Revenge Costs Interest [EN]: Chapter 28

Revenge Has Interest 28. Don’t Act Recklessly Without My Permission (28/200)

Don’t Act Recklessly Without My Permission

2023.08.28.

Once again, Terrence’s help was unavoidable.

Or, more accurately, his *permission* was unavoidable. Leah asked Terrence to go on the date they couldn’t finish last time. He readily agreed, and the two headed to the park they often visited with Pauline.

“Terrence, it’s autumn.”

“Indeed.”

The lush scenery of the park had changed.

Reeds sprouted around the lake, and the leaves and grass had shifted to autumnal colors. It had a different charm than the bright greens of summer.

Terrence wanted to stroll through the park holding Leah’s hand, but she didn’t readily offer it today.

“You have something to tell me, don’t you?”

Terrence was quick to notice.

“Yes. Actually, there’s something I need your permission for.”

Leah explained the sales method she had devised.

It involved taking pictures of herself wearing Chenel’s lace and placing advertisements in newspapers.

“You’re going to do mail-order sales?”

“Yes. If people contact us to buy the lace, we’ll deliver it in person for a delivery fee.”

“What about the provinces?”

“Big cities will be delivered the same way, but for rural areas, I think it would be good for consumers to pick up the goods at the post office once they arrive. If they don’t like the product after seeing it, they don’t have to buy it if they pay a small return fee on the spot.”

Terrence nodded, listening attentively.

“It’s a very convenient method. To be able to buy things by mail just by looking at the newspaper at home.”

“Grandpa Rapa will open the first Hamilton General Store in Lebon. I think we can receive consumers’ letters there. Of course, Grandpa Rapa’s men will handle the delivery.”

Terrence stopped walking and stared at Leah silently. As time went on, Leah continued to surprise him.

Most people go directly to the store to look at the goods and open their wallets only when they like them.

But she was planning to do the opposite – to stimulate the desire to buy just by looking at the advertisement, without seeing the product firsthand.

“Is that possible? People are naturally suspicious.”

“On the contrary, they’re also curious. The first time is difficult, but if the product is good, the next time won’t be.”

Terrence listened, but there were a few things he didn’t like.

The fact that Leah would take the pictures herself and put up advertisements meant that her face would become known throughout Lubeck.

“It’s not a good method.”

Terrence firmly opposed, and Leah was shocked by his unexpected negative reaction.

She wondered why the person who had said he would be her helper in whatever she did had suddenly changed his tune.

“My fiancée’s face will be known nationwide.”

“You can’t make money while being overly cautious.”

She couldn’t openly talk about the fact that a noble was doing business, but as the actual owner, she felt she should do this much.

Being a model for newspaper advertisements might attract attention, but it could also give the impression of spreading beautiful things and setting trends.

‘Changing perceptions is also my responsibility.’

‘It’ll be gossip at first. No, no reaction *at all* is a failure. If you’re going to do business, you have to overcome that.’

The consumers are mostly nobles and upper-class people. In that case, it was okay to take pictures.

“Do you have to ‘sell your face’ to make money?”

“Sell my face?”

Leah was shocked by his words. How could he say such harsh things?

She was trying to do business legitimately. The picture of her wearing the product was a sales method, not a vulgar trick.

Leah tried to persuade Terrence, explaining that even with mail-order sales, she had to show what the product looked like, at the very least.

But Leah’s efforts didn’t work very well.

Terrence was unwavering and seemed even angrier.

“Isn’t it unfair? Grace tries to do everything she wants, but she neglects me.”

Now that he mentioned it, he hadn’t received proper attention from Leah since she started her business.

*Was* this the loneliness that the old Grace felt for me? Is that why she’s punishing me? He even entertained such doubts.

His desire for her only grew, but Leah wouldn’t even let him hold her hand properly, so he couldn’t even expect a kiss.

He was just supposed to look at her and appreciate her, which was testing his patience to its limit.

“I’ve never neglected Terrence.”

“This childish conversation is ridiculous; let’s stop it.”

‘Ridiculous?’

Leah was furious. In the end, like other men, Terrence was also dictatorial and arrogant.

Just because they were engaged, he was trying to control her life as if it were his. Her idea of getting his support in the first place was wrong.

After all, she had planned and started it alone. She should overcome the difficulties herself.

“It’s my business. I’ll take care of it from now on.”

“Are you saying you don’t need my help?”

“Yes.”

“I see.”

The date that was supposed to be pleasant was ruined. Leah didn’t talk about business with Terrence anymore after that.

* * *

Leah searched for the best photographer in Lubeck.

It was true that photography was not yet familiar to people, but it was advantageous because you could print multiple copies once you took one.

