To the Man Destined to Kill Me - Chapter 88

“Oh my. It rained just the other day. I hope the carpet didn’t get wet. You can’t even find carpets like this anymore!”

A complaining voice spoke right next to him. The voice, the tone, the accent—everything was unmistakably Scarlett.

Noah held his breath. His body felt like it was about to burst from his pounding heart. He quickly covered his mouth with his hand, afraid a sound might escape him.

His vision went white. He couldn’t believe it.

“Ah… it looks like it might rain.”

An arm reached out through the veranda door. A pale, slender arm he knew so well.

And that hand, he remembered it too. It was the hand he had once held at the theater long ago.

He could remember it because he had thought of her so many times. That day, every fiber of his being had been focused on her, and he could still feel that moment vividly.

Scarlett…

Shock spread across Noah’s face. His pale skin showed just how surprised he was.

From where he was hidden in a recessed part of the wall, he reached out his hand. He wanted to grab her hand, to hold it forever and never let her go.

No, even just touching her fingertips would be enough. He wanted to feel that she was truly alive with his own hand.

“Scar…”

A tiny, trembling voice escaped him.

But his voice was drowned out by the loud wailing of a child.

“Waaah! No! I want to play! Waaah!”

“Teddy?”

Scarlett pulled her hand back. Noah felt an emptiness as her hand disappeared, like she had abandoned him.

He looked down at his hand, which had fallen helplessly through the air. Even as despair sank in, Scarlett’s voice kept reaching his ears.

“Where on earth were you? I thought you went downstairs.”

Following Scarlett’s voice, Aaron White’s voice joined in.

“I found him trying to climb onto the roof to play. Honestly. Who does he take after to be so fearless?”

“The roof? Oh my gosh. Why would you even… Teddy! You must not go to dangerous places like that.”

“Waaah! I want to play on the roof! Waaah!”

Teddy White.

As far as Noah knew, the boy was Scott’s son.

He remembered how much Scarlett loved her nieces and nephews. Especially Isaac, who had no father—Scarlett had seen herself in him, growing up without parents.

Teddy didn’t have a mother. So, she would surely pour out her love for him too, giving him everything as if giving her own heart.

“Teddy. Stop crying, okay? I told you never to go up to the attic leading to the roof.”

“I don’t care! Waaah!”

Teddy cried even harder, almost like he was having a fit. But instead of comforting him, Scarlett placed her hands on her hips and glared at him sternly.

Teddy, sensing his mother’s scolding gaze, slowly clung to Aaron’s waist and cried. Aaron gave Scarlett a side glance and then picked Teddy up. Scarlett warned him sharply.

“Aaron.”

“Carly. Don’t be too harsh. You were worse than Teddy when you were little. He’s just like you.”

Teddy rubbed his tear- and snot-covered face all over Aaron’s shirt.

Scarlett covered her face with a dry hand. Meanwhile, Noah, quietly listening to their conversation, covered his mouth again when he recognized the Scarlett he had known.

Tears welled up under his drooping lashes. It was overwhelming to realize that the woman he thought was dead was alive.

After Aaron carried Teddy away, Scarlett followed them out of the room. Noah carefully peeked into the veranda to catch a glimpse of her back.

The red curly hair, the slender frame—anyone would know it was Scarlett.

“Ah…”

When the door closed with a sound, Noah slid down against the wall.

His legs gave out. His teeth chattered. His chest heaved shallowly.

“Scar… Scarlett…”

How could this be happening…

She was really alive. She hadn’t died. She was under the same sky, within reach, where he could touch her and smell her scent.

He couldn’t believe it. In his heart, he wanted to run to her right now and ask what had happened.

Scarlett. What happened to you… Are you hurt anywhere…

Just hearing her voice, she seemed healthier than before. But Isaac had said she wasn’t well. That thought suffocated him.

Still, what did it matter if she wasn’t perfectly healthy? She was alive.

“Scarlett…”

He had to see her.

Noah opened the veranda door and stepped into the room, ready to chase after her. But then he stopped.

If he went to her now, he would probably just cry like a fool without being able to say anything.

Noah didn’t want to act like a fool.

He wanted to calm down and organize his thoughts first, and meet her properly. He had always been just a pitiful man in front of her.

