Revenge Costs Interest [EN]: Chapter 18

Revenge Bears Interest 18 (18/200)

Episode 18

2023.08.18.

Leah and Pauline arrived at the mansion late in the evening. The journey wasn’t dull, as they talked about Chener [likely a Romani individual] the whole time.

“Are you going to see that woman again next week?”

Pauline looked displeased.

“Yes, because her heart hasn’t matured enough. She’s not a bad person.”

“I know that, but…”

Pauline hesitated to say that Chener and her grandfather were Romani (Gypsies).

Even though the world has changed, people’s perceptions of Romani people aren’t always positive.

Since Grace had never knowingly met a Romani person, it was natural she wouldn’t recognize one.

“You saw the lace, didn’t you, Pauline?”

“Yes, her hand skills are amazing.”

Leah had seen countless noble ladies while living in Galdenia, but she had never seen anyone wearing such intricate and well-made lace. She resolved to buy a lace-making textbook next week.

As the carriage stopped in front of the Duke’s lobby, Terrence and Luke came out to greet them.

“Did you have a good time?”

Terrence said, taking Leah’s hand (acting as Grace).

“Yes, I had so much fun. So much that I didn’t even feel tired.”

Leah subtly pulled her hand away.

No matter how she tried to reason with herself, she was still afraid of the man who had been willing to throw the entire duchy into chaos for one woman.

“But what should I do? Grace has another place to visit.”

Terrence didn’t seem to mind her rejection.

“Now?”

“Yes.”

Terrence briefly led Leah (as Grace) to the garden. He cupped her cheeks with both hands and stared intently at her.

‘There’s a beast coveting what’s mine.’

A beautiful bird that had almost flown from its cage but barely returned. He was driven more by the desire to constantly check on her than by any sense of relief.

Terrence was seized by the desire to kiss Leah (as Grace) right then, but he barely restrained himself and offered her his hand instead.

“What’s wrong? You look so serious.”

Leah was bothered by Terrence’s complicated expression.

“Actually, Allen McDowell came to see me during the day.”

“!?”

Leah’s face instantly hardened.

“He said he had something to say to Grace.”

“To me?”

‘He’s going to ask about my father’s necklace. It won’t work on the Duke.’

Allen must have inquired with the bishop about the whereabouts of Leah Hamilton’s necklace on the day of the funeral, just as he had asked me.

The bishop would have given him the same answer. He must be contemplating how to take the necklace from Terrence.

‘Typical Allen McDowell.’

“You don’t have to go if you don’t want to meet him, Grace.”

“No, I’ll go. I’m worried about it being at night, but I’ll go and hear what he has to say.”

“Really? Hmm, then Luke will accompany you, so you don’t have to worry.”

“Okay, I’ll go up to my room to prepare and come down.”

“Do that.”

Terrence watched Leah (as Grace) hurry away, and the smile vanished from his face. Part of him had hoped that she would refuse to go.

When he mentioned Allen’s name, a glint had flashed in her eyes. Had she taken a liking to him after only seeing him once at the funeral?

Enough to declare the engagement broken and buy a train ticket to Galdenia? He hadn’t wanted to follow her that day, but he sent someone to the train station.

He was convinced when Leah (as Grace) finally bought a train ticket to Galdenia.

‘Did she like that guy? But what should I do? This is my way.’

Terrence wore a bitter expression. Whether he was fighting with someone, he had to land a decisive blow to completely overwhelm the opponent.

In a way, that applied to Leah (as Grace) as well. He had created the worst-case scenario so that she couldn’t leave Lebon at all.

* * *

Leah headed to the Lebon Hotel with Luke, clutching her handbag tightly.

‘I’m glad I have a gun.’

She didn’t know if she could actually shoot Allen. It was more a measure of her anger towards him. She couldn’t predict how she would act when she saw him.

“Miss, don’t worry. I will be by your side throughout the conversation with Mr. Allen McDowell.”

“Thank you, Luke.”

‘Obviously, he’ll try to seduce me with his handsome face as a weapon. He’ll try to get me to take the necklace from Terrence.’

She realized too late that that was Allen’s method.

Leah thought it was a great relief that Terrence had the necklace.

No matter how powerful Allen had become, it would be difficult for him to challenge Terrence recklessly.

Finally, the carriage arrived at the Lebon Hotel.

“It’s room 204.”

Luke knew which room Allen was staying in without going through the front desk.

Leah followed Luke to the room. Her heart was pounding as she walked up the stairs to the second floor.

She had even considered chasing him to Galdenia and killing him. But he came all the way here on his own.

The fire in her heart, which had subsided for a while, seemed to be rekindled. Finally, they arrived in front of room 204.

