The Elder Sister Who Ran Away After Being Cheated by Her Fiancé and Younger Sister - Chapter 12:

After Estelle left, the Heinny family apparently stormed the national army demanding their daughter back, but were naturally turned away at the gate.

But that was the end of the matter regarding Estelle, and both families immediately turned to the issue of Theo and Clara’s marriage.

Just as she’d heard back then, Clara would marry into the Petrak family, and Theo would inherit the Petrak Trading Company.

The Heinny Trading Company would be inherited by the youngest brother (Estelle never even learned his name).

With that settled, Clara and Theo’s wedding was fairly grand, and Clara in her wedding dress was said to be as beautiful as a princess. Estelle couldn’t care less.

However, Clara didn’t get involved in the Petrak business, using her weak health as an excuse.

Theo thought that couldn’t be helped, and he was satisfied just having his cute, beautiful Clara waiting for him at home.

That was fine during the newlywed period.

But as life went on, small dissatisfactions gradually piled up.

Clara continued living exactly as she had at the Heinny household, spending freely and luxuriously just like in her maiden days.

Everything she consumed was top quality, and she even had her own personal maid.

Even after marriage, Clara’s devotees never stopped visiting her.

From daytime onward, they’d gather in the living room like a salon, chatting and laughing while drinking expensive tea and nibbling on expensive sweets.

Since the devotees were quite well-connected, Theo’s parents initially let her do as she pleased, thinking it might lead to business opportunities.

But even though the devotees gave Clara jewelry and sweets, they brought no wealth to the Petrak Trading Company.

Theo once gently brought this up with Clara, but she apparently didn’t understand at all.

Clara would happily wear the expensive jewelry she received and enjoy the expensive sweets by herself.

When Theo finally asked if she wouldn’t share them, she apparently looked completely surprised and asked, “But these were given to me?” as if he were the strange one.

Had Clara always been like that?

Estelle tried to recall, but she hadn’t spent enough time with her to say for certain.

As children, she never went near Clara’s bedroom, and after school she was always at the Petrak Trading Company, so they rarely had time to talk properly.

They weren’t particularly close sisters to begin with.

Apparently, their intimate life was satisfying (Estelle was utterly disgusted that Theo would tell her this), but that was about it.

Theo wanted her to either help with the business a little or reduce her spending.

When he said this, she would cry and ask “Don’t you love me?” making proper conversation impossible.

The two were already viewed harshly by local women because of the Estelle incident, but while Theo was tolerated since he worked seriously in public, the stares grew increasingly severe toward Clara, who entertained other men in her husband’s absence with daily parties.

People began saying “Is she really the future mistress?” casting a shadow over the Petrak Trading Company’s reputation. Both Theo and his parents tried to reason with Clara, but she would only cry and refuse to listen.

At their wits’ end, they moved her to a separate room in the estate under the pretext of recuperation, with servants monitoring her and refusing visits from devotees.

That worked for a while, but then something terrible happened.

Theo’s uncle Bosak kidnapped Clara and ran off.

He left a note saying something about not being able to leave Clara in a house that imprisoned her, and that Theo was unfit as a husband since he couldn’t protect her. He also apparently took a considerable amount of gold coins from the Petrak safe before disappearing with Clara.

And they still haven’t been found, it seems.

Estelle was genuinely stunned.

Bosak must be that man who used to visit the Heinny household.

Estelle only ever exchanged greetings with him so she didn’t know him well, but she remembered him as a calm, gentle-looking middle-aged man.

He didn’t seem like someone who would do such a thing at all.

They say you can’t judge a book by its cover, but this was taking it too far.

“So, what happened?”

The shock made her slip into casual speech, but Theo continued without minding.

“Nothing much we can do. It looks terrible. We had no choice but to say Clara went abroad for recuperation, with my uncle accompanying her as her attendant. Fortunately, I suppose, since it’s a family matter.”

“I see…”

That’s probably all they could do, Estelle thought.

But would the Heinny parents accept that? Thinking about how they doted on Clara, there was probably another fuss about it, but Estelle didn’t want to listen to Theo’s long story anymore so she stayed silent.

“I really should have married you, Estelle. I must have been out of my mind back then.”

“Indeed.”

Though I think you’re still out of your mind.

Estelle gave a bothered reply.

“Estelle… um, you’re still single, right?”

“I cannot disclose personal information. Today’s meeting is concluded. Thank you for coming.”

Listening to his pathetic whining to the end was a special service.

She had no more time to waste on this man.

“Estelle! You can come back anytime! Both my parents and I are waiting for you!”

“Huh?”

She accidentally let out a sound. Estelle hurriedly closed her mouth.

Waiting? For what? For whom?

Estelle looked at Theo again. She used to like his gentle face, but now it just looked foolish.

“…I don’t understand what you’re saying at all. Please leave.”

Leaving the still-whining Theo behind, Estelle retreated to the back.

She let out a deep sigh, feeling exhausted.

Why did things turn out like this?

Not that she could say she didn’t feel resentful.

If they’d been a loving couple with a successful business, sailing smoothly through life, she’d honestly be irritated.

But she never wanted things to turn into this incomprehensible mess.

Estelle sighed once more.