Revenge Costs Interest [EN]: Chapter 158

Retribution Comes with Interest Episode 158. Unexpected News (158/200)

Unexpected News

2024.01.05.

Leah stared at the female doctor, her mind reeling. The doctor spoke so casually about something that felt impossibly difficult for Leah, leaving her unsure whether to believe it.

“Could you repeat that?”

“You’re pregnant. Um, please lie down on that bed, spread your legs, and lift your skirt.”

“Pardon?”

Surprised, Leah nevertheless followed the doctor’s instructions.

As she lay on the bed with her legs spread, the doctor peered into Leah’s body using a triangular, telescope-like instrument.

“I see some bleeding.”

“I had a miscarriage before.”

“It seems a cruise trip is too much. You should disembark at the next port.”

Sarah was overjoyed. Leah had achieved the pregnancy she desired. But she wanted to ask the doctor if Leah could safely deliver the baby.

To do that, she decided it was best to tell the doctor everything about Leah’s condition. The doctor listened attentively to Sarah’s words.

“The human body is unpredictable. Some people who are expected to die tomorrow miraculously live for years.”

Moreover, Leah was in the early stages of pregnancy, so it was too early to give a definitive answer.

“I will protect it,” Leah said firmly, cradling her belly.

Her face was already radiant with joy, as if she had opened Pandora’s Box [a source of great and unexpected troubles] and couldn’t turn back.

“I will help you, Miss,” Sarah said, holding Leah’s hand tightly, solidifying their shared resolve.

The doctor, who had been watching them with a pleased expression, took out a piece of paper and began to write something.

“This cruise ship will dock at Grayman Harbor in two days. Get off there and show this to this person.”

The doctor handed Leah a piece of paper, which she carefully folded and tucked into her chest as if it were a treasure.

‘The outcome depends on me.’

It was true that luck comes when you least expect it.

To think she would find new hope on a journey she had embarked on with despair.

“I’ll examine you every day for the next two days, so don’t worry.”

“Thank you, Doctor.”

“Call me Elizabeth.”

“Yes, Dr. Elizabeth.”

Leah and Sarah teared up as they looked at the doctor. Soon after the doctor left the room, the two embraced and cried for a long time.

“I don’t regret leaving.”

“Why would you regret it?”

If she had become pregnant by Terrence’s side, worry and anxiety would have outweighed the blessings. Vivian would have been concerned.

Somehow, this trip felt like it had brought her great fortune. Or, she decided to think so.

“In about six months, you won’t have to worry so much.”

“Okay.”

Leah began to plan how she would live once she arrived in Grayman.

She had been introduced to a skilled doctor there, so it would be good to stay until the delivery.

Even if she couldn’t go to Lomerica to see her father, she could always plan for the future.

It was better this way. Terrence and Richard would be twice as happy to see her child and grandchild.

“Sarah, I feel much better now.”

“Really? That’s amazing.”

Seeing Sarah so happy made her emotions surge.

Why couldn’t she enjoy this blessed event with the person she loved most in the world? That was a little disappointing, but she decided not to be sad.

She also felt good that she could finally face Grace.

She had to fulfill the last request Grace had made of her, no matter what. That was also her dream.

* * *

Terrence waited a month to go to Lomerica, where Leah had left.

Because the cruise ship to Lomerica only sailed once a month.

Finally, the day of departure arrived, and just as he was about to leave for the harbor, unexpected bad news arrived.

The news that the cruise ship Titamiho, which Leah and Sarah were on, had sunk, was causing a stir around the world.

Terrence was half out of his mind. Every day, as the list of the dead was updated in the newspaper, he clutched at his heart.

‘Don’t die. You can’t, Grace.’

Today, Terrence was still spreading out the maritime map to Lomerica.

He was already heavily drunk from the alcohol he had been drinking since morning and was not in his right mind.

‘You can’t die without my permission.’

Her name was not yet on the list of the dead.

However, if her body floated on the sea even tomorrow, the list could be updated.

Terrence staggered to the dressing table.

Her golden hair was all over the comb she used every day. He held it to his chest with trembling hands.

Then, he remembered the frame he shared with her, and he quickly took it out of his arms.

When he opened the golden frame, there was Grace, smiling brightly as always.

‘Why did you give me heaven and hell at the same time?’

Tears fell from Terrence’s eyes onto Grace’s picture.

He had no idea that she would drive him into a living hell.

Looking at the picture, a wave of longing for her washed over him.

Now, the picture alone could not satisfy his longing.

He searched for all the clothes and hats she wore to fill the emptiness, but it was always lacking.

