Daniel stated, "I don't want to give you false hope, Scarlett." Then he cleared his throat and continued, "Her condition isn't good. Chances of her survival are extremely less." He hoped that she wouldn't hear the squeak in his normally reliable voice. Once those words reached Scarlett's ears, her face turned white. Her eyes were wide and terrified. "At Least say it once," she insisted, "My grandma will be alright, won't she?" "Scarlett, calm down!" Daniel tried to suppress her voice. "Nobody knows your connection with Johansson's family. Moreover, you're a famous actress now. They're already looking for the rumors, don't give them a chance." "When did I give a chance to anyone before?" She bit her lower lip and added further, "I never gave her the chance to explain. She kept calling me home for the last five years, but I never came back after that day." Remembering that, tears started flowing down her cheeks. "Don't mention that day."Daniel tried to console her. Deep inside his heart, he knew that nobody could console her. The only emotion that was tampering with her mind was fear. The fear of getting alone once again. "Daniel.." she started but no words came out of her mouth further. Although she didn't say anything, Daniel had an idea of words that were on the tip of his tongue. "Nobody knows that Scarlett Johansson is in Manhattan. Don't come in front of anyone otherwise your whole career will be ruined after today." When she heard that, she knew Daniel wasn't going to help her. Her eyes blazed with fire and frustration took over her mind. She walked towards the emergency ward, only to be blocked by the last person whom she wanted to see right now. The next moment, she clenched her fists tightly, took a deep breath, and tried to walk past her. She strictly wanted to ignore her presence. Five years passed to that night, still, her wounds didn't heal. She took a step ahead when Camilla's mocking tone stopped her in her tracks, "Hello, Step-Sister." Scarlett turned, her body was fuming with anger. "What do you think you're doing here?" Camilla raised her left eyebrow. "Not today, Camilla!" Scarlett warned, "My grandma needs me. She is dying, let me go." Before she could go, she felt a harsh tug on her wrist. "You must have thought about it before leaving her alone. Now, leave before you make things worse," Camilla said through her gritted teeth. "Not today, Camilla. I told you before." There was a shrilling warning in Scarlett's words. "Enough this isn't about you," Camilla snapped. "It's all about Johansson's family. We have a reputation in Manhattan. Don't disgrace us." "You..." Scarlett started but their argument was interrupted by the sudden uproar of journalists. That was when three Rolls Royce Phantom stopped in a consecutive series. At that instant, the door of the backseat opened. A man in his late twenties moved out of his sleek black car. He had a commanding presence which drew the attention of everybody present there. The rain was dripping off his perfectly tailored gray suit. "Who is it?" An involuntary question slipped Scarlett's lips. "That's Alexander Wilson. Trustee of this hospital, he is here as his grandfather is also admitted here," Daniel answered without a delay. "You never told me before," Camilla said. There was a hint of an upcoming roar in her tone. Camilla's eyes were fixed on Alexander. Meanwhile, Alexander's gaze swept over Scarlett. It lingered for a moment before moving on. He approached the hospital door where the head of the cardiologist department, Brian Evans greeted him with urgency. "Not good news. We need to discuss urgently about your grandfather," Dr Evans said. "I'll be there shortly. Handle the press first," Alexander instructed. His tone was cold and authoritative. Determined to stay there quietly, Scarlett spotted a small object on the floor. It was her grandma's locket. How did it get here? She reached out to grab it, but a black polished shoe covered it. "Excuse me," she said, looking up. Her words were left hanging when she met with those blue orbs. His movement was deliberate and confident. "What are you doing here?" Alexander's voice was low. It carried an edge of dominance. To be continued…