Revenge Costs Interest [EN]: Chapter 67

Revenge Comes with Interest Episode 67: I Must Get Revenge (67/200)

Episode 67: I Must Get Revenge

October 6, 2023

Everyone was shocked by the story of Madame Armand’s divorce.

The end was so messy that it was hard to believe they had lived as a loving couple for five years.

“It seems Emily Lant told her husband she wanted a separation because I grabbed her hair.”

The story that followed was even more absurd.

“It was wrong of me to grab her hair and shake it so vulgarly. But my husband doesn’t know the real Emily at all.”

Even if she told him what Emily was really up to, he wouldn’t believe her. Instead, he told Madame Armand not to slander an innocent person and didn’t hesitate to call her pathetic.

“What kind of woman is she?”

Pauline asked Leah slyly.

“She sent letters to Terrence for years, begging him to meet her, even as his mistress.”

“That’s crazy! Knowing full well he has a fiancée…”

Pauline burst out in anger at Leah’s reply.

Leah added that Emily had given Terrence a love letter even at the Bellise banquet hall.

“Ugh! Why just grab her hair? I would break her legs…”

Pauline was more outraged than usual. Chanelle giggled as if it were amusing.

Even the naive Chanelle seemed to realize that Pauline was empathizing because of her own romance with Tom.

“Did she get any alimony?”

Sonya, who had been listening, asked a very practical question. All eyes turned to Emily.

“When we got married, my family gave me a manor as dowry, but he didn’t even return that. Frankly, my husband is kind of stingy when it comes to spending money on anything.”

“Still, the fault of the divorce lies with your husband, so he should definitely return the dowry, right?”

Sonya got heated up. Soon, Madame Armand began to sob sadly again. She lamented her fate, saying she had nowhere to go, no money, and didn’t know how to live.

In that moment, many thoughts flashed through Leah’s mind. It wasn’t that she felt burdened by suddenly having to take care of Madame Armand.

The problem was that she herself was empathizing with her situation as much as Pauline was. Moreover, she realized that she felt extremely betrayed by a man’s betrayal.

It didn’t matter if it was someone else’s problem or her own.

Just as Leah was feeling angry inside, James came to find her.

“The Duke is looking for you and Madame Sonya.”

“I’ll be right there, James.”

Leah immediately softened her stern face and answered kindly.

“Pauline, Chanelle! Madame Armand must be hungry after coming such a long way. Take care of her meal first.”

“Don’t worry, Miss.”

Leah was about to leave the room with Sonya when she turned back to Madame Armand. She held the woman’s hand tightly and said,

“Don’t worry about anything. I’ll find a way.”

“Th-Thank you, Miss Vizak.”

Madame Armand didn’t know what to do.

* * *

Terrence greeted Leah and Sonya warmly when they came to his office. He immediately handed them a photo and a letter.

“This is my friend’s younger sister in Galdenia. She’s participating in this selection [referring to a competition to become the Crown Princess].”

“I see.”

Leah carefully examined the photo Terrence gave her. She was a lady with a refined appearance. She soon handed the photo to Sonya.

“The letter contains Adele’s body measurements, the color and design of the dress she wants, and several other requests.”

Leah and Sonya took turns looking at the photo and the letter.

The client’s name was Adele Wellington, the daughter of a Count. But Sonya’s expression didn’t look good. Neither did Leah’s.

‘She’s far less beautiful than Allen’s younger sister, Rivette.’

Of course, the Crown Princess isn’t chosen solely for her beauty. They would consider various conditions such as character, knowledge, education, and family.

“She’s very ordinary.”

Sonya sighed as she looked at the photo. Her refined appearance was just plain and simple, and she didn’t feel particularly attractive.

“Adele is a terrible bookworm. I think she wears glasses.”

Sonya’s expression worsened at Terrence’s words. It looked like Rivette would be chosen no matter what they did. But his plan was different.

“Madame, please use your divine hands to make sure Adele is chosen as the Crown Princess.”

Sonya turned pale at his words. No matter how well she made the dress, it would only shine if the person wearing it had a certain level of beauty…

“I’ll do my best, Terrence.”

Leah answered instead of Sonya. If they put their heads together and researched, there might be a way.

Sonya took the photo and letter and got up first. Then Leah asked her a favor.

“Sonya, please call Madame Armand here.”

“Understood.”

As Sonya left, Terrence gave Leah a puzzled look.

“Madame Armand?”

Before she arrived, Leah briefly told him about Madame Armand’s situation. But there was one strange thing.

Terrence must have received a love letter from Emily at the banquet, but he didn’t seem to know her well. Or maybe he was pretending not to know.

