Revenge Costs Interest [EN]: Chapter 184

Side Story 4: Too Much Love Has Side Effects

2024.01.31.

The parade of glamorous dresses continued, and people marveled at Chenel’s skill, praising her as having reached divine heights.

Her lace was so intricate and delicate that it was hard to believe it was made by human hands.

Moreover, using silk imported from Bertan, the dresses were the epitome of luxury.

Gasps of admiration echoed from all directions each time the models twirled and walked.

It was, in a word, a fantasia itself.

“It’s truly fantastic.”

Sonya clicked her tongue, and Leah nodded.

“Sonya, don’t you think Chenel’s clothes have changed?”

To Leah’s eyes, Chenel’s clothes definitely seemed different.

Chenel’s lace, when she was younger, didn’t have much technique and was deeply innocent.

But the clothes after she became an adult, what should I say…

“You mean it seems to maximize the beauty of women?”

“That’s right, Sonya.”

“But what’s certain is that no one can catch up with Chenel’s lace-making skills. I dare say no one will surpass her in the next 50 years.”

“I suppose so.”

Instead, machines will take their place. The work for people will gradually decrease.

So, to protect Sonya, Adolf, and Chenel’s outstanding skills, the only option is a high-end strategy.

Such items would be justified in being sold as luxury goods.

After the fashion show ended, it was Chenel’s turn to step in front of the audience.

The people gathered at the presentation knew who made these amazing clothes but waited with excitement to express their awe.

However, there was also someone who couldn’t smile and looked tense throughout the event.

Luke watched his surroundings with fierce eyes from the start of the event.

He was anxious about whether there were any suspicious people or anyone carrying guns or knives.

Then, he saw Chenel appear on stage, and his soul seemed to fly away.

‘Who is that?’

Luke couldn’t recognize his wife at once, even after seeing her. He was well aware that she had changed, but Chenel on stage was like a completely different woman.

Beautiful, mature, and confident, there was no trace of her former youthful appearance.

‘Is that woman really Chenel?’

It wasn’t the alienation he felt when she suddenly became an adult after the lunar eclipse. It was something more.

Her charm, which made him feel awe and even admiration, left him speechless.

The fact that this perfect woman was his wife came as such a great shock that he couldn’t believe it.

‘The real Chenel was like this all along.’

If she hadn’t suffered from a high fever in her childhood and her emotional development hadn’t been delayed, she would have shown this side of herself long ago.

It felt as if warm water was spreading through Luke’s lungs. Not a fiery sensation, but a warm and deep emotion.

He couldn’t take his eyes off Chenel from beginning to end. There might be a threat targeting her, but he was so captivated by her captivating beauty, which bloomed like a red rose, that he couldn’t escape.

“Beautiful, Chenel,” Luke muttered to himself without realizing it. It wasn’t a fabricated admiration, but his inner feelings bursting out.

* * *

Chenel quietly waved her hand, listening to the thunderous applause and praise from the audience.

It was an impossible action in the past, but now she had the composure [mental calmness] to enjoy the event naturally, like Grace.

Then, she made eye contact with Luke, who was watching her from afar. He had a slightly surprised look on his face.

‘He’ll feel strange again, won’t he?’

The man who was taken aback by her changed appearance.

She was grateful that he loved her former, less-than-perfect self, but shouldn’t he have accepted her as she was, even if she couldn’t be like that?

Chenel felt both resentment and affection for him at the same time.

‘But I can’t help but love you, Oppa [term of endearment used by a younger woman to an older man].’

She was imprinted in her heart as ‘Luke Oppa’ when she first saw him, so she might call Luke ‘Oppa’ even when he becomes an old man in the future.

But Chenel’s gaze caught a strange movement. A woman in shabby clothes, holding something shiny, was approaching him.

“Lu… !”

She tried to call his name, but her voice was drowned out by the noise of the people moving busily after the event.

‘Who is that woman?’

Chenel immediately jumped off the stage and headed towards Luke. But Luke was frozen in place like a statue.

‘Oppa, don’t look at me, look to your side.’

She moved her feet urgently, hoping that she was wrong, that her eyes were deceiving her.

However, it was difficult to move towards Luke because people were flocking to see Chenel.

“꺅 [Kyaa]! Chenel, I really wanted to see you.”

“I bought all the lace Chenel made.”

“There’s a big party at my house in a few days, can you attend?”

“To create such a great work with these delicate hands.”

“Chenel is definitely a genius.”

People flocked and made a fuss to say even a word to her.

“Yes, yes, thank you!”

Chenel had nothing more to say than to greet them.

It was more urgent for her to stop the suspicious woman approaching Luke.

“Everyone, please move inside the department store. There will be a presentation on Chenel Lace, which will be presented next spring and summer, shortly,” Paul announced.

