Chapter Thirteen: The Troublemaker!
On the steps.
Louis and Emma sat together.
“That medal should have been mine. Mallow didn’t even dare speak loudly in front of the whole class,” Emma suddenly said, her face pale.
Louis just laughed. “Why do you think that?”
Emma whipped her head around, glaring at him fiercely.
Louis paid no mind, looking at her with contempt.
“The medal is meant for those who embody faith, honesty, refinement, and compassion. Tell me, which one of those do you fit?”
“Compassion for watching a cat fall into water and not saving it?”
“Honesty for deliberately releasing hornets just to attract attention?”
“Or faith for teaming up with me to get rid of Amelia and Nuel, seeing bloodshed?”
“Oh, the only one you probably qualify for is refinement—after all, you practice every night.”
Emma’s feelings at that moment were indescribable—anger? fear? murderous intent? humiliation? It all mixed together, impossible to untangle.
The only certainty was that this person before her, who saw through her true nature and mercilessly mocked her, was damnable!
Dead! Dead! Dead!
Emma stared at Louis so intently it felt as if her heart might leap out of her chest.
Just then, David finished his conversation with Ellis and walked over, spotting the two of them.
“Emma, Louis.”
“Hello, Uncle,” they replied.
David smiled, then turned to look at Emma, sensing something was off with her mood. Assuming she was just feeling down, he comforted her, “Emma, everyone has their strengths. This medal doesn’t define anything.”
“No! It should have been mine. Mallow can’t even spell; he doesn’t deserve it!”
“Emma!” David frowned sternly. He couldn’t believe his usually sensible daughter would say such things, showing such intense jealousy.
Perhaps he had been too busy with work to pay her enough attention.
Emma took a deep breath, seeming to realize her outburst, and calmed herself. She glanced at Louis, who watched coldly from the side, then at Mallow, who was surrounded by others laughing joyfully.
“Sorry, Dad, you’re right.”
“Mallow is my friend. I should be happy for him. I’m glad he got the medal.”
David nodded, stroking his daughter’s hair, still seeing the good child she was—just a momentary lapse.
Louis watched her clumsy act.
It had to be said: youth was a great advantage. Even poor acting was hard to doubt.
But let’s see how you perform next.
…
After the awards ceremony, the children played all around the field while the adults mingled and networked. Often, friendships among parents were valuable resources.
David, as the owner of two factories, understood this well and was chatting comfortably with others.
He didn’t notice Emma had disappeared.
Along with her, Mallow and… Louis were also missing.
The school was actually built near a forest that bordered a cliff. By going through the gardens at the back, one could reach the cliff’s edge overlooking the crashing waves below.
At that moment, Emma and Mallow were running toward the back.
Mallow was innocent; he thought Emma, as his deskmate, was a good friend. A good friend inviting him to play in the forest was normal. Besides, Emma said there was a beautiful spot back there. It must be fun, maybe a new secret base!
Mallow believed this without question.
When they reached the cliff and saw the endless horizon, the jagged rocks, and the sea waves, Mallow exclaimed in genuine awe, “Wow, Emma, you were right. This place is so cool!”
Emma said nothing, silently following behind.
She kept going until she reached the front.
Blocking Mallow’s path.
Looking at him with cold eyes.
At this moment, Mallow finally felt scared. He looked at Emma, then at the waves behind.
“Emma, we should go back.”
Emma remained silent, her gaze unwavering, as if looking at an insect obstructing her.
“Emma, what do you want to do?”
“You know what I want,” she said.
There was no hesitation in her eyes. She didn’t regard him as a fellow human, nor did she value his life. She swiftly reached out—just like the iron piece she had once plunged into Amelia without hesitation.
Then—
*Clap! Clap! Clap!*
Applause echoed.
Louis stepped out from the side, smiling as he looked at Emma.
“Emma, what do you want to do?”
!!!
Emma took several steps back, baffled as to how Louis had appeared here. She had left so stealthily.
Louis advanced step by step, grabbed Mallow, and pulled him back, patting his shoulder.
“All right, go over there and wait quietly.”
Mallow’s head and body swayed slightly, as if hearing his mother’s voice. He nodded blankly and moved to a spot, standing still.
Seeing this, Emma instantly recalled that nightmare-filled night. She waved her hands, stepping back.
“Louis, don’t.”
“No can do. You were about to harm an innocent child. That’s a serious crime. Do you know what would happen if the police found out?” Louis drew closer.
“You’d be strapped into a pink electric chair, shocked—just like that drowning cat—trembling, struggling, losing control, foaming at the mouth. Oh, look at that beautiful hair and the little red dress. They’d probably turn into ugly charred ashes.”
Emma’s eyes flickered with terror, as if she could already see the scene.
Her experience wasn’t vast, her knowledge limited, but her education taught her that killing was a crime, and criminals caught would be punished.
So Louis’s words made sense.
Now, he was standing before her, grabbing her hair with a look of regret.
Emma pleaded, “Louis, please, I beg you.”
Louis’s expression hardened as he looked coldly at her.
“Mistakes deserve punishment. Otherwise, it only gets worse. Especially for a born troublemaker like you—you need to be corrected harshly!”
Realizing Louis would not spare her, Emma glared venomously, her mind racing with plans of revenge.
Burn him alive!
Drown him!
Cut him down!
“You bastard! Who do you think you are?”
“You’re just like me—bloodstained. Why should you punish me? Besides, I’m in the right. You’re the one I brought home, yet you stole my place in the family. Mallow can’t even spell. Those fools aren’t worth a single thing. That medal is mine. That cat couldn’t swim, so it deserved to drown…”
“Fuck! Fuck! You—”
*Smack!*
A crisp, clear sound rang out.
Louis blew on his palms. Equality between men and women, and I’m even a year younger than her. What’s wrong with giving her a smack?