Revenge Comes with Interest - Chapter 25

Even after Terran brought Grace back to the Duke’s estate, he said nothing. Of course, she didn’t speak either.

Now wasn’t the time to ask him what had happened.

As they rode together, she could clearly feel his heavy breathing and pounding heartbeat.

Terran held Grace’s hand and led her to her room.

As the door slammed shut behind them, he suddenly pulled her into his arms. His body trembled like it was caught in an earthquake.

“I’m sorry. I only made you worry.”

Lea felt the need to apologize. It hadn’t been her fault, but the fact remained that he had been terrified because of her.

“Shh.”

Terran didn’t respond with words. He simply buried his face in her soft blonde hair.

Because of this small woman, he had gone through heaven and hell all in one day. When had she come to mean so much to him?

When Pauline returned alone without Grace, a fear had consumed him. The fear that he might never see her again. It was the first time he had felt such terror since the war.

“I’ve been unhappy since I was a child.”

Holding Grace in his arms, he began to speak.

It was a story he had never wanted to tell anyone. But somehow, with Grace, it felt like he finally could.

“I had two older brothers, but neither of them lived past one hundred days. My mother barely survived to give birth to me, and when I passed one hundred days, she believed the misfortune had ended. But then she died.”

Lea had never heard his voice sound so sad.

“My father died in battle when I was ten years old.”

Lea couldn’t stop the tears that rushed down her cheeks. Just hearing his story made her heart ache.

Ten years old. How did such a young boy endure that? How lonely must he have been?

“Everyone left me. I was all alone in the world.”

Is there anything more painful than having no one who truly loves you?

“I’ve never been loved, so I didn’t know how to love anyone. Not even you.”

When Grace had clung to him like a child, craving affection, Terran had seen himself in her.

He saw his own fragile self-reflected in Grace and had only wanted to run from it. He couldn’t fully accept her.

But then, one day, Grace changed. She became someone strong enough to embrace everything, someone who wrapped her arms around his wounded soul.

From her, he had felt warmth, comfort, and care—things he had never experienced before.

“I’m sorry I made you feel afraid.”

That was all Lea could say.

“It’s alright. I got you back.”

No one could understand how scared he had been of losing her again.

“Even if you disappeared a hundred times, even if you ran from me because you hated me, I would still chase after you and bring you back.”

Thank you, for not letting go of my hand.

Terran probably didn’t even realize it. That the woman who had fallen into his life was someone whose entire world had shattered. That she was now receiving warmth and kindness she had never dared hope for.

With him standing firmly behind her, Lea could finally dream of a future again.

Tonight, she wasn’t going to blame him for anything.

She gently ran her fingers through his tousled hair. As his lips came down to kiss her, she quickly turned her head away.

“You’re very cold, Grace.”

She knew exactly what this was. If she kissed Terran, she would fall into that dangerous, addictive emotional trap. There would be no escaping it.

I can’t love Terran.

She told herself firmly. She had sworn never to love another man again. But Terran was prying open the wounds she had buried deep inside.

Only as far as liking him.

Nothing more than that. She knew too well what happened once love entered the picture. She would get lost again, settle into comfort, and forget what she still had to do.

This is the limit. Do not cross the line, Lea.

Terran sat in a steel chair with his legs crossed. In front of him stood about a hundred members of the Rapa gang. Every one of them wore a prison uniform and was awaiting execution.

“My kind-hearted fiancée asked me not to kill thugs like you.”

In Terran’s gloved hand was a gun.

All day long, Grace had pleaded with him, insisting that Rapa and Chenera had meant no harm. She even said the scandalous dress she wore to the imperial ball had been made by Rapa’s granddaughter and that the whole incident had been a misunderstanding.

But that was just Grace being kind. There was no reason to trust ruthless criminals.

“From now on, your only chance of survival is to impress me. That’s the only way you live.”

Beside Terran stood a line of soldiers, each armed and ready.

With just a wave of his hand, Terran could have the entire group gunned down.

“Please, have mercy, Your Grace.”

Even these violent criminals grew weak in the face of death. They were begging and groveling for their lives.

“You have no reason to be spared. You kidnapped the fiancée of Duke Courtois.”

“We didn’t do it because we wanted to.”

“Spare me the cowardly excuses.”

Just then, Maddox glared at Terran and spoke up.

“Before I die, I want to know something. How did you figure out it was us?”

Maddox felt wronged. The kidnapping had gone perfectly, not a single detail out of place. They had even replicated the Duke’s carriage exactly, down to the crest.

