Became the Owner of a Poor Estate
Chapter 33
Even if he was a bewitching spirit, if he was this handsome, Donghee was more than willing to let herself be possessed.
“I heard you were unwell. I’m sorry I couldn’t come sooner. I’ve been so busy with business.”
At Ray’s tenderly whispered words, Donghee stammered her reply.
“T-that can happen. I, I understand.”
Don’t stutter. Stay calm.
“Thank you. I knew you’d understand.”
Ray spoke in a whisper and flashed a beaming smile.
If he smiled dazzlingly like that a few more times, her heart felt like it would run wild and leap right out of her chest.
Just as she was shouting ‘What a stroke of luck!’ in her mind—
“It’s been a long time, Lady Chloe.”
Donghee, who had been entranced by Ray’s face, snapped back to reality at the sound of a bright voice coming from behind.
The owner of the voice was a beautiful woman standing behind Ray.
Her brilliant blonde hair, reminiscent of sunlight, and pink eyes like cherry blossom petals brought sweet ice cream to mind.
“Who are you…?”
Donghee asked, trying her best not to feel intimidated.
The Chloe in the mirror was extremely pretty, but the woman standing opposite her now was beyond the description of merely beautiful.
“Oh my, did you forget me already? I’m Erma.”
“Erma?”
Erma’s hand was resting on Ray’s shoulder.
At a sight that clearly suggested they were more than just acquaintances, Donghee’s eyebrows shot up.
The excitement she felt while looking at Ray cooled instantly.
“Erma is my secretary and an old friend. Why are you acting like this after we’ve known each other for so long?”
Ray said, his smile as bright as sunshine.
Secretary and old friend.
That meant they were always together.
Perhaps conscious of Donghee staring at their hands touching on the shoulder, Erma let out a thin chuckle and pulled her hand away.
Look at these two.
Her hazy mind became sharp as if doused with cold water.
I can’t stand this kind of thing.
Donghee smiled crookedly, relaxed her stiff posture, and leaned back against the chair. Then she crossed her legs and picked up the teacup she had set down.
It had cooled a bit in the meantime, but it was still fragrant.
“You came to see your fiancée and brought your secretary along?”
Donghee’s voice was much stiffer and colder than before, but Ray, seemingly oblivious, replied with that same radiant smile.
“I came straight from work. Sorry.”
Ray spoke with an expression that didn’t look sorry at all.
Erma, or Garma, or whatever her name was, now boldly took a seat right next to Ray. Sitting side by side, the two of them looked dazzlingly well-matched.
“What brings you here?”
Donghee’s fluttering heart grew colder by the second.
“What else? I came to collect what you promised last time.”
“What did I promise?”
Feeling that something was off, Donghee’s voice sharpened instinctively.
“You said you’d invest in my business.”
“I did?”
Donghee asked, pointing at herself.
“First pretending not to know Erma, and now this? You’re being quite the prankster today. But it’s fine because it’s fun. Anything regarding you is fine with me, Chloe.”
Well, I don’t think it’s fine with me.
Instead of answering, Donghee stared at him with a cold gaze, waiting for his next words.
“I heard money is circulating in Grace Territory lately. I suppose it’s all so our business can go well. Even without that, I…”
“What business is it?”
“What?”
Since it was the first time Chloe had ever cut him off, Ray’s eyes widened in surprise.
“I asked what business. My memory has been fuzzy lately, so I don’t remember.”
“Chloe, your forgetfulness really has worsened. How could you not know about my business?”
The situation was more serious than she thought.
Donghee was the one who was truly flabbergasted, yet Ray was the one chuckling as if he found her absurd.
“I said I’d invest without even knowing what the business is?”
“Because you trust me. Me doing well means you doing well. Chloe.”
Ray whispered in a sweet voice.
This crazy bastard!
She’s been running the territory like this, and she decided to hand money over to her fiancé?
To a guy who clearly sees me as a total pushover?
It was obvious without even looking how pathetic the servants must have thought she was.
Completely unaware of Donghee’s raging thoughts, Ray continued in a mellifluous voice that sounded like it was dripping with honey.
“I don’t need much. Originally, you were going to give me 50 gold, but since they say Grace Territory has plenty of money these days, just invest 500 gold. I don’t know how I got so lucky to have a fiancée like you, Chloe.”
Ray stood up abruptly, sat down next to Chloe, and spoke in a sugary tone. As he sat beside her, the heavy scent of perfume stung her nostrils.
He gently caressed Chloe’s cheek with his long, beautiful fingers.
Everywhere his white fingers passed, Donghee felt goosebumps break out.
Her nose felt paralyzed by the scent of his perfume.
“Can I take it with me today?”
His lips drew closer and closer to Donghee’s cheek.
