[TIDK] 39 – Come Back, Because I Love You

The situation was a cause of embarrassment for Scarlett. However, when he explained that the thumb of the prosthetic limb was defective, she harrumphed and sat at their table.

Nicholas awkwardly moved out of the way and removed his prosthetic arm.

“This... ma’am, no, my lady, I owe you.” He spoke.

“How are you?”

Nico was incredibly bothered and uncomfortable to be caught in the middle of the divorced couple’s bicker – alas, he had no chance to escape.

Meanwhile, Scarlett took out a toolbox from the bag she always carried around like it was a part of her own body.

Scarlett fixed the spring of the prosthetic arm with a wooden rod and pulled out a single fixed cog. She made the cogs out of silver, a metal to which she was accustomed.

The elaborate cog works made her look like a peerless craftsman: age was not a factor in her ability.

After a while, Scarlett changed the cogs, carefully moved the mainspring, and spoke to Nicholas.

“Try moving your thumb.”

At that, Nicholas moved his thumb, sceptical. Nicholas’ face quickly brightened as his thumb moved, incomparably smoother than before.

“Wow, it’s moving! Oh, my God, it’s incredible!”

Nicholas was overjoyed that Scarlett and Viktor, who watched from behind, smiled.

No matter how many times he clenched his fist, opened it, and repeated it, Nicholas was amazed.

“Thank you ever so much! My wife and I run an ice cream shop. Please tell me when you pass by! I’ll give you free ice cream for the rest of your life!”

“It doesn’t have to be for the rest of my life, but I’ll be dropping by soon.”

Scarlett bid him farewell, delighted.

After bowing a few more times, Nicholas left.

In the office, the noise died down. Only silence remained. Viktor held a teacup and then displaced it.

“I didn’t expect you to come on your own feet,” he said.

“You were going to come after me anyway.”

“No, I wasn’t going to go because I was afraid I’d die at your hands.”

Scarlett gave a giddy laugh at Viktor’s rare joke.

“So what are you going to do?” She asked.

“Think about it later.”

“Why do you hate being asked to come back to me?” Viktor looked at Scarlett questioningly.

“Why do you want to see me again? How can divorce hold you back in your life? Or are you too lazy to find another girl?”

“Because I love you.”

His nonchalant reply left her speechless.

Scarlett asked after staring at Viktor for a while.

“What?”

“I’m telling you to come back because I love you. Is there any other reason?”

Viktor’s casual words became a pointed weapon and scratched Scarlett’s insides.

She closed her eyes for a moment, then looked up at him and said,

“You lived with everything you desired, right?”

“Well.”

“Did you feel bad about being divorced?”

Viktor didn’t answer when she asked coldly.

Scarlett continued.

“You should have thrown me away first. Is it because it hurts your pride?”

“I don’t think so.”

“Or are you sorry that you helped me?”

At this point, she thought the average person would be angry. But Viktor listened to Scarlett, unwavering.

“If I hadn’t loved you, then I wouldn’t have divorced you,” Scarlett murmured.

“Isn’t it the other way around?”

“No. I do. If I didn’t love you, I wouldn’t expect anything from you. I kept looking forward to it because I loved you, and that’s why I was disappointed.”

She felt drunk.

Scarlett forced herself to breathe.

“I mean... I’m to blame for the divorce. It’s my fault, okay?”

“...”

“Between a divorced couple, how can I bend my pride more than this? I loved you so much that I felt like I would die alone. I was tired of running around all by myself. Maybe that’s why I betrayed you. I’ve had enough of you. I have no reason to be loyal to you.”

“But there was nothing to betray.”

Scarlett sneered at his words.

“Anyway... there was no other way but to divorce. You can’t forgive me, and I’ve already done it. Divorce – it was the perfect choice.”

“You should have told me the truth. You betrayed me because you were sick of me.”

“I told you the truth. I don’t remember.”

“Are you still talking about that?”

Scarlett put her hands together and pressed her stomach against the feelings of that day again.

“Yes. I’m still talking about that.”

“Fine, let’s do that. Now come on, what does it matter?” Viktor said.

Scarlett knew there was still anger in the corner of Viktor’s calm face.

Being royalty to him was a lifelong dream. Scarlett knew that she couldn’t pretend it didn’t happen because she didn't remember.

Scarlett looked up and spoke to him.

“I’m sorry, Viktor.”

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