Revenge Comes with Interest - Chapter 44

Lea and Pauline unpacked their bags at a hotel in Brassel.

“Did you make sure the coachmen had a place to stay?”

“Yes. I offered to let them stay at the hotel, but they insisted on going to an inn instead.”

“An inn?”

“Isn’t it obvious? They probably want to drink and meet women.”

The moment Lea set foot on Galdensia’s soil, waves of emotion overwhelmed her.

Just half a year ago, she had left this place in a white wedding dress, running away from everything. She never imagined she would return as an entirely different person.

The familiar smell of Brassel and the streets she had known her whole life filled her chest with a deep ache.

The roads she had walked since childhood, the shops she used to visit, the neighbors who used to greet her with warm smiles and ask how she was doing—she missed them all.

“Miss Hamilton, I heard you’re marrying the most handsome nobleman in Galdensia. Congratulations.”

“Thank you, Mrs. Eva. Will you come to the wedding?”

“With all those high-ranking guests attending? I wouldn’t dare show up smelling like fish. But I’ll be celebrating in spirit. Here, take a fresh fish as a wedding gift.”

They were kind and warm-hearted people. But now, even if she visited them, they would not recognize her as Lea.

Her nose stung, and her eyes began to tear up.

“Milady, I finished organizing your clothes. There wasn’t much to unpack, though.”

Pauline’s voice pulled Lea out of her thoughts, and she quickly wiped her face and straightened her expression.

“Pauline, I need to step out for a bit.”

“Shall I call for the carriage?”

“No, it’s not far. I can walk.”

Brassel was so familiar to her that she could navigate it with her eyes closed. Compared to Levonne, it was also much safer. As long as she avoided the dark alleys, there was no real danger.

“But milady, isn’t this your first time visiting Brassel?”

“Oh. Right. I studied maps ahead of time. I had to know where the general store was, after all.”

“I see.”

The two of them left the hotel and began heading toward the Hamilton Trading Company. The general store was nearby, so it was a good chance to visit both places.

Still, Pauline found it odd how confidently Grace walked without hesitation. She knew exactly where to turn, like someone who had lived there for years.

In Lubeck, she had often gotten lost, even in well-known areas. But here, she walked as if she belonged.

About ten minutes into the walk, Lea stopped in front of a building that looked too familiar.

But the sign was different.

Her face stiffened.

“McDowell Trading Company?”

Pauline read the sign aloud, frowning slightly.

She didn’t understand why Grace had brought them here. It was just a building.

Lea stared at the changed sign, and something ignited inside her. At last, she understood exactly why she had come all the way to Brassel.

“Lea Hamilton. This is your reality.”

This wasn’t the time to lose herself in emotions over love. She wasn’t here to fight over someone’s heart.

Lea’s whole body trembled with fury and frustration.

If she had Terran’s gun, the one she always carried in her bag, she might have shot Allen then and there. She was suddenly grateful she had not returned that gun to Terran yet.

“Because of me, everything the Hamilton family built is gone.”

Her chest tightened. Her breathing became uneven, like a storm was swirling inside her.

Seeing it with her own eyes had awakened a deep rage. Her thirst for revenge burned hotter than ever.

“I will take back everything he stole from me.”

But that would not be enough.

Allen would pay. She would see to it that he ended up in the prison on Reef Island. He would live wishing for death, stuck between life and misery.

Just then, Pauline pointed at someone ahead.

“Look. Isn’t that the man we saw at your father’s funeral?”

Lea turned her head in the direction Pauline was pointing.

Of all times, she thought. What are the odds of running into that trash now?

Pauline kept talking. She said she had seen him outside the church that day. Her voice was loud enough to draw his attention.

It was too late to avoid him.

Allen looked directly at Grace.

“Lady Vizak!”

He looked stunned. He yanked his arm away from Sarah, who had been clinging to it, and quickly approached.

Sarah hurried after him and linked her arm with his again.

“Sarah, please step aside. I need to speak with the Lady.”

“No.”

“Sarah.”

Allen’s firm and low voice made Sarah reluctantly move a few steps away.

Allen could hardly believe Grace was standing right in front of him. He had been planning to visit Lubeck just to see her.

“It has been a while, Mr. McDowell.”

Lea responded as calmly as she could. It was hard to control her emotions when she was standing face-to-face with the man she hated most.

“Lady Vizak. What brings you to Brassel?”

“The Hamilton general store is here. I came to check on it.”

“Ah. The Hamilton general store…”

Allen remembered that Terran had taken over the general store. Things had gotten really messy back then.

“Lady Vizak, I owe you many explanations. About the Rapa group, and about what happened at the hotel last time. I’m truly sorry for upsetting you.”

His carefully chosen words sounded like sincere regret, but they were just well-polished lies.

Allen claimed he only meant to sell the store to the Rapa group and had no hidden motives. He even asked Grace if she thought the group had anything against the Courtois family and insisted, he was innocent. His story sounded believable.

“Allen hasn’t lost his gift for words.”

There was no one better at twisting facts and making them sound reasonable. It was as if lying came naturally to him.

