Chapter 11
Her heart sank. How could Scarlett possibly be involved with loan sharks? This was all Noah’s fault.
“Hurry up and get inside, I said.”
The loan shark, Philip, shoved Scarlett forward. She coughed and grimaced. The warehouse was filthy and damp, made worse by her presence there.
“You okay?”
Noah quickly wrapped a blanket around Scarlett’s shoulders. She leaned into him weakly, letting him support her.
Her eyes looked darker, perhaps because of the shadowed lighting. She opened her mouth, swaying as if she might collapse.
“I won’t resist. So don’t tie my hands. I need to take my medicine.”
“What? Medicine? Geez, rich folks and their demands. No need for medicine—don’t worry about it.”
Scarlett, now seated and with her wrists bound behind her, watched blankly as the loan shark tied up her ankles. When he moved to blindfold her, she spoke up quickly.
“Don’t cover my eyes. What do you think will happen if I have a seizure? You realize your only chance of escaping this country alive is if I stay alive. You know there’s a shoot-on-sight order for escaped murderers, right?”
Philip stared at her, visibly shaken for a moment.
He checked her complexion and then, instead of blindfolding her, gagged her with the cloth meant for her eyes. Still, with a scoff, he blindfolded her anyway.
Contrary to Noah’s expectation that she’d resist or scream, Scarlett obediently complied. It was as if she’d been trained for such situations.
Instead, it was Noah who resisted and got hit. A punch to the solar plexus left him gasping as they tied his arms and legs and blindfolded him too.
Noah couldn’t bear it. He was terrified for Scarlett. If she had a seizure, she might die right then and there.
“Mmph! Mmph!”
He twisted his body, trying to loosen the ropes. The gauze in his mouth muffled his cries.
We’re going to die.
He knew exactly what kind of monsters had abducted them—and he could guess their fate.
They had no intention of letting them live. That’s why they hadn’t even bothered hiding their faces.
If they’d planned to let them go, they would’ve gone to great lengths to mask their identities.
More than anything… if someone had kidnapped Scarlett, it meant one of them had already decided to die. Because she belonged to White.
There was no time. The kidnappers would act before Cravitz could find them.
Is Scarlett okay? Has she had a seizure out of fear?
Noah’s heart pounded.
I need to get these ropes off. Fast.
He remembered the time he was sold as a slave on a southern whaling ship. After relentless exploitation and constant danger, he discovered something he hadn’t known about himself.
Should I use my strength? But…
It was a power he had never revealed to anyone. Something meant to be buried forever—because it had killed people. He feared having to use it again.
Meanwhile, Scarlett fought against the rising tide of terror that spread through her like a damp stain on fabric.
No matter how terrifying this is, it can’t be worse than the hunts I endure every night.
Still, the fear gnawed at her fragile heart.
Last time I was killed by Noah Ashford. Now, thanks to him, I’ll die tangled up with these thugs.
As she thought this, the faces of her young nephews flashed in her mind.
No… I can’t die here. I have to stop Abigail from falling ill. And Isaac… Isaac…
If she died, the horrific future would repeat itself. She couldn’t allow that.
She forced herself to breathe in rhythm, tamping down her panic. The more time passed, the more tears spilled from her eyes.
Cravitz knows everything. He’ll find us soon.
Her breathing grew ragged. Her heart thundered. The memories played vividly in her mind, just as they did every time she fell asleep.
The blood flowing from Isaac had been warm. The metallic smell, the strained breaths, the shifting air around her…
“Mmph!”
Scarlett couldn’t breathe. Her bound limbs trembled. The cloth over her eyes soaked through with tears.
John! Susan! Scott!
“Mmmph!”
Help me. Please. I can’t die now. I still have to kill Noah Ashford. Only then will Isaac be safe.
She began to thrash. Her vision spun with hyperventilation.
Footsteps echoed. It was the same phantom sound that haunted her whenever Noah Ashford chased her.
The soft, labored breaths belonged to Isaac.
Why did you kill me? Why did you hunt me? What for—what reason?
“Mmm… ngh…”
Scarlett saw white behind her closed eyes.
Her head reeled. Her heart felt like it would burst. Her limbs went numb, and her strength ebbed. The scent of death was heavy in the air.
With one final burst of strength, she struggled. The chair tipped over with a crash.
When her head hit the ground, pain shot through her, and more tears flowed.
It was close. So close. She was about to die again—pathetically, like this. In this life, as in the last, a normal death seemed forever out of reach.
Then, she felt it.
Her hands were free.
The blindfold came off, the gag was removed.
Light poured in—but she couldn’t see a thing. She clung to Noah and sobbed uncontrollably.
“Don’t hurt Isaac. Please. Kill me instead.”
She gasped for air between sobs, her face pale and soaked with tears. Still, her lips repeated the same plea.
Kill me instead.
Noah stood frozen, speechless in front of her violent seizure. Then he shook her gently.
“Scarlett. Snap out of it. It’s me.”
“Isaac mustn’t… Isaac… Noah?”