Just a little… just a little more patience…

He forced his reluctant feet to move.

He couldn’t even remember how he got out of the mansion.

His mind was full of thoughts, but above all, Scarlett’s voice he had heard today ruled over everything.

Just hearing a voice he thought he’d never hear again made it feel like a dream. He couldn’t believe this reality.

He was so shocked that he forgot he had come by carriage and instead jumped over the wall to leave the mansion.

He even crossed the street without realizing that the illusion magic he had placed on his face had worn off.

He didn’t notice a carriage rushing toward him at high speed.

“Watch out!”

It was Andrew, sitting at a café terrace reading a book, who shouted at him.

Noah didn’t even register the warning and kept walking dizzily.

“Damn it!”

Andrew threw his book aside, jumped up, and ran toward Noah.

He grabbed Noah and pulled him away, but both of them lost their balance and fell to the ground. The carriage narrowly missed them by a hair’s breadth.

After the carriage left, Andrew let out a sigh of relief and checked himself over.

“When you cross the road, you have to check if a carriage is coming. Please be careful.”

“…”

No answer came. Andrew squatted down to check Noah. Noah had hit his head on the ground while dodging the carriage and was unconscious.

Instead of shaking Noah and shouting for him to wake up, Andrew calmly checked his eyelids and quickly assessed his condition. Then, he lifted the unconscious Noah onto his back.

Andrew carried Noah to a nearby cheap inn. At the suspicious look from the innkeeper, he explained:

“He fainted while dodging a running carriage.”

“Then you should go to a doctor.”

“I’m a doctor.”

He gave an awkward reply, took the room key, and brought Noah to the bed to examine him closely.

The high-quality party clothes, the small Natalia-style ornaments, and the shining blond hair.

Andrew’s eyes locked onto Noah’s face. A strange light flashed across his gaze.

Just then, Noah let out a low groan, and Andrew quickly turned his head and pretended to be busy.

Meanwhile, Noah, who had regained consciousness, quickly changed his eye color when he saw Andrew had his back turned. He asked cautiously:

“Where am I?”

“An inn. You almost got hit by a carriage. Do you remember that?”

“Ah…”

“You still look dazed. I thought you’d at least say thank you.”

“Thank… you.”

Noah identified his unknown savior.

He had reddish hair, was short and stocky. His face wasn’t handsome by any means, but his clear and sincere eyes made up for everything.

Andrew’s good nature and solid inner character were plainly visible.

“That’s fine. More importantly, how’s your head? If you feel dizzy, we need to get you to a hospital. It could be a concussion.”

“Are you a doctor?”

“Well, something like that.”

Noah awkwardly rubbed the back of his head. His mind was still dazed, replaying the voice he had heard just twenty minutes ago.

Clicking his tongue, Andrew sat in front of Noah and snapped his fingers.

“Hey. Pull yourself together.”

“Ah… It’s nothing.”

“Nothing? Are you hurt anywhere?”

“It’s not that… It’s really nothing. Oh, but I owe you a lot…”

Andrew interrupted Noah.

“I don’t need any reward. That’s not why I helped you.”

From Andrew’s speech, Noah realized he was well-educated. There was a certain refined control in his accent.

“Then, at least tell me your name.”

Andrew glanced at Noah’s face and hesitated for a moment before answering.

“Jack. Call me Jack.”

“Jack. Thank you, truly. I’d like to repay you somehow, but since you don’t want a reward…”

“If it makes you feel better, just owe me one.”

“Owe you?”

“Yes. I saved your life. So someday, just grant me one favor.”

“I’ll remember that. My name is No… I mean, Peter Schwalter. I work at the Natalia Embassy. If you ever need anything, come find me. I have to go now; I have something urgent.”

Noah hurriedly left the inn.

He was not in his right mind. Throughout the conversation with his savior, the red hair kept making him think of Scarlett.

I need to get back to the hotel, take some medicine, and sleep.

That way, his pounding heart would calm down, and his wild excitement would settle. Then, he could come up with a perfect plan to meet Scarlett again.

Thinking that, Noah rushed back to the hotel.

Meanwhile, Andrew watched Noah disappear beyond the window.

A faint sense of caution rose on Andrew’s calm face.

“Noah Ashford.”

He murmured.

“I didn’t expect to meet you again like this.”

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