To the Man Destined to Kill Me - Chapter 115

“You live with your brother, Scott White. Were you aware of his illegal arms dealings?”

“What do you think about the moral corruption of your family?”

“Do you plan to compensate the victims harmed by the weapons distributed to pirates?”

The reporters fired off questions at Scarlett as camera flashes went off wildly.

Scarlett, not knowing what was going on, gasped in shock. Andrew quickly held her close, shielding her face from view.

The flashes were so intense they felt blinding. Holding tightly onto Scarlett, Andrew pushed through the reporters.

As they rushed away and got into the carriage, Scarlett clutched her pounding chest and took deep breaths.

“I’m okay… I’m okay.”

“How on earth did the reporters find out your hospital schedule?”

“Illegal arms dealing with pirates… What on earth has Scott been doing…?”

Scarlett seemed surprised by the situation, but not scared.

The White family was no stranger to scandals, and she had grown used to this kind of situation.

Above all, her family had always managed to avoid legal trouble one way or another—and probably always would.

That’s why she was sure this would pass quickly too.

“That was unnecessary.”

Thanks to Victor’s intervention, Scott White had been framed.

Noah had his own plan to take Scott down, but seeing Scott in trouble wasn’t entirely a bad thing.

Even so, the reason Noah stormed off to see Victor after hearing the news was because of a photo of Scarlett in the newspaper.

In the photo, Scarlett was getting into a carriage as if fleeing, with a man’s back shown protectively shielding her.

Noah recognized the place behind the carriage. It was St. Bernard General Hospital, a place Scarlett visited often.

“You should’ve talked to me first.”

He knew that even if they had talked, there was no way to stop the reporters from swarming Scarlett. Still, Noah was furious.

Even in black and white, Scarlett’s startled face in the photo twisted his heart with pain.

That day after meeting Teddy, he went to Isaac. Referring to their deal—answers in exchange for going to Natalia—he began asking about Scarlett and Teddy.

Teddy’s birthday, Scarlett’s health, whether the White brothers loved the child, what Teddy liked…

Only then did Noah learn that Scarlett’s health had miraculously improved during pregnancy, but she lost consciousness for a while after giving birth.

‘It was shock from the resonance with the mother suddenly breaking.’

As the emperor of Natalia and a leader in magical science, he quickly understood Scarlett’s secret.

She must’ve thought she would die. When they said goodbye, it was very early in her pregnancy, and she was dying, so she probably didn’t realize she was pregnant.

So she broke up with him, and after he left for Natalia, she must’ve learned she was carrying his child.

She hadn’t answered when he asked how she had survived—because she herself didn’t know. He realized that far too late.

Really… even if it was coincidence, the timing was awful.

“I’ll handle the White family myself. Don’t cross the line again. If you do, Victor, even you won’t be forgiven.”

The newspaper in Noah’s hand crumpled helplessly.

His desire to tear Scott White apart hadn’t changed. He still wanted to kill him with his own hands for revenge.

But between that revenge and Scott White now stood someone else—Teddy.

‘My uncles really love Teddy. Especially Uncle Scott… He’s Teddy’s godfather, and I think he sees him almost like a real son.’

Scott must know who Teddy’s real father is. He couldn’t not know. When Scott found out Noah had spent the night with Scarlett, he nearly came at him to kill him.

‘Now that I think about it…’

The day they fought in the gun range bathroom, Scott had said something.

‘You low, filthy bastard who throws your body around!’

Back then, Noah didn’t understand what he meant. But now, it was clear.

He was talking about Scarlett. He couldn’t blame her, so he took it out on Noah instead.

Even if he loved Teddy like his own, he couldn’t accept that his sister became a single mother—and that bitterness showed.

“Ha.”

A quiet sigh escaped with a heavy breath. Brushing his hair back, Noah looked Victor straight in the eye and warned him again.

“This is not your business to meddle in.”

Drawing a line, he walked out of the hotel.

Whenever he thought of Scarlett and Teddy, his blood ran cold and his fingers went numb.

He could no longer simply choose revenge or love. Giving up revenge meant ignoring his mother’s tragic death. But giving up love… they were just too important to him.

