Chapter 8
“I’ll pay back the money… eventually.”
“Eventually? You think you can repay that amount? After I’m dead?”
“You can take the money back if you want.”
“So, you’re basically saying you’d rather be sold off as a slave. Before I die, you should at least pay for your sins and ask for forgiveness. Or at least try to sweet-talk me into it.”
“I…”
‘I have a lot to apologize for, but I don’t want to grovel.’
But the words that rose to his throat were swallowed the moment he saw Scarlett’s pale lips.
Her cold, ash-gray eyes stared directly at Noah. She asked,
“What are you thinking about?”
“Why did you pay off my debt?”
“Was it wrong to be the first to reach out? If you think harboring resentment justifies all your actions, isn’t that a bit too black-and-white?”
“But it was too much money…”
And Scarlett was someone who deserved to be seen in black, not white.
“Maybe to you. When Wilhelm comes, tell him I already went to class.”
With a sour expression, Scarlett brushed past Noah, clearly displeased. Before long, Wilhelm returned. Looking sheepish, he shuffled toward Noah, who asked him quietly,
“Please keep it a secret.”
“Okay.”
Wilhelm said no more. He didn’t ask anything. Noah stood there, choosing his words, then let out a sigh.
“Let’s head to class. It must’ve started already.”
“Wait a sec.”
Noah’s deep blue eyes carefully scanned Wilhelm, but there wasn’t a hint of malice in his gaze.
“Don’t worry. I’m Scarlett’s friend. Whatever’s going on between you two, I’m ready to keep quiet.”
“Thanks.”
Though it happened behind the building, someone must’ve witnessed the encounter between the three.
They didn’t hear the full conversation, but rumors spread that Noah was a troublemaker being chased by loan sharks. Before long, he became someone everyone avoided.
The bullying started with small things.
“Don’t sit there. I don’t want you anywhere near me.”
Scarlett didn’t like Noah sitting where he could watch her from behind. Besides, she disliked how teachers’ attention was drawn to her because of the honors student seated nearby.
Other students, having seen how Scarlett treated Noah, assumed she held a grudge and began following her lead.
Scarlett was part of one of the most elite families even within Wifland—the youngest and most beloved of the powerful White family, which had wealth, fame, and influence.
So naturally, the students tried to please her.
“Maybe he’s the son of a prostitute. Or a whore himself.”
“Hey, Grisham! You said you’d do anything for money, right? I’ll give you 10 million Berks—want to lick my toe?”
Having grown up in the slums, Noah was used to this kind of humiliation. Where sewers run deep, worse things happen.
Scarlett frowned at their insults but took no further action. Wilhelm, however, was different.
“Stop it. Your words and behavior are unbelievably vulgar.”
“And where’d you learn Wiflandian? You talk like you’re from a hundred years ago.”
The bickering escalated. Just when fists seemed ready to fly, Scarlett stepped in.
“Enough.”
With that single word, the commotion ended. From that moment, both Noah and Wilhelm realized just how far-reaching the White family’s influence was in Wifland.
Railways, mines, banks, arms industries—even parliament. There was hardly a sector untouched by the Whites.
Meanwhile, Wilhelm’s anger simmered. He found Scarlett’s inaction cowardly, especially since she was the one who indirectly caused the rumors and relied on Theo Grisham to get by at school.
It wasn’t right. At the very least, Scarlett owed Theo some form of defense.
What she did wasn’t just unjust—it also went against Wilhelm’s own values. Most of all, he saw no respect or gratitude from Scarlett toward others.
“No matter how bad things are between you two, letting Grisham be humiliated like that is cowardly. People treat him that way because you treat him like trash.”
“If others mistreat him just because of how I act, then they’re the problem. I already introduced him as someone I’ve known since childhood. That should’ve earned him respect. If he’s still treated like this, maybe the issue lies with him.”
Scarlett added as if it was ridiculous she should care about such trivial matters.
“And it’s his responsibility to put out the rumor—half true, half false—that he got beaten up by a loan shark over new debt.”
“People assume you bought him off. That’s why.”
“Because I did.”
Wilhelm stared at her, disgusted by her haughty tone and indifferent gaze. At that, Scarlett’s eyes briefly wavered—but she bit her pale lips and looked away.
Theo Grisham—no, Noah Ashford—was a line she would never cross.
Wilhelm couldn’t take it anymore and raised his voice.
“He’s your half-brother, isn’t he?!”
“Just because we share blood doesn’t make us family. If you don’t know anything, shut up and stay out of it!”
Fire raged in Scarlett’s gray eyes. Trembling with fury, she stormed off to find Noah. He was eating a cheap sandwich at the Iodes cafeteria.
Scarlett made sure Wilhelm had followed her. Then, without hesitation, she opened a milk bottle and dumped it on Noah’s head.
“Watch closely. This is what cowardice looks like. Even after this, he won’t say a word to me.”
“You—!”
