Revenge Costs Interest [EN]: Chapter 33

Revenge Has Interest – Episode 33. Fear of Love (33/200)

Episode 33. Fear of Love

2023.09.02.

The night I had been dreading finally arrived.

Pauline, quick as ever, had already prepared my best nightgown without me saying a word.

Usually, I wore a chemise [a loose-fitting, shirt-like garment] that covered my shoulders, but tonight it was a silk nightgown with thin straps.

It accentuated my curves, making me feel a bit self-conscious. But it was definitely something a woman my age could wear.

“Grace, are you going to make a baby with the mister?”

Leah was startled by Chaner’s question as she munched on snacks from the side.

“N-No, it’s not like that.”

“If you kiss, you get a baby!”

Leah and Pauline exchanged amused glances and laughed.

However, the real issue was Chaner’s workload these days.

Orders were flooding in from Lubeck, Galdenia, and numerous other countries, making it difficult to meet the delivery deadlines.

“Miss, don’t worry. Chaner is incredibly fast. She practically makes lace while she’s… occupied.”

“Really?”

That’s how busy she must be. But even machines break down if they’re run constantly. It must be even harder for Chaner, who’s only human.

“Chaner, if you’re struggling because of the overwhelming number of lace orders, please tell me. We can adjust the amount we accept.”

“It’s okay. I feel happy when I walk down the street and see noble ladies wearing the lace I made.”

“Really?”

“Yes, and I like that Grandpa doesn’t hang out with bad people anymore.”

Leah was quite surprised by Chaner’s words.

She had assumed Chaner was simply following instructions without much thought, but she was actually taking pride in her work.

‘It’s a relief that Chaner feels pride in her work.’

“Pauline, make sure Chaner gets one or two days off a week to rest.”

“I understand, Miss.”

Leah addressed Pauline, but her gaze remained on Chaner’s tirelessly moving hands. She swallowed her next words.

‘Chaner, I’m sorry, but your grandfather used to be a bad person.’

Of course, he had turned over a new leaf and was now living an honest life.

When I visited the general store the other day, he was working diligently. Even though he complained about the workload, his face was beaming.

More than anything, he seemed incredibly proud that Chaner’s lace was selling like hotcakes.

[Lace, so valuable that fakes are being sold? Our trademark is a C with three wings, but they cleverly created one with four wings. Those shameless bastards, just wait until I catch them.]

[It’s not cheap. It’s a year’s salary for a factory worker.]

[Still, how dare they make shoddy imitations and undermine our Chaner lace.]

Is this a case of the pot calling the kettle black? [An idiom referring to someone criticizing another for a fault they themselves possess.] There might be a more fitting expression.

Even if others cursed, Rafa shouldn’t be one to criticize.

Rafa had committed countless illegal acts in the past while leading his subordinates. But he must have truly realized the error of his ways now.

Just as he felt wronged by the fakes of Chaner’s hard-earned creations, others must have suffered because of his past actions.

It was certain that people only gain true understanding through firsthand experience.

Anyway, Chaner’s lace had become a must-have item for every woman. That’s why imitations were so prevalent.

Still, the prestige of owning the ‘real thing’ couldn’t be ignored, so measures were taken urgently. Chaner added an intricate pattern to the trademark, making it nearly impossible to replicate.

Talking with Pauline and Chaner while preparing to go to Terran’s bedroom took longer than expected.

Pauline glanced at the wall clock and hastened her movements.

“Miss, everything is ready.”

Only after Pauline sprayed perfume on Leah’s neck was the preparation complete. Leah desperately wanted to avoid tonight.

‘Who can I blame? It’s all my fault.’

I couldn’t even complain to Pauline, knowing how much she cared.

Leah donned the silk nightgown and headed to Terran’s bedroom.

‘Ugh! My heart is pounding.’

To spend the first night with Terran before even getting married. Leah’s teeth chattered from the intense anxiety. Then, a sudden surge of determination arose.

‘Grace will like it. I scared her last time by pretending to swim, so this time I’ll do something that makes her happy.’

The only time Leah had witnessed Grace and Terran together was in that dream, but she clearly remembered the sparkling adoration in Grace’s eyes for Terran. She knew how much Grace cared for him.

Since falling into the water during the swimming competition—since hearing Grace’s voice—Leah had been confused about whether the feelings she felt for Terran were her own or Grace’s.

Leah dismissed Pauline and entered Terran’s bedroom.

‘Woody scent.’

The refreshing woody fragrance that emanated from him filled the entire room. It felt like stepping into a spring forest, not a bedroom. Then, with a soft click, the door opened, and a presence appeared.

“Terran?”

As Leah turned, Terran stood there, holding wine glasses in both hands.

Through the slightly open gown, glimpses of his firm chest and abs were visible.

“Try this.”

Terran offered the wine glass to Grace. She gazed at the purple wine swirling in the sparkling crystal glass and took a sip.

“It’s sweet.”

“I thought something sweet would suit Grace better than a bitter taste.”

“Thank you for your consideration.”

“The consideration ends here. I won’t be so considerate in bed.”