Yet somehow, Terran had known and struck first. He was dying to know how.

It wasn’t just the carriage.

The coachman’s height, voice, and clothing had all been copied with exact precision. It made Terran wonder if someone from inside had betrayed them.

“A mutt doesn’t even know how badly it stinks.”

“What?”

“Isn’t that foolish?”

“The smell?”

“The foul stench of the underground. It clings to all of you.”

Only then did Maddox lower his head and sniff his clothes. His eyes widened with realization.

They had become so used to the scent of musk that they didn’t notice it had soaked into their own skin and clothing. It made perfect sense that Terran had recognized it.

Terran’s ability to remember a smell and use it to trace the truth was impressive.

“Don’t any of you want to live?”

After Maddox, no one dared to speak.

“Soldiers, take aim.”

At Terran’s command, the soldiers loaded their rifles and raised them toward the prisoners. That was when the gang members finally began to panic.

They shouted and begged for mercy. Some even struggled violently, trying to break free from the ropes that tied them down.

In that moment, Terran’s eyes met Rapa’s.

Of all people, the leader should at least have something to say.

“Old man, do you want to leave a final message? I’m not completely without compassion. Even when I take someone’s head, I like to offer a little dignity first.”

“It was because of the Hamilton Trading Company.”

“What?”

Terran’s expression twisted in surprise. He had not expected that answer. Something about it made him feel like Rapa was about to reveal something serious.

“Take Rapa to the interrogation room.”

“Yes, sir.”

Terran left the prison at once.

Terran and Rapa sat facing each other in the interrogation room. One was a prisoner. The other was his judge.

“I didn’t know Miss Grace was your fiancée, Your Grace. You might not believe me, but it’s true.”

“Go on.”

“Because of her, even a man like me started to dream again. She noticed my granddaughter’s talent with a needle. She became her friend. When the Hamilton store came up for sale, I wanted to buy it. I didn’t want to smuggle anymore. I wanted to run an honest business.”

“That still doesn’t explain why you kidnapped Grace. Unless…”

There was only one person who currently owned the Hamilton stores.

“Yes. Allen McDowell. At first, he offered to sell me the entire store chain at a low price if I killed you. I said no.”

Terran gave a short laugh. He hadn’t seen this coming.

“So, his backup plan was Grace?”

“Yes. He said all I had to do was put her in a carriage and send her to Galdensia. If I had known she was your fiancée, I never would have agreed.”

Terran clenched his fist tightly.

Allen McDowell.

He was even more despicable than expected. Did he really believe that money could buy anything? Was he so blinded by ambition that he couldn’t even think clearly?

If someone isn’t your match, you should back down. But Allen refused to stop. He pushed forward, desperate to win. It was disgusting.

Now that he had control of the Hamilton Trade Group, he clearly thought nothing could touch him.

Terran shook his head and laughed to himself.

If money could fix everything, Richard Hamilton would never have ended up imprisoned on Reef Island.

This was the limit of merchants in the modern era. No matter how much wealth they had, they were powerless before real authority.

“Rapa, do you still want to live honestly?”

“What do you mean?”

“You said you wanted to stop smuggling and run a proper business. Do you still mean that?”

“When you get to my age, regret piles up. I’ve done plenty wrong, but I can’t let my granddaughter grow up in the gutter like I did.”

“Is that so? I might be able to help you find a way forward.”

Terran tapped his fingers gently on the table, almost like he was playing a piano. He even hummed quietly to himself, clearly entertained.

“Would you accept any offer I made?”

“If you let me live, I’ll be your loyal dog, Your Grace.”

“I don’t keep dogs.”

“But someone else might need one. A loyal one.”

Allen was signing documents when his secretary came running in.

“Sir, a carriage has arrived from Lubeck.”

“Really?”

Allen’s face lit up. Things were moving even faster than expected. He had finally taken Grace away from Terran.

His whole body tingled with excitement. He rushed out to where the carriage was waiting.

He had always heard that the Rapa gang would do anything for money. Apparently, it was true.

So when they said they couldn’t kill Terran, that must have been a lie. Maybe he should try asking them again next time.

Allen smiled as he saw the black-covered carriage. He walked toward it, eager to greet her.

He smoothed his hair and straightened his tie. Then he opened the door of the carriage.

“What?”

No one was inside.

There was only a large wooden crate on the floor.

It was packed with ice, probably to keep meat or vegetables cool. But what caught his attention was the label printed on the box.

Hamilton Trading Company

That was the name he had promised never to use again.

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