Chapter 005
Every night, those cold, piercing blue eyes kill me. Even as I gasped for breath, stabbed five times, and was unable to draw air into my lungs, I begged.
‘Please spare Isaac.’
I don’t know if Isaac lived or died.
Rewinding time is something unimaginable for a human like me, so sometimes I wonder if the future where I died already played out.
In a world without me, did Isaac survive and grow into an adult?
‘Get a grip.’
What matters is that looking Noah Ashford in the eye is suffocatingly difficult. The memory of those eyes that killed me is still vivid. The man who tried to kill Isaac is standing right here.
“You’re…”
My voice trembled. Stupid Scarlett White!
I knew the moment I bribed the dean that he’d be assigned as my assistant, but I still pretended not to know.
“…my assistant?”
“Yeah. I’ll be with you all the time while you’re at school. I heard your health isn’t great. Is there anything I should be careful about?”
“…You…”
You’re the only one I need to be careful of.
“Hm?”
“I can’t stay in the sun for more than ten minutes.”
“I didn’t know it was that bad. You don’t look well. Let’s go inside.”
Both his gaze and complexion were completely different from what I’d seen in my dreams. The word “hunt” didn’t suit the man standing before me.
Even so, just meeting his eyes made me feel like my legs were about to give out. I took a deep breath and barely managed to speak.
“Just give me my first class schedule.”
“Oh, right. Here. Your first class is Introduction to Economics.”
He handed me a piece of paper. The movement overlapped with the memory of him swinging a knife, and I reflexively flinched. Tears welled up without me realizing it.
Is he going to kill me again? And if so, will it be the knife again? Would striking first even help?
My body swayed with fear. Noah Ashford reached out to steady me.
The shock was so great that a scream escaped my lips. He jerked back, startled, and quickly asked,
“Are you okay? Should I call the doctor—”
“Don’t worry about it! I know my body better than anyone!”
“Still, if you’re in a lot of pain, let me know. I’m here for that, after all.”
“…Is that all? Nothing else you want to say?”
His golden hair shimmered brilliantly in the sunlight. At a glance, it was hard to believe he had any reason to kill me.
But his sun-kissed skin suggested he spent quite a bit of time outdoors, hinting that he must’ve needed money pretty badly.
Was it all because of money? Why the hell…?
Noah Ashford hesitated before responding.
“…It’s nice to meet you?”
Were we really at the point where we’d be glad to meet? My head felt cooler, and a courage I didn’t have before started to build. Maybe the medicine was finally kicking in.
Noah Ashford didn’t flinch at my sarcasm. He just kept his mouth in a firm line, staying silent. When I didn’t say anything, he finally spoke.
“I’ve reserved a seat for you. The class will start soon. Let’s go.”
Noah Ashford took the lead. As I followed behind him, I whispered to myself.
‘You need to stay strong. If you fall, Isaac dies too. You have to kill that bastard first. Then everything will be fine.’
At least I wouldn’t get stabbed to death five times again.
I fidgeted with the magic bullet in my pocket. Scott had it custom made for me in the shape of a pen after I begged him.
Noah asked, “Any reason you decided to major in economics?”
“And you?”
In society magazines, people speculated why the youngest member of the White family, who didn’t even have a solid reputation, would enroll at Iodes Academy.
The Norton newspaper guessed that I was planning to follow my siblings and get into business, while others wondered what field the White family would enter next.
But my only goal was to stay close to him and eliminate him at the right moment. There was no other reason.
“Because economics is fun.”
Noah Ashford answered dryly as he opened the classroom door. Dozens of eyes immediately turned toward me.
“Theo. Over here.”
A guy at the front, who seemed to know him, waved. I walked straight to the back.
“I’m not sitting in the front.”
I found the farthest seat and sat down. Just the ride in the carriage had already worn me out.
To my disgust, Noah Ashford tried to sit next to me, and I reflexively yelled out.
“Don’t even think about sticking next to me until class starts!”
My heart pounded in my ears. My hands trembled. He blushed slightly with embarrassment, then asked with a serious face,
“Sorry. Am I making you uncomfortable?”
“No, no. It’s fine. I’m just a little tense today.”
“How about taking some more sedatives?”
“Don’t overstep your boundaries. I’ll handle it.”
In the end, he sat down next to me.
My heart pounded, and my chest tightened. I couldn’t think of anything because all my attention was focused on the presence beside me. The moment I was killed played over in my mind dozens of times.
Even though I’d swallowed a hefty dose of sedatives, I couldn’t calm down. My body trembled uncontrollably, and he called my name cautiously.
“White?”
“I’m fine.”
“Do you have your medications?” In your bag?”
“Don’t worry about it.”
I could still hold on for now.
John, Aaron, Susan, Scott, Andrew, Abigail, and Isaac.
I silently recited the names of my family. Once I thought of their faces, the faces of those I love, I felt somewhat calmer.
But when I looked at the killer sitting next to me with concern on his face, anger boiled up inside me. How weak must I be to deserve such a look?
Just then, the professor entered, and the lecture began. Professor Diego called out each student’s name, checking their faces.
“Scarlett White. Oh, you must be Aaron White’s sibling.”
“Yes. He’s one of my older brothers.”
“He was an excellent student. I still believe that if Aaron had stuck to economic research, he’d have achieved remarkable things. It’s a shame he went into corporate studies instead.”
Aaron didn’t like Professor Diego. As a foreigner, Diego was known for his strong sense of status and often treated students differently based on their status. He stroked his white beard, studying me carefully.
