To the Man Destined to Kill Me - Chapter 94

Although it was said that the upper class of Wifland had a strong passion for education, Scarlett hadn’t expected even the fathers to attend the entrance ceremony.

Scarlett straightened her back and shoulders, worried that Teddy might feel discouraged.

‘If I had known this, I should have brought Andy with us.’

She understood the sadness of not having parents better than anyone. Her heart ached at the thought that her only son might feel the same emotions she once had.

Scarlett chewed on the inside of her mouth while forcing a relaxed smile. Whenever Teddy, who was seated, looked for her, she smiled at him.

Soon, the homeroom teacher came in and called out each child’s name to check attendance.

“Theodore White.”

“Yes, teacher! I’m Theodore White!”

Teddy raised his hand and answered in a bright, clear voice. At the name “White,” the surrounding parents started murmuring.

Scarlett could feel the parents’ gazes shifting between her and Teddy. Just then, Teddy turned around and looked at her, as if asking if she had seen him answer.

“Red hair… He looks like Scott White.”

Red hair was a trait of the White family.

Scarlett herself was a typical White, and Teddy, with Noah’s blond hair and her red hair mixed together, had a reddish-blond color.

Scarlett closed her ears to the whispers and endured it. She had prepared herself for this anyway.

“Now, parents, please leave. The children will have lunch at school and return home afterward.”

Scarlett silently mouthed “See you at home” to Teddy, who looked like he was about to cry, and then left the classroom.

“There are two Whites! The kid in Class 1 is John White’s son, and the White in Class 2 must be Scott White’s son.”

She could hear people whispering around her.

‘Maybe I should have just emigrated.’

But Scarlett quickly shook her head, thinking that would have been a foolish decision.

Being in Wifland made it easier to have the protection of the White family.

“Hey, do you think that woman is a mother too? She looks too young for that.”

“Maybe she came to see her nephew.”

“True. But whose family is she from? Her hair’s red, so she can’t be from the White family, right?”

“There aren’t any people her age in that family. If the youngest had survived, they’d be around that age. But that person died.”

Scarlett knew very well what it meant for her to come to school with Teddy today.

She had lived pretending to be dead, but today, that plan might fall apart. If rumors of her being alive reached Noah, it could cause serious trouble.

Still, she didn’t want Teddy to start school without his mother by his side. Acting as Teddy’s mother was something she could never give up.

It wasn’t that she resented her busy brothers for trying to be parents, but it was true that they couldn’t fully fill the empty space left by real parents. She didn’t want Teddy to feel the same emptiness she once had.

‘Stay strong, Scarlett White.’

Leaving the whispers behind her, she walked away from the school. But she didn’t get far before a newspaper stand caught her eye.

[The Young Emperor’s Pledge—The Value of Unity and Peace]

Scarlett read Noah’s name on the front page of a newspaper at the stand.

It was an article about a speech he had given for unity between Natalia and Wifland.

The photo attached to the article was a bit blurry because of the bright light, but it was still clear enough to recognize his face.

‘I’m glad to see he’s doing well.’

Without realizing it, she reached out and gently touched the rough paper. She traced his sharp jawline, thin cheeks, and the eyes that must have had a hint of purple. Scarlett’s eyes grew wet.

It would be a lie to say she didn’t miss him. Her feelings had bloomed amidst deep hatred. Something that bloomed in the mud could still smell sweet.

‘But Teddy… Teddy must not.’

Teddy didn’t really resemble either Noah or Scarlett, but he had definitely inherited Noah’s kindness.

Not only that.

Their body types were similar too, and both had unusually big hands and feet.

Even the way they squinted their eyes when they smiled was the same, so seeing Teddy often reminded her of Noah.

‘I’ll forget you. Even if I need you, Teddy doesn’t.’

It was almost laughable. To think she had ended up just like Julia Ashford, whom she had hated so much.

Just like Julia, who had spent her life fearing that Noah would be tied to the Natalia royal family, Scarlett now lived in fear that the truth about Teddy’s bloodline would come out.

On top of that, Teddy was the son of a single mother and considered illegitimate.

The difference was that Julia had no power, while Scarlett now had wealth, honor, and authority.

‘Teddy will grow up happy in a complete family.’

Wilhelm would be a good father to Teddy. And the name “White” would be a strong shield against the many waves that might come his way.

Scarlett pulled her hand away from the newspaper.

Later, the nanny would come to pick Teddy up, so she thought she might as well have lunch with Wilhelm before heading home.

Thinking about bragging to Wilhelm about the new summer suit fabric that had arrived a few days ago, Scarlett walked toward the architecture office.

Click.

The sound of glass hitting glass made a slightly harsh noise.

Noah, who had put down his teacup, wiped his mouth and smiled gently.

