To the Man Destined to Kill Me - Chapter 112

What on earth was he hearing? Scarlett had been pregnant?

“What… What do you mean? Pregnant?”

He asked in shock as he stared at Isaac, who had collapsed and was crying. When Isaac couldn’t answer because of his sobs, Noah bent down, shook his shoulders, and asked again.

“Are you saying Scarlett was pregnant?”

“…”

Isaac, frightened by Noah’s threatening tone, kept his mouth tightly shut.

“Answer me!”

Noah, now pale, urged him again. He gripped Isaac’s shoulders so tightly that Isaac winced in pain and finally managed to speak.

“That kid… must be Scott White’s son.”

“T-Teddy is… your aunt’s son. Isn’t he able to use magic because he’s your son?”

Isaac stammered as he spoke.

“If you look closely at his face, he, he looks like you. And… Teddy’s birthday is April 13.”

Noah quickly did the math. Based on Teddy White’s birthday, the dates didn’t match. As his face twisted in confusion, Isaac hurried to add more.

“Teddy was born much earlier than the due date! Aunt wasn’t in good health… Teddy was born in the eighth month.”

As Noah finished calculating, his face filled with shock.

That night. The only fiery night they had shared. His chest tightened so much it hurt. It felt like being struck on the head.

Scarlett had been pregnant, and that child was Teddy White…

Only then did it make sense why the boy had noticed magic.

During his stay in Natalia, he had realized something: the Natalia imperial family and his mother, Julia Ashford, were far greater mages than he had thought.

With such blood, it was no surprise the child had exceptional magical talent.

“Ah…”

Noah’s hands trembled. Not just his hands—his whole body was shaking. It felt like lightning had struck through him. His skin ached, and his chest felt like it was being gouged out.

“Ahh…”

How… How could she hide such a huge thing? Why? For what reason…?

Noah stepped back as if trying to escape an unbelievable truth. He couldn’t breathe.

He hated Scarlett for hiding something so enormous. He wanted to scream, asking how far she planned to drag him into this mess.

Swallowing disappointment and clinging to a last hope that there was some reason for it all, Noah let out a heavy breath.

He was breathing, but he felt like he was dying.

Yes, suffocating. That’s what it felt like. Overwhelmed with emotion and tangled in the complexity of the situation, he was on the verge of breaking down.

“Ha… Haha…”

He was so shocked he didn’t even know what to ask Isaac. A helpless laugh, something between a sob and a scream, slipped out.

What did you really think of me?

How miserable do you intend to make me, Scarlett? How much crueler can you be?

His eyes flashed. Whether the glimmer came from tears or deep, burning anger was unclear.

As the noise inside grew, Peter appeared and took Isaac away. Left alone, Noah collapsed to the floor, holding his head.

He pictured Teddy White—the young boy who had asked if he was a wizard.

Did the boy’s voice or appearance resemble his? He couldn’t tell. Every time he saw Teddy, his attention had been entirely consumed by Scarlett.

“This doesn’t make sense…”

How could Scarlett have been pregnant and given birth? She had never been that healthy.

He remembered the dying Scarlett. He remembered how tortured he had felt watching her life fade away.

Noah rushed out of the hotel. He didn’t even realize he was still in his indoor clothes and slippers. The sun was already up.

He walked and walked, and eventually arrived at the White mansion. With the birds chirping around him, he climbed over the wall.

He had to see Scarlett. He had to confirm Teddy White for himself.

Driven by that one thought, he was about to cross the garden when he spotted Teddy feeding an old dog, Coco.

Ah…

Noah quickly hid behind a tree and covered his mouth.

“Coco, you have to live a long time, okay?”

Teddy watched the dog eat, then looked around. Seeing no one nearby, he began to climb the tree with some effort.

He was quite skilled for his age. Noah watched the boy with an almost tearful expression.

From behind, the child’s build was unmistakably like Noah’s.

Why had he only realized now? How had it taken this long to notice? Should he be thankful it wasn’t too late? Or should he blame Scarlett for never telling him?

Or maybe… maybe he should blame himself for failing to recognize his own son standing right in front of him.