Lea chose not to confront him directly about everything between him and the Rapa group. For now, she pretended not to know.

“Lady Vizak, about the hotel that night happened because the Duke gave you the wrong date. That wasn’t my fault.”

“Does the date even matter? I understand. Men from noble families often have mistresses. That’s not so surprising. But I’m sure you don’t plan to marry one, do you?”

Lea raised her voice just enough so Sarah could hear. Sarah’s face quickly turned red with embarrassment and then pale with anger.

“Mr. McDowell, I should be going now.”

Lea couldn’t bear to be near him any longer. Her hands were trembling. She kept resisting the urge to pull the gun from her handbag.

“Lady Vizak, I’m hosting a dinner tomorrow evening at six. I would be honored if you came.”

“I don’t know. I’ll have to see if I’m free.”

“Many prominent figures in Brassel will be there. Chief Inspector Tuazo and the captain of the McDowell freight line will also attend. Since so many of the Courtois general stores are located here, it might be a good opportunity for networking.”

“Chief Tuazo and the freight captain. The three devils together.”

Lea felt a sudden urge to see them again. She wondered what kinds of faces those men wore now—the ones who had falsely accused an innocent man and dragged him into ruin.

“Mr. McDowell, I accept your invitation. On one condition. My maid, Pauline, must be treated as a proper guest, not as a servant.”

“Of course. Absolutely.”

Allen looked delighted by her response. He did not even try to hide it.

That same day, Terran returned to the Duke’s estate soaked from the winter rain.

He hadn’t been able to find Grace yet, but thanks to the search team he had sent out right away, he had learned that the carriage had gone to Galdensia.

“She went to check on the store. Thank God. I’m grateful she went exactly where I hoped she would.”

At least she wasn’t acting on emotion alone. That brought him some comfort. Grace had every reason to go to Galdensia.

As soon as he returned, the first thing he did was send orders through the Rapa group to protect her while she was there. He couldn’t just leave her unguarded until he arrived.

“I have to bring her back myself.”

But Terran had a serious problem.

Whether it was karma for faking an illness or just bad luck, he had come down with a real cold. For days, he had been suffering from a high fever and nonstop coughing.

“You need to take your medicine regularly and get plenty of rest,” said Doctor Wilson, practically putting him on house arrest.

“It’s just a cold. Don’t make a big deal out of it. I can’t leave her there alone.”

Terran was getting ready to leave for Galdensia anyway.

“If you go in your current condition, you might never come back. If that’s what you want, I won’t stop you.”

It was the first time Doctor Wilson had ever tried to pressure him so indirectly. If he had just shouted and scolded him, Terran might have ignored it. But this kind of warning stuck.

Even James and Luke had joined forces to stop him. They were so firm in their objections that he had no choice but to stay put, take his medicine, and sleep.

“Mister, are you really sick?”

When Terran woke from his sleep, Chenera was sitting by his side.

“You’ll catch my cold. Stay back.”

“It’s okay. I’m strong.”

Chenera didn’t look so well herself. It was probably because Grace and Pauline had left without saying anything. She had come to ask about them.

“Grace will come back soon.”

“I came because you’re my family, Mister. That’s what family does.”

“That almost made me cry.”

Who would have thought that Chenera’s words could be so comforting?

At least she didn’t cry or throw a tantrum. If she had begged him to bring her sisters back right now…

“I want to get up too.”

Terran realized that he missed Grace even more than Chenera did. It had only been a few days, but it felt like years since he last saw her.

“Grace went home,” Chenera said with a small pout.

Terran let out a soft laugh.

How simple her thinking was. There was no way Grace had gone back to Bern. He already knew where she was. He had been receiving daily telegrams about her whereabouts.

“She went back to her real home.”

Chenera kept speaking in ways he didn’t fully understand. Still, something about her words made Terran pause.

“Why do you think she left?”

“Because she was scared.”

He regretted asking. Grace must have left because of a misunderstanding about him and the Empress. She was probably deeply disappointed in him.

“She’s afraid of love. But without you, she gets really sad.”

“That makes no sense. Then why did she run away to Galdensia without saying a word?”

Still, Terran found himself listening. Chenera was a child. Her view of the world was innocent and pure, not shaped by adult reasoning.

“Do you want me to tell you how to stop her from getting mad at you? I know how.”

“No, that’s alright.”

He waved her off, but a part of him was curious, even if her idea sounded childish.

The truth was, Terran had no idea how to face Grace anymore.

Yes, he was furious that she had left without a word. But the truth was, he had caused it. He was the one who made her feel like she had to run.

“You just have to give her trust. Make her trust you completely.”

Terran froze for a moment at those words.

Now that he thought about it, all he had done was test her feelings through childish tricks. He had never given her any real reason to believe in him.

“I’m going now. I’m sleepy.”

“Alright.”

Chenera headed for the door, then suddenly turned back and said one last thing.

“But… at the party, she might meet another man…”

Without giving him time to react, she left the room.

Terran clenched his jaw.

“This is ridiculous.”

He barely managed to swallow the curse that was about to leave his mouth.

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