Leah blushed and looked at him, feeling as though he was savoring an aperitif before devouring her.

Terran drained the wine in one gulp. The sweet and bitter alcohol slid down his throat, and his Adam’s apple bobbed.

It was incredibly sensual. He was simply drinking wine, but the act itself felt so erotic.

‘Why am I like this? Having such lewd thoughts.’

As Terran’s lips turned a deeper shade of purple, Leah unconsciously reached out and wiped his lips with her finger.

Startled by her own actions, she tried to withdraw her hand, but he caught it. Terran kissed each of her fingers, sending a tingling sensation that made her head spin.

His desire traveled through her fingertips and spread throughout her body.

Terran naturally guided Grace to the bed.

‘Yes, this isn’t my will. It’s Grace’s desire.’

Leah tried to separate herself and Grace from the overwhelming emotions.

Terran sat Grace on the edge of the bed and gently stroked her gown. He felt a pang of sympathy for Grace’s fragile body, which was trembling.

But at the same time, a fierce instinct surged within him, a desire to make her completely his.

“Are you scared?”

“No.”

No, her body was trembling like an aspen leaf. Terran struggled to control his mounting desire.

If he gave in to his impulses, Grace would surely be overwhelmed.

His priority was to slowly ease her tension. He began to kiss Grace’s pale neck.

‘Hoo!’

Terran inhaled deeply. Her skin was softer than her silk gown, and his lips seemed to melt against it.

His lips savored her neck before exploring her delicate shoulders.

Even with this restraint, his aroused body struggled to suppress its instincts and grew increasingly demanding.

In truth, from the moment he had seen Grace in his bedroom, he had desperately wanted her.

He wanted to claim her completely and imbue her with his scent, making her undeniably Terran Courtois’s.

Terran’s long fingers slowly slid down the thin straps of her slip.

Leah gasped and flinched. Every brush of his lips against her skin sent a jolt through her, as if she had been electrocuted.

She found herself enjoying the sweet caresses rather than recoiling from them. While she rationalized that it was for Grace’s sake, her instincts, unlike her reason, craved him.

She wanted him to become even more passionate. The fear of a herbivore longing to be captured and devoured by the sharp teeth of a predator soon morphed into desire.

‘Oh no, I like Terran.’

These weren’t Grace’s feelings. She liked his warm breath and soft lips. She wanted his desire for her to intensify.

A thirst surged within her, a yearning for him to lead her to a rapture she had never experienced before.

In that moment, Leah realized that she couldn’t rationally control her response to Terran’s desire. Physical desire and rational judgment were separate entities.

It wasn’t just that she was being swayed by the intoxication of physical intimacy with him.

‘I think I like Terran a lot.’

She had always denied it, but now she understood. Terran was simply her protector, and she was determined to reject any relationship beyond that.

But in the end, her heart was also drawn to him.

Leah burst into tears. No, she sobbed uncontrollably.

“Grace!”

Terran couldn’t conceal his shock at seeing Grace crying during his caresses.

Was he being too forceful? His heart sank at the sight of her tears, fueled by fear.

“Was I being reckless?”

He asked, his voice laced with anxiety. But Grace simply sobbed like a child, offering no response.

‘It’s happening again.’

Leah was afraid of love, not Terran.

She felt as though her body would be paralyzed by the heat he radiated. Moreover, her carefully constructed reason was crumbling so helplessly that she wept.

“Shh! Don’t cry. I won’t rush you.”

Terran gently pulled the gown back over Grace’s shoulders. Then, he tenderly drew her into his arms, as if comforting a child.

‘I was too hasty.’

Grace wasn’t a woman who readily pursued pleasure. Rather, she was like a pristine sanctuary, untouched by others.

“Terran, please give me some time.”

A clear tear trickled from Leah’s purplish-blue eyes. Terran gazed at her as if time had stopped. Then, he smiled and replied.

“Of course.”

Leah needed time to sort through her tangled emotions. She had fallen too deeply to simply push him away and run again.

First, she needed to overcome the fear of love that resided within her. Otherwise, she knew she wouldn’t be able to fully accept him.

“It’s not because I don’t like you. I’m just…”

Before Leah could finish her sentence, his lips met hers. It was a kiss filled with comfort, devoid of lust.

It was also a silent promise that he could wait patiently, without her needing to offer excuses.

Terran laid Leah down beside him and turned to face her.

“Just being together is enough.”

Terran considered it a significant achievement that Grace had allowed him this much intimacy. As long as she didn’t push him away.

How could a woman be so wonderful? It was something he had never imagined before.

‘You don’t know how much I fear love.’

Leah cautiously snuggled into Terran’s arms. He and Allen were clearly different people. The crucial factor was her unhealed wound.

Even though she was afraid of love and hesitant, she liked Terran.

Terran gently patted Grace in his arms, as if she were a baby.

‘I wish she were less lovely.’

A woman who was scared and crying looked even more beautiful than a woman consumed by lust and eagerness.

He pressed his lips to Grace’s forehead and closed his eyes.