“Yeah, it’s me. You’re safe now. Everything’s going to be okay.”
“Please, just kill me. I’m begging you. Kill only me. Leave Isaac alone.”
Scarlett was in a full-blown panic. Her eyes were unfocused, her grip on Noah’s arm ice-cold.
Noah didn’t know how to calm her. So he simply held her and whispered:
“You and Isaac will both be okay.”
Still, Scarlett trembled and sobbed as if that was the only sentence left in the world to say.
Noah felt her body heaving.
No matter how many times he reassured her, she couldn’t calm down. So he wrapped her in his arms and gently patted her back.
“You’re okay. I’ll protect you.”
You won’t die here.
It was the same gesture Mr. White had once shown Noah when he was a child, scared by thunder.
It’s okay. I’ll protect you. No matter what happens, I’ll protect you.
So this, Noah thought, was just him returning the favor to Scarlett’s father.
He desperately wished she would calm down.
If something happened to her, he would never forgive himself.
Above all, Mr. White had been the only one to protect Noah from his reckless mother.
So in this moment, Noah felt it was his responsibility to protect Scarlett.
“You’re safe. Don’t worry. I’ve got you.”
Scarlett’s breathing slowed. Her tears dried. Her panic subsided, bit by bit.
Noah felt the coldness of her body. With her heart racing like that, she should’ve been warm—but she was freezing.
What’s wrong with her?
Is this what happens when you lose love—do you end up like Scarlett?
Her body relaxed. She leaned her face against his chest. In a faint, tired murmur, she spoke:
“You’ll only kill me, right? Promise me. You won’t touch Isaac.”
“You’ll both be safe.”
“Swear it.”
“I swear. …Are you okay?”
Why did she suddenly feel so much like his little sister?
Was it because she reminded him of Mr. White?
Noah felt an unfamiliar emotion stir in him as she clung to him.
Her words were full of venom, but in truth, she was painfully fragile. He felt an overwhelming sense of pity.
Guilt, sorrow, and affection all tangled inside him. Scarlett seemed like a lost fawn caught in a trap.
“Carry me.”
Normally it would’ve been a sharp command, but now her tone was soft and pleading, like a little girl asking her older brothers.
Noah picked her up on his back. Scarlett, as if trying to stop him from killing her, weakly wrapped her arms around his neck.
His warmth comforted her. That was undeniable. His whispered promises lightened the burden in her chest.
Scarlett began to cry again. She realized—only Noah Ashford could break her nightmares.
Only the certainty that he wouldn’t hurt Isaac could save her. Only his death could truly give her peace.
“We’ll get out of here alive.”
Noah, thinking Scarlett was still scared, tried to comfort her.
Her long red hair tickled his cheek. She was so small and light. The tears soaking his shoulder made something stir in his heart.
It must be the danger. That’s all it is, he told himself.
“It’s okay. I’ll protect you no matter what. We’ll make it back safe.”
“No. We’ll die,” Scarlett replied, her voice hoarse.
Noah looked around the warehouse and spoke softly to her.
“Think about Isaac. We have to go see him.”
“…Yeah. My poor little croissant.”
The sound of her sniffles made Noah’s heart ache. It was like a muddy path trampled by a crowd in the rain.
Scarlett seemed much younger than her age. She had survived with prickly defenses masking a fragile heart.
She was a girl who’d never had the chance to grow up. Noah felt a small sense of guilt for that.
And at this moment, he was the only one she could rely on. It was both a heavy burden and a strangely welcome one.
For the first time, his life felt forgiven—like it had meaning.
“You really love Isaac, huh?”
“He deserves all the love in the world.”
They didn’t know where they were, but by now, Cravitz was probably looking for them. Maybe the White family had already been contacted.
As Noah formulated an escape plan, he asked Scarlett:
“Why do you feel that way?”
“Isaac lost his father before he was even born. Chris was already sick when Susan met him. The moment I first saw my croissant, I thought—I hope he never feels as lonely as I did.”
Noah’s chest tightened.
Scarlett had projected herself onto Isaac. Simply because he had no father. She had spent her life feeling alone.
She rambled on, barely making sense. It seemed like she didn’t even know what she was saying—just speaking to fight the fear.
“Aaron never stays home. I guess he still finds it too painful. He told Andrew he doesn’t think he can ever have a normal family.”
“…I see.”
“Isaac wants to call Scott dad, not uncle. Scott’s the only adult man who plays with him. John has his own family and is always busy. Aaron never comes home. Andrew’s at seminary. I get it.”
“You felt the same?”
“I called John ‘dad’ until I was Isaac’s age.”
Noah felt magic gathering at his fingertips.
The sensation of blood soaking his hands came back. That day, the ship Noah was on had split and sunk completely.
He kept talking to Scarlett.
“How did Isaac end up with the nickname ‘Croissant’?”
“His curly hair… it looks like a croissant…”
The door creaked open. Noah shouted:
“Scarlett! Close your eyes!”
Scarlett buried her face in his shoulder and shut her eyes. Noah’s eyes glowed violet.
