Revenge Costs Interest [EN]: Chapter 150

Retribution Bears Interest 150. Gunfire Piercing the Darkness (150/200)

Gunfire Piercing the Darkness

2023.12.28.

Leah couldn’t fall asleep until after midnight.

‘Something feels ominous.’

She got out of bed and went to the window. It was a dark night, like any other.

Maybe she was just anxious because of the news about Allen’s disappearance.

When Sarah and she returned to the Duke’s residence, Terrence already knew, having read the extra edition [special newspaper issue].

However, Terrence didn’t know that Sarah had buried the evidence in Leah Hamilton’s tomb.

‘If I were Allen, I would visit the tomb at least once.’

Isn’t there a saying that the culprit always returns to the scene of the crime?

Leah Hamilton’s tomb wasn’t the direct scene of the crime, but it was a place with enough room for suspicion.

Allen knew Sarah that well.

‘Don’t kill yourself. That would be a very cowardly thing to do.’

Leah prayed earnestly. Though unlikely, she hoped Allen wouldn’t make an extreme choice out of despair.

Because that would mean losing the chance for true revenge. Leah suddenly felt a chill and wrapped her arms around herself.

Allen was in a situation where he might do anything, believing he had reached a dead end.

If it had been the old Allen, he wouldn’t have acted so rashly knowing the Princess’s identity.

‘Allen, is that all you were?’

To think that the man who swallowed the Hamilton Trading Company whole would lose his mind so easily.

He should have devoted himself to the Princess and seduced her, as he did to me; instead, he openly attacked Louis.

Moreover, he even tipped off a newspaper reporter with malicious articles.

‘You were only worth that much.’

She resented the fact that she had fallen so easily for such a man. She didn’t realize Allen’s mental strength was as fragile as glass.

Just then, a familiar figure appeared outside the window. The sight of her looking around nervously and running through the darkness was unmistakably Sarah.

‘Sarah, you finally……!’

Leah’s pupils trembled anxiously.

It seemed the ominous feeling that had been tormenting her wasn’t about Allen, but about Sarah.

Leah knew exactly where Sarah was headed.

‘What should I do?’

It could be dangerous for Sarah to go alone like that.

Leah looked back and forth between the sleeping Terrence and the window.

‘Should I tell Terrence? No, that could make things unnecessarily big. Then, shouldn’t I help Sarah?’

Leah was in turmoil.

* * *

Sarah had given money to the Duke’s residence coachman in advance during the day, asking him to take her to the church cemetery after midnight.

Of course, she asked him to keep it a secret from James and Terrence. She used the bond of mutual assistance as fellow employees.

“I’ll be waiting at the gate, so come out as soon as you’re done.”

“I will. Thank you, Bobby.”

Arriving at the cemetery, Sarah hurried to Leah’s tomb.

No matter how much she thought about it, she felt it would be safer to move the evidence before Allen found it.

Sarah carried a lantern and went to Leah’s grave.

‘Whew! Thank goodness.’

She had worried that Allen might have come in advance and dug up the tomb, but the flowers she had planted were blooming beautifully.

She almost felt bad for digging it up herself.

‘This is no time for that.’

Sarah took out a trowel and rake and began to dig up the soil of the tomb.

She had deliberately buried the evidence some distance from Leah’s coffin, and she was the only one who knew the exact location.

Sarah frantically dug up the soil and removed the flowers. After digging for about 30 minutes, she began to see the evidence wrapped in cloth.

‘Found it.’

Sarah took out the evidence without hesitation. Now, all that was left was to tidy up the dug-up tomb as much as possible. She quickly filled the large hole.

At that moment, cold metal touched her temple.

“!?”

Sarah stopped what she was doing and only moved her eyes to the side.

“Good work, Sarah.”

Allen’s voice. How could she not have sensed his presence?

Could he have come to the cemetery first and waited for her to come?

It was a disaster that she hadn’t looked around because she was too hasty.

As Sarah slowly stood up and turned her head, Allen lowered the gun he had been pointing at her.

“How long have you been here?”

“For a very long time. I had a lot to talk about with Leah.”

Allen’s appearance, illuminated by the lantern light, was truly a sight to behold.

The most handsome man in Galtenia was nowhere to be seen, replaced by a wreck who seemed to carry all the misfortune in the world on his shoulders.

“Sarah, you are a very simple woman. You hid the crucial evidence in a place that anyone who knows you could predict.”

“If you knew, why didn’t you take it?”

“Because there is other evidence that is unfavorable to me.”

“!?”

As Sarah looked puzzled, he pointed the gun at her.

“If I had known you were incompetent and weak-willed, I would never have agreed to it. Ah! It’s obvious that you’re a bad person, so I don’t need to tell you. From the start, you didn’t have the ability to handle the Hamilton Trading Company. You’re just a despicable human full of greed.”

