Cherry Lipps - S01 E22

2 years ago

Cherry Lipps - S01 E22

Read Story: SEASON 1 EPISODE 22

Six years later…..

Craig sat in the coffee shop he had sat with Scarlett six years ago, a steamy mug of black coffee placed before him on the table.

His mind was busy as he raised the mug to his mouth and sipped. It has always been this way since he took over his father’s company.

He was twenty-five and one of America’s youngest billionaire. Not much has changed except for the company.

There had been loads of work, loads of investments, thousands of contracts. After graduating from college, he settled down to look after his father’s business.

Jotting down some notes in his journal, he twisted his wrist to check the time. It was ten minutes past seven.

There was still time, in about an hour and half from now, he would be on the road to MDC Brooklyn prison for female inmates.

His legs shook with excitement. He would be meeting Scarlett soon. Thinking about her now was like thinking about the day the court passed her sentence.

There was no proof to show Scarlett was innocent. No one knew if she was innocent even when she defended herself before the Justices.

Eddie had shown up in court. He also defended Scarlett, stating she would never kill anyone. Eddie was cleared off as a suspect for he was shooting a video the same time and night the murder took place.

There was nothing to hold him. He was clean.

Craig had stepped forward to give his own testimony. He defended Scarlett but his speech was said in a way that didn’t put too much emphasis on his own part of his secret affairs with Scarlett.

As far as everyone knew, Craig didn’t last more than five minutes on the dock. He defended the defendant and that was that. No one bothered to question him about his affairs with Scarlett even after Scarlett made mentioned about their affairs before the Justices.

To the Justices, their private affairs was none of their concern. They were more interested in the murder.

The arresting officer, Fisk and his partner swore that he saw someone run into the bush when Scarlett was arrested. He also confirmed the story of the Rolls Royce Quinn had driven off in.

All would have turned out well if it weren’t for the gun. The gun messed up the whole trial for Scarlett. She would have gotten off free but the gun stood between her and her freedom.

The gun had her prints and it also belongs to her. How would she defend that?

Scarlett said all she could say to clear her name off the accusations of owning the gun.

The Justices were not impressed. The entire documents for the payment of the gun stood right before their eyes.

Scarlett had asked for a lawyer before she appeared in court that day. Unknown to Scarlett, Craig had hired her a lawyer and had paid a great deal of money to defend her from going to the electric chair.

Scarlett’s lawyer was good. He made the Justices understand the possibilities of Scarlett getting framed for the murder.

He said the facts doesn’t just add up.

She bought a gun from a gun vendor, a month ago?

The vendor died last week?

She killed Larry Cage?

And what about Quinn? Did he committed suicide or was he attacked by someone and tossed in the sea to drown?

Then what about her store? Her store got burnt by a psycho. There’s a sure possibility someone was after Scarlett and this person must’ve framed her for it.

What Scarlett’s lawyer was fighting for was getting her a good sentence not a death sentence.

The Justices listened with each analysis he tried to make them understand the possibilities of the invisible Man being the real killer of Larry Cage.

However, that still doesn’t change the story of the gun. The gun really messed her up. If she had never bought a gun, how on Earth did it have her prints on it, her signature on the documents and the entire payments made in her name?

Scarlett pleaded not guilty.

At long last, after battling back and front, Scarlett’s sentence was passed.

Instead of going to the electric chair, she was given six years for voluntary murder.

After she had been sentenced, Craig spoke to her for a few minutes. She was in a cell, waiting to be taken to MDC Brooklyn prison.

” I’m Soo sorry for getting you into this mess, Scarlett,” Craig said and his eyes were clouded with emotions. ” Forgive me.”

Scarlett watched him, quiet and cold and as hard as granite. ” Do me a favor, will you?”

Craig looked up at her. ” Yes?”

” Take care of my daughter. That’s all that matters to me. If you could do more, give her a better life. Don’t let her know of her mother’s sins.”

Craig took those last words seriously. ” I’ll do that, Scarlett. I’ll come visit you everyday.”

Scarlett frowned. ” Don’t ever come to see me. I don’t want to see your face. Just forget about me.”

Craig knew she was only saying that because she was heavy hearted and upset. He could see tears welling up in her eyes.

” I won’t forget you, Scarlett. I’ll come for you after you serve your sentence.”

She had given him one long searching look as if it were for the last time and she looked away.

That was the last time he saw her. He had visited the prison hundred of times but she refused to see him.

Scarlett would be thirty years old by now, Craig thought, dropping his pen on the table. He rubbed his forehead with the back of his hand and leaned back on his chair.

Scarlett had been lucky to have gone off with six years. If it weren’t for the gun, she might have been given a year. All the same, it was better than going to the electric chair.

Her lawyer was good. Really good. Craig had to double his payment for saving Scarlett.

While Scarlett was serving her sentence, Craig had been busy with Daisy. He took her and kept her in the mansion.

Daisy had been at their old home with Mrs Perkins when Craig arrived. He spoke to Mrs Perkins and told her everything.

Mrs Perkins had watched the trial on live television. She had been horrified seeing Scarlett in such a helpless state and when the sentence was passed, she was devastated. She loved Scarlett like a daughter and thought Scarlett was the best mother ever, having seen the way she looks after Daisy.

