[TIDK] 140 – Look At Me

Early in the morning, an alarm went off on Scarlett’s wristwatch, which was lying on the table. Listening to the clear glass-like sound, her first thought was that she should turn off the alarm. However, another thought crossed her mind.

‘Because the alarm sounds nice, you just want to continue listening to it…’

She thought that she should change the sound of the alarm. Scarlett blamed it for making her continue to lie in bed. She stayed there unable to overcome her fatigue. She couldn’t lift a finger because of how much Viktor had pushed her and because she was lacking sleep.

Viktor rose from the bed, walked toward the narrow table where the watch was, lowered the lever and turned off the alarm. Fortunately, the alarm seemed to work on him. However, his next words were unexpected.

“The sound of the alarm is too pleasant to listen to.”

They seemed to have the same thought.

When Scarlett laughed subconsciously, Viktor glanced at Scarlett. She stopped laughing and hid under the covers in embarrassment.

“…It’s just, I was thinking the same thing.”

Viktor returned to the bed and leaned down, placing one hand on the mattress. With the other, he lifted the blanket from Scarlett’s head. Then he gently placed his hand on her forehead. He seemed to think that last night might have put a strain on her body.

In fact, Scarlett was exhausted. At first, she responded sweetly to his actions. But eventually she couldn’t keep up with Viktor’s stamina. Since something like this had never happened during their marriage, Scarlett couldn’t help but wonder if it was because Viktor hadn’t slept with another woman in a while.

Scarlett forced herself to sit up and asked Viktor. 

“Did I come here again without remembering?”

Scarlett spoke first because she was afraid to reveal her feelings. However, Viktor pulled the blanket away completely.

“That is correct.”

Then he lifted the hem of Scarlett’s silk nightgown to her knees.

“Now that you remember, don’t go back to sleep again.”

Scarlett was embarrassed and immediately tried to pull her nightgown down again. Viktor grabbed her arm to stop her but then froze, seeing the red handprints on her pale thighs. They were dappled with bruises.

Scarlett pulled her arm out of his grasp and covered herself again, embarrassed. 

“O-oh, what are these marks?” Scarlett pretended not to remember. 

“You don’t remember?”

Scarlett nodded quickly.

“No, nothing.”

“It’s not something the man who made these bruises should say, but…I didn’t force you,” Viktor said.

“What are you talking about?” Scarlett looked at Viktor with wide eyes. “I know you’re not the type of person to do that.”

It didn’t make sense that Viktor Dumfelt, who valued honour above all else, would force himself on a woman. But Viktor looked unhappy with her answer.

“You said you don’t remember. How can you trust me?” He probed.

“I just told you, you’re not that kind of person,” she replied.

“It’s not something that you should move on from so easily.”

“What is the problem?” She retorted.

Viktor was silent for a moment. Then he reached out and tried to pull Scarlett closer.

Surprised, Scarlett fell backward onto the bed trying to avoid him. Viktor took advantage of this to lean further down, his shadow falling upon Scarlett’s surprised face. 

“I could be a bad person. No matter what I did, you wouldn’t be able to remember it,” he whispered.

“…”

The tip of Scarlett’s fingers visibly twitched at his words.

She made eye contact with Viktor, who was observing her closely. Scarlett recognised that his gaze was currently not as gentlemanly as she remembered.

A strange chill flared like a blue flame in his dark blue eyes. Scarlett opened her lips thinking she had to say something, but she found that no words would come out and finally gave up trying to answer.

Viktor’s heavy voice sounded again.

“As I said before, I regret letting you go,  when you brought the divorce papers.” Then he gently placed his fingers on Scarlett’s neck.

“You think I forgot the divorce and pushed you away because I didn’t want to hold you?” He asked softly.

Scarlett remembered that last night. At times, Viktor had been rough. Scarlett’s mind had been clouded by pleasure and she had forgotten about it. Only by looking at the handprints remaining on her wrists and thighs could she remember his hunger. Viktor had really acted like a crazy beast last night.

“Look at me,” he spoke.

When she blushed and tried to avert her gaze, Viktor grabbed Scarlett’s chin, willing her eyes to meet his.

It was rather good that he had acted the way he did, she thought. If he had only been sweet, her heart would have been swayed.