To the Man Destined to Kill Me - Chapter 118

Even though it was summer, the damp and chilly air made Wilhelm frown without realizing it.
Aaron, who seemed used to places like this prison, walked through the hallway like it was nothing. In contrast, Wilhelm looked around nervously, taking in the metal doors and barred windows.

When Scarlett heard the news that Scott had been imprisoned, she—just as expected—stumbled in shock and struggled to stay strong.
But instead of crying over the unfairness, she began preparing with her other siblings to form a powerful legal team. And today, before the visitation, she had made a request to Wilhelm.

“Tell him not to worry about anything.”
Scarlett didn’t go herself because Scott had refused to see her.
He didn’t want his sister to see him in a prison uniform and had simply told her to worry about Teddy instead.

“I don’t get those shipowners. As far as I know, insurance is supposed to cover piracy damages.”
Aaron didn’t like that they were suing Scott, demanding compensation. But he also knew well that the world rarely worked the way one wanted.

“Bill, Andy was supposed to come with me, but I ended up with you. It doesn’t feel right.”
“It’s fine. It’s only right that I come in Scarlett’s place.”
Aaron, unable to smoke his cigar, rubbed his restless fingers against the edge of his coat.

“Andy… Who knows what that guy’s doing these days? Doesn’t answer letters, doesn’t show up… Damn brat.”
Aaron didn’t know that Andrew was incredibly busy—serving as Noah’s secretary during the day and reinvestigating Julia Ashford’s murder case at night. Frustrated, Aaron ground his teeth.

At this tense time, Susan was frantically searching for Isaac, who had disappeared without a trace. John was still one of the people Scott deeply hated.
“This family’s a complete mess.”
The White family being in disarray wasn’t new, but the fact that things never seemed to improve made Aaron feel even more stifled.

“I don’t get why that guard took so much money and is only giving us ten minutes.”
“That’s how it is, Bill. Those guys act like they have great power just because the government feeds them. All they care about is pocketing dirty money.”

After passing through the dark hallway, they reached the cell where Scott was being held.
Seeing Scott through the small hole in the metal door made Aaron grind his teeth. He held back the urge to punch the guard and called out in a calm tone.

“Scott.”
“…Aaron?”
“Yeah, it’s me. The lawyer’s using the official visitation, so I just stopped by like this.”
“Smart move.”
“I came too,” Wilhelm said, stepping forward. It was more uncomfortable than expected to try to see each other through the tiny hole in the door.

“Scarlett’s at home. Don’t worry.”
“That’s good.”
“We only have ten minutes. Scott, the family’s been talking a lot these past few days. About your trial, and whether to sue the court…”
“That’s between me and the lawyer. More importantly, Bill—Wilhelm Hoffman—listen carefully.”

Scott’s gray eyes flared like sparks in the dark. His unbroken spirit burned like a fierce current.
His mouth, barely visible behind the metal door, tightened cruelly. Like a judge delivering a verdict, he carefully chose every word.

“If I lose and get sent to prison, you and Scarlett must still go ahead with the engagement and get married on the planned date.”
“…”

Aaron stared intently at his brother, trying to figure out what he meant by that.
Scott ignored his gaze and continued speaking in a low voice. Only Wilhelm seemed confused by the sudden change in topic.

“We can’t cancel the family celebration because of me.”
Scott’s request to Wilhelm was half sincere and half an excuse. In truth, what he wanted was revenge.
He believed that the series of events harming his family—and his own downfall—were orchestrated by Noah.

Even without solid evidence, he felt as sure of it as one is of hot summers and cold winters.
That’s why he wanted to use Scarlett’s marriage as revenge against Noah.
Cravitz’s intelligence network had already picked up that Noah knew Scarlett was alive and was struggling to forget her.

“So marry Scarlett. That’s the only way…”
Scott leaned in close to the door and whispered,
“…that bastard won’t be able to take Teddy just because Scarlett’s a single mom.”