Wilhelm hurriedly took out a handkerchief to wipe the milk off. Noah raised a hand to show he was fine. Then, he handed the handkerchief to Scarlett.
“You got some milk on your skirt.”
Scarlett took it and wiped her skirt as if it were the most natural thing. The power dynamic between them was crystal clear. Wilhelm was appalled.
“I must’ve misjudged you. If I knew you were this cruel, I never would’ve tried to befriend you.”
“Stay out of this, third party.”
Scarlett left the cafeteria, pretending not to hear him. She returned home instead of heading to her villa.
The White mansion felt desolate without her brothers. The silence in that vast space felt hollow.
That hollowness was the deepest emotion buried in Scarlett’s chest. An emptiness nothing could fill, now brushing up against the fear of dying alone.
She was afraid—afraid of being killed, and of death itself.
As she entered the house, she ran into Susan, who was working from home and had stepped out for tea. Susan asked,
“Shouldn’t you be at school?”
“I wanted to see Isaac.”
“He’s napping. What about class?”
“Can’t you just ask how I’m doing?”
“You stopped by just a few days ago. You looked great then—like a boy tossing his cap in the air, finally free from meddling.”
When Susan sounded disappointed, Scarlett gave a faint smile and linked arms with her.
“It’s my first time living alone. Sometimes, I get scared.”
“Scared someone will break in?”
“I just want to see my family when I die. In that moment.”
Susan lightly pinched the back of her hand. She believed words had power, and disliked Scarlett speaking as if something bad would happen.
“Nothing’s going to happen to you.”
“You never know with people.”
“If your health is that bad, move back in.”
“It was just a joke.”
“By the way, what did you spill on your skirt?”
“A classmate accidentally spilled milk on me.”
“Oh dear. Must be a clumsy one.”
Not all orphans turned out the same, but Scarlett had survived many brushes with death growing up. Her brothers, clumsy at parenting, always felt guilty.
That guilt made them unusually soft with her.
But the Whites were not a gentle-natured family. In fact, hysterical and sharp-tempered Scarlett was the most mild-mannered among her siblings.
Each of her brothers held executive positions in major companies—and each had their own ruthless streak.
Even Susan, the largest shareholder of White Bank, was known to ruthlessly corner men old enough to be her father during shareholder meetings.
Which is why Scarlett had to keep her involvement with Noah a secret. If her family found out, they wouldn’t let it slide.
“How’s school?”
“I thought Cravitz knew everything.”
“Cravitz is Scott’s intel network. I try not to dig into your private life.”
“Right, we agreed on that. The classes are boring, but the way people act is fascinating. They’re so pathetic, always watching me nervously.”
“Isaac better not grow up like you.”
“You didn’t raise me like this. And Isaac’s more like his father—he’ll grow up just fine. But Susan, I wanted to ask you something.”
“What is it?”
“You meet all sorts of people at shareholder meetings. Sometimes you have to ally with people you really hate—what do you do then?”
Susan stared at Scarlett, trying to read between the lines. But Scarlett just shrugged and smiled faintly.
Knowing she didn’t want to explain further, Susan replied,
“Then think about the benefits you’ll gain and what you need to protect through the alliance. You’re both wearing masks for the same reason. So ignore your feelings and focus on your goal.”
“I see… I miss Isaac.”
“Don’t wake him just because you miss him.”
“Seeing him gives me strength.”
If there was anything to gain from killing Noah, it was Isaac’s safety. That’s why she got close to him in the first place.
Scarlett swallowed a secret she could never tell anyone.
If she said she’d traveled through time, her brothers would throw her in a hospital. If she spoke of revenge against Noah Ashford, they’d call it filth and take away her chance to do it herself.
But if revenge had its own rightful share, then Scarlett wanted hers—no matter what her brothers said. Because the loneliness lodged in her chest belonged to Noah Ashford.
“I should be nicer.”
“To someone you hate?”
“Yeah. He’s giving me something money can’t buy.”
“Can I ask what?”
“Hm… I’ll explain later.”
Once her revenge was over, she’d share some of it.
Scarlett resolved to deal with those tormenting Noah at Iodes tomorrow.
Seeing his face always made her swallow her kinder words, but with only 200 days left to live, it was time to act rationally for the sake of revenge.
She went to Isaac’s room and kissed his curly hair as he slept. Carefully, she lay down beside him.
“Isaac. Auntie will protect you.”
For Isaac’s sake, Scarlett could even hold Noah’s hand and dance. For Isaac, she’d do anything.
So now, she’d suppress her boiling anger, and—as Susan said—act with reason.
This was a long, drawn-out performance. A play to lure Noah in, win his trust, and then reveal everything had been a lie—dragging him into ruin.
Starring Scarlett White and Noah Ashford. Ending with Noah Ashford’s death.
Scarlett renewed her vow. No more torment. It was time to win him over. Time to control the fury that made her lash out with sharp words.
