Revenge Costs Interest [EN]: Chapter 87

Revenge Comes with Interest Episode 87: The Reason for Obsession with Business (87/200)

Episode 87: The Reason for Obsession with Business

2023.10.26.

Sarah made her way to the mansion’s wine cellar.

Richard Hamilton, Leah’s father, had been a wine enthusiast.

He enjoyed storing wine in oak barrels in the basement. The properly aged wine now belonged to Allen.

‘I’ve searched the whole house. This is the only place left.’

She had looked everywhere the memorandum could possibly be.

She examined each of the oak barrels in the basement.

Tapping each barrel to check if it was full, she investigated them all. Then, she found a secluded oak barrel.

‘Only this one has a different keyhole.’

Sarah tapped the barrel. If it were full of wine, it would make a dull sound, but it only echoed lightly, as if it were empty.

‘Could it be here?’

Sarah took out the key necklace from her pocket and inserted the key into the hole. It fit perfectly.

The problem was whether the key would turn to the right.

‘Please!’

She closed her eyes as if saying a final prayer and turned the key.

With a click, the small door of the oak barrel opened. Sarah was so surprised she couldn’t move for a moment.

‘Get a grip, Sarah.’

After opening the door, Sarah reached into the barrel and groped around.

Hoping to grab something, her hand closed on an object.

‘A book.’

She didn’t hesitate to take it out.

‘It’s not the memorandum.’

She had imagined the memorandum to be a ledger containing the Hamilton family’s business secrets. But the leather cover and pages were intact, not yellowed at all.

‘What is it?’

Sarah opened the book and was startled.

‘This is……!’

Soon, her face lit up. It was a much bigger prize than expected.

With this, she could threaten Allen.

‘No, I won’t threaten Allen. I don’t want to use it for that.’

Sarah quickly clutched the book to her chest.

‘This book will open a shortcut for me and Allen to go to hell together.’

She still loved Allen terribly, but he had abandoned her. If she stayed by his side any longer, she would surely be killed soon.

She was not a naive princess like Leah, who didn’t know the ways of the world.

Leah died deceived by Allen’s love. But she loved him knowing full well that he was a bad man.

At the time, she was confident that his love would eventually turn to her.

‘I’ll let Allen know that he can’t abandon me carelessly.’

It was something she started with the determination to die from the beginning.

If she hadn’t been prepared for that, she wouldn’t have betrayed Leah, who was like a sister, and Richard, whom she considered her father, in her right mind.

Sarah quickly extinguished the candle she was holding and left the basement.

* * *

Leah and Terrence arrived in Galdenia to attend the Crown Princess selection party.

Several carriages lined up in the upscale residential area of Brasel, the capital of Galdenia. Thanks to Terrence buying a mansion in advance, they didn’t have to stay in a hotel.

Leah was impressed by the house Terrence bought.

“It’s not comparable to the Duke’s residence, but it’s a very nice mansion.”

The building, built in the Mediterranean temple style, was all white. The small garden featured a fountain and a classic pergola [an archway forming a framework for climbing plants].

There were also many rooms, so the employees they brought could stay comfortably.

Leah was lost in old memories for a moment.

The house currently used as Allen’s mansion was once owned by her and her father.

It was a luxurious mansion that was among the top ten in Brasel.

Would the day ever come when she could get that mansion back….

Leah was lost in thought and hurriedly snapped out of it.

‘Face reality, Leah.’

Looking around, everyone was busy except her. Some people were unloading luggage from the carriage and already going up to their rooms to unpack.

“Grace, shall we go to the bedroom too?”

Terrence gently took her hand and headed upstairs.

The room where they would stay was the largest bedroom on the upper floor, and the atmosphere was quite different from the Duke’s residence.

A large balcony, intricately carved marble pillars, a soft wool carpet, and luxurious bedding made of a blend of wool and silk.

The unique atmosphere of Galdenia was everywhere.

“When can we meet the Wellington Earl siblings?”

“They’re scheduled to visit tomorrow.”

“I should stop by the general store while I’m here.”

“Is Grace only thinking about work?”

“Yes……? Oh my!”

Before she could answer, Terrence picked Leah up and sat her on the marble railing leading to the balcony.

Just in time, a warm spring breeze blew.

“I love it so much, Terrence.”

Leah muttered without realizing it. But Terrence didn’t answer and breathed hot breaths on her neck.

“The problem is that I’m so happy that I wonder if it’s okay to be this happy.”

“Terrence deserves it.”

‘But I’m not yet…….’

Leah needed to keep up appearances for a while. Terrence and she were in different situations.

He just had to enjoy a comfortable life now. But she still had a lot to deal with.

