[TIDK] 95 – Whisky For Breakfast

“See? You can’t forgive me either,” Scarlett smiled sadly.

Scarlett wouldn’t take her hand off him. She was somewhat afraid of him. As he said, he could lock her in a monastery whenever he decided.

“Here you go. Don't greet me when Isaac comes,” Viktor turned his head away from her.

As Viktor let go of her hand, Scarlett nodded in acceptance.

Viktor glanced at Scarlett as he opened the door to leave the bedroom. He asked.

“Do you still love me?”

“...”

Scarlett’s expression crumpled slightly at his sudden question. The question caught her off guard and momentarily she could not form any words or thoughts.

After a while, she opened her mouth.

“Not now.”

“It’s easy to tell,” Viktor replied.

“What... is it?”

She asked, but Viktor left the bedroom without answering.

Scarlett, who was left alone there, sat down for a while.

As Viktor left the bedroom, a servant headed to his office with a wooden box containing a bottle of alcohol and an ice bucket.

“What kind of alcohol is it?” Scarlett asked.

“Oh, the Master said he ran out of alcohol and ice in his office,” the servant informed her.

“...does he drink in the morning?” Scarlett wondered. Alcohol, for breakfast?

“Yes, whisky is morning. On the rock.”

“W, what?”

It was no exaggeration to say that Viktor invested his life not to be blamed by others. But how did he end up living like this during the year?

Now that she thought about it, divorce could have felt like a stain to a man who values honour. But she didn’t think he would have been hurt enough to fill his breakfast with alcohol.

“No matter how healthy Viktor is, he will get sick,” Scarlett said.

“Shall we prepare breakfast? I’m sure he won’t say anything if you tell him it’s ready.”

“Yes, get it ready, please.”

Scarlett’s face glowed.

After Blythe left, Scarlett muttered as she looked at her pyjamas. “I don’t even remember changing my pyjamas.….”

After talking to herself, Scarlett went back to her room.

She changed her clothes and finished breakfast. She was going to leave as soon as Isaac came. But she was worried about Viktor, so she headed to his office.

Scarlett was about to knock but ended up opening the door directly.

The servants had served the meal, but it remained untouched, and the room smelled like cigars.

Viktor was sitting by the window, drinking. Scarlett stared at him and soon walked over. Then she picked up a half-drunk glass on the window frame. And as she tried to swallow its contents, Viktor grabbed her wrist.

“What are you doing?”

“My meal,” she replied, sparing him a quick glance, before tugging her hand away. His grip tightened.

“What are you talking about?” Viktor asked, incredulous.

“Guests should follow their host. I thought this was a meal.”

Scarlett looked straight at Viktor, pulled the wrist he grabbed, and took the glass to her mouth.

Viktor stared at her as she downed the rest of the whisky.

Viktor asked. “Is it good?”

“Not enough for breakfast,” Scarlett coughed, meekly.

“Fastidious.”

Viktor took the glass from her hand.

Scarlett tried to grab it again, but he lifted the glass to a height she couldn’t reach.

“Go home. It’s not your place. Scarlett Crimson.”

“I’m going. Eat what’s prepared.”

She then picked up a piece of white bread from the basket on the table, took it to the window frame, and headed back to her room.

♔♔♔

Isaac, who was in prison, thought his time here would be long.

Fortunately, the burden of Scarlett’s guilt had alleviated since she spoke to the royal police.

The next morning an adult from the Crimson family came to visit. It was Zachary Crimson, who was their grandfather’s sibling. Their great uncle was now the oldest man in the Crimson family.

“Do you know what the hell you’ve done?” Zachary said.

“...”

Isaac tilted his head slightly to one side without answering and kept an eye on Zachary Crimson.

After Abel Crimson swallowed the family, none of his relatives helped the siblings.

Zachary Crimson said, turning his head away from Isaac’s eyes, a sight still not for the faint-hearted.

“I know why you cut off Abel’s finger. You didn’t want him to craft watches. Did you think that would aid your sister?”

“If there are two engineers and one becomes useless, the other will be busy.”

Zachary Crimson flinched at Isaac’s words.

Isaac went on.

“I heard you’re going to help him sue Scarlett. For the Crimson family.”

“That’s... Wasn’t Abel holding the family’s real power as your guardian? There was nothing I could do to make ends meet.”

Zachary Crimson continued.

“Anyway... Isaac. Keep a lid on your sister. What does the girl know?”

“...”

“Are you going to let Scarlett tarnish the name of your family?”