We Do Business In Full Auto [EN]: Chapter 35

035

To England (1)

A chill washed over me.

What did my mother-in-law truly mean to me?

Other sons-in-law are supposedly welcomed with open arms when they visit their in-laws. While I didn’t expect a royal feast, I was consistently turned away at the door.

I traveled back and forth to England a dozen times, all to secure permission for our marriage. My goal was to prevent Lisa from being completely estranged from her family, no matter the cost.

But each time, her mother would figuratively, and sometimes literally, throw water on me.

At least her late father was somewhat more reasonable.

From the beginning, Hals Cotton, her father, was a son-in-law himself. He was reportedly the second son of a baronet, and since my mother-in-law had no sons, Hals Cotton was brought in as a son-in-law to inherit the title. Of course, the mother-in-law could have inherited the title directly, but in some cases, a son-in-law inherited the title. And when there were no children at all, they adopted an heir to inherit the title. In the case of the Cotton family, they gave inheritance rights to Catherine Cotton, who was of blood relation, before considering adoption, and the family council decided on Hals Cotton for the title.

The mother-in-law took immense pride in her royal connections and her position within a distinguished aristocratic family.

Even now, nobles play a role in English politics.

The British House of Lords, also known as the House of Peers, operates independently from the House of Commons.

It shares the responsibility of legislating and overseeing government operations with the House of Commons, making it one of the few countries where nobility still wields significant power.

Until the Supreme Court was established separately in 2009, the House of Lords served as the highest court in the British judicial system. The fact that some members of the House of Lords are bishops of the Church of England highlights their considerable influence on both religion and politics.

The Cotton baronetcy held one of the 90 hereditary noble seats and exerted considerable influence in political and social circles as a branch of the royal family.

Given such privileges, it was understandable that a foreigner like me wouldn’t be welcomed into an English aristocratic family.

I had been pelted with filth and even doused in excrement before I finally stopped visiting.

“There’s an old saying in the East that life is determined by fate. Your mother-in-law’s lifespan was something beyond human control.”

Anyway, considering her critical condition, I couldn’t bring myself to speak ill of her.

James’s face grew even more somber.

“Yes. That formidable sister of mine seems to have softened as she nears death. She hasn’t changed her mind about accepting you, but… she desperately wants to see her daughter.”

“Lisa?”

“Yes.”

“Well? Isn’t our relationship already irrevocably broken? My wife was also doused in excrement back then. She thundered about sticking with a ‘kimchi-smelling guy’ [a derogatory term for Koreans], and I still can’t forget that.”

“I know. I understand everything.”

“I don’t think it would be a problem if we didn’t go.”

“Would your wife feel the same way?”

“My wife…”

“Yes. She abandoned her family and came all the way here for you. And she endured those difficult years.”

“……You’ve heard about our struggles?”

“Lisa is also my beloved niece. I was concerned, so I often sent people to check on her. I even visited Lisa when you were struggling.”

“……!”

I hadn’t known that.

I had considered reaching out to her family hundreds of times, but I refrained because I believed our relationship was beyond repair.

But James had already found my wife?

“I offered her $100,000. I thought dollars would be more useful than pounds in her situation, so I even exchanged the currency.”

“My wife refused.”

“Yes. She said you would definitely recover and didn’t need such money. You can’t imagine how much my heart ached at that moment.”

“……I understand.”

I pride myself on knowing Lisa’s family dynamics well. But I can’t truly know her heart like she does.

I understood Lisa’s reasons for rejecting her close uncle’s offer.

“Still, I forced a few $100 bills on her and ran away, but I don’t know if she ever used them.”

“I imagine she probably used them for baby formula. Thank you. You took care of us without my knowing.”

“I sent people often after that. And recently, you’ve recovered surprisingly quickly. It was amazing.”

“Does my mother-in-law know?”

“Of course. She made a fuss every time I brought it up, but she seemed somewhat relieved.”

“Haa. She collapsed recently?”

“Yes. Acute heart failure. She won’t last long. She’s been reduced to skin and bones in just a month.”

James took another drink.

A person can collapse and die in an instant.

Death is not a distant concept; it can arrive suddenly at any moment.

No one can escape death, yet no one truly lives as if they will die at any moment.

“I have one request. If possible, I hope you will come. They moved my sister from the hospital to her family home. You can visit her there.”

“I will go if my wife decides to go.”

“I hope you will let go of your resentment now.”

“It’s not as if I’ll be welcomed as a member of that family even if I do go. I’ve already been disowned.”

“Well, there’s room for reconsideration.”

“I don’t want that. I prefer things the way they are now.”

“Won’t Lisa regret it someday? Those who fail to be with their parents at their deathbeds often carry that regret for life, no matter what happened between them.”

James got up from his seat.

Even after he left, I sat there for a long time, drinking soju [Korean distilled spirit].

I felt like I had been hit with an unexpected counterpunch.

On the way back to Seoul.