Daisy was at school when the trial was ongoing. Mrs Perkins made sure Daisy didn’t get a glimpse of her mother on television. She kept Daisy indoors and when Daisy asked about her mother, Mrs Perkins would lie to cover up.

That was why when Craig came to take Daisy, she bluntly refused. She accused Craig of being responsible for Scarlett’s jail sentence. Craig apologized and tried to make her understand how much he loves Scarlett and was ready to take care of her daughter.

He made her understand that someone was after Scarlett and now that Scarlett was serving her sentence, it was up to him to protect Daisy. No one can tell if this person wants Daisy as well.

Mrs Perkins had no other choice but to agree with him.

Reluctantly, she gave Daisy out to Craig. Daisy had been terrified of Craig but when Craig told her he was her mother’s friend, she relaxed and followed him to her new home.

To Craig’s surprise, Daisy wasn’t the type to be wowed by luxury. She was used to the ghetto. But most importantly, she missed her mother.

Craig had to keep with the lies for six years. He told her Scarlett was in Australia and wouldn’t be back for a long time. Daisy was no fool. It was hard to get her convinced her mother was fine. She got soo worried and depressed, Craig had to have her home schooled.

Craig fulfilled Scarlett’s promise. Her words rang in his head repeatedly.

•••Take care of my daughter. That’s all that matters to me. If you could do more, give her a better life. Don’t let her know of her mother’s sins.•••

Her last words; •••Don’t let her know of her mother’s sins••• had him on edge.

During the time he took Daisy in to live with him at the mansion, Craig bought all the newspapers carrying the news of Scarlett’s trial in the entire country and had them all burnt down.

He also bought XHUB.

Having bought XHUB, he confiscated all of Scarlett’s old p--n videos and had them destroyed.

Due to Scarlett’s trial that went public, she became popular. She became the most searched pórnstar in America and her views went higher.

To fulfil his promise to Scarlett, Craig had all her videos deleted from the internet and anyone who had her videos downloaded was offered a thousand bucks to have it deleted.

It took three months but Craig didn’t stop until Scarlett’s pórn videos never existed on the surface of the earth.

Rising to his feet, Craig dropped a tip under the mug and left the coffee shop.

Waiting under the sun was a glittering black Bugatti Veyron. Craig got behind the wheels, swerved the sports car off the road into the highway.

He had tripled his father’s networth but that wasn’t why he felt soo fulfilled. He was fulfilled because right about now, he had what he always wanted.

Peace of mind.

Arriving at the station, Craig parked the Bugatti infront of the wrought iron gates of the prison and waited.

He remained behind the wheels, staring at the gates as the time ticked by.

It was a few minutes to nine. Soon, his love would be out of jail and into the free world.

It didn’t take long. The gates opened and two women stepped out. One was a policewoman. The other was Scarlett.

Craig watched her, having that icy feeling growing in his tummy.

She was wearing the dress he had given the wardress to keep for her.

The policewoman spoke to her for a while then tapped her on the shoulder and left.

Scarlett looked up and saw the glittering dark Bugatti Veyron waiting for her and she moved towards it.

His heart beating rapidly in his chest, Craig opened the car and slowly stepped out.

There was that joy, that excitement he felt in his heart the first day he set eyes on her. He just couldn’t get a hold of himself.

Scarlett stopped short when she saw him and her face hardened.

They stared at each other for a long time.

” Hello, Scarlett,” Craig said, stepping away from the Bugatti.

Scarlett watched him, her eyes shaking. Craig could barely recognize her.

She looked older, not quite pretty, and there were sunken lines on each side of her cheeks that made her look bitter and hard.

” What do you want?” Her voice was small. ” I thought I told you I never want to see you again.”

Craig moved a little closer to her. ” I know what you said, Scarlett. I’m here to take you home.”

” Home?” She sounded hopelessly. ” Where’s home?

” You’ll see,” Craig said. ” Just come with me.”

Scarlett didn’t move to him. She remained at the spot. ” I want to see my daughter. Where’s she?”

” She’s safe,” Craig was now standing before her face. ” Your daughter is in good hands. She’s waiting for you now.”

Scarlett looked longingly at him. Craig had also changed.

He now looked more taller and with a bright color to his skin. He had even grown a beard and his eyes were sharp and livid.

She had thought about him throughout the years. It had been hell in that sordid prison. Craig had come to visit hundred times but she just couldn’t bear to see him. She hoped to forget about him but she didn’t.

And now here he was to take her home. She had thought he had probably found another woman and moved on.

He had kept his promise. He came for her. She felt like falling to his arms and cry her soul out.

Whimpering, she covered her face with her palms and sobbed

” There, there, Scarlett,” he wrapped his arms around her and held her close to him. ” It’s alright, darling. I’m here for you. It’s going to be alright.”

Scarlett couldn’t control herself. She let herself go and cried her eyes out.

Craig kissed her hair, shutting his eyes as he smelled her scent. ” You’re safe in my arms, my love. No one is going to hurt you anymore. You’re mine. You’ll never be hurt again. That’s a promise.”

Scarlett relaxed in his warm embrace. She buried her face in his chest and cried more.

To be Continued…..