The marriage between Scarlett and Wilhelm wasn’t just about love.
With a husband for Scarlett and a stepfather for Teddy, Noah wouldn’t be able to gain custody or legal rights to the child.
Even if he learned about Teddy later and tried to take him, the law wouldn’t be on his side.

That didn’t mean Scott didn’t care about Scarlett’s happiness.
It just meant that, for her happiness—and for his revenge—the engagement and marriage had to happen.

Scott’s soft smile was chillingly cruel.

“Scott is right.”
Scarlett bit her lip nervously. Wilhelm gently held her hand to stop her, but he couldn’t erase the anxiety from her face.

“I think Noah found out about Teddy.”
A few days ago, Teddy had said he played with a wizard. He happily bragged about a man with purple eyes who made glowing butterflies and a jungle room.

Scarlett instantly knew it was Noah. What kind of intruder would play happily with a child?

“The engagement… Let’s go ahead with it.”
Since Scott’s situation, all preparations for the engagement party had been put on hold. Scarlett closed her trembling eyes tightly.
If anxiety had a shape, it would be a ball covered in thorns.

Scarlett exhaled shakily, unable to bear the feeling of that anxiety rolling through her body and pricking her from the inside.

“Scarlett… It’ll be okay.”
“I know. I know, but… I’m so scared…”
She had no desire to fight Noah. She didn’t want the world to know Teddy’s biological father.

Who would’ve thought she’d come to understand Julia Ashford—the woman she had hated all her life?

Scarlett held back tears and buried herself in Wilhelm’s arms. His warmth and gentle pats calmed her.
Even Wilhelm wasn’t free from fear. He, too, was terrified of losing Teddy, a thought he didn’t even want to imagine.

But what he hated most was seeing Scarlett affected by Noah.
“Scarlett… I’m starting to fear looking into your eyes.”
He was terrified he might see the shadow of Noah Ashford in them. Terrified that the flames in her heart were still burning for him.
Terrified that her gaze would land on Noah instead of him.

Just a couple months ago, when he visited Hiberk, one of his brothers had asked:
“What is it about that woman that makes you want her? Her beauty? Her inheritance? Or your pity for her?”

Wilhelm had thought the question was ridiculous.
Scarlett’s beauty wasn’t his type. Her wealth would go to Teddy. And if he had only pitied her, he would have remained a friend instead of dating a woman society considered ruined.

Unlike the fiery love between Noah and Scarlett, his relationship with her had grown slowly, like the scent of flowers tickling the Volga River on an autumn day.
The slow-burning feelings had deepened over time, and now he was completely drunk on her presence.

“There’s no need to invite guests. Let’s have a quiet engagement ceremony with just us. As long as Teddy congratulates us, that’s enough.”
Because he truly loved Scarlett, Wilhelm couldn’t stop feeling afraid and uneasy about Noah visiting Wifland.

He remembered how Scarlett once looked at Noah with pure hatred.
He didn’t dare measure how deep the love behind that hatred ran. That uncertainty made every day feel like walking on thin ice.

“We’ll be good parents.”
Wilhelm stroked her hair. Over the past few years, they had been a pretty good couple. Now, they would become pretty good parents, too.

While Scarlett and Wilhelm discussed their engagement, an unexpected guest arrived at the White mansion.
With dirty fingernails, he scratched his red hair and confidently entered through the front gate.

One of the servants rushed to tell Susan.
“Master Isaac is here!”

Susan, who had been half-lying in bed, shot up. She hurried down to the first floor.

Worried that Isaac might have been kidnapped by the mafia who were now at odds with Aaron, Susan cried out in relief the moment she saw him.

“Isaac! Oh my god, thank goodness! I was so worried something had happened to you!”

She hugged her son tightly, trembling.
In Isaac’s hand was a newspaper article from a few days ago reporting that Scott had been jailed.

“Mom… Where’s Aunt? Where’s Aunt Scarlett?” he asked.

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