Chapter 98
98
As Victor turned and walked toward her, Scarlett backed away in fear.
Victor stopped in place.
"Come here, Scarlett."
He extended his hand to Scarlett, who was trembling terribly.
In the early days of their marriage, she had been afraid when he approached, but when he moved away, she would come closer to get his attention—it had made him think of her as a stray cat several times.
Only after Victor called did Scarlett walk toward him.
As Evan had said, perhaps Scarlett was truly erasing her memories of him from her mind. He thought that eventually, he might completely disappear from her head.
For her sake, it might be better if he had never existed in her life to begin with.
However, he couldn't bear that. He wanted her to look at him, even with eyes of hatred. Pathetically, he even wanted to receive her hate.
Victor opened his mouth.
"I'm sorry, Scarlett."
"......For what?"
"Just... sorry."
Scarlett cautiously walked toward Victor, puzzled but careful.
Victor pulled her into an embrace like capturing her and gently stroked her back as she flinched in surprise.
Simply, she gradually found comfort in his touch, her tense back and face relaxing softly.
Victor released her and asked,
"Anything new lately?"
Scarlett shook her head side to side, too shy to lift her face.
"No."
Victor simply held Scarlett still. Only after a long while, when she thought he wouldn't get angry, did Scarlett ask,
"Want to see me practice walking?"
Victor gently grasped her fingertips and said,
"Of course, ma'am."
At his response, Scarlett ran off somewhere and returned with a book, placing it on her head. She straightened her posture and took light steps.
"How's this?"
"Perfect."
He said, gently pulling her body toward him and wrapping his hand around her waist. Then he leaned down and asked,
"Have you learned to dance?"
"Not yet......"
"Try it."
He began leading her skillfully.
Scarlett had no choice but to start dancing the steps she'd learned after marriage. The dance that hadn't gone well even with music played perfectly now with Victor, without any music at all.
She recalled the tutor saying the leader makes the dance. It was true.
Scarlett leaned into Victor's arms, pulled away, then leaned in again. She finally realized dancing could be enjoyable.
As Victor tried to release her, Scarlett shook her head.
"One more time. I think I can do it really well now."
"As many as you want."
He said, taking off his jacket as if it were hot and draping it over a chair.
Scarlett belatedly made an embarrassed face.
"Is it okay to dance in pajamas?"
"It's fine."
"Really?"
Scarlett looked shy but happy. She ran back to Victor and began dancing with him again. As she practiced all the dances she'd learned, Victor led her, and the steps became more ingrained in her body.
After dancing to her heart's content, Scarlett smiled happily.
"Done. Wow, I learned it so fast."
"Good for you."
"I won't get scolded today."
Victor paused at her mutter.
"Scolded?"
"Ah, the dance teacher is really scary......"
"......Scary?"
Victor recalled Scarlett mentioning that once. That the dance teacher was too scary.
Victor had always thought tutors were supposed to be terrifying. That was how his had been when he was young. But now, thinking that one had scared Scarlett made his expression crumple involuntarily.
Victor said,
"I'll tell them."
"Really?"
"Yes."
At his words, Scarlett looked surprised and hurriedly said,
"Then...... could you tell them not to hit me too often......?"
"Hit you?"
"It hurts so much when they hit with the switch."
At Scarlett's words, Victor asked again,
"......The dance teacher hits you?"
"Arms or legs when my form is wrong....... I heard you learned that way too......"
Managing his crumpling expression, Victor said,
"Got it. I'll tell them."
"That's a relief......"
Scarlett sighed in relief and smiled brightly at Victor again.
"Really the last one?"
"I told you. As many as you want."
He said and started dancing again. Even as she danced the now-familiar steps, thoughts of the dance teacher lingered in his mind.
Thinking about it, his father must have had some certainty when he put Scarlett in that monastery without her minding his gaze. Certainty that his son would be indifferent.
The certainty that he, who only charged forward, wouldn't notice anything had driven her to the brink of death.
Noticing Victor dancing while lost in thought, Scarlett slowly stopped first. Then she slipped out of his arms.
Disappointment swallowed her, and her memories erased again. When her mind went blank and returned cleanly, it was an unfamiliar place.
Scarlett stopped and looked around, facing Victor.
An unfamiliar space, an unfamiliar man standing before her. Tears instantly welled up in her eyes. Seeing her fidget like a child, Victor said,
"Evan. Bring that medicine from earlier."
As expected, Evan, who hadn't gone far, opened the door and entered. He handed the medicine to Victor.
After he left silently, Victor clasped his hands behind his back with the medicine in hand and said,
"Miss Scarlett Crimson."
"Who......"
Amid her fear, Scarlett looked at Victor with curiosity and interest.
Victor forced a smile.
"Your husband."
As Scarlett flinched at his words, Victor continued,
"I've come to propose."
"Propose......?"
"Yes. To propose."
"To me...... why? You seem like such a young master."
Victor smiled again at her words and knelt on one knee before her. He slowly removed his glove, took off the wedding ring from his finger, and extended his hand. Scarlett unwittingly offered hers.
Victor slipped the ring onto her finger, but the ring that had fit his hand perfectly spun loosely on hers.
"I'd like you to accept it."
At his words, Scarlett looked at the large ring. Then she looked at Victor's face and nodded.
Victor froze at her action.
Scarlett opened her mouth.
"Yes."
"You've never met me."
"Still......"
Scarlett smiled radiantly.
"I think it's love at first sight."
"......"
"Yes, let's get married."
At her answer, Victor grasped her hand. He was silent for a long time before nodding.
He stood and said,
"I suppose we should kiss."
"R-Right now?"
"Yes, right now."
Scarlett's face turned bright red in an instant, but she soon nodded.
Victor took the medicine in his mouth and kissed Scarlett. She swallowed it in surprise as it passed over.
After the medicine went down fully, Scarlett stood there for a moment. Then she looked up at Victor. The gentle strength always in her eyes returned.
Scarlett looked around.
"......Did I come here again?"
Victor held up the vial.
"That won't happen anymore. I just gave you the antidote."
"What?"
Scarlett asked in disbelief.
"So this means it won't happen again?"
"That's right."
"Thank goodness....... Ah, how long was I like this?"
"Who knows."
"No way......"
Victor realized her frown and words were about pregnancy and answered flatly,
"Couldn't say right now."
At his response, Scarlett glared at him. Then something fell from her hand; looking down, Victor's wedding ring had slipped off and was rolling on the floor.
Scarlett asked,
"What's this? Why do I have it?"
"I gave it to you. The marriage is over."
"Why give it to me?"
"No reason for me to keep it."
He picked up the ring and placed it back in her hand.
"Take it."
There was a hint of desperation in Victor's voice as he said that, so Scarlett reluctantly accepted the ring. Then, as if done with it, she shoved Victor aside and left the room.
After Scarlett left, Victor stood motionless for a long time. He thought the Scarlett who had just left him would never return to his side again.
After thinking it over many times, he looked at his left hand, which he had always kept wearing the wedding ring on in case she might look, ever since the day she came to him forgetting the divorce.
Unable to tear his gaze from his long-bare left hand, he wrapped it around his own neck. He applied a little pressure, then slowly released. A red handprint remained on his neck.