If Paul hadn’t come at that moment, Chenel would have been swept away by the crowd.

She was able to quickly escape from the crowded people using that gap.

That’s how she almost arrived at the place where Luke was.

Luke was busy looking for Chenel, who had disappeared into the crowd.

“Chenel!”

It was the moment he was about to take a step to find Chenel. A woman with a knife rushed towards him.

“Die!”

The woman’s knife tore Luke’s coat. Having lived as a soldier for a long time, it was instinct to avoid danger.

But the woman swung the knife wildly, and Luke was cut on his right cheek.

“윽 [Ugh]……!”

He stopped trying to catch the fleeing woman.

It was more urgent to find Chenel and stay by her side. The woman quickly disappeared into the complex crowd.

“Oppa! Are you okay?”

“Chenel.”

Chenel, who he couldn’t find even if he looked for her, was standing right in front of him. She was looking at him with a very flushed face.

“Uh…? I’m okay.”

“Okay? You’re bleeding on your face!”

“Blood?”

“Someone, please help!”

Department store employees rushed in at Chenel’s cry. Chenel shouted at Luke with a stern face.

“I have to catch that woman with my own hands!”

“Don’t… go!”

“How dare you touch my husband!”

Chenel not only threw off the shoes she was wearing but also tore off the flowing silk skirt.

Then, she ran aimlessly, looking for the woman who she didn’t know where she had run away to.

Chenel could tell where the woman had gone with her intuition.

“I’m not a gypsy for nothing.”

Even though she lost her precognitive abilities, it was her innate nature to be more sensitive and have a more developed intuition than others.

She found the woman who swung the knife at Luke not far away.

Chenel ran up and grabbed the woman’s nape in one go.

“으악 [Eeuagh]! What?”

A foul odor emanated from the woman in shabby clothes. The musty smell of mold stung her nose. Soon, the woman turned around.

“You are?”

Chenel was rather startled. It was definitely a woman she knew, although her face was noticeably emaciated.

“You recognize me, Chenel?”

“Nancy.”

It was Nancy, who worked as an employee at the Duke’s residence.

It was the woman who gave her candy and revealed that she was a gypsy. She was fired from the Duke’s residence because of that…

“A girl who used to drool and suck on candy has become a person [a successful individual]?”

“Nancy, why did you attack my husband?”

“Because a lowly gypsy woman even married a noble man. I became like this because of you.”

“Because of me?”

“It’s because of you! A gypsy, who is worse than a peasant, and a 부족한 [deficient] girl are living well, why should I lose my job? It’s so unfair. I just told the truth. That’s not a sin.”

So, she attacked Luke instead of her. The moment Chenel heard Nancy’s words, chills ran down her spine.

“You should have stabbed me instead!”

“No! Then your heart wouldn’t hurt. People get hurt when their most precious thing is shattered!”

“Nancy, you’re really 악……질 [vicious]! I can’t forgive you.”

If she had stabbed her, she might have shown mercy.

But she couldn’t bear the thought of Luke suffering because of her.

Chenel couldn’t overcome her boiling anger and grabbed Nancy’s collar violently.

“You bad 년 [bitch]! I can endure everything, but I can’t stand you touching Luke Oppa. No! I’m going to kill you with my own hands!”

“Ha! Now you’re revealing your 상스러운 [vulgar] true colors. You’ve been deceiving people by pretending to be a noble.”

“Shut your mouth!”

Chenel didn’t care whether people were watching or not.

She grabbed Nancy’s collar with her right hand and raised her left hand high. She was about to slap Nancy’s face at any moment.

Chenel’s hand, which was grabbing her collar, trembled, and her eyes turned red with anger.

Soon, Chenel clenched her fist tightly and struck Nancy’s face as it was.

퍽 [Thwack]! A dull fist sound was heard, and Nancy’s head turned to the side. Still, Chenel didn’t relieve her anger and clenched her fist again.

“You’re right. You touched my most precious person.”

“크……. 억 [Keu… Eok]! Let go.”

Nancy, who had been arrogant, was frightened by Chenel’s strength. Then, a large hand grabbed Chenel’s wrist.

“Stop it, don’t use your beautiful hands recklessly. It hurts my heart.”

“Luke Oppa.”

Chenel lost her strength and let go of Nancy when she saw Luke, who had come after receiving first aid on his face.

Soon, the police officers Luke brought arrested Nancy.

Chenel trembled like an aspen tree and approached Luke. Her big eyes were filled with clear tears.

“I was unconditionally wrong, Chenel.”

Luke realized it now.

His love for her was so great that it overflowed. Sometimes, excessive love causes side effects.

Luke held the crying Chenel in his arms.