Find the One Who Abandoned Me - Chapter 45

Although Isaac said he would go change his clothes, he hesitated to leave. Most likely, he didn’t want to leave his ill-tempered older brother alone with his fiancée. Only after Calliope gave him a subtle nod, signaling she’d be fine, did he finally turn and head toward his room—though not without glancing back several times.

Calliope scoffed inwardly as she noticed no servant followed Isaac.

“My apologies for the late greeting. I’m Calliope Anastas of the Marquisate of Anastas.”

“Not at all. There’s nothing better than a close and affectionate engagement. I am Erben Esteban of the House of Esteban.”

Erben Esteban had a public reputation for being warm and charming. Because of that, when he treated his younger brother coldly, everyone naturally assumed Isaac was the problem.

Calliope smiled just as sweetly as he did on the outside, but inside, she was preparing to strike. It wasn’t her goal to magically fix the brothers’ relationship overnight—but she could certainly make Erben think twice before acting carelessly.

“Would it be alright if I gave myself a quick tour while I wait for Isaac?”

“Oh, of course. How kind of you.”

Like an innocent young lady who knew nothing, Calliope accepted his escort and stepped inside the manor.

The Esteban household wasn’t the wealthiest, but it held a long-standing and proud reputation. It had produced multiple captains of the Royal Knights. Even in generations where a captain wasn’t born, there was always at least one knight of great skill.

The manor reflected that reputation. It was tastefully refined and restrained. Even the carpet beneath their feet wasn’t red, but a deep navy blue.

“Your visit surprised us. If we’d received some notice, we would’ve prepared properly,” Erben said as they walked.

His tone was as soft as birdsong, but Calliope easily caught the thorn behind his words. He was basically calling her rude for showing up unannounced in a fit of passion for her fiancé. She replied in a matching tone:

“I suddenly missed him and wanted to see how he was doing. And I thought it’d be nice to deliver these gifts personally.”

“I must admit I was worried. Isaac tends to be quiet and reserved, so it’s a relief to see that the two of you get along well.”

“When someone is kind, there’s no reason not to get along,” she replied.

As their conversation continued, Erben began to feel an odd sense of discomfort. She clearly understood the meaning behind his veiled remarks, yet her tone remained graceful—not aggressive. Still, there was an underlying suggestion that she was aware of Isaac’s situation in this household.

Behind them, Erben’s attendant and Calliope’s people followed in a flurry of movement. Judging by their clothing, one was a tailor, another a jeweler. A third, likely a shoemaker. The last person’s trade, however, was unclear.

“And these people you brought with you?”

“I’ve gathered some of the best artisans from here and there. Isn’t it only natural to want the very best for my fiancé?”

Calliope stopped and turned to him with a radiant smile. It was so bright and innocent that Erben let his guard down for a moment. She really seemed like a young lady simply showering her beloved with affection.

But what she said next pierced him sharply.

“Since your family seems content to neglect its youngest son, as his fiancée, I suppose it’s up to me to take care of him.”

She walked a few graceful steps ahead and then turned to face him. Everyone in high society knew Isaac was an outsider within his own family, but what wasn’t known was that he had neither staff nor a proper allowance. And that was thanks, in large part, to Erben’s well-maintained public image.

“…I’m not sure what you mean by that,” Erben said stiffly.

He gave a subtle signal to his servants, instructing them to escort Calliope’s artisans to the drawing room. The staff, well aware of their master’s temper, hurried to obey.

Now only Calliope, Erben, and their personal attendants remained in the hallway. Calliope waited quietly until the others were out of earshot. Her silence, in its own way, was a show of politeness.

“Isaac may not have made his debut in society yet, so perhaps this isn’t widely known. But wouldn’t it be quite a scandal if word got out?”

Isaac, whatever his flaws, was still a direct descendant of nobility—not a bastard. Among aristocrats, even a disgraceful child was still entitled to financial support, unless they had committed some heinous crime. To deny them that was considered shameful. The idea that bloodline alone justified wealth and status was something nobles took for granted. Ridiculous, really.

“Well…” Erben began.

Calliope simply turned around and started walking again, slowly and deliberately. Erben followed, his expression now visibly hardened.

“You’re clever. I doubt you’d dare send him out into society looking like that. But even if such rumors were to spread, I’m sure you could recover. You’ve already established yourself well among the elite. You’re known as a kind and gentlemanly man, aren’t you? If you just smile and say it’s all a misunderstanding, people will nod and believe you.”