The driver fee was a bit of a waste, but I couldn’t bring myself to tell my wife about it.

It takes about 3 hours to drive from Gwangju to Seoul. And about an hour to get into the city, so the total journey took 4 hours.

The alcohol was slowly wearing off, and I was regaining my senses.

“That’ll be 200,000 won, sir.”

“Here you are.”

During the drive, 500 million won was deposited into my account.

It seemed H Group was truly committed to supporting me, as the contract money was processed immediately.

The plan was already in place, so all I had to do was execute it. Even though the salvage costs hadn’t been agreed upon yet, more money would be coming. But even so, I couldn’t easily spend it, as it used to represent my entire fortune when I was poor.

“Sir? You need to let go.”

“Hahaha. I’m breaking out in a cold sweat just handing over the money.”

“I think you should go home. It seems like you were called away because of something urgent.”

“Ah, yes.”

In the end, the driver took the money.

After the driver disappeared, I smoked a cigarette in the parking lot for a while.

“Hoo. This is a difficult problem.”

I had definitely promised my wife when we got married.

That she had no intention of returning to England and would ignore it even if her family called.

This was a vow my wife made while crying.

But today, her uncle James came and pleaded with me.

That Mrs. Catherine, my mother-in-law, was earnestly looking for my wife.

If I went to Cotton Manor, I imagined all the family members would probably be there. Of course, the atmosphere would be frosty.

Not only that, but I couldn’t predict what might happen. That’s why I was reluctant to go.

But this wasn’t a decision for me to make alone.

“Leaving the Cotton family was my wife’s decision, so going back must also be her decision.”

Having made that decision, I took the elevator.

I had never felt so heavy-hearted going home like this. What kind of reaction would my wife have?

Ding-dong.

I rang the bell.

I heard my wife’s familiar voice.

-Who is it?

“Honey, it’s me.”

-Oh my.

My wife opened the door with a subtle smile.

Sua was quiet, probably sleeping.

The time was 10 o’clock. But my wife didn’t seem flustered.

“I didn’t expect you to come so suddenly. Didn’t you say you were sleeping in Gwangju today?”

“I did. But the situation has changed a bit.”

“Is there something urgent?”

“When will Sua wake up?”

“She’ll wake up in the morning. She’s finally settled down a bit.”

“Let’s go out and talk for a bit.”

“Yes? We can do it at home…”

“It’s a really important story. You and I need to focus on this story.”

“Okay.”

As expected, my wife didn’t ask twice.

There were times when I couldn’t understand her because of that. Because she never made me repeat myself.

I put on a serious face for the first time in a while.

My wife also sensed that the atmosphere was heavy.

None of my relatives, acquaintances, or friends were in contact. Perhaps because of that, my wife seemed to have sensed something.

Dling-dong.

It was a quiet cafe with the feel of a long-established business.

That’s what was good about living in Seoul. There were cafes open 24 hours a day everywhere.

I ordered green tea to sober up, and my wife ordered her usual Americano.

I wanted to suggest she order something more expensive, but the atmosphere wasn’t right for that.

“Don’t be surprised when you hear this.”

“I won’t be surprised.”

“Your mother is in critical condition.”

“……”

My wife frowned slightly.

At first, she seemed a little taken aback, then an emotion that might have been pity flickered across her face, and finally, a complex mix of emotions swirled within her.

No matter what difficulties she faced, my wife rarely changed her expression. This was something I knew from watching her for seven years.

Perhaps it was because she had been raised that way since childhood. That’s how aristocratic families often instill composure.

They don’t show it even when things are difficult, and they don’t admit to sadness even when they’re sad. Only when an extreme event occurs do they finally reveal their emotions.

Like now.

My wife was silent for a long time.

I barely managed to force out the words that wouldn’t come.

“Actually, your uncle came to Gwangju. It seems he was waiting for the right moment to approach me. He must have been following me for a few days. And he had a hard time bringing it up.”

“You talked to Uncle James?”

“He suddenly asked me to have a drink. I was dragged along without knowing why, and he struggled to tell me the story. Your mother is in critical condition and is desperately asking for you.”

“What will change if she asks for me now? I severed ties with that family long ago, and I don’t even understand why I’m hearing this news. The person who disowned me while saying all sorts of insults and terrible things is now looking for me.”

My wife shook her head as if she couldn’t comprehend it.

It seemed likely that my wife wouldn’t go to England now.

I didn’t particularly want to visit my family either. But how easily can such a fundamental bond be broken?

I tried to imagine it from the opposite perspective.

What if I had broken ties with my family because of marriage? And then I heard that one of my parents was in critical condition and was asking for me to be there at their deathbed?

“Hoo.”

I felt like smoking again.

Anyway, I should tell her the story I heard from James as honestly as possible. But if she still refuses, that will be her decision.

“To quote your uncle, no matter what kind of parents they are, the mental anguish that comes from not being able to be there at their deathbed lasts a lifetime. Even if they are parents who abandoned their children.”