His mouth smiled brightly, but his eyes didn’t smile at all. It made his expression seem almost creepy.

“I didn’t know you liked red-haired women.”

At his words, Wilhelm made a twisted smile. Without giving him time to answer, Noah continued.

“More than that, there’s something I want to ask you.”

“What is it?”

“Scarlett.”

Noah took a deep breath. Just saying her name made his chest ache.

He couldn’t tell whether it was because of the hatred from betrayal or the foolish love that still burned inside him, but what mattered was that Scarlett meant something very special to him.

“……”

“I want to know where Scarlett’s grave is.”

“Her… grave?”

“You must know. Didn’t the White family tell you? Or did they tell you to keep it a secret?”

“……”

Even though he knew Scarlett was alive, Noah asked as if he didn’t. He wanted to torment Wilhelm, who had such a straightforward nature.

For someone like Wilhelm, lying to others — especially while being involved with Scarlett and mocking Noah — must be terribly painful.

As Noah expected, Wilhelm’s face darkened, and he stayed silent.

Noah smiled meanly and asked again.

“You know where she is, right? I bet you were even invited to the funeral.”

“……”

“Wilhelm Hoffman, we’re friends, aren’t we? I think you can at least do this favor for me.”

“Ha, Noah.”

Wilhelm let out a heavy sigh and pressed his forehead with his palm. His tightly closed eyes showed how much he was suffering.

If he said Scarlett wasn’t dead, it would cause her trouble. If he talked about her grave, it would be a lie.

Wilhelm hesitated for a long time, his lips moving slightly.

Noah, enjoying his misery, lightly touched the empty surface of his teacup.

Sunlight sparkled as it came through the open window.

When Noah turned his eyes toward the window, his eyes widened.

‘Scarlett?’

For a moment, he thought he saw the back of a woman with red hair.

He saw the curly red hair fluttering. He was sure, absolutely sure, it was her.

‘No, it can’t be.’

He suddenly stood up and rushed to the window, looking outside.

When he didn’t see her nearby, he leaned out the window and looked around.

But all he saw outside were his bodyguard and his secretary, Peter.

‘Damn it. Am I starting to see things now?’

Or maybe Scarlett had really come and ran away.

“Noah?”

“Ah, it’s nothing.”

Wilhelm looked at him with a puzzled face.

Seeing the red-haired woman — even though it was objectively nothing — made Noah’s anger rise fiercely.

Gritting his teeth, Noah’s voice became harsher as he pressed him.

“Tell me where Scarlett is! Where is she buried? Or… was she even buried at all?”

“……Ha.”

“Wilhelm Hoffman. Have you become the White family’s loyal dog? Why can’t you say anything?”

“Just stop it.”

“What?”

“Theo — no, Noah. You already know, don’t you? You asked that question even though you know the answer.”

“What are you talking about? I don’t know anything.”

Wilhelm stared straight at Noah, who pretended not to know.

Looking at his innocent, yet somehow nasty face, Wilhelm could guess what Noah was trying to do.

Noah already knew Scarlett was alive, but he was pretending not to know to torment him.

What a twisted guy. Then and now, Noah had always been hardworking but never a very good person.

Wilhelm wondered if he should tell someone like Noah the truth. He thought about what Scarlett would want him to do and made his decision.

“What I can tell you is that Scarlett isn’t dead.”

It was shocking news, but Noah didn’t even blink.

There was no sign of doubt, no sign that he thought Wilhelm was joking or lying.

It was as if all warmth had been wiped from Noah’s face.

His violet eyes, mixed with a cold blue, looked icy, and his mouth, which just moments ago had been full of emotion, was now tightly closed.

The way he looked at Wilhelm… it was as cold and empty as a boy returning home alone after a game was over.

“You…”

Noah’s lips twisted as he tried to speak.

He was still a man Noah didn’t like. Boring, annoying, and sickening.

What on earth had Scarlett liked about this man? Even with time, Noah couldn’t understand.

Well, Scarlett herself had always been hard to understand.

“You’re too upright.”

Noah had wanted this game to last longer.

He wanted Wilhelm to struggle more, to desperately hide the truth, to tell more lies and suffer even more.

“So when I’m in front of you, I feel like I’m the villain.”

Whenever he faced Wilhelm, he became a shabby, pitiful man.

Whether Scarlett was there or not, when Wilhelm stood before him, Noah Ashford became a miserable and worthless man, both inside and out.

That’s why he hated him. He hated him and felt sickened by that pure, naive honesty.

He wanted to drag Wilhelm down into the mud and show Scarlett that Wilhelm was no better than anyone else.

Noah’s lips twisted again. His icy voice cut into Wilhelm’s ears.

“So, whose idea was it to fake her death?”

Noah looked like a hunter holding a bow, choosing his target carefully.

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