The Villain's Sister - Chapter 19

― Deva! What on earth happened? That guy called three times since Wednesday night!! Are you really dating him now?

“Maria. Breathe. I can’t understand a word you’re saying.”

― He called three times! I made some excuses, but I doubt saying you were asleep four times will keep working! Anyway, he said he’d be waiting at Trofan Square today—are you going?

“Hmm…”

― Why won’t you answer? Did he confess again and you rejected him?

“It’s not that. I need to set a day to meet you. I have so much to say. I miss you, Maria.”

― I heard Raphael caused another incident a few days ago. Did something happen? Are you being watched?

“Don’t come near my house for a while. I can’t go to yours either.”

― Are you hurt?

“I’m not hurt. Just in case. I’ll explain more when we meet.”

Maybe things will be safe in about ten days.

If it’s the waiting room at the cabaret where Maria works, there won’t be any eyes watching—so it should be safe.

As I sat on the sofa lost in thought, my eyes met Johan’s nearby.

He looked at me like I was a dissected frog pinned with tweezers.

When eyes meet like this, one would normally offer a faint smile—but he didn’t even make the minimal effort to appear polite to the one he was guarding.

“How’s your body?”

“Much better.”

“That’s good. I need to go out by 2 o’clock. Are you okay with that?”

“Where are we going?”

“Hospital.”

“Are you injured?”

“It’s a visit.”

It was Saturday, so I had to go see Linda.

I was still mad that Tristan had stood me up, but I wasn’t going to cancel our fake relationship.

‘If I’m lying to Linda, I should at least see it through to the end.’

They’ll say it’s laughable that someone living off dirty money dares speak of conscience, but that’s why I want to respond to someone’s kindness properly.

In the end, it was a shallow form of atonement. Despicable and cowardly.

“I’d prefer you not come along. I’m visiting someone sick, and I don’t want to bring unnecessary people.”

“Your safety matters more than your feelings.”

“Do you remember the cop you saw a few days ago?”

“Yes.”

“I’m going with him. Just wait nearby when we meet. Pick me up when I return.”

“If you think Two Star is going to be deterred by a single cop, that’s quite naive.”

“You just figured that out?”

Johan furrowed his brow.

His lips twitched for a second, then returned to place.

He must think I’m talking nonsense.

Whatever he’s trying to get from Raphael, once I’m no longer useful, he might just put a bullet in my head and leave.

So before that, I need to build a better relationship with Johan—but things between us were still dry and hostile.

“That’s how Raphael raised me. Kept me in the dark and made me study. That’s why I graduated top of my high school class.”

“Ha.”

“Don’t laugh like that. If you’re laughing at me, fine. But if you’re laughing at Raphael, I won’t forgive it.”

Seven years ago, after I was nearly beaten to death by Andrew, Raphael was discharged from the military on the spot.

And the moment he came home, he beat Andrew to death.

Was it because he thought: If you almost beat my sister to death, then you deserve to die too?

Or was it him lashing out after enduring his own abuse growing up?

Whatever the reason, Raphael killed Andrew.

He never saw the act of killing his own father as a problem.

But the court didn’t think like Raphael did.

He was sentenced to 25 years in prison for first-degree murder and escaped 27 days after being incarcerated.

After escaping, Raphael joined forces with gang members he met in prison and founded Death Adder.

As Death Adder grew, the gangsters who had been with him all died—some in graves, some fed to fish in the sea off Mist Island—but Raphael succeeded in reigning over Death Adder as its leader.

‘I wish he wouldn’t feel guilty toward me… but he always does.’

Though it was dirty money, once we started raking it in, there was no need to live as we had before.

Andrew was dead, and poverty had ended.

From that moment on, Raphael tried to repay me for everything.

He hired a housekeeper, bought me a luxury piano.

He gave me so much spending money to enjoy good food with friends, it was more than I could ever use.

“The world’s not fair anyway. Raphael is just trying to buy happiness with dirty money.”

This time, Johan didn’t just furrow his brow—his whole expression twisted.

Even if he’s an antihero, a hero is still a hero.

He’s someone who doesn’t compromise on his goals, but that doesn’t mean he’s abandoned justice.

So what I said must’ve sounded like madness to him.

“There are things in this world that can’t be helped.”

“Selling your body because you had no choice, selling drugs because you had no choice—what a convenient excuse.”

“You don’t know how far misfortune can push a person. There are all kinds of rock bottom in this world, and for some people, in the face of survival, morality and conscience can feel meaningless.”

His gaze, usually calm and distant, now felt like it could pierce through me and devour me from the ground up.

“I know I’m making ridiculous excuses to defend Raphael. But still.”

I looked Johan straight in the eyes.

Even without forming words with your mouth, a person’s eyes can say so much.

They can capture a realm of instinct that language can’t reach—and that gaze of his made my blood boil.

Just because your life has had its share of hardship doesn’t mean you can understand us.

In the face of poverty, violence, and hunger, morality and justice lose their value.

We were the bottom of the bottom of society.

We had to learn, raw and firsthand, that the world is a battlefield and life is a history of struggle.

“I’ll take Raphael’s side, even if it’s unreasonable. So drop that arrogant look and get ready to leave.”

I passed Johan, who wore an expression I couldn’t tell was disdain or disgust, and went upstairs.

After getting ready, I came down and grabbed one of Raphael’s car keys.

Raphael had told me to stay close to home, but that made no sense given the situation now that the original story had begun.

As Johan drove one of Raphael’s cars, he said, “You really think you’ll be fine going off alone, just relying on that one cop? Don’t you care about your life? Or are you not afraid to die?”

“Do you think I’ll die peacefully?”

“……”

“Do you think I’ll live a long life?”

“……”

“That’s why I’ll do as I please. After all, what you want is Raphael’s trust, not me, right?”

While waiting at a red light, Johan turned his head and looked at me.

I kept my eyes fixed straight ahead, unwilling to meet his gaze.

I didn’t know what kind of expression he had.

“By six o’clock.”

“Fine.”

We arrived at Trofan Square.

Tristan stood in front of the fountain.

With his arms crossed and head lowered, he lightly kicked at the ground with the tip of his shoe.

I quickly grabbed my bag and got out of the car.

I’d thought a lot about how to face Tristan at home, but the moment I saw him, all those complicated thoughts and feelings vanished.

When my shadow reached his feet, Tristan looked up and spotted me.

“You look like you’ve got a lot on your mind.”

“…I’ve committed an unforgivable wrong. I’m sorry about the other day.”

“You were busy. With Death Adder and Two Star in the news, it’s been a mess for days.”

“That’s that, but a promise is still a promise.”

“Guess this is why unrequited love is so hard. Even when I’m angry or upset, hearing you say that just makes me forgive you.”

“W-what are you talking about? Are you crazy…?”

“I made it so obvious, how did you not know?”

“W-what?” he stammered, and his eyes trembled violently.