Above all, there was nothing better than a picture to let people who had not actually seen Chenel’s lace know about it.

But when the photographer came to the mansion, Terrence looked quite surprised. He seemed to think that she would drop the plan on her own because he had opposed it.

“I think it would be good to take it on the sofa in the drawing-room here.”

Pauline took the photographer to the drawing-room according to Leah’s instructions. But the photographer took quite a long time to set up the camera because he had so much equipment.

In the meantime, Leah did her makeup and hair and wore a Chenel lace shawl over a simple dress.

“Wow! My sister is pretty!”

“Really? Then, shall we go take a picture?”

“Yes, I like it.”

Leah headed to the first-floor drawing-room with Chenel.

As she entered, the photographer didn’t even move, looking completely stunned.

“It’s an honor… to be able to capture such a beautiful person in my camera.”

“Nice to meet you. You have to make this lace shawl stand out more than me.”

Leah repeatedly reminded the photographer of her request.

“Young lady, please sit in that chair.”

The photographer said, pointing to a chair in front of a curtain hanging on the wall. Leah sat demurely in the chair as he instructed.

Then, several people were heard outside.

Leah was startled. Terrence appeared in the drawing-room, leading Luke and James. That wasn’t all.

Terrence sat cross-legged on the sofa behind the photographer and stared at Leah, who was sitting opposite him.

Leah suddenly stiffened and was overcome with tension.

‘Did he come to glare at me like that?’

Luke and James were looking with curious faces, but Terrence looked at her as if she were an enemy he would kill right away.

“Okay! I’ll take it.”

The photographer covered himself with a black cloth and focused the camera.

Leah forced a smile that made her mouth twitch.

She realized too late that it was impossible to take pictures naturally in front of Terrence.

But the photographer stopped what he was doing and walked towards Leah.

“Face this way, hair back a little more. Shoulders…….”

As the photographer touched Leah’s face and hair to correct her posture, another hand roughly slapped his hand away.

“Don’t touch her carelessly.”

Terrence, who had appeared at some point, grabbed the photographer’s wrist and threatened him.

“No, I was just trying to correct her posture.”

Only then did Terrence release his wrist. But that wasn’t the problem.

Terrence couldn’t control his anger and put his hands on his waist, panting.

‘Ha, I’m going crazy.’

Leah was impatient. At this rate, she wouldn’t be able to take pictures properly. She had brought the photographer with such difficulty.

The photographer’s face was already red. She was worried that he might refuse to continue and leave.

“I’ll correct it, so tell me what to do,” Terrence said to the photographer, suppressing his anger. It seemed like he had endured a lot.

Still, Leah didn’t like his actions.

“Slightly to the left with your chin, shoulders a little straighter. Please put your hair back so that the lace is visible.”

At the photographer’s request, Terrence corrected Leah’s posture.

Even in the midst of all this, resentment towards her was simmering in his eyes.

Surprisingly, even though he was very angry, his touch was meticulous and gentle.

He savored her chin with his fingertips and lightly brushed the back of her white neck with the back of his hand as he swept her hair back.

Leah saw the desire of a desperate man in his face – a man who couldn’t take his eyes off her and satisfied his desires with his eyes and hands.

Leah trembled without realizing it when his gentle touch touched her.

“Good, I’ll take it now.”

The photographer seemed satisfied with Leah’s corrected posture and covered himself with a black cloth, counting one, two, three loudly.

“Um, how about you two take a picture together? For your collection.”

Terrence and Leah were equally embarrassed at the photographer’s unexpected suggestion.

“No, it’s okay.”

As Leah shook her hand and stood up, Terrence sat her on his lap.

“Take it.”

“Terrence, this is too embarrassing a pose.”

Leah’s face turned red, but the photographer, Luke, and James welcomed her with applause.

Leah had to sit on his lap and take pictures with an awkward smile.

“James, take pictures of all the employees of the mansion.”

“Yes? I understand, Duke.”

The photographer’s mouth curved upward as if it would tear at Terrence’s order.

* * *

Terrence took Leah to his office. She thought he was in a good mood, but he just grabbed Leah’s hand and walked away without saying a word.

As the door slammed shut, he let go of Leah’s hand.

“Leah Bizac, have you forgotten that I am your guardian?”

“I know.”

“Knowing that, you can act recklessly without my permission?”

“It’s not acting recklessly.”

“I warn you, your picture will not be in the newspaper. I will not just watch my woman’s face being sold all over the country.”

Leah was disgusted by his dictatorial attitude [독선]. If he had promised to help, he should have kept his promise.

She didn’t understand why he was changing his words now. She had explained it sufficiently in advance.

“I don’t need Terrence’s permission. My picture will be in the newspaper.”

Leah clenched her fists and confronted him.