To the Man Destined to Kill Me - Chapter 41

She wondered if it was a mix of complicated feelings like fondness, guilt toward a half-sibling she barely knew, and longing for family.

Just like a dog likes people, Noah probably felt something similar. She thought it was simply a feeling of family affection, and never imagined it could be romantic.

She tried to convince herself that she was mistaken. She wanted to believe that Noah putting salt in Wilhelm’s coffee was just a mischievous prank because he didn’t like him, not because of any deeper feelings.

But the moment she saw Noah looking at Wilhelm, who was about to leave, Scarlett realized she wasn’t mistaken.

Anyone could tell from Noah’s eyes—it was jealousy. Shocked by this sudden realization, Scarlett quickly covered her mouth.

“Ugh!”

Who liked who?

How dare he, how could he!

Someone like him!

“Scarlett!”

Noah tried to grab her shoulder. But Scarlett slapped his hand away harshly and wiped the spot he touched on her skirt.

“Sorry…”

Noah didn’t know why Scarlett was acting this way. She had turned pale, her eyes glaring fiercely as she avoided him.

Had he made another mistake? Had he done something wrong again? What had upset her?

“Don’t touch me. Who do you think you’re touching?”

Scarlett’s voice was sharp. Was she feeling sick? Was something wrong? Even now, Noah worried about her.

“Are you hurt?”

“My stomach feels bad.”

“Did you eat something that didn’t sit well? Or did Wilhelm say something unpleasant?”

Noah’s face twisted into an unfitting scowl when he said Wilhelm’s name. But he didn’t even notice.

“Go rest in your room. I’ll bring you some medicine.”

“No, it’s fine. I’m going home.”

“Why go home?”

“Because I want to.”

She answered sharply, avoiding his gaze.

His feelings were dirty. Disgusting. Horrible. Above all, she couldn’t understand.

Looking back at all his actions, there were plenty of reasons for him to hate her, but none to love her.

Noah, who had suffered so much from her, liked her? It was unbelievable.

Most of all, he was the one who had killed her the most brutally.

‘He’s crazy. He must be insane.’

Even accepting the current situation was hard. How could someone have such feelings toward his half-sister?

“Ha.”

A scoff escaped her lips. Finally, she understood all the heavy words Noah had said before, the emotions hidden in them.

Scarlett didn’t want to stay in the same space as Noah anymore. Without even changing her slippers, she rushed onto the carriage.

“When will you come back?”

Noah followed her, asking. How could someone with such an angelic face think such dirty thoughts…? Her stomach turned. Scarlett answered.

“None of your business.”

With that, the carriage departed.

“He’s crazy.”

Even when she arrived at the White mansion and got off the carriage, Scarlett couldn’t get Noah out of her head.

“Carly. If you’re going to complain, just stay at home. Why bother going back and forth from the villa?”

“It’s the weekend. Andy’s not here, so I thought the house would feel too empty without me.”

The family had finished Mass and gathered in the living room.

Speaking in her usual playful tone, Scarlett sat at Susan’s feet.

“But I didn’t know it would really feel so empty. Mandy, where is everyone?”

John’s wife, Amanda, answered Scarlett’s question.

“They went to see Andy. It’s been a while since they saw him.”

“John went?”

“Aaron said he missed Andy and suggested it to Scott, who then kidnapped John to take him along.”

“I want to see him too…”

Susan sighed deeply and shook her head.

“He’s my brother, but I don’t know how he can be so cold. After he entered the seminary, he hardly ever comes home.”

“That’s just how the Whites are.”

“It’s lucky Abigail takes after Amanda. If she were like the rest of us, this family would have no future.”

Andrew was different from the others.

Even though they were born from the same parents, Andrew’s heart was kind and gentle. He was good-natured and thoughtful. And more than that…

‘It would be nice if Andy were here.’

He was someone easy to talk to.

‘What would Andy do?’

Of course, Andrew still had the White family’s traits.

Though the world expected priests to be merciful, Andrew shared some of his brothers’ cruelty. Still, he knew when to keep silent, how to stay within limits, and often made the best decisions. It was at that moment—

“Carly!”

At the sound of the sweet voice calling her, Scarlett quickly stood up. Isaac, who had been playing in the playroom, came running when he heard she had arrived.

“Croissant!”

“Aunt Carly!”

Isaac, remembering the adults’ warnings not to hurt Scarlett, paused for a beat before hugging her tightly.

Bending down, Scarlett hugged Isaac around the neck and rubbed noses with him.

“Croissant. Your hair still looks like a croissant.”

“Hmph. Your hair looks like a long croissant too, Aunt.”

Scarlett, playing with Isaac’s curly hair, looked truly happy.

Isaac resembled Scarlett more than he did his mother, Susan. With only a small age gap between them, Isaac really looked like Scarlett’s younger sibling.

They shared the same curly red hair, gray eyes, and skinny build.

“Croissant. Didn’t you miss Auntie?”

Scarlett hugged Isaac and covered his face with kisses. Isaac laughed loudly and squirmed.

