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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: Teottry
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“I asked you, which bitch is it?”
Scarlet’s low, whispered voice sent chills down my spine.
Why was she whispering instead of yelling like she usually did? Damn it.
I had a feeling she’d snap my neck like a chicken if I didn’t answer immediately, so I quickly checked the sender.
And when I saw the name of the person who had bombarded me with texts and endless missed calls, I blurted it out without thinking.
“Ia Aris…?”
It was completely unexpected.
Why would Ia Aris do this? Was it because I stood her up? But even so, who sends this many messages, especially right up until this moment?
It was currently 4:03 PM. Ia Aris’s last message was sent at 4:02 PM. She’d even sent a message while my phone was plugged into the charger.
Just as I was about to check the contents of her last message,
-Crunch!
“Aagh!”
An agonizing pain shot through my shoulder as Scarlet’s hand clamped down on it. It felt like my bones were being crushed.
“You’re checking messages from other women while I’m right here?”
“W-Wait! L-Let go of me first!”
“You let go of that phone! I told you before! Don’t accept anything from other women!”
Scarlet continued crushing my shoulder as she yelled.
If she’d used her full strength, my shoulder would have vanished, and I would have become a contender for the world’s narrowest shoulders.
But she was holding back, stopping just short of completely pulverizing my shoulder. It meant there was still room for negotiation.
Negotiation my ass!
This was a threat, not a negotiation.
“Ugh…! O-Okay! I’ll let go! Just stop!”
Unable to bear the pain any longer, I dropped my phone, and Scarlet snatched it up like a cat pouncing on a mouse.
Now, all that was left was for Scarlet to see the messages from Ia Aris, fly into a rage at the fact that I was texting another woman, and burn down my house.
That couldn’t happen. I still had a massive loan on this place, and if I sued Scarlet, with the Rate family backing her, I, with no backing whatsoever, would be dragged through the courts for years, only to receive a measly settlement!
Going up against Scarlet was a guaranteed loss. I had to do something. But what?
I could buy myself some time. The phone was still locked.
“What’s this?”
As expected, Scarlet frowned at the locked screen.
I’d used a passcode, anticipating this exact scenario, so I didn’t have to worry about her grabbing my finger and forcing a fingerprint scan.
But it was only a matter of time before she unlocked it.
If an enraged Scarlet threatened, “Give me the passcode if you don’t want to die,” I would have no choice but to comply.
What should I do? How could I stop this ruthless woman?
Faced with this crisis, my mind raced, practically sparking… Wait, sparks?
The word “sparks” triggered a memory of this morning. Scarlet, electrocuted by the white sparks, had climaxed and passed out.
Should I… do it? Make her squirt again? Wouldn’t that be better than having my house burned down?
It was a crazy idea, but it seemed like the best option right now.
Even if it didn’t work, my house would still be burned down. There was a saying: When in doubt, do it.
Yeah, let’s do it. Let’s screw Scarlet over. I can do this, Faster! Damn it!
“That’s not it? He always uses this… Oh, that was the password I made him set using my birthday. Then what is it? My measurements? Hmm…”
Scarlet, her back to me, was inexplicably determined to crack my phone’s passcode.
Why was she so fixated on that?
Well, it made it easier for me to approach her, so it was a good thing.
I carefully approached her, trying not to arouse suspicion, or at least, not to make her wary. I raised my hand and reached for her back, as if I was about to give a friendly pat.
Just touch her. Just touch her…!
Holding my breath, I focused all my attention on touching Scarlet. Just as my hand was about to reach her lower back,
-Bzzzzzzzz!
My phone in Scarlet’s hand vibrated. It was a call.
“Ha…”
Scarlet’s eyes narrowed as she checked the caller ID. My eyes widened in response.
It was a call from Ia Aris.
No. If Scarlet talks to Ia Aris on my phone, something terrible will happen!
Wait, why did I think something terrible would happen? Ia Aris was normal. Unlike that flammable, crazy redhead.