Leah barely managed to control her surging anger. She had to appear as calm as possible.

But the lewd sounds from inside the room could be heard even outside the door. Leah looked at Luke, and he turned his head, embarrassed.

“Miss, shall we just go back?”

“No, Mr. McDowell is the one who made the appointment. He asked me to come tonight, so I have to hear what he has to say.”

Even after Leah finished speaking, the lewd noises continued. Soon, Luke knocked on the door, and only then did the moaning stop. Leah waited for the door to open.

‘What’s his intention in calling me to the room?’

Was he reluctant to talk about the necklace in a crowded place? No matter how much she thought about it, that was the only reason.

Finally, the door opened with a click from inside. But Allen and Leah’s expressions differed greatly.

Allen was only barely covered in a towel, having taken off his top.

“Miss Grace? Why today?”

Allen looked very embarrassed, so much so that his face turned pale.

“I thought you asked me to meet you today?”

“Not today…”

Allen stammered and roughly swept his hair back with his hand. Then a woman’s voice was heard from inside.

“Allen, who is it?”

Probably the woman who had been rolling around in bed with Allen until just now. The woman covered her naked body with a blanket and approached the door.

Leah was speechless when she saw the woman.

‘Sarah! Why are you here?’

It was Sarah, her maid.

“Allen, who is that woman?”

Sarah’s face was full of vigilance as she quickly scanned Leah (as Grace) from head to toe.

“Sarah, be quiet.”

Allen tried to somehow resolve this awkward situation.

‘Were they having that kind of relationship?’

Sarah was a loyal maid and almost family. They were like sisters and trusted each other so much. But all that trust was a lie.

‘Did she betray me and give everything to Allen?’

Leah’s legs trembled so much that she almost collapsed on the spot. But she couldn’t show them such an unsightly sight.

“Miss Grace, I think there was a mistake.”

“A mistake?”

“The day I was supposed to meet Miss Grace isn’t today, but…”

Before Allen could finish speaking, Sarah interrupted.

“Allen, is that why you told me to go back to Galdenia first tomorrow? Because of that woman?”

“Sarah, I’m talking. Be quiet.”

The two raised their voices and argued.

“Luke, it seems Mr. McDowell got the date wrong. Let’s go back.”

“Yes, Miss.”

As Leah turned around, Allen shouted.

“Not today… No, I’ll contact you again.”

‘Trashy lovers. Go to hell.’

She cursed them in her heart and left the hotel.

* * *

Leah was furious at Sarah’s betrayal. The two must have exchanged glances behind her back and hatched insidious plots.

Sometimes she worried about what might have happened to Sarah.

But Sarah not only informed Allen of her every move but also enjoyed secret meetings with him as if to mock her.

Sarah must have told him about the secret of the necklace. Sarah knew very well about the necklace that her father always carried. She trusted Sarah that much.

‘You’ll be abandoned too, like an old shoe.’

Allen was not the kind of person who would recognize a maid as his woman. She was just a disposable item to be used as much as possible until she had no value.

‘How could you do that?’

Her father had taken the pitiful Sarah, who had been abandoned in the poorhouse, into his home, clothed her, fed her, and even gave her work.

If she had any conscience, she shouldn’t have done that to her father.

‘Leah Hamilton, you’ve really lived your life in vain.’

Without even knowing that the people closest to her were stabbing her in the back. She had even thought of rescuing Sarah if she went to prison.

‘Could there be another fool like you in the world?’

Leah’s hands roughly twisted the hem of her dress.

“Miss, are you alright?”

Luke asked worriedly.

“I’m just a little uncomfortable. I wonder what his intention was in calling me to the room.”

“It seems Mr. McDowell confused the dates.”

“Luke, I don’t want to worry about it anymore.”

“Understood.”

The carriage returned to the Duke’s mansion. Terrence was still waiting in the lobby for Leah (as Grace) to return.

As the carriage stopped, Luke got out first and bowed slightly to Terrence. Only then did a smile appear on Terrence’s face.

On the day Allen visited the Duke’s mansion, he had Luke investigate him. As he expected, Allen came to the hotel with a woman.

He was planning to send the woman away before meeting Leah (as Grace) and put on a plausible act.

“Did you have a good talk?”

He asked her with a nonchalant face. Judging from Leah’s expression, things must have gone wrong.

“I only saw an unpleasant sight.”

Leah briefly explained to Terrence what had happened at the hotel.

“Why were you uncomfortable? Did you perhaps have Allen McDowell in mind?”

Terrence didn’t mince words. Just looking at the articles about him that she had carefully collected was enough to raise suspicion.

“That’s…”

Leah found it difficult to answer. But after seeing the suspicion in Terrence’s eyes, she realized.

‘He suspects me and Allen.’