“Shut up!”

Allen pointed the gun at Sarah and roughly snatched the evidence from her arms.

“Give it back! I will never fail.”

Sarah lunged at Allen.

She struggled with all her might to prevent him from taking the trading company’s ledger and evidence.

Suddenly, the two of them were fighting, and unexpectedly, Allen couldn’t easily subdue Sarah, who was attacking like a madwoman.

Sarah grabbed Allen by the collar and struggled.

“You bastard! Let’s die here together! That way, the dead lady can rest in peace!”

“Crazy! I’m not ruined yet! I can start over in a place other than Galtenia!”

“Really? Don’t assume the world is entirely on your side!”

Sarah spoke to Allen and quickly grabbed the evidence.

She tried to pull it back with all her might, but he also resisted, determined not to let it go.

“You’re so tenacious and persistent!”

Allen shouted, grinding his teeth. The two’s struggle didn’t end easily.

Who knew it would be so difficult to subdue just one woman?

Sarah clung on desperately. With the feeling that she would only die if she lost this item, she strained so hard that veins popped out on her forehead.

“That’s why I hate you! You make people so sick of you!”

“I’m just as sick of you! I only resent myself for having liked trash like you even for a moment!”

“Please! Get out of my life!”

Allen roared at Sarah, who was biting and clinging to his arm like a hunting dog.

But she didn’t let go easily, and he unknowingly pulled the trigger of the gun he was holding.

Bang—A single gunshot echoed through the cemetery. Sarah collapsed to the ground.

Huff, huff—Allen approached Sarah, gasping for breath.

Since he had already fired the gun, he thought he might as well clean up the mess. He pointed the gun at Sarah again.

“The dead tell no tales. Just like Leah Hamilton lying over there.”

Allen, consumed by venom, felt his vision blur.

There was no need to be afraid or hesitate any longer. He had to kill Sarah so that his crimes wouldn’t be fully revealed.

“I will never be caught by them. I’ve already transferred the remaining assets to a New Continent bank. Once I get rid of you, there will be no one to hold me back.”

Sarah stared at Allen, clutching her chest where blood was pouring out.

‘Is this the end? I couldn’t do anything.’

The gun Allen was pointing at her looked very large. If a spark flew from there, she would die.

She glared fiercely, trying to imprint Allen in her eyes until the moment of her death.

“I will……never forgive you.”

“Death is the end. Forgiveness is for the living, Sarah.”

Allen thought it was time to stop arguing with Sarah. He was about to pull the trigger on Sarah.

Bang, bang—Two gunshots rang out first.

Allen fell to the ground, and Leah, holding a gun, pulled the trigger again, aiming at his legs.

Bang—

“That’s right, death is the end. So you can’t die yet. Allen McDowell.”

“Damn it!”

Allen groped the ground for a gun to shoot Leah.

At that moment, a man in a black cloak approached him from behind Leah.

“Damn it!”

Terrence, who had been guarding Leah in the darkness, stepped firmly on Allen’s leg.

“Ugh!”

“I wanted to smash your head, but I’ve been very patient.”

Terrence looked at Allen as if he were a disgusting bug.

Soon, the church cemetery became as bright as day, and officers gathered with torches.

Leah quickly checked on Sarah.

“You’ll be okay, Sarah.”

Leah calmly kept waking Sarah, who was losing consciousness.

Sarah heard clearly even as her mind flickered.

“Allen McDowell, you are under arrest for murder, fraud, and assault.”

The officer’s voice, enumerating Allen’s charges, rang out loudly. Only after hearing all the resounding sounds did she let go of her worries.

* * *

Sarah regained consciousness with a throbbing pain in her chest. Naturally, the first person she saw was Leah. And Dr. Wilson was there too.

“Are you awake?”

“Lady.”

“Fortunately, the bullet missed your heart.”

“What about Allen?”

“He’s been transferred to Galtenia. He will be tried there. We’ve also recovered the evidence, so don’t worry.”

Leah had decided to chase after Sarah on the night of the incident. But she couldn’t do it alone, so she asked Terrence for help.

Terrence deliberately approached the two without lights, and as expected, Sarah was on the verge of death.

“When did you learn how to shoot a gun?”

Sarah was amazed that Leah had shot Allen’s leg several times.

“I learned from Terrence in the carriage on the way to the cemetery. A crash course…….”

Leah was grateful to Terrence for letting her shoot without asking any questions.

He could have stopped her, saying it was dangerous and that she shouldn’t get involved directly, but he treated her as if Leah was the one who should punish Allen.

[I’m behind you, so don’t be afraid of anything.]

Rather, Terrence encouraged Leah.