Revenge Costs Interest [EN]: Chapter 188

Extracurricular 8. The Chandelier That Lost Its Light

2024.02.04.

Allen was deeply shocked by Sarah’s skillful treatment of the patients and her devoted nursing.

*No*, he couldn’t believe that Sarah was in front of him. He wondered if it was an illusion.

There was no way she would come to a remote island from Galdencia.

Besides, the last time he saw her, she was a maid scurrying around, attending to Leia… It was quite shocking that she had become a nurse.

“Cough, cough—”

Allen couldn’t even say a few words before coughing violently and finally spitting out a lump of blood. Sarah calmly took care of it.

“You’re like a completely different person.”

He made a joke even as he dripped blood. It was as if his illness was nothing serious.

“Everyone changes.”

“That’s right. Sarah and I have both changed. But did you come to Reef Island on purpose?”

Sarah knew what he meant.

Allen was probably under a huge misunderstanding: that she had followed him, even becoming a nurse. Of course, it wasn’t a completely wrong suspicion.

“Yes, I wanted to see how miserable you were.”

“Really? Then it’s a complete success.”

Even as he said that, Sarah wiped his blood and laid him back on the bed. She ordered medicine from another nurse in the clinic.

“Are you satisfied? Seeing my broken self?”

“No.”

Sarah replied in a dry tone. Soon, another doctor in the clinic came to the ward and examined Allen.

He checked his breathing with a stethoscope, examined his body, and asked several questions.

“Sarah, let’s talk for a moment.”

“Yes.”

Sarah followed the doctor into the hallway. Judging from his expression, he didn’t seem to have anything hopeful to say.

“We can’t treat him here. He needs to be transferred to a large hospital in his home country.”

“Is that so?”

She had expected it. Even as a nurse, she could see that Allen’s condition was terrible.

“If he doesn’t get treatment, he’ll die within a few months.”

“Is it possible to take prisoners out of the island?”

“Probably not. All we can do is provide urgent treatment and prescribe medication.”

“Yes, I understand.”

It was all expected, so she wasn’t very surprised. All that was left for her was to gather her courage and make a decision. Sarah returned to the ward.

“Don’t bother, Sarah.”

Allen said in a weak voice. He already seemed to know his illness well, and his face was dark.

“Don’t misunderstand. I’m just doing my job.”

She replied coldly and handed him water and medicine.

She needed to calm his severe cough and vomiting of blood first. But Allen waved his hand at Sarah.

“I told you not to bother. I’m hopeless.”

Allen’s eyes, looking at Sarah, were full of darkness, like a room with the lights off. Not a trace of light remained.

“You were sentenced to life imprisonment. You still have a long way to go to pay for your sins.”

She stubbornly made Allen take the medicine.

She also spoke in a cold tone, emphasizing that it wasn’t out of concern.

“Don’t try to escape cowardly through death. Get well soon and pay for the rest of your sins.”

“Dying miserably *is* paying for my sins. I have no intention of denying my mistakes, Sarah.”

There was no pretense in Allen’s bowed head. Only despair remained, and he seemed to wish to die as soon as possible.

“It looks like a trick to escape from reality to me.”

When she faced Allen in despair, she couldn’t speak kindly.

Sarah didn’t turn her head towards Allen. But she turned around because it was strange that he didn’t say anything.

“Did you fall asleep?”

Whether it was the effect of the medicine, Allen curled up in bed and fell asleep.

Sarah approached Allen, propped him up with a pillow, and covered him with a blanket. He had never taken medicine before, so his condition was very bad.

Without realizing it, she sat down on a chair next to the bed and gazed at the sleeping Allen.

‘Like a chandelier with the lights off.’

Allen McDowell, he *was* such a splendid and shining man. It wasn’t just because his body was broken and his situation was miserable.

In the past, he was full of enthusiasm for life, even if it was greed. Sarah was swept up in subtle emotions.

She still thought he deserved to be punished, or even die.

At the same time, she had the contradictory feeling of wanting to restore the light that had disappeared from him.

* * *

Charles was suspicious of Sarah, who had been clinging to one prisoner for days.

It seemed that he was not just someone she knew from society.

*No*, she just knew him in passing; there was no way she had a deep relationship with such a heinous criminal. His illness must be serious, so she was paying more attention to him.

“Charles, please take a look. His fever won’t go down.”

“I will.”

He went to Allen, who was coughing severely, and Sarah told him about the medicine she had prescribed.

Charles listened to Sarah and examined Allen. Soon, he read the medical records.

“No improvement even after taking the medicine?”

“Is there no way?”