Of course, by normal standards, someone who sent messages for hours after being stood up wasn’t exactly normal, but by my standards, Ia Aris was perfectly normal.
At least she hadn’t treated me like shit. On the contrary, she’d been kind to me, buying me food and sending me gifts. The wall-mounted TV in my living room was a gift from Ia Aris.
It sometimes flickered red, but it was a great TV.
Someone who gave such a generous gift couldn’t be a bad person.
Ia Aris was a good person. So why did I think it was a bad idea for them to talk?
While I was lost in thought, Scarlet gave me an uneasy smile. And before I could say anything, she answered the call.
‘Hello? Faster? Faster, where are you? Are you okay? Is something wrong?’
Ia Aris’s worried voice came through the phone. She was worried about me. It had been a while since anyone had worried about me, and I felt a lump in my throat.
“What are you talking about, you crazy bitch? Stop pretending to be normal.”
But Scarlet’s harsh words shattered the moment.
Even if it was Scarlet, I couldn’t just stand by and let her be rude to someone as kind as Ia Aris.
“Hey… Mmph.”
The moment I opened my mouth, Scarlet covered it with her hand. She mouthed the words, “Just listen.”
Then, Ia Aris’s voice came through the phone again.
‘Scarlet, where is Faster?’
It was a low, sharp voice, much colder than the playful tone she’d used with me last night.
I froze, feeling like a frog staring at a snake. Scarlet, however, scoffed and continued to provoke her.
“Faster? He’s sleeping next to me. Want me to wake him up?”
What the hell was this bitch saying?
Scarlet’s words were incredibly misleading. I didn’t want Ia Aris to misunderstand. She was one of the few decent, normal people in my life.
Just as I was about to remove Scarlet’s hand from my mouth and yell a denial for Ia Aris to hear, a loud crashing sound, like something shattering, came through the phone.
I was startled, and Scarlet smirked, as if she’d been expecting it.
What was that? Was there something I didn’t know? Was Scarlet calling Ia Aris crazy for a reason?
If even Ia Aris wasn’t normal, who could I trust?
As my heart pounded with anxiety, the tense atmosphere suddenly dissipated, and Ia Aris spoke.
‘No, that’s not possible. The Faster I know would rather die than sleep with you while he’s conscious. Right? Am I right, Scarlet?’
“W-What?”
Contrary to expectations, Ia Aris regained her composure and continued speaking. Scarlet, on the other hand, started turning red.
Not from embarrassment or pain. From anger. Her narrowed eyes turned towards me, sharp as daggers.
Why was she mad at me? Ia Aris was the one who said it.
Ignoring my bewildered expression, Scarlet scowled, her face contorted in displeasure.
It was the expression she made when she knew Ia Aris was right but refused to admit it, choosing to blame me instead.
Ia Aris continued her attack.
‘See? You can’t deny it. Even you know that lie is too ridiculous. Right, Scarlet? That’s why I told you before. Stop bullying Faster. It’s all karma… reaping what you sow…’
“Shut up! Y-You just wait! I won’t let you get away with this!”
-Click.
“Scarlet? Hanging up so suddenly…”
“Ugh! This is so frustrating!”
Unable to counter Ia Aris’s eloquent attack, Scarlet hung up and threw my phone at me.
She’d probably thrown it lightly, by her standards, but for me, it was like a fastball.
-Smack!
“Ow!”
The phone hit me squarely in the forehead, sending me sprawling backwards.
As I fell, Scarlet pounced on me like a feline predator, straddling my stomach, and started yelling.
“Do you really hate sleeping with me that much? Is it worse than dying?”
Scarlet’s eyes were filled with tears. She was so angry she seemed to have lost her mind.
What the hell kind of question was that? It might not be worse than dying, but of course I didn’t want to sleep with her, you crazy bitch.
I wanted to say that, but I knew what would happen if I did. So, without missing a beat, I lied.
“If I had to choose between liking it and hating it… I-I guess I’d like it?”
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Is it enough just to sleep next to each other?😏