“Lady Anastas, what you’re suggesting now—surely you don’t mean—”

Calliope cut him off coldly.

“But what do you think would happen if people found out you gambled away the money meant for your younger brother?”

Erben’s face stiffened far more than before, his expression now almost frozen. Still walking slowly, Calliope paused when she realized his footsteps had stopped. She held out her hand, and Jack quickly stepped forward and handed her a few sheets of paper from his coat.

“Let’s see… Looks like even the head of House Esteban doesn’t know about this. Then again, with his personality, he’d never let his eldest son sink into gambling without stepping in.”

“What are you—”

As Erben began to demand what she was doing, Calliope answered in a cheerful tone.

“Oh, nothing much. I just did a little background check on you. And well, while I was at it, I figured I’d use it to my advantage.”

She slowly looked through the documents Jack had handed her. She had already seen them before, but she couldn’t help letting out a small scoff.

There had once been a rumor: that Erben Esteban had gambled away a huge sum of money and, as a result, had much of his authority within the family stripped away.

Back when Isaac first mentioned it, he had brushed it off like it was nothing, so she hadn’t paid it much attention. At the time, she hadn’t cared about anything that didn’t concern Isaac. But on a whim, she’d asked Jack to dig a little—and look what had turned up.

“What exactly are you trying to say?”

Erben gritted his teeth and glared at the young woman standing before him—barely reaching his chin in height—who simply twirled the papers in her hand with a bright smile.

“I just want to ask one small favor.”

“You call this a favor?”

“Well, would you rather I call it a demand? I’m not sure why you’re so eager to put yourself in such a degrading position.”

Calliope handed the documents back to Jack with an uninterested look.

“Give him back what’s his. I’m only asking you to restore what should have been his in the first place. That’s not so hard, is it? And one more thing…”

She stepped in close and, without warning, grabbed Erben by the collar. His well-built frame jerked forward under the surprising strength of someone smaller than him. His eyes widened—he hadn’t expected such force from her.

“If you lay a single finger on Isaac again—if you leave even one more mark on him…”

Her crimson eyes shimmered fiercely, just inches from his. While his own wide eyes were filled with shock, hers burned with rage.

“I’ll make sure these documents, which detail exactly how much you lost, where, and when, are delivered straight to the Commander of the Royal Knights.”

With that, she shoved him back and calmly let go of his collar, returning to her sweet smile as though nothing had happened. Erben staggered slightly, then clenched his jaw as he straightened his wrinkled shirt.

“I’ll take that silence as a yes. Isaac should be back soon in his new outfit, so shall we head to the drawing room?”

At that point, all Erben could do was grind his teeth and follow quietly behind her. His attendants said nothing, frozen in tension. Only Jack and Susan exchanged knowing glances. No one wins against our lady.

Fortunately, Isaac arrived just moments after they had taken their seats in the drawing room. As expected, he was dressed in the clothes and accessories Calliope had given him—but judging by the way everything was thrown together, he had dressed himself.

Expensive clothes and jewelry meant little when the wearer had absolutely no sense of coordination. Still, Calliope greeted him as if he were the most charming thing in the world.

“You really do look good in anything. Did you pick that bracelet on purpose?”

“Um… It matched the color of the clothes, so I thought…”

“How cute.”

Across from them, Erben looked as if he wanted to ask, That’s what you call cute?—but he pressed his lips shut, clearly uneasy around Calliope.

“Then why didn’t you wear the matching ring?”

“That, uh… you put that one on me yourself last time…”

“How sweet of you.”

“…”

“…”

Silence fell over the room. Even the servants present were at a loss for words—only Calliope continued to smile brightly and shower Isaac with compliments.

Susan, watching from the side, gave her a look that seemed to say, But didn’t you once lecture me about matching accessories to the occasion?

“…By the way, what do you plan to do with the artisans you brought?”

“Oh, right! Look at me forgetting things. I brought them to customize more outfits and jewelry for Isaac. He hardly has anything, so I couldn’t help but worry.”

At her words—half a jab, half a confession—Erben furrowed his brow. Isaac, on the other hand, lowered his head slightly, embarrassed that she knew how little he actually had.

But Calliope didn’t seem the least bit bothered. She summoned the waiting artisans one by one and introduced them.

As Erben had suspected, there was a tailor, a jeweler, and a shoemaker. Then, the final artisan stepped forward.

“This one,” she said, “will be designing the furniture for Isaac’s new room.”

“Furniture?” Erben asked.

Calliope nodded and gave him a dazzling, radiant smile.

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