But was it just that? When he thought of Scarlett, his heart tightened and his breath caught, as if the world flipped upside down.

‘Scarlett… how could I ever forget you…’

She was like the moon that lit up his darkness. Even now, in the light of day, she remained his moon, dimly glowing in one corner of the sky—his eternal light.

No matter how much it hurt to love her, her very existence saved him.

If he had trouble sleeping before, it was because he longed to see her, thinking she was dead. Now he could sleep again, because that nightmare had ended.

‘I just want to see your face… just once.’

Noah climbed over the wall of the White mansion. He considered peeking into Teddy’s room next to Scarlett’s, but he wanted to see her more right now.

He needed to make sure she wasn’t too shaken up by the reporters, that she wasn’t physically harmed—only then could he feel at ease.

Creeeak.

The veranda door opened quietly. Noah stepped inside and gently closed it behind him.

From the canopy hanging over the bed, it seemed she was asleep. Noah carefully pulled back the curtain.

There she was, fast asleep.

‘Scarlett.’

She was so precious, so deeply loved, that he couldn’t even bring himself to touch her.

He checked her face first. Was she pale? Were her lips turning blue? Did she look exhausted…? Were her hands too cold…?

‘You always make me feel so small.’

It broke his heart to stand in front of the one he loved and not even be able to touch her. But that wasn’t all.

‘If I’d known Teddy was my son, I wouldn’t have done that.’

He wouldn’t have beaten Scott White so badly in the bathroom.

He wouldn’t have treated Scarlett coldly or said those cruel things.

Just then, something squirmed under the blanket she had been sleeping under, and a small figure crawled up onto the bed. A tuft of reddish-blond hair popped out from the covers.

Sleepy-eyed, Teddy met Noah’s gaze.

‘Shh.’

Noah put a finger to his lips, signaling him to stay quiet.

Teddy, finding it amusing, nodded with sparkling eyes.

“Mmm.”

At Scarlett’s sleepy mumble, Noah quickly ducked under the bed. Teddy scrambled off the bed.

Once Scarlett had clearly fallen back asleep, Noah checked the hallway. Finding it empty, he slipped into the room next door—Teddy’s room. Teddy followed after him.

His face lit up with a playful grin, as if he were having the time of his life.

As soon as the door closed, Noah gently looked over the boy. Seeing the eager look in Teddy’s eyes, expecting something fun, he asked:

“Can I… hold you just once?”

“Sure! Oh wait—grownups say ‘yes, sir’! …Yes, sir!”

Teddy bounced excitedly and leapt into Noah’s arms before he could even reach out, wrapping his little arms tightly around his neck.

The scent of a child overwhelmed Noah. This child was his son. A son he hadn’t even known existed.

He had only just found out a few days ago, but Teddy was the child he’d had with the woman he loved.

For six long years, he had fought to survive in a foreign land with no family. That’s why Teddy’s existence now felt so incredibly precious.

He couldn’t believe such a small, fragile being could make his heart pound so much.

“Mister, you’re choking me!”

“Oh—sorry! I’m sorry.”

Startled, Noah let go. As Teddy slipped out of his arms, a deep loneliness rushed in.

How could he describe that feeling with just the word “lonely”? It was like being thrown into a thirst that nothing could quench.

With a bittersweet expression, he watched Teddy climb onto the wooden horse in the corner.

“Do you like rocking horses?”

“I love horses! Mom said when I turn ten, she’ll buy me a real one. I’ll be able to ride it myself!”

“Really? Your mom treats you well?”

“Yeah! My mom’s the prettiest and kindest in the whole world!”

“What about your uncles? How are your aunts and uncles?”

Isaac had said the uncles loved Teddy and the White brothers were raising him with love, but Noah couldn’t let go of his worry. Teddy answered without hesitation.

“You know my uncles?”

“Mhm. What about them? Does Uncle Scott treat you well?”

“I like Uncle Scotty! He throws me onto the bed—it’s super fun! Mom’s too weak to do that, but Uncle can!”

“…I see… I’m glad.”

“But you know what?”

Teddy’s big eyes sparkled as he grinned.

“You’re my dad, aren’t you?”

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