“I didn’t know Aaron had such a young sibling.”
Before my generation, the White family hadn’t had many children, so there were no distant relatives. My parents were famously close, so when my father, Alex White, had an affair, it was a scandal that shook the capital.
Few people knew about my mother’s premature delivery, but anyone who knew my age would naturally think about that incident. So I deliberately changed the subject.
“I’ll make sure to pass on your regards to Aaron.”
“Oh, please do. And tell him I enjoyed the wine he sent me last Thanksgiving. Also, I heard his health hasn’t been well—how is he doing?”
“He’s fine. No need to worry.”
While Professor Diego was distracted talking to me, Noah Ashford was skimming through his book. The fact that I was still tense and watching him closely in this situation infuriated me.
“I was lucky that someone who knows me well applied for the assistant position on my behalf.”
“Oh, so you have an assistant?”
Noah Ashford lifted his head. For a moment, a look of surprise crossed his face.
Our eyes met in the air. I forced a smile at him. Professor Diego’s gaze shifted toward him.
“What’s your name?”
“Teo… Grisham. It seems there’s a misunderstanding, but I’m not acquainted with Miss White—”
“Oh, you’re the top student!”
Professor Diego cut him off, exclaiming loudly.
“What’s your relationship with Miss White?”
“We’re childhood friends.”
I answered for him.
If I was going to make his life hell, it would be better for him to be seen as an old friend rather than just some random acquaintance. That way, no one would bat an eye at whatever I did to him.
People tend to tolerate more when you’ve known someone for a long time.
“Oh, I’ve never heard of the Grisham family…”
“They’re about to make a name for themselves.”
“Hahaha, that’s right.”
Professor Diego didn’t ask any more questions about Teo Grisham and moved on. He likely assumed that even though the family was lowly now, they had potential and were connecting with the White family for that reason.
After taking his time evaluating the students, Professor Diego finally started the class.
Throughout the lecture, I felt a few students’ gazes on me. I knew their curiosity wasn’t the only emotion in those stares.
“Miss White, why don’t you read the next passage?”
As I scrambled to find the right paragraph, Noah Ashford spoke up.
“Professor, I think Miss White isn’t feeling well because it’s her first day in class, and she’s very nervous. Would it be okay if I read in her place as her assistant?”
“Oh, by all means. It’s wonderful to see such close friends.”
He smiled awkwardly.
It felt humiliating to receive help from Teo Grisham. As I was heading to the next class after the lecture ended, I called out to Noah Ashford.
“I didn’t need your help earlier.”
“Really? You looked like you needed it.”
His tone was sarcastic. It irritated me. He was probably annoyed at how I kept getting involved with him, but honestly, I was the one more bothered by his presence.
Even before meeting Noah Ashford, his existence alone had already messed up my life, forcing me to live like a patient. So, what difference did a little lie make?
I was so angry that I forgot my fear of him and snapped back.
“I don’t need your help.”
“Then I guess I should cancel being your assistant.”
What the hell was he playing at? Maybe he was trying to look relaxed in front of me, just like how I was forcing myself to appear calm.
From what I’d found out, he was in desperate need of money. He had a lot of debt and needed to cover both his living expenses and his mother’s medical bills. A crooked smile crept onto my face.
“You need the money, don’t you? Can you handle it if you quit?”
His eyebrows shot up. I pressed again.
“Isn’t the reason you applied to be my assistant because you need the money?”
“Yeah, but if you don’t need me—”
“I’m the one who decides whether you’re needed or not, not you. All you have to do is stick around and take care of me.”
“Take care of you? I’m an assistant, not a servant.”
His eyes blazed with pride. I couldn’t help but smirk.
I took a step closer to him. His blue eyes became even more vivid as I closed the distance, but I forced myself not to tremble.
Weren’t Noah Ashford’s eyes purple in the dream? The color was different, but I decided it wasn’t important.
People’s eye colors can change as they age, and I had been so out of it, drenched in blood, that my vision hadn’t been normal.
“Servant? What a joke. You’re practically in a position where you’ll end up living like a slave.”
His eyebrow twitched.
“You’ve been digging into my life?”
“Why wouldn’t I?”
“I’m going to report this to the school. This is unacceptable.”
“No, you won’t.”
I grabbed his arm as he tried to walk past me. A shiver ran up my arm.
“You owe me a debt.”
A debt just for existing. A debt inherited from the original sin of your mother. And as if that wasn’t enough, you killed me.
“What are you talking about…?”
A good idea crossed my mind. A perfect way to take revenge.
“You think I wouldn’t know?”
“Know what? Wait… You don’t mean…”
“How could I not know the one who made me die slowly because of you and your mother?”
My lips curled into a smile so wide it nearly split my face. His face instantly hardened, darkening like he’d just heard something he wished he hadn’t.
“I’ve missed you so much.”
Andrew often told Scott, “Forgiveness is the best revenge.” But I’ve always believed that was a lie. So, I won’t forgive.
I’ll just pretend to forgive, hand over everything, then take it all back and throw him into the gutter. Then he can die just like me.
Just like how I begged not to kill Isaac, he’ll beg me not to kill his mother.
I’ll make sure he waits, desperate, for the moment his mother bleeds out in a pool of her own blood, crying out in agony until she takes her last breath.
“It’s nice to see you.”
I’ll kill you and fall into hell. After I destroy you with my own hands, I’ll—
“Noah Ashford.”
—live in the same hell as you.