At this rate, he might die before she came back to him.

Terrence reached out with trembling hands and opened the drawer.

“What’s this…?”

There was a notebook where cosmetics and accessories should have been.

Soon, her scent wafted from the notebook. Terrence quickly opened the notebook.

‘Did she write a diary?’

In an instant, he sobered up, and his hazy eyes widened. Terrence slowly read Leah’s diary.

He wanted to know how she felt and why she had no choice but to choose a distant journey, leaving him behind.

But her diary was a lump of emotion itself.

With each word he read, Terrence’s heart ached. In addition, he felt her anguish and pain.

‘No, it’s not because I don’t respect you.’

Terrence knew how selfish he was. He was constantly anxious that he would lose Leah.

Without her, he would never have the courage to live.

‘I’m the biggest coward in the world.’

He was so scared and afraid that he didn’t have time to think rationally.

He knew how much she wanted a child, but he completely ignored it.

‘If even you die, who will be there for me?’

Did she know how harsh it was to be left alone? So he decided to be selfish.

But after learning of her wish to give him a child, he finally burst into tears.

‘I’m sorry, I should have asked for your forgiveness.’

Only then did Terrence realize the essence of his mistake.

Not taking better care of Leah in the name of love.

He was always quick to rationalize himself, avoiding the core issues, and ignoring her pain.

‘It was my fault.’

So he just hoped she was alive.

He desperately hoped that her name would not be on the newspaper tomorrow. Then, Channer came to find Terrence.

“Are you crying again?”

“Channer.”

“You’re a crybaby.”

“Yes, I’m a terrible crybaby and a coward.”

“Grace isn’t dead.”

Channer repeated the same words every day as a consolation.

“Then, where is Grace?”

“I don’t know. You have to find that out.”

“Find her?”

I want to find her like crazy. But is there any way to find her in the middle of the vast sea?

The ship sank before it even reached her destination, Lomerica.

Terrence staggered back to the table where the maritime map was spread out.

‘Grace, if you’re alive, you have to send me news. Do you resent me so much that you don’t even want to do that?’

If she was trying to punish him, it was a great success.

Because his heart might stop and he might die before he could find her.

Just then, Pauline came to find Channer.

“Channer, what are you doing here again?”

Pauline tried to drag Channer out.

Going to a person who is in so much pain that he is about to go crazy and saying strange things every day.

“I have to comfort him.”

“Do your job. An order for lace scarves has come in from Grayman. Oh, what’s going on? We’ve never had an order from Grayman before.”

“Oh, I have to work.”

Channer followed Pauline out of Terrence’s room.

Terrence, left alone again, picked up the diary and headed to the bed. He lay down on the bed and read the diary again.

* * *

Leah and Sarah rented a small house in Grayman.

They went to a general store to buy some necessities and had an unexpected experience.

“Miss, did you knit that muffler yourself?”

Several women showed interest in the lace scarves that Leah and Sarah were wearing.

Only then did Leah realize that Lubeck’s newspaper was not published in Grayman.

“I bought this from Hamilton Trading Company in Lubeck. If you order by mail, they will deliver the package to the post office.”

“Oh, really? Could you tell me the address of the trading company? I’ve never seen such high-quality lace scarves before.”

Leah gladly gave them the address of the trading company.

If Rapa received the order, she would pass it on to Pauline.

“It seems that this island country is very different from Lubeck or Galdenia.”

Sarah said as she left the general store.

“I guess so.”

On the surface, it didn’t seem that different, but she felt that the political situation and trends were a bit behind the continent.

Still, there were many things that were better than Lubeck.

“It’s amazing that there are female doctors, lawyers, and even engineers.”

“Since there aren’t many people, they can’t afford to discriminate between men and women.”

“Oh, I see.”

Leah liked the peaceful Grayman. Unlike the rapidly changing continent, time went by slowly here.

Besides, she liked the doctor she had been introduced to on the cruise ship. She was also a woman, so it was less 부담 [burden/pressure in Korean, implying a sense of unease or reluctance] to entrust her body to her.

“We just need to buy sausages, right?”

As Sarah stopped by the butcher shop to look for sausages, the newspaper displayed on a stall in the distance caught Leah’s eye.

“Oh my god!”

A major incident that plastered the front page of the newspaper was the news that the Titamiho, the ship she and Sarah had been on, had sunk in the middle of the ocean.

There was also a list of the dead on one side.

“Sarah, what was the name of the female doctor who treated me on the cruise ship?”

“Elizabeth Hunt.”

Leah quickly ran her finger down the list of the dead.

And unfortunately, she found her name on the last line.