“Kyahaha! Aunt Carly, we just saw each other a few days ago!”

“So you didn’t miss me yesterday?”

Scarlett lightly bit Isaac’s hand, playing around. With only about eight or nine years’ age difference, they were more like best friends than aunt and nephew. Scarlett naturally took Isaac’s hand and led him to the garden swing.

“Hold tight. Let’s see who can swing higher!”

“What’s the punishment for losing?”

“You have to eat carrots at dinner!”

“Yuck! I have to win!”

Scarlett laughed like a nine-year-old as she swung. She never intended to win against Isaac.

Once she saw her nephew having fun, Scarlett, pretending to be tired, collapsed onto the grass. Even though she didn’t like carrots, she was willing to do it for her nephew.

Isaac jumped off the swing and sat beside her.

“Auntie lost! I won!”

“Yes, Croissant is the best.”

“Auntie, are you already tired?”

“No, I’m fine.”

“Auntie, are you sick?”

“No, sweetie. You’re worried about me?”

Scarlett pulled herself up and hugged Isaac. Isaac buried his face in her chest and wriggled.

“Auntie, when are you coming back home?”

“Did you miss me?”

“Yeah…”

Her heart ached at the sound of her young nephew’s sad voice.

“Just wait a little longer.”

“How many nights?”

“I don’t know yet.”

It depended on how fast her revenge would be completed.

“You know… I miss you, Auntie… and Daddy too… but Daddy can’t come home, so I want you to come back soon.”

“Ah…”

Isaac’s father, Chris Brown, had died before Isaac was born.

Scarlett had loved Chris like her own brother, and before he died, she promised him.

She would love Isaac like her own little brother.

“You miss your dad?”

“…I’m the only one without a dad… Abigail has Uncle John, and even Jack, who visited us, has a dad.”

Scarlett was at a loss for words. It hurt so much to hear Isaac say the same thing she had once thought when she was young.

It was unbearable. It felt like someone was tearing her heart apart. Scarlett hugged Isaac tightly. She needed to hurry her revenge.

“If I made a mistake, tell me.”

Late at night, when Scarlett returned, Noah asked her. He had been waiting anxiously all this time. Scarlett pressed her lips tightly together and thought:

‘How can I show him the worst hell in the shortest time?’

Scarlett remembered. That he liked her. No, maybe he even loved her. Scarlett decided to use his feelings.

‘I’ll play with your precious love and crush you into the bottom of hell.’

Scarlett’s lips curled into a cruel smile. Beneath the smooth smile burned a cold desire for revenge.

“Suddenly, I wondered. Why did it have to be my father? Out of all the men, why did it have to be a White?”

“…”

“Did you hear anything about it?”

“I’m sorry.”

“It’s not something you should be sorry for. I don’t want to blame you. Is that too religious of me? But what can I do? My older brother, Andrew, is a seminary student.”

Scarlett didn’t realize that she unconsciously didn’t treat Noah as her brother. If she truly thought of him as her brother, Andrew wouldn’t be her ‘older brother’—Noah would.

Noah quickly noticed this. He had to bite his lip to stop himself from smiling.

A faint feeling of hope stirred inside him. He couldn’t help but like her even more.

Maybe Scarlett said it without meaning anything, but Noah still hoped she didn’t see him as family. It was better that way.

He sincerely wished Scarlett wasn’t really his sister.

“Why are you suddenly curious about that?”

“Maybe because I’m about to die.”

“You’re not going to die.”

Noah took a deep breath. He hated even hearing the word ‘death’ come from her lips.

Seeing Noah’s face go pale, Scarlett repeated herself on purpose to provoke him.

“I’m going to die.”

“Scarlett!”

“Don’t shout. Who are you yelling at? Was it for money, honor, a higher status… or maybe to give you a father?”

Startled, Noah stepped back. Scarlett smiled to herself at his confusion and whispered:

“Are we really siblings?”

“What are you…”

“I’ve never seen our father’s face, so I don’t know what he looked like. But the important thing is—you don’t look like my brothers at all.”

Why was she saying this now?

Noah’s heart was pounding. Tension, hope, and dozens of other feelings rushed over him. He hoped she felt the same as he did.

Even if she didn’t, the fact that she was doubting their sibling relationship felt like a chance. But he was also afraid—afraid it might all be false hope.

“I take after my mother.”

“I know. And I take after our father.”

“…”

Scarlett grabbed Noah’s sleeve and pulled him toward a mirror. Standing side by side, they looked at their reflections.

“Look. Do we look alike?”

Noah stared at her.

This wasn’t like sneaking glances at her before. Now, he could look at her as much as he wanted.

Smooth features, proud atmosphere, delicate lines—they were similar. But that was all. Anyone could see they were different people.

She was delicate; he was rough in ways he didn’t realize. She was sensitive; he was sharp. They seemed similar but were different.

Noah answered.

“Yeah. We don’t look alike. Maybe… we’re not siblings after all.”

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