Donghee ignored Ray’s advances and stared at Erma sitting opposite them. Erma had been scowling as if displeased, but the moment she made eye contact with Chloe, she beamed as if she had never been frowning.
I won’t leave this pair alone.
Foolish Chloe. Stupid Chloe. Pathetic Chloe.
No words were enough to describe Chloe’s behavior as a pushover.
But the pushover Chloe was no more.
“When can you give it to me? I’d like to take it today.”
Ray whispered, bringing his lips so close they almost touched her cheek.
Unable to hold back any longer, Donghee grabbed his pollack-roe-like lips firmly with her hand and ground her teeth.
“Get lost.”
Ray, who had been leaning in with a leisurely smile, had his eyes bulge out as his mouth was seized.
Even his beautiful eyes now looked like cheap plum-flavored candies.
“Mmph?”
Ray, blinking at the sudden assault, asked while his lips were still caught.
Donghee felt the damp, squishy sensation on her fingertips and scowled deeply before letting go of the pollack roe. Whatever he had put on his lips was slippery and sticky.
“I said, get lost.”
Donghee didn’t even look at the dazed Ray as she stood up.
Then, she looked at Erma, who was standing with an expression just as stunned as Ray’s, and asked.
“And you, where do you think you are to be following him here?”
“Pardon?”
“You’re as stupid as you are brazen. You two suit each other well. I’m bowing out, so you two go play by yourselves. Just don’t come crawling back here like beggars for money.”
“Chloe! How can you say something so harsh?!”
Ray jumped up and spoke protestingly.
The smell of cheap perfume that stung her nose every time he moved felt like it was paralyzing her sense of smell.
Donghee scowled as hard as she could, whipped around, and warned him while poking his chest.
“I have no intention of investing in you, and I have no intention of marrying someone who sees me as a pushover. So, will you please get lost with your precious friend? Butler!”
“Yes, My Lady!”
Handsome, who had been waiting outside the door, rushed inside, startled by Chloe’s voice.
“Never let these people in again.”
At the Lord’s sharp voice, Handsome’s eyes darted around, trying to figure out what was happening.
There wasn’t a servant in Grace Castle who didn’t know of Lord Chloe’s love and obsession for her fiancé.
Yet the scene unfolding before him was completely different from what he knew.
“Chloe! I think there’s some misunderstanding. Erma and I are nothing. I only have you. If you act like this now, what am I supposed to do?!”
“Ray!”
Shocked by the words of the frantic Ray, Erma grabbed him and cried out.
However, Ray shook off Erma as she approached and pleaded with Chloe.
Because Ray shook her off so forcefully, Erma lost her balance and tumbled to the floor.
Tears quickly welled up in Erma’s large eyes.
Slumped on the floor like a little mermaid, she looked exactly like a tragic heroine.
“Ray!”
“Shut up! Why did you have to follow me here and cause this mess?!”
Ray barked at Erma, who was sitting on the floor calling his name.
Donghee didn’t want to deal with these disgusting people anymore, so she walked out of the drawing room. But Ray followed her out, grabbed her from behind in a tight hug, and pleaded desperately.
Donghee never dreamed she would hate a romantic back-hug scene this much.
“I didn’t know you hated Erma this much. I’ll come alone from now on. Okay? So don’t go. Let’s go somewhere quiet and…”
The whispering voice in her ear gave her the creeps.
Ray’s hand suggestively caressed Chloe’s stomach and slowly moved upward. Has this bastard lost his mind?
Donghee shuddered and savagely pried his arms from her waist.
Then she turned around, smiled brightly, and asked.
“Is Erma really nothing to you, Ray?”
“Of course! I only have you.”
“But what should we do?”
“W-what?”
“You’re nothing to me, either.”
“Chloe!”
Ray’s eyes flared as he grabbed Chloe’s arm tightly.
He squeezed so hard that a cry of pain escaped Donghee’s lips involuntarily.
“Ah!”
“My Lady!”
The butler, who had been watching anxiously, rushed over and pulled Ray away.
Ray, who was only handsome on the outside, seemed to have no strength as he was pulled away from Chloe helplessly. In terms of build and height, Ray was much smaller than Handsome.
“Butler. Get these things out of here immediately. I feel like my eyes and nose are rotting.”
“Yes, My Lady.”
The moment the Lord’s command fell, Handsome, as if he had been waiting, dragged the two of them out along with other servants.
“Chloe! It doesn’t have to be 500 gold, just give me 50 gold. I was supposed to provide it by today!”
That kind of brazenness was likely nurtured by the Chloe of the past.
Donghee shook her head and shouted.
“Anna! Throw salt! Use the coarse salt!”
“Pardon? Using that expensive salt on…”
“It’s expensive? The salt? Then just kick them out.”
Donghee, who had been shouting, quickly changed her words upon hearing that salt was expensive.
Even salt was too good for them.
