Chapter 70: 70

Chapter 70 – If Only I Could Hurt You

The man’s pupil hit the blade and shattered. Emilia felt a twisted pleasure tighten her chest. It was exactly the same as the metal buckle that stabbed her thigh last night. It was that man, not her, who lost his reason and became a mess. She wanted to hurt him. She wanted to thrust and make a mess out of him.

“The grapes are very ripe.”

The sadistic desire that she didn’t even know existed in her slashed a savory fruit like a snake coveting the prohibited fruit.

“Oh yeah,” Emilia wiped the water off her hands and glanced at the cold frozen man.

“You promised to give me and my family a better life, right?”

The cold voice asking such a question sounded so heartless that she wondered if it really belonged to her.

“Can you give it to me now? Right now.”

“What do you mean?”

“Money.”

Silence fell. The only thing that moved was the man’s eyelids, which blinked slowly.

“Give me some money please.”

“…After playing a doll, this time playing a prostitute?” Hadius straightened his body and leaned against the wall. He smiled lightly as if sneering, but anyone could tell that he had lost his composure.

“You said it didn’t matter?”

“Yeah, whether you cut your hair like a man, become a doll, or pretend to be a prostitute or not, I don’t care.”

“Aah, that’s why it was so painful yesterday.”

The face pretending to be calm reacted immediately and became cold. Emilia looked into the man’s empty eyes with a smirk.

“So, I’ll have to get some money. So it’s not unfair.”

He stared into the air for a long time without saying a word. Then a low, heavy voice echoed through the bedroom.

“…Meet my errand boy before you go. The money will be paid through that child.”

After a while, the door slammed shut, leaving Emilia alone.

The sense of triumph was too short-lived. And unbearable trembling shook her body whole.

 

* * *

 

“Please confirm it.”

With a click, the lid of the small wooden box opened. The gold coins were stacked as if they were about to flow down and shone dazzlingly, reflecting the lights of the lamps in all directions.

‘It’s too much.’ Emilia thought blankly, feeling numb.

“I’ll put it in the wagon.”

The errand boy named Pip disappeared with the box. Emilia looked down at the steaming tea and the delicious peach tart. Suddenly, she wondered if all this was a dream. Or a play that wasn’t even funny. Emilia shook her head vigorously as if to shake off something, and cut the dessert with a fork and brought it to her mouth. Sweet aroma and fruit juice filled her mouth.

‘Charlotte would love this.’ Emilia chewed and swallowed the plump peaches and the sweet cream that mixed in her mouth. The dessert, which looked like a piece of art on a pretty plate, was ruined.

‘Yeah, don’t think of anything else. Just think of your family.’ Putting her fork down, Emilia asked Pip if he had any more peach tarts. Then, in an incredibly calm manner, she asked if he could wrap it for her.

“Of course. Everything in Sitmer Villa belongs to Miss Bern. I will put it in the carriage.”

Pip’s face was clearly smiling softly. But the sharp energy behind it gave Emilia a little fright.

“Thanks.”

Emilia answered coldly and left the villa. As she got in the carriage, the large gold coin box caught her eye again. She had no intention of spending that money. One day, if Hadius Meyer got tired of looking for her, she planned to return it untouched.

All to give pain. There must be nothing but pain.

 

* * *

 

“You don’t like it?”

“Yes.”

“But Emilia, you wanted to be a bookkeeper. Mr. Borden, the owner of the factory, offered work for a week or so.”

Emilia’s hand, as she scrubbed the dishcloth, stopped. Perhaps because the water had been squeezed out too tightly, the stain spread sideways instead of being erased.

“Isn’t that better than working on a farm? It’s so far away that you have to sleep outside. Most of all, the Young Master said he won’t interfere in whatever you do.”

“…Still, I don’t like it.”

“Why? Is it because you didn’t get paid during the probation period?”

Emilia frowned for a moment, then said, “Yes.” and continued.

“Mother speaks like Mr. Borden is a good man, but I don’t know. I feel like I’m just going to end up being used for some reason.”

In Emilia’s head, Hadius, the mastermind behind the factory owner, came to mind. Kallia, who knew nothing, had no choice but to tilt her head.

“Why would he really hire someone like me? At a time overflowing with unemployed people. Now I’m trying to accept reality. Compared to those who went to school, I don’t have any competitiveness.”

“But Young Master–”

“‘Young Master,’ ‘Young Master, can’t you please stop?”

Kallia was startled by the irritated voice.

“If you continue to get help from the Meyer family you will only hear that I’m his mistress. There are too many eyes and ears in the world. It’s impossible to keep secrets.”

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The harsh voice, that didn’t sound too cold nor too exalted, made both Kallia and Mitch’s hearts tremble. Mitch, thinking that it was because of him that his older sister had changed, turned his face to the ground. Whether or not she knew about her younger brother’s heart, Emilia continued to wash the dishcloths diligently.

“Don’t worry. I won’t be working on the farm for long. I’m going to start looking for a job again tomorrow.”

