Revenge Costs Interest [EN]: Chapter 89

Revenge Comes with Interest, Episode 89: An Unspeakable Secret (89/200)

Episode 89: An Unspeakable Secret

October 28, 2023

Leah was at a loss for words when Terrence asked her that.

‘Should I tell him I need to succeed to reclaim the Hamilton Trading Company and get revenge on Allen?’

To say that, she would have to reveal her identity first. But would Terrence believe her? Even if he did, what about the shock he would experience?

‘What should I do? I can’t stop now.’

“Why are you asking all of a sudden?”

She asked Terrence, needing to understand his intentions to give an appropriate answer.

“Hmm, it’s just that you’re working too hard for something you’re doing as a hobby.”

“It’s not a hobby.”

The words escaped before she could think.

“Are you planning to start a trading company or something?”

Terrence asked, looking bewildered.

“Is that not allowed?”

When Leah became serious, the smile slowly disappeared from Terrence’s face.

He was caught in a complex web of concerns, starting with the question of why Leah was so desperate for business and extending to the worry that she might not rely on him as a result.

Frankly, Terrence wanted her to see him as indispensable.

Not that he wanted to bind or control her.

He just wanted to be essential to her, whether materially or emotionally, and to be her top priority, unmatched by anything else.

“I don’t want to fall behind.”

“Behind whom?”

“Behind what Grace is doing.”

The two stared at each other in silence for a few moments.

Leah then realized what he was worried about. Instead of answering, she kissed him.

After a sweet and tender kiss, Leah caressed his eyes and nose with the back of her hand and whispered.

“To me, Terrence is home, a dream, and myself.”

Terrence’s eyes widened, and the smile that had disappeared bloomed again.

“Love seems childish. Always trying to confirm it endlessly.”

“Don’t forget. The reason I can do what I love is because Terrence exists.”

Those words were sincere. However, since it was also true that she couldn’t stop her revenge, Leah had no choice but to avoid direct mention of it.

Then, a great worry washed over Leah.

She had previously negotiated alone with Empress Theresa at the Bellis banquet.

[I will find a way to cover Your Majesty’s scars.]

[If you find it, what should I give you in return?]

[I don’t know when it will be, but there will come a time when I need to ask Your Majesty for help. Please believe in my sincerity then.]

[I can do that, but it’s quite vague. Then, conversely, what if you can’t find a way to cover my scars?]

[I will accept any punishment.]

[Accept any punishment? Even if I cut off your head?]

[As I said before, I came here prepared to die.]

If Terrence found out about her negotiation with Empress Theresa, he wouldn’t stand still. At that time, the very existence of Grace Bizac might be questioned.

‘Terrence must not find out. So, I must succeed.’

“What if I told you not to do it?”

His question shattered Leah’s serious thoughts.

Terrence didn’t miss the way her eyes moved anxiously at his question.

Why was she hesitating? Just a moment ago, she had said that she and he were one.

“I won’t.”

Leah answered firmly. It was also true that Terrence was more precious to her now than revenge. But she could say that because she was also sure that he wouldn’t block her path.

“Ha! With a face that looks like you’re about to cry?”

“!?”

“I have no intention of stopping Grace from doing what she loves.”

Terrence smiled and took Leah’s hand, kissing each of her fingers.

Leah was surprised, and as her heart, which had been turned upside down, returned to its place, tears suddenly welled up. She also felt a little resentful towards Terrence for testing her, even though it was out of love.

“I promise too. I will never go to the battlefield again, leaving Grace behind. I can even tell His Majesty that I will retire tomorrow.”

“Th… Thank you.”

‘Terrence, please wait a little longer. Until I can tell you the truth with my own mouth.’

Leah hoped that Terrence would believe her as he was now.

It was terrifying to even imagine him finding out first that the soul of Leah Hamilton was in Grace’s body.

He might condemn Leah Hamilton for shamelessly taking Grace’s life and even seeking unwanted revenge.

‘I will definitely succeed.’

It was a moment when she truly realized how difficult it was to have an unspeakable secret from the man she loved.

“Say you love me.”

He said, tracing Grace’s lips with his finger.

“I love… Mmph.”

His finger slipped slightly into her mouth, and Leah punished the intruder with the tip of her tongue.

Terrence was overcome with a feverish desire as Grace’s red tongue tickled his finger.

“I can’t stand it.”

He jumped up from his seat and held out his hand.

When Leah just stared blankly at Terrence, he stood her up.

“I want to eat you right now. Let’s go to the bedroom.”

‘Are we doing it now? This man, really!’

Once a man’s desires are unleashed, they initially start as a small whirlpool, then gradually become a storm, and eventually rush in like a tsunami. All the time.

