Revenge Costs Interest [EN]: Chapter 133

Revenge Comes with Interest 133

133. The Broken Pretty Boy

December 11, 2023

Leah understood Theresa’s thoughts.

She probably didn’t want to reveal her true self to more people.

But now that Theresa had lifted her veil, it was unavoidable.

Yet, Leah couldn’t carelessly advise her to overcome it right now.

“If Alicia can’t do as well, I will have no choice but to kill innocent maids.”

“Kill them?”

Alicia was greatly surprised by Theresa’s words.

She had heard it from Terrence beforehand, but hearing it directly from the Emperor’s mouth was particularly daunting.

“I don’t trust people easily. Yet, the reason I entrusted my face to Alicia was because of my trust in Lady Vizak.”

Leah understood Theresa’s worries and couldn’t help but nod.

From Theresa’s perspective, it was more important to have someone who could embrace her flaws rather than someone who was simply skilled.

“What about selecting trustworthy maids?”

When Alicia cautiously brought it up, Theresa emptied her glass in one gulp.

“Can you be sure they are trustworthy, when they are human?”

In other words, it was also a question of whether she had the ability to select good maids.

In that moment, Leah thought of Channer.

‘We had similar worries when we opened the workshop and selected employees.’

What if they just took Channer’s skills and left?

She had worried whether the employees would be willing to learn from Channer, who was not yet fully mature.

However, Channer had an excellent eye for people, and Pauline managed them well, so there had been no problems in running the workshop so far.

“Your Majesty, I have a way.”

Leah confidently said to Theresa. Then, all eyes turned to her.

“A way?”

Theresa, who had been the most vehemently opposed, was also the first to react.

“Before that, may I ask another question?”

“Go ahead.”

“Your Majesty, you like Channer, don’t you? No, what do you think of her?”

When Leah mentioned Channer, Theresa smiled faintly and fell into thought.

The childlike woman who had told her she was beautiful even with the veil on.

She liked her because she was pure and innocent, and felt no fear.

“I like her. I should give Channer a proper wedding gift. I am skeptical of the institution of marriage, but I think it is necessary, especially for the Imperial Family, which has a responsibility to continue the bloodline. But I always have something to say to those who are about to get married, or rather, those who are in love.”

“You mean that love has an expiration date and people change, right?”

Leah continued Theresa’s words. Soon, Theresa smiled.

“Your Majesty, aren’t you curious about which man Channer will marry? Or, why don’t you trust Channer’s judgment? You are smart, so you must have already felt it.”

That Channer has a mysterious ability.

“People call Channer a fool when they first see her. If you don’t just like Channer on the surface, how about entrusting her with the selection of maids…?”

Then Salame supported Leah.

“Miss Channer is definitely not stupid. If anyone said that in front of me, I would have punched them.”

Salame realized how genius Channer was after seeing the clothing 품평회 [Korean: Pyeong-gae, meaning clothing review or critique session].

She was just different from others, not a fool at all.

“Chamberlain! Send a four-wheeled carriage to the Courtois Ducal Residence. Send a letter inviting Channer and her fiancé to the Galdenia Imperial Palace.”

“I will obey your command, Your Majesty.”

After the Chamberlain hurriedly left, Leah had something to say to Salame.

“Sir Roberto, have you met Louis? He came with Terrence.”

“Ah! Is that so? I haven’t met him yet.”

“Louis?”

Theresa quickly reacted, and Salame explained that he was a friend he had made in Lubeck.

After the banquet, Leah took a walk in the garden with Alicia.

“I was honestly surprised, Alicia.”

Alicia smiled at Leah’s words and replied.

“You have every right to be surprised. If it were me in the past, I would have tried not to let anyone steal my clients. But once I let go of my obsession, my view of the world broadened, you know?”

Alicia did not deny that dealing with people, whether men or women, was her calling.

However, Leah’s other proposal sparked a desire to develop rather than settle for the present.

“Honestly, a cosmetics model at my age? The opportunity given to me is so precious that I don’t want to miss it.”

“I’m glad you like it.”

“Miss Grace seems to have great ambition. She also has a lot of business greed.”

“But I have a different dream that I want to achieve the most.”

“What is it?”

Alicia was genuinely curious.

She wanted to know what kind of dream a woman as beautiful and capable as Grace had. Was it to manage a large trading company as the first woman?

“I want to have a child. It’s a natural thing for others, but it’s not easy for me.”

Alicia’s face darkened rapidly at her answer. It was because of her that Grace had a miscarriage.