She had to take revenge without jeopardizing Terrence’s happiness.

“Grace, is there anything you want?”

Terrence wanted to give her everything she wanted.

He could buy her a house larger than this mansion, and he was willing to buy as many stores as she needed.

“Why suddenly?”

“I just have a feeling that Grace likes Brasel. Anyone who sees it would mistake it for your home country.”

‘It is my home country. It’s such a familiar place that I know all the roads even if I go out empty-handed right now.’

“What do you want to do for me?”

“Um, should I buy you a bigger house or a store or something?”

Grace shook her head at Terrence’s words.

“I just need Terrence by my side. I mean it.”

Leah wrapped her arms around his neck and stared straight into his eyes.

Because all she wanted from him was Terrence.

Joy rippled like a wave in Terrence’s eyes.

Just as his lips were about to come down and meet hers, a noisy footstep mercilessly shattered the calm emotion.

“Sister, can I go sightseeing downtown with Miss Louise Valery?”

It was Chenelle holding a lollipop.

Terrence and Grace, who were about to kiss, stepped away with awkward expressions.

“Go… ahead. You have to be back before dinner.”

“Yes!”

“Chenelle!”

Terrence grabbed Chenelle, who was leaving after only seeing to her business.

“What is it, mister?”

“You have to say Louise Valery.”

“Ah, Louise Valery.”

“Hoo! Go ahead.”

Terrence closed his eyes tightly and waved his hand. Then Terrence suddenly wondered.

Why did Chenelle say she was going sightseeing with Louis instead of Luke?

‘She seems sulky.’

It was possible enough because she was like a child.

But some time later, he learned that Luke had gone down to the territory and gotten engaged.

He heard from James that Chenelle had started ignoring Luke from the moment she found out about it.

* * *

The next day, Leah hosted a meeting before starting her schedule.

“Pauline and Mrs. Armand will go to the McDowell family and deliver the dresses. Please check if the dress fits well and check the accessories.”

“Understood.”

“Sonia and Adolf, when Miss Adele comes, have her try on the dress and ask her how she wants to do her makeup and accessories.”

“Carmen, really.”

Sonia still looked displeased with Adele’s request.

“And Paul and Tom, please check the dresses we will wear at the selection party and the Duke’s formal attire.”

Leah specially made uniforms because she didn’t want her and her staff to look like a ragtag group.

The women wore matching teal silk dresses, and the men added a touch of teal silk vest over their shirts.

She wanted them to look like Courtois ducal family members to anyone who saw them.

“We will.”

Leah thanked Terrence while the words were out.

“Terrence, the silk from Bertan is so wonderful. Thank you.”

“Only with words?”

“Yes?”

As Leah’s face turned red, coughs came out from here and there, and laughter spread.

“Thank him with your body.”

Pauline teased Leah in a playful tone.

“Are you going to do that too?”

The moment Leah scolded Pauline, she saw Chenelle’s sad gaze looking resentfully at Luke.

“Chenelle is…….”

Before she could finish speaking, Chenelle went to her room.

James clicked his tongue as if displeased with Chenelle’s rudeness, but the others said nothing.

“I will comfort the young lady.”

Just in time, Louis stepped forward.

“How are you going to comfort her?”

Luke asked in a sarcastic tone as if he had been waiting.

“Yes? Ah, the young lady doesn’t know all the letters. I’m thinking of going to the bookstore with her to buy a writing book.”

“Thank you. It was a part that I didn’t even notice.”

Leah was sincerely grateful to Louis.

At first, she thought Louis was being nice to Chenelle to show people.

But as time passed, she knew he was a good person.

Leah had a strong prejudice against the Marchioness Valery, so she regretted that she was also prejudiced that her son would be the same.

“In two days, our efforts will bear fruit. Please do your best until the last moment.”

Leah encouraged everyone.

Since she made a huge profit from the success of the riding suit, she hoped to succeed this time as well.

At that time, Paul surprised Leah with unexpected words.

“Miss seems to have excellent business skills. Like Richard Hamilton, who was called the god of business.”

Leah’s heart sank when her father’s name was mentioned.

Everyone buzzed at his words. Terrence also agreed with that part.

There was not a single merchant in the Vizac family. Rather, the pride of the nobles overflowed and they were conservative.

Even though nobles often jumped into business to build wealth, Aiden thought that only loyalty to the family and the country was everything.

Compared to that, what about Grace?

‘It’s like a businessman to the bone.’

From the idea to the problem-solving ability, there were times when she seemed like someone who had done a lot of business.

Terrence suddenly wondered why she was so obsessed with business.

‘Is there another reason I don’t know about?’

Her dream was too vast to be a simple self-realization.