[TIDK] 92 – A Skilful Liar

Scarlett’s face turned red, and Viktor turned to them.

“Get out of here, except the doctor.”

Scarlett covered her cheeks with her hands and told Viktor.

“Oh, my God, they must have heard it all. I’m so ashamed of myself...”

Viktor asked, “Can’t people know that you love me?”

Scarlett looked up at what he said, “What’s wrong with you today? Is it because you’re drunk?”

“Probably.”

“It’s so nice for you to be drunk.”

Viktor realised that Scarlett was only looking at him in this chaotic situation.

He focused on every word she said and considered whether it was worthwhile to answer her.

Viktor left her bedroom for a moment while the doctor examined her. Evan, Blythe, and Pallin stood in the hallway after hearing that Scarlett had forgotten about her divorce. Pallin opened his mouth.

“Is your wife out of her mind?”

Evan slapped the back of his head.

Pallin realised he made a slip of the tongue and zipped his mouth shut. He had forgotten how much Viktor hated the phrase “lost her mind” for a moment. If Evan hadn’t hit him, Viktor would have.

Viktor replied, “Maybe she’s lying.”

At that, Pallin once again spoke with conviction, “She’s not someone who can lie so nonchalantly. It’s not worth it.”

“So, she’s just not in her right mind?”

“… That’s what I think.”

“Not possible.”

“What?”

When Pallin asked again, Viktor continued, “I sent her to the monastery. It’s not possible unless it’s a lie.” Viktor turned his head and looked inside the bedroom.

Sitting in bed, Scarlett chatted with the doctor, who had told her not to be surprised.

After a while, the doctor came out, and Viktor stepped down from the Navy. The doctor spoke embarrassingly, “There is no health problem, but she has no memory of the past year. For me... I can only assume it’s a psychological cause. Why don’t you bring in another doctor?”

“What’s the probability of lying?”

“If it’s not a psychological cause, there’s a chance it’s a lie, but I can’t confirm it. I’m sorry, but it seems clear that she caught a cold last night.” She had a cold because she wandered around so much late at night.

After the doctor left, Viktor returned to the bedroom, placed his hand on the bed, and looked down at Scarlett.

She must be an outstanding liar and performer. That’s why she had to be lying to himself.

He wrapped her long, light golden hair around his hand, feeling tied to the complex, dark feeling aroused by Scarlett. Scarlett opened her eyes because the touch was rather rough. Their eyes met for a while in the dark space.

Viktor spoke first, “What do you want? Tell me what you want.”

Scarlett, who couldn’t get out of bed, begged when she felt the roughness tangled in his voice, “Will you love me?”

Viktor smiled despondently because of the vigor in her words, “How? How much longer?”

“As much as you can to make me feel happy.”

“...”

“Viktor. I’m not happy these days.” One day Viktor remembered the lonely voice Scarlett was talking to him. He muttered, “When I meet two crazy women in a day, I forget about one. That’s one of the advantages.”

Scarlett paused at his words and struggled to raise her upper body. She asked with worry, “Her Highness, Duchess Marina...did you meet her?”

“Yes.”

Viktor smiled as if he were out of his mind, “My mother said her anger trained me and used violence when I was young.”

“...what?”

“She didn’t even rely on me to make her royalty again. She was taking it out on me. That’s all.”

Scarlett watched Viktor.

Then when he tried to get out of bed, she forced herself up and grabbed him, “Stay with me.”

“I’m not sleeping with you.” With Viktor’s unkind words, Scarlett nodded, clearly hurt, “Okay, I won’t cling to you. Just… don’t be alone.”

Scarlett said, carefully pulling his hand, “You’re my husband. I’m your wife. You got married to be with me at times like this.” Then she sat on the bed first and pulled Viktor aside.

At first, Viktor looked at her, trying to drag him away, and lay in bed.

Scarlett spoke affectionately, “If that happens, tell me. I’ll always be next to you...”

Red-cheeked from her cold, Scarlett snuggled into Viktor’s hand and fell asleep.

Looking at the ceiling, Viktor leaned toward Scarlett only after she fell asleep. He stared at her and whispered.

“…You said you’d always be next to me. Do you know how many times you’ve said that in your life?”

He thought what came out of her mouth was full of lies. As expected, she was a skilled liar.

♔♔♔