“Coco, you can’t climb up here, can you?”

Noah studied Teddy closely. The boy had plump cheeks and sparkling eyes.

His round head, thick hair, and bright voice—things Noah would never have noticed before—all caught his eye now.

Teddy didn’t resemble Scarlett at all. Neither in looks nor in the way he acted. They looked more like an aunt and nephew or much older siblings than a mother and son.

“Hehehe. Coco is silly. He can’t even climb a tree.”

Teddy bragged to Coco, who barked and bounced around below. Excited by the dog’s reaction, Teddy climbed even higher.

His clumsy movements made Noah anxious. Could that child really be his son? No—how could he be Scarlett’s son?

Now that I think about it…

He remembered Teddy calling Scarlett “Mom” after climbing out of the pond.

No way… Could it really be true?

Though he couldn’t fully believe Isaac’s words, unease began to eat away at him.

While Noah watched, unsure of what to do, Teddy reached a height as tall as an adult and suddenly panicked. The boy started crying, afraid to come down.

“Waaah! Mommy! I’m scared!”

Teddy’s cries rang out. Noah instinctively moved to help, but he had to duck back down when someone appeared.

“Teddy!”

Noah’s breath caught in his throat. It was Scarlett.

She had been looking for Teddy since early morning, guessing her mischievous son might be up to no good somewhere.

When she saw his little white legs dangling from the tree, she sighed deeply.

“Oh my. How did you even get up there?”

Noah’s heart raced helplessly at her voice. Even after saying such harsh things the night before, seeing her still shook him to his core.

Idiot. If you’re going to tremble like this, you shouldn’t have said those cruel things…

“Uwahhh! Teddy can’t come down!”

“Theodore White. Didn’t I tell you not to do dangerous things?”

“Carlyyyy! Uwahh! I can’t come down!”

“Oh, for heaven’s sake. If you were scared, why did you climb up in the first place?”

“Waaah! Teddy’s scared!”

“Really…”

Scarlett stretched her arms up and grabbed Teddy’s dangling legs between the branches.

As soon as she touched him, Teddy instinctively leaned toward his mom and reached out his arms. Scarlett caught him perfectly as he dropped.

Noah panicked, thinking the weight might harm her heart. What if catching him was too much?

But Scarlett didn’t seem strained at all. Instead, she held Teddy firmly at her side, supporting him on her hip.

“Huuuwaaa…”

Now safe in his mom’s arms, Teddy rubbed his tear- and snot-covered face on her blouse. He clung to her neck and settled comfortably on her hip, as if it were second nature.

“Teddy.”

Scarlett’s voice turned stern because of the dangerous stunt. Teddy knew she was weak to smiles, so he grinned sheepishly. Scarlett pinched his cheek lightly.

“How much more are you going to make me worry?”

“Aww, Carly…”

“If you keep this up, Santa won’t bring you any presents for Christmas.”

“Nooo!”

“Only good kids who listen get presents.”

“Hmmph. If I behave now, I’ll get one, right?”

“Of course. Naturally.”

Scarlett wiped his tear-streaked face with her sleeve and carried him back into the mansion.

They looked like a close aunt and nephew. No one would see them as mother and son.

Scarlett didn’t seem like someone who had given birth, and Teddy called her “Carly,” not “Mom.”

Maybe Isaac had lied to confuse him. Maybe he’d just imagined the resemblance between himself and a child that didn’t even look like him.

Just as he reached that far-fetched rationalization, Scarlett said something shocking.

“Teddy. How long are you going to keep calling Mommy ‘Carly’?”

Noah felt like lightning struck his mind. He slowly turned his stiff neck.

Teddy babbled in her arms.

“Well, Mommy calls me Teddy. If you call me your son, I’ll call you Mommy.”

“Hm. Who did you get that quirk from? Mommy’s little boy is quite the character.”

Scarlett kissed his cheek. Her eyes were filled with love.

And Noah couldn’t take the shock of the reality before him.

“…Ha…”

A hollow laugh escaped through his parted lips.

Scarlett flinched at the sound and turned around.

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