Chapter 78
Episode 78. Lingering Affection and Nadir
Ansen leaned back against the comfortable sofa, slowly inhaling and exhaling. It felt as if a thorn was stuck in his throat, causing a foreign sensation with every breath.
He had been examined several times, but each time the doctors only tilted their heads and spouted ridiculous nonsense.
"Just relax, CEO."
Ansen roughly ran a hand over his face.
He, too, desperately wanted to relax and escape from the stressful situation. But the whole world was talking about Olivia, leaving him nowhere to run.
When he closed his eyes, her fair and radiant face appeared.
"Ansen!"
Her voice calling his name when they were still on good terms echoed in his ears.
And yet, that woman had become Noah Astrid's wife.
He had lost Olivia and, at the same time, lost Oliver.
As he struggled with the sense of loss, an unbelievable piece of news was added.
"How dare they arbitrarily violate the contract terms?"
The chilling energy in his gloomy voice was as cold as a lead weight. He took a long time to compose himself before asking his secretary, who was standing nearby.
"It doesn't matter if Noah Astrid's scheduled investment for the next quarter is gone, does it?"
"It's manageable as long as we prepare in advance. We can find other investment sources to make up for Noah Astrid's investment."
"There's a line of those investment sources."
Ansen went to his desk and sat down.
It was known to the public that Noah Astrid had dismantled the Magic Dome and tampered with its interior.
But most likely, the one who had done it was Olivia.
This incident was like a detonator that set off Ansen's anxiety.
The reason why the Magic Dome is the Magic Dome is only one.
It is unprecedented and unique. But the moment it is dismantled and the interior is seen, the technology will be leaked, and its uniqueness will disappear.
And since Olivia had already gone to Noah, the uniqueness had been cracked.
To protect the uniqueness of the Magic Dome, he had to react sensitively to this incident.
"Send a contract withdrawal notice to the shipping company, and issue a statement to the Herot royal family expressing deep regret over this matter. Also, postpone the repair schedule for the Magic Dome installed in Herot. If we postpone it right away, they'll find fault, so say that the person in charge checked and had to delay the schedule because there are no internal parts."
"...I can understand the statement of regret, but if we postpone the Magic Dome repair schedule, the royal family won't stand still. They'll think it's retaliatory."
At that, Ansen let out a dry laugh.
"If they don't stand still?"
"......"
"What can they say when there are no internal parts? That's why I checked if it's okay for Noah Astrid's investment to disappear."
"Yes..."
"And it's about time we fought once. The world has changed. It's not a world where royalty is everything like in the past. If you fight and lose, you have to kneel and apologize."
"......"
"And if I fight and win against Herot's envoy, people will think, 'I'd rather drown in the sea than touch Wilhelm's Magic Dome.'"
Ansen's eyes sank deeply.
There was something like a thorn in this perfect scenario. It was the variable called Olivia.
Judging from the fact that Prince Noah trusted Olivia and remodeled the Magic Dome, he might have realized that Olivia was actually Oliver.
Of course, Olivia would not be able to come forward easily.
However, if the Herot royal family was put on the defensive because of the Magic Dome, she would eventually come forward.
So, before that, Olivia had to be separated from the royal family.
But how to separate her, who was behind the solid golden bars?
Ansen agonized over this problem for a while, even losing sleep.
And, as always, he found the answer.
"Secretly acquire one of Herot's third-rate newspapers. It has to be a humble newspaper that the royal family wouldn't even be interested in. Buy exclusive gossip about major actors to increase awareness, and distribute the newspaper for free. In a few months, everyone will know about it."
"Yes, I understand."
Ansen slowly nodded.
If he couldn't dare to cross Herot's golden bars and bring Olivia, who was standing next to Prince Noah, out...
He just had to make the prince abandon her.
⚜ ⚜ ⚜
Ansen Wilhelm was not the only one holding onto the tangled thread of lingering affection and nadir.
Isabel Seymour looked down at the personal information that Mrs. Jubern and her mother had presented with a shocked expression.
Mrs. Seymour explained in as calm a voice as possible.
"Jackson Coleman. The second son of the Coleman Marquess, but he said he would inherit the Count title held by the Marquess upon marriage. He also said he would inherit the mansion on the Upper River side as a honeymoon home."
As the image of his plump face, blunt nose, and lingering eyes came to mind, Isabel shuddered.
"Are you serious?"
Mrs. Seymour felt her heart breaking as she looked at her daughter's face, who was asking back as if she couldn't believe it. Would she want to marry her daughter to that idiotic-looking son?
Isabel chuckled with a distorted face and looked at Mrs. Jubern.
"Is this the best you can do?"
"......"
Mrs. Jubern did not answer, and Mrs. Seymour comforted her daughter.
"Still, it's fortunate that you maintained your dignity at His Highness the Crown Prince's wedding. Your father's heart has turned a little because of your actions that day. He was turning his eyes to local nobles, but eventually reached out to the nobles in the capital."
Dignity?
It wasn't dignity.
It is said that when a person experiences something unbelievable, their whole body freezes and they cannot even breathe. Isabel was like that that day.
What was so special about that woman that the Herot royals surrounded her like a shield?
What was Prince Noah so fascinated by that woman that he took her as his wife?
What was so much better about that woman than her that Noah Astrid was taken away, and the choice given to her was Jackson Coleman? She couldn't understand it at all, and she couldn't accept it.
Mrs. Seymour, who had no idea what her daughter was thinking, continued.
"Married life is nothing special. If your in-laws are the Coleman Marquess family, it's great. Even if Jackson Coleman doesn't meet your eyes right now, it's all the same when you live."
"......"
"At least meet him once."
"......"
"Yes, okay? If it's not him, you have to go to the provinces."
The word "provinces" pierced Isabel's heart like a sharp blade. Perhaps because of the influence of her mother, who acted as if she would die if she went outside the capital, Isabel couldn't tolerate that much.
"...I understand for now."
Mrs. Seymour stroked her chest at her daughter's barