Out of Control: Into Your Everything-Chapter 137: See You in the Drift Bottle

Last night, when she was furious, she really thought about it.

But—

Scarlett Shaw glanced at Yana Yarrow, a little guilty, and said quietly, "If I say I can’t do it, isn’t that too pathetic of me?"

In the end, she just couldn’t fool her own heart.

Getting angry had only driven her relationship with Julian Ford into this dead end, and really was pointless.

But she’s no saint, and she still liked him so much—how could she possibly be that rational and not get emotional?

Besides, she’s never been the open-hearted type; to watch him joke and laugh with another woman—even if she knew it was fake—was still unbearable.

The exclusivity of love, plus Julian Ford’s family situation, meant this was a contradiction that could never be resolved.

"Liking someone doesn’t make you pathetic at all."

Yana Yarrow squeezed Scarlett’s hand, caring and a little worried as she spoke.

"I just didn’t expect you’d sink in so fast, Scarlett. You never were one to take crap from anyone, but with Julian Ford, you’re just not the same."

But it wasn’t that Yana thought Scarlett had lost herself because of Julian Ford.

On the contrary, ever since Scarlett got together with Julian Ford—or more accurately, since they met—her best friend had been noticeably happier than before.

The sort of security—as if she finally had someone she could lean on—that kind of comfort had never appeared in Scarlett before.

Scarlett listened to Yana quietly and didn’t deny it.

She started weighing whether she should take the initiative and find a chance to talk to Julian Ford.

After all, that bastard, when he gets pissed, he’s as stubborn as a rotten rock. Expecting him to admit fault is like waiting for a miracle.

Scarlett is a doer. Once she made up her mind, she acted immediately.

The next day at the company, when she went to the assistant’s office to drop off some files, she casually asked Aaron Carson if Julian Ford was in his office alone.

Aaron Carson: "Do you have business with President Ford?"

Scarlett: "Yeah."

"Then let me notify President Ford first."

Aaron dialed the president’s office, all business: "President Ford, Scarlett from the investment department would like to see you."

Soon, Aaron’s expression flickered with something odd. After hanging up, he told Scarlett, "President Ford isn’t seeing anyone."

Scarlett froze.

Aaron looked embarrassed, imagining all sorts of scenarios in his head.

Weren’t those two just dating? Are they breaking up this fast?

Aaron couldn’t help glancing at Scarlett. When he saw the flash of obvious uncertainty in her eyes, he was stunned too.

Scarlett always acted clever and sharp in public; he’d never seen her this lost before.

He wanted to comfort her, but then it just felt pointless.

After all, they were at work. Scarlett’s expression quickly returned to normal. She smiled faintly, didn’t say anything else, and turned to leave.

But by coincidence, the guy who didn’t want to see her in the morning happened to run into her face-to-face in the elevator that afternoon.

There was no one else around.

Compared to the flash of gloom in Scarlett’s eyes when she saw him, Julian Ford’s gaze was cool, elegant, and aloof—showing not the slightest trace of remorse for what he’d said, nor any of the sadness a person in a cold war should show.

But at least, he wasn’t shameless enough to outright ignore her. Instead, he actually took the initiative to ask, "You cooled off yet?"

Scarlett: "..."

When your boyfriend doesn’t even bother to coax you, and you end up mentally wrestling with yourself just to get over it—she really deserved a champion’s trophy for that.

Of course, winning that trophy is nothing to be happy about.

Scarlett looked at Julian Ford and tried to joke to lighten the mood, "So when I’m mad, you just wait for me to stock up and sell myself?"

This morning, he hadn’t even bothered to see her and somehow still felt justified.

Julian’s eyes were pale and unreadable.

For a split second, Scarlett felt like she really didn’t understand him anymore.

At that moment, the elevator doors opened and Ethan Ford walked out. Seeing Julian, he greeted him warmly, "Julian."

"Uncle."

The few steps between Scarlett and Julian were instantly pulled apart by Julian Ford.

Like she was a stranger, Julian and Ethan Ford walked out side by side, leaving Scarlett standing there, her side suddenly empty, the cold settling in all at once.

She heard Ethan asking Julian casually about his love life. Julian didn’t pause before replying, "I’m alone now and not planning to get involved with anyone for the time being."

The same pain a second time. The wound that hadn’t even scabbed over was gouged open again, bloody and blurry.

Scarlett had no idea how she left Julian Ford’s "crime scene" again, got into the elevator, and walked back to her desk.

She suddenly remembered something Julian Ford had said the night they fought:

-Then I suggest you reconsider our relationship.

Back then, they were both upset, and she’d thought it was just something he said in the heat of the moment.

She never expected that, for Julian Ford, it was actually a carefully considered decision.

After talking herself into feeling better, intent on making up with him, all she got was his refusal to see her, his claim that he’s "alone now."

Scarlett now only regretted not kicking Julian Ford down the stairs that night.

Although, now’s not too late either.

She picked up her phone, found his WhatsApp, and with zero hesitation blocked and deleted him on the spot.

Message in a bottle—he’ll see it now.

As for the guy who just got blocked, after parting ways with Ethan Ford, he thought for a moment, edited a message basically saying his family’s relationship with Ethan Ford was sensitive, and that he was wary of that uncle.

At the top of the chat thread, the contact was saved as:

- Cutest in the World.

Of course, Julian would never have set such a goofy nickname himself.

Back on that trip to Cloud Harbor City, when she’d forced his phone password out of him, she’d secretly changed it.

Julian hit send after typing out the message.

And, for the first time ever, got a red exclamation mark for his effort.

No one, past, present, or future, except for Scarlett, would dare do that to Julian Ford.

But right now, "Cutest in the World" had actually blocked him.

His thumb froze on the screen, Julian’s face tightened a little, and he called Aaron Carson in to have Scarlett brought up.

Aaron paused. "President Ford, is this for business?"

Julian lifted his eyelids, glancing at him, his tone cool but forceful: "Are you questioning me?"

"Scarlett wanted to see you this morning for a work matter. You refused. She looked... pretty upset."

Aaron remembered that lost look on Scarlett’s face.

He’d gotten so used to bantering with Scarlett that he almost forgot how uneven the dynamic between her and Julian Ford really was.

For someone in Julian’s position, ignoring Scarlett was effortless; but even if Scarlett didn’t want to see him, if Julian wished, he could always use work to force her in front of him.

Pretty unfair to Scarlett.

Aaron had a lot to say, but didn’t dare fart a word, just had to do as he was told.

Except it was Skyler Miller who showed up in Julian’s office.

"Scarlett had work come up and couldn’t get away. President Ford, is there something you need?"

Skyler had no idea Julian wanted to see her girlfriend.

She found it strange that President Ford would bypass her and ask for Scarlett directly.

Julian glanced at Skyler, unreadable.

In the end, he only asked about some updates on their new partnership companies.

Skyler left the president’s office, baffled.

Hadn’t they just gone over all that data at the last meeting? President Ford, forgetful? And he wanted Scarlett to report it in person?

Weird.

But, weird or not, the whole investment department was working like dogs lately. As the head of the department, unless it was urgent, Skyler usually led by example. She really didn’t have time to analyze her boss’s intentions.

Bosses being capricious isn’t anything new anyway.

By the time the moon was high, the office lights in investment were still blazing.

Skyler stepped out of her office, getting ready to order takeout for all the overtime staff, when out of the corner of her eye she spotted Julian Ford coming through the main doors.