“I think we need to transfer him to a large hospital in Lubeck.”

“Is there any hope if he is transferred?”

Charles looked embarrassed at Sarah’s question. Then Charles’s expression changed. Until now, he had been half-doubtful, but it seemed that he was not just an acquaintance.

“Sarah, that patient…”

Sarah’s answer came out before Charles’s question.

“I know him. He was Miss Leia’s fiancé.”

“Then, is that person Allen McDowell, who killed Leia Hamilton?”

“Yes.”

Charles was shocked. It would have been stranger not to know about the incident that had stirred up the Old Continent [Europe] a few years ago.

In particular, the downfall of the Hamilton Trading Company was caused by Leia Hamilton’s wrong marriage.

Sarah couldn’t bring herself to talk about her relationship with Allen.

Charles would be disappointed if she did. She didn’t want to reveal how low she had been.

She wanted to hide the fact that she was Allen McDowell’s mistress and an accomplice who took the lead in bringing down the Hamilton family.

Of course, Allen might tell Charles. Even so, one thing was clear.

“Charles, I don’t want that person to die.”

“Are you pitying him?”

“No, I want to prevent him from escaping through death. He has to live a long life and pay for his sins.”

That alone was sincere. But Charles surprised Sarah with an unexpected remark.

“Sarah’s eyes say otherwise.”

“Yes? What do you mean?”

“Sarah knows better than anyone.”

Charles turned around with a gentle smile. In that moment, Sarah’s legs trembled.

Was the love and hate she had hidden deep in her heart visible on her face? Strictly speaking, it wasn’t even love and hate. She loved Charles.

Her current feelings for Allen were completely different from her love for Charles; it was a very strange feeling.

She didn’t know what it was, but it was definitely not love and hate. Sarah quickly approached Charles and asked.

“What did you mean by that?”

“Sarah is pitying him.”

“Me? No way.”

“There’s nothing wrong with that feeling. I like Sarah even more because she’s a woman with a warm heart. Not everyone can have the emotion to forgive an enemy.”

‘The heart to forgive an enemy.’

Only then did she feel like she understood a little. The feeling she had for Allen was not love and hate, but pity.

It was a feeling she could never have had in the past. She was always quick to envy or resent someone, but she couldn’t afford to pity them.

But now, even when she looked at Allen, she felt more pity than selfishness, and her heart seemed to be generous enough.

“Sarah, why don’t we move him to Lubeck and use my new drug?”

“Are you talking about the antibiotic you’re researching?”

“Yes. Of course, we have to get the patient’s consent.”

In fact, prisoners on Reef Island had no human rights, so consent was not necessary.

However, Charles was a stubborn and religious person, so he despised immoral acts. The problem was Sarah’s conflict.

‘He’s a human being who deserves to die. What’s the point of saving him? But… if he dies like that, will he know what he did wrong?’

The desire to punish Allen more and the desire to make him feel deeply that he was an insignificant being clashed.

“He’s the only prisoner who needs to be transferred from prison. I’ll talk to the warden.”

Charles said what he had to say and headed to the ward.

* * *

Once again, only Sarah and Allen were left in the ward. Allen’s high fever had subsided thanks to Charles’s treatment, and he regained consciousness after a few hours.

“Sarah.”

“Are you awake?”

“Am I going to die soon?”

“No. You’re not going to die.”

“That’s a shame.”

‘A shame?’

In that moment, Sarah was annoyed. *No*, she felt the urge to check.

“Do you even know what you did wrong?”

Allen chuckled at Sarah’s agitated voice.

“It’s been 7 years, Sarah.”

“No, do you know how *bad* you were?”

“So let me die. Don’t give me any treatment.”

“You’re still a coward.”

“A coward? Even if I want to apologize, Leia is no longer here. No, if I could turn back time, I would never have met Leia. Is it right for the guy who threw the woman who loved me so much off a cliff to be alive?”

Sarah was surprised to see Allen wailing.

“Even breathing is a sin. So please don’t treat me, please!”

Allen McDowell was regretting his mistakes. She never dreamed that she would see such a sight in her life.

She knew him better than anyone else, so she knew very well whether it was lip service or sincerity. Well, 7 years is not a short time.

It would be stranger if he hadn’t changed.

“No, you’re not there yet. You need to be punished more.”

“Sarah!”

“I’m going to make you healthy and make you live the rest of your life reflecting on your actions.”

Sarah finally realized. She no longer hated Allen.

The love and hate that had always remained in her heart had now disappeared.

In addition, her heart became lighter. Now, Allen was just a patient who needed to be cured, nothing more.