“I’m sorry, because of me.”

“No! I didn’t mean for you to be sorry! And it’s all in the past. I can have another child. The problem is that I’m a little worried because my body is weak.”

However, she had never thought that she would not be able to have children.

Rather, if she formed a happy family with Terrence, it would be as if she had achieved all her dreams.

* * *

Allen came to Landes again. To receive surgery from Dr. Frank, who calls himself a 괴짜 [Korean: Ggoe-jja, meaning eccentric or quirky person], or a creator of beauty.

Dr. Frank had come to Galdenia before and examined Allen’s condition, and he had confidently assured him that he could completely rebuild it.

‘Dr. Frank is the best and last chance for me.’

Since current medical technology says it is impossible, he has no choice but to entrust his face to him.

So he paid a large sum of surgery fees in advance. He decided to give him more success fees if he liked the surgery.

“Is it still far?”

Allen asked his secretary when they would arrive at Dr. Frank’s hospital.

“We’re almost there.”

As soon as the secretary finished speaking, the carriage stopped in front of Frank’s hospital.

It was a small building with a sign.

Allen got out with his secretary and headed to the hospital. The secretary rang the call bell.

Everything must be ready by now. Allen’s head was filled with anticipation and doubt.

Soon the door opened and a hospital employee greeted them. But the employee’s face was not very good.

“Is Dr. Frank not here?”

The secretary felt that the hospital was strangely deserted.

“Actually, a problem occurred two days ago.”

The employee rubbed his hands and barely opened his mouth.

Two days ago, royal officers came and arrested Dr. Frank.

The charge was illegal medical practice, and he is currently on trial. Moreover, he may have to serve time in prison after the trial.

“It will be closed soon.”

“Closed? Who decided that? How can you do this after receiving all the money?”

Allen shouted angrily. He didn’t like it from the beginning. A creator of beauty, my foot.

How much quackery did he do to be arrested by the country? He was just fooled by a ridiculous scammer.

“What about my money that you took in advance?”

Allen shouted, losing his temper.

After his face was ruined, he lost his temper and raged from time to time.

Allen McDowell, who was relaxed and confident, was no longer to be found.

He became irritable and eccentric.

Just then, the sound of footsteps coming down the stairs was heard. Soon a woman appeared in front of Allen and the hospital employee introduced her.

“This is Dr. Frank’s daughter.”

“Mr. McDowell?”

Allen turned his head and was startled when he saw Dr. Frank’s daughter.

How could this be possible? He repeatedly opened and closed his eyes. The woman in front of him was definitely someone he knew.

“Le…ah?”

She looked exactly like the dead Leah Hamilton. Brown hair, tall height, stubborn face.

He had heard that there were people in the world who looked like him, but how could she be so similar to Leah Hamilton?

Allen felt the blood vessels in his body turn cold.

“How do you know my name?”

She looked at Allen, who was staring at her like a ghost, with a puzzled expression. Besides, he even knew her name.

“I will return the surgery fee you paid to my father. Please wait a moment.”

The woman went back up the stairs and Allen asked the hospital employee in detail.

“Is that woman’s name really Leah?”

“Yes, it’s Miss Leah Frank.”

‘Leah Frank.’

Allen felt all the warmth in his body drain away. Not only that.

He trembled like an aspen tree after seeing Leah Frank.

If she just looked similar, he would have thought nothing of it, but her height, build, voice, and even her name were the same.

He wanted to grab anyone and ask if this was possible.

“Where is Dr. Frank imprisoned now?”

Allen asked the hospital employee urgently.

“He is in the Landes Detention Center.”

He ran out of the hospital immediately. It seemed he needed to confirm. He had to meet Dr. Frank and ask him.

How could your daughter have the same face as Leah Hamilton?

Allen’s legs gave way and he staggered several times on the way to the carriage.

‘This… is a nightmare.’

To see the living Leah Hamilton right in front of his eyes. In an instant, an indescribable fear struck him.

Meanwhile, Terrence watched Allen’s movements from the carriage across the street.

‘It would be too unfair if you had surgery and became healthy again.’

At least Allen should have felt a pang of conscience if he had checked the condition of the body on the day of Leah’s funeral.

‘I’m asking too much of such a shameless human being.’

The innocent Leah Hamilton fell off a cliff and died with her bones crushed and her organs burst.

But Allen is having reconstructive surgery just because his face is a little damaged.

‘That shouldn’t be. That’s not respect for Leah Hamilton.’

Terrence smiled bitterly and tapped the carriage.

“Let’s go.”