“So, what does Grace want?”

“Well, I don’t have a proper chaperone. Pauline is also working as the workshop manager, so the maids take turns attending to me. So…”

Leah hesitated, and he crossed his long legs and put his hand on his forehead.

“You want to bring Madame Armand in as Grace’s chaperone?”

“That’s right.”

“But it’s not that simple. Grace’s chaperone, of all people, must have a wealth of experience and, above all, a good reputation in society. We can’t just put anyone next to Grace.”

Terrence was unusually talkative. Then he took a piece of paper from his jacket pocket.

He unfolded the paper with the grapes drawn on it and sighed deeply.

“Hoo! I wonder when these grapes will all be filled in [referring to a reward system where Leah signs a grape for Terrence when he grants her a favor].”

Leah almost burst out laughing. If she hadn’t covered her mouth with her hand in time. But her eyes were constantly laughing as she looked at Terrence.

‘What am I going to do with that cute man?’

Terrence was as serious as someone with the most serious worries in the world.

Leah waited until her laughter subsided and said in a low voice.

“If I sign it, can I hire Madame Armand as my chaperone?”

“That’s right.”

He had already pushed the paper in front of Leah and handed her a pen.

“Oh my! There are only five left now?”

‘There are five left.’

Terrence hoped that she would sign all five of the remaining grapes this time.

But did Terrence’s wish come true? Leah signed without hesitation.

‘Finally…!’

Terrence was overwhelmed with emotion at the sight of the long journey of patience coming to an end.

‘Three, four… five? Why does she stop leaving one behind?’

He looked back and forth between the paper and Leah with wide eyes.

“Grace, why did you lea…ve one behind?”

He asked as politely as possible. He tried not to get too excited or pretend to be disappointed after being so happy.

Just then, Madame Armand arrived at the office, and Leah ran to the door and grabbed her hand.

“Madame Armand, please say hello. This is Duke Terrence Courtois.”

“Nice to meet you, Duke.”

Madame Armand greeted him politely, and Terrence nodded with an awkward smile.

“From today, Madame Armand has been hired as my chaperone. Terrence gave me permission too.”

“Oh my! What a grateful thing…”

‘What a damn thing.’

Terrence folded the paper and put it in his pocket with an awkward smile.

Was there ever a time when he resented her as much as he did at this moment? A woman who tantalizes him like candy in front of his eyes.

‘I’m not upset.’

Still, he hopes that the day will come soon when he can roast and devour that sly rabbit [a metaphor for finally winning Leah over].

* * *

Leah and a total of five women were talking seriously.

“We must get revenge.”

The first person to speak was Sonya.

She was particularly angry that Madame Armand had not received her dowry back.

She knew very well that it was not easy for a woman to live alone in this society, and she cursed her husband for being a jerk for not giving her a penny.

“How do we get revenge?”

When Leah asked, Pauline stepped up this time.

“We have to break them up so they can’t get married.”

“How?”

She wanted to separate them, but she didn’t have a concrete plan.

Then Pauline’s gaze moved to Chanelle, who was constantly eating snacks.

“Tell Grandpa Rapa to kill them both.”

It seemed that Chanelle would not be able to give a clear answer today. In that moment, a strong light flashed through Leah’s mind.

“There’s the love letter. Madame Armand said that her husband believes that Emily only loves him, right?”

“Yes, he doesn’t know she’s sending love letters to this man and that man. No, he’s trying not to believe it.”

“Then we can just show him with our own eyes.”

Pauline’s eyes sparkled as if she had found a way in Leah’s answer.

“If that woman has been sending love letters to our Duke for years, James must have collected them all.”

But the problem is that James is Terrence’s loyal servant.

He was not the kind of person who would easily hand over Terrence’s private life, let alone a single document.

It might be faster to ask Terrence directly.

But Leah’s pride would not allow it. She didn’t even want Terrence to know that she knew about the love letters.

“James Ajusshi [a respectful Korean term for ‘uncle,’ used to address older men], I went to the watch shop a few days ago, but I made a wasted trip.”

Like a ray of light in the night sky that illuminates the dark night, Chanelle gave the answer again this time. As expected, she did not betray Leah’s expectations.

“There’s nothing more precious to a butler than a watch. Besides, watches are very expensive.”

“Hey! It won’t work. He might have already bought one.”

Pauline replied skeptically. But James, as Leah saw him, was not such a reckless man.

He was so attached to his belongings that he would fix a broken watch somehow, so he wouldn’t have bought a new one so readily.

“Sometimes there’s nothing like a high-end bribe.”

Leah smiled and replied.