CHAPTER TWENTY – A NIGHT WITH MR. STONE

The air hung thick with surprise as Mr. Stone rose from the couch, his masked face tilted towards her. "Came to see how you were faring, Ms. O'Hara," he said, his voice a low rumble. "The news reports were...interesting." Scarlett blinked, her mind scrambling to process the situation. "But... how did you get in?" she stammered. Mr. Stone's lips, the only part of his face visible beneath the mask, stretched into a wide grin. "Let's just say, I have my ways." Something in his confident demeanor, a slight mischievous glint that seemed to flicker even through the mask, disarmed Scarlett. Deciding to trust her instincts for now, she simply nodded. "Can I offer you something to eat?" "Anything you make would be a delight," Mr. Stone replied, his voice warm. Scarlett found herself bustling around the kitchen, a nervous energy coursing through her. Soon, a delicious meal of pasta and vegetables sat on the table. They ate in comfortable silence, Scarlett stealing glances at Mr. Stone's b