Emilia threw the dishcloth into the basin. Far from clean, everything was dirtier. Mitch, who was only watching, crept over and washed the dishcloth with water. Then he started cleaning the table again. In the meantime, Emilia entered the room. The cool energy she left behind froze the hearts of both mother and son. Mitch, who had cleaned the table, only twisted the dishcloth for a long time, then carefully knocked on his sister’s door. When he opened the door and entered, he found Emilia sitting by the window staring blankly out.

“Um, Sister…”

“What?”

Her eyes, which seemed to be empty, were so cold that they were frightening.

‘What’s wrong with you these days? What’s the matter? Are you sick? Or is it because you’re still angry at me?’ Questions that would normally have been asked without hesitation just lingered in his mouth.

“The resignation letter… When are you going to write it?”

“Tomorrow.”

“Oh… okay.”

Mitch stared at his sister’s short hair swaying in the wind for a long time.

“Why?”

“…Oh?”

“Why are you standing so blankly?”

“No– it’s nothing.”

The door closed again.

 

* * *

 

The next day, Emilia and Mitch left the house early. Mitch was restless next to his sister, who was as fierce as the north wind. If it wasn’t for Uncle Beppy, who couldn’t grasp the atmosphere and smiled, Mitch would have frozen to death.

After Kallia went to the factory, Charlotte was the only one left at home as always. It always happened. However, unlike usual, the fact that Charlotte was alone was unbearable.

“Did I do something wrong, Brave?”

Charlotte hugged the dog’s neck. Brave diligently licked the child’s face as if consoling her.

“No, I did nothing wrong. Neither did my sister. If I had left it alone, not only Mitch but the whole family would have suffered a lot. It’s a very good thing that I confessed about the annihilation squad. So much that I might get a present from Santa Claus.”

But from that point on, everything was messed up. Mitch was completely dispirited, and her stepmother sighed every day. Her sister had become a completely different person. She talked less and never smiled. And she tossed and turned violently at night. Overwhelmed by the dark energy emanating from her sister, Charlotte could not even ask what was going on. The hut, which had been filled with bright sunlight, had become a tomb where darkness descended. Charlotte no longer felt comfortable in the attic, which used to be as cozy as a cradle. She was afraid to be alone. Just like a long time ago when bad children came and she was hit with stones and tied up…

“Brave,” Charlotte let out a ragged breath and hugged the dog’s neck tightly. “You don’t know how lucky I am to have you. I hope everyone comes back soon.”

Charlotte endured a long time engulfed in fear. How much time passed? Her ears perked up like a rabbit at the faint sound of wheels in the distance. Brave also tensed its body.

A carriage. It wasn’t Uncle Beppy’s wagon, but a little bigger and heavier… Charlotte replayed and picked out of all the wheels she had heard coming in her head. Then, for a moment, she found out its identity and ran. She carefully went down the stairs and crossed the living room with a sense of familiarity. As Charlotte opened the front door, the carriage stopped just in time. Graceful and heavy steps approached slowly.

“How have you been?”

A low-pitched, pleasant voice… ‘Young Master Meyer!’ Charlotte’s stiff mouth was softened and colored with joy.

“Hello, Young Master!”

Hadius calmed the barking dog with a light mood and turned to the child. The moment he faced the smiling kid, an unexpected and strange feeling struck the pit of his stomach.

Charlotte Bern was looking at him like a savior. Hadius was satisfied, knowing that it was a mirage created by a mean lie.

“My sister is gone now. She went to deliver the resignation letter with Mitch.”

“Really?”

“Yes, this time for real.”

Charlotte smiled bashfully as she answered that.

“Can I know when your sister will return?”

“I don’t know. They didn’t just go to deliver the letter, they went looking for a new school Mitch would go to.”

“Then have you been alone all this time?”

“Yes.”

“You’re such a good girl.”

Hadius patted the child’s head without realizing it. But strangely enough, Charlotte was not as proud as she had been before, she had a dark face and her shoulders drooped.

“I’m not anymore. I used to be okay with being alone, but now I hate it and I’m scared.”

Hadius looked down at the grim child’s face. A strange impulse was beating his heart. He didn’t want to see the child sad. He wanted to make her laugh again. He wanted to bring back the flowery smile he had seen just before so that the many things that weighed him down would disappear even for a moment.

Hadius thought hard about what the child might like the most.

“Would you like me to give you a lift on the swing?”

Contrary to expectations, Charlotte shook her head sullenly.

“The swing is boring now. Mitch also said only kids ride it.”

It was very funny to hear a child who couldn’t even reach his waist say that. Hadius thought about how to continue the conversation with the child, then bent his knees and matched her height.

“Then shall we go for a walk together? With Brave.”

The child’s face shone brightly again. Only then Hadius was satisfied.

––

Did you guys realize that every time Hadius does something utterly inhuman to Emilia, the author writes a ‘human’ side of him in the next chapter? He broke her a chapter ago. Treated her like a piece of flesh, admitted he would rather break her rather than let her have her freedom, and then he’s now CONCERNED because he doesn’t want a child he met idk twice? Be sad? Psssh…

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