“It’s before dinner.”

Leah tried to calm him down, looking around.

“We sometimes have snacks before dinner, don’t we?”

‘Am I a snack? Ah! You beast!’

“It’s not even dark yet, and you’re being lewd.”

Leah shook her head in protest.

“What are you talking about? I mean, let’s really have a snack? Comfortably in the bedroom…”

Terrence looked at Leah, who was as red as a carrot, with a puzzled expression.

“!?”

That’s right, the man who had been looking at her with burning eyes just a moment ago was gone.

Leah headed to the bedroom with him, feeling embarrassed.

‘Ah! How embarrassing! What if he misunderstands that I’m being forward?’

As soon as Terrence entered the mansion, he instructed the maid to bring snacks to the bedroom.

It was a complete misunderstanding on Leah’s part. But the problem was what happened after they finished the snacks.

“It’s time to eat a real snack.”

His attitude had completely changed. The hungry beast that had disappeared for a while pounced savagely on the golden rabbit in front of him.

“Y… You swindler!”

Leah kept shouting, feeling upset that she had been tricked by him, but she didn’t dislike the sweet snack time with him.

* * *

Libet wore a dress and looked at herself in the full-length mirror.

“Why is a goddess in the mirror?”

She laughed, cried, and even talked to herself, captivated by her own appearance. She was definitely completely smitten with Chanelle’s dress.

Marie quietly whispered to Pauline.

“If she just holds a marigold, she’ll look exactly like Empress Theresa.”

“Is it that similar?”

“Completely.”

Marie was curious as to why Libet was so determined to wear a wedding dress to the selection ceremony. So, she asked.

“I heard that Empress Theresa was as beautiful as a goddess when she was a bride. I want the Empress to be moved when she sees me. How happy would she be to see her younger self?”

It was exactly as she had expected.

“You’re not going to carry a bouquet, are you?”

Marie asked with concern, and Libet looked at her as if to say, why not?

“Well, I was young at the time, but I remember. Empress Theresa was as beautiful as Miss Libet. And she was happier than anyone else.”

“Anyway, selection is a strategy.”

Pauline was quite surprised by Libet’s words.

She had thought that she just wanted to be pretty without any thought, but she had even made plans.

‘Even if I were the Empress, I would be moved.’

Pauline understood why the media was predicting Libet as the strongest candidate. At that moment, Marie took a step towards Libet.

“Have you decided on a lady-in-waiting, Miss Libet?”

“Yes, my brother’s lover has agreed to do it. She’s even a noble. I can’t possibly take a commoner lady-in-waiting.”

‘What is she saying? What’s wrong with a commoner? Does she even know what kind of [jerk] her brother’s lover is?’

Pauline’s mouth was itching to say something. But she didn’t step forward because there was someone else who would shatter Libet’s illusions.

“Unless there’s a change, I believe Miss Libet will be selected.”

Marie said in a soft tone.

“Really?”

“But Miss Libet has developed a critical weakness.”

“A weakness?”

Marie clicked her tongue as she looked at Libet, who had turned pale.

“As far as I know, Empress Theresa hates women with scandalous private lives. Of course, I’m not saying that Miss Libet is like that at all. The problem is Emily Lant, the woman who’s supposed to attend to you.”

“What about Emily?”

Seeing Libet asking her back, Marie barely managed to hold back her laughter.

Seeing Pauline making a gloomy face as she spoke seriously, she wanted to laugh even more, so she kept poking her thumb with her index finger.

“Count Armand of the Bellis Empire divorced a while ago. They were a happily married couple for over ten years…”

“Could it be that Emily was involved?”

Libet’s tone was filled with curiosity for an interesting gossip rather than worry.

Even so, Count Armand’s divorce was a big event that made the newspapers. He was also a wealthy man in Bellis, and as Marie said, he was famous for having a good relationship with his wife, so the divorce news was a big issue.

“If he had divorced and married Miss Emily Lant, he wouldn’t have been criticized so much.”

“That’s right. It may be an affair to others, but it would be a romance to them.”

Pauline, whose mouth had been itching, added a word. To think that there would be such a honey-like fun thing here.

“But Emily doesn’t seem to have told my brother that…”

Libet was puzzled.

Even if she was a brazen woman, would she break up someone else’s family as if she were going to marry them and then become another man’s mistress? What should I say, it doesn’t make sense.

“Hey! Emily must have had her reasons.”

Eventually, Libet defended Emily. Even she thought it was too much.

“Is that reliable information?”

At Libet’s question, Marie sighed deeply and looked at her straight in the eye and said.

“I was Marie Armand, the Countess Armand.”