The Villain's Sister - Chapter 51

“What is it? Please, tell me. Whatever it is, it’s okay.”

“This.”

Linda handed me the basket she had placed on the nightstand.

When I opened the lid, there was one finished scarf and another that was still in progress.

“I finished one, but the other is only halfway done. I don’t think I have enough time left.”

“No. Please don’t say that.”

“I hope you can finish it and give it to Tristan.”

My chest clenched so hard I felt like I might throw up.

Linda gently touched the finished scarf and made her request.

“This one’s for Tristan’s brother… I thought it would be better if his girlfriend finished it rather than someone else.”

The wave of emotion hit so hard I couldn’t speak.

As I pressed my lips together, Linda quickly added something, perhaps misunderstanding my silence.

“Tristan’s birthday is in winter. I wanted his last present to be something warm.”

“Don’t worry.”

I was bothered that my voice trembled with tears.

I forced strength into my eyes to keep from crying.

“I’ll finish it well. Actually, I just started knitting myself. I can manage this much.”

“Thank you. Thank you so much, Giselle.”

Overwhelmed by emotion, I hugged Linda carefully.

With her thin arms, she gently patted my back.

It felt strange. She was the one nearing death, yet I was the one being comforted.

Feeling guilty for not being more considerate, I quickly apologized.

“I’m sorry. I’m really sorry…”

“It’s okay. Go ahead and grieve.”

“But…”

“Giselle. Birth and death are part of life. Whether by accident or illness, it’s all natural. Nothing happens that shouldn’t. What matters is that you get back up after grieving, and continue to love with strength.”

Though her voice had lost its vitality, she looked stronger than I’d ever seen her.

Linda whispered, “I’m saying this because I care, Giselle. I hope you build your life full of love. So that at the very end, you can think, ‘I lived well.’”

“Do you feel that way now, Linda?”

“I was happy. Truly happy. So if Tristan cries a lot, please tell him for me. That I left peacefully. All right?”

She wiped the tears from my face with her hand.

I wish I had gotten to know Linda sooner.

I took the knitting basket from her and left the hospital room.

I went into the restroom and cried until I couldn’t cry anymore.

I understood the pain of losing a mother, so I felt bad for Tristan. And it broke my heart to say goodbye to someone like Linda just after meeting her.

After crying for a long time, I stepped out of the hospital and looked for the taxi I had reserved. Suddenly, a car horn honked.

When I looked toward the sound, I saw Johan getting out of Raphael’s car.

“Why is he here…?”

With his long strides, he quickly approached and frowned when he saw my face.

There was something close to anger in his twisted expression.

“You were crying. What happened?”

“It’s nothing. What about you? Why are you here, and with Raphael’s car? Did you start working for Raphael?”

“Yes.”

“You disappeared without saying goodbye, and now you’re showing up again—what, did Raphael send you to run errands?”

This situation felt incredibly suspicious.

Johan had disappeared because he had fulfilled what Raphael wanted.

Raphael should’ve tried to eliminate him afterward, but there had been no reports of Red Shadow clashing with Raphael lately.

‘The newspapers and news outlets were quiet too.’

Which meant Johan clearly had a purpose important enough to return and work under Raphael again.

“I’m sorry for leaving without notice.”

“Then tell me why you came here.”

His cold eyes, the same ones that hunted villains mercilessly at night, were now focused entirely on me.

As always, his gaze was unreadable. But it was a bit less cold than usual.

“I’m your bodyguard again.”

“…What?”

What kind of nonsense was this?

“Two Star and Death Adder are about to go to war. You need someone capable by your side.”

Johan appeared out of nowhere and scanned me from head to toe with a displeased expression.

Just as I was about to ask who gave him permission to be my bodyguard, he asked, “Why were you crying?”

His large hand slowly approached my face, my cheek.

Just before our skin touched, he hesitated, then withdrew his hand.

We weren’t close enough for him to wipe away my tears.

“It’s nothing.”

“Even if it’s nothing, you cried. Are you okay? If there’s a problem, I’ll help.”

“We’re at a hospital. There’s nothing you can do to help. Besides, I haven’t heard anything about you. If I needed a bodyguard again, Liam was supposed to take that role.”

“I volunteered.”

“Why?”

“Because I was worried about you.”

“What?”

“I came back because I was worried about you.”

What was he saying?

Worried? This man was worried about me?

Red Shadow, who had been in the papers a few days ago for killing villains?

The crazy hero known as the villain hunter, worried about me, of all people—Raphael’s little sister?

‘This was what I wanted…’

I wanted to get close to Tristan and win over Red Shadow. But now that the moment had come, I felt more stunned than satisfied.

Maybe it was the weight of his gaze on me. Something about it felt… complicated.

‘His guard has lowered.’

The distance was still there, but his attitude toward me had changed.

His gaze was more careful, and maybe even a little gentle.

It was a change I couldn’t understand.

I hadn’t done anything, so why…

“Are you feeling unwell?”

“No.”

He frowned as if displeased.

I asked again, “What do you want from Raphael?”

“Nothing.”

“The more you deny it, the more suspicious it sounds.”

Johan pressed his lips tightly together.

Like a character in a novel who believed he could convey everything with just a look, he stared down at me.

He looked oddly downcast, so I threw out a joke.

“Do you like me or something? Did you miss me?”

“……”

“You’re not denying it, so I guess it’s true. You couldn’t confess honestly, but you couldn’t get me out of your head either, so you begged Raphael for a job, right?”

“Haa…”

He let out a deep sigh, the kind that said ‘this is ridiculous.’

He even shook his head.

It felt like I’d made him awkward with that joke.

Whatever made Johan uncomfortable, there was no harm in getting closer to him.

“Welcome back.”

My smile rose naturally, as if I had rehearsed it, but it held no energy.

I slung the knitting basket over one shoulder and held out my hand.

Johan checked my hand and cautiously accepted the handshake.

His large, long fingers wrapped around the back of my hand.

I could feel calluses under his skin.

When he applied a little pressure, I gave his hand a shake.

Now that the original story had begun, I really needed to get a grip.

***

“How have you been?”

As if we were close friends, I asked Johan about his recent life the way I would ask Liam.

“Just… I’ve just been living.”

“Well, that’s a fascinating answer.”

“What about you? How have you been?”

“Me? I moved and spent time hanging out with friends. Strange, isn’t it? You weren’t the type to take interest in me. Why the sudden change?”

While driving beside me, Johan let out a sigh full of exhaustion. I chuckled.

“Things are tense right now, so I recommend you stay home for the time being.”

“It’s not like gang wars are anything new. They’ve been fighting over drug sales for a whole year already.”

“Sunshine escaped from the central government’s underground prison. That means he had help. We need to lie low. He’ll likely target Black Pistols or Mr. Raphael.”

“And now Sunshine is after me too? That’s a joke, right?”

Just then, Johan pulled over to the side of the road.

Before I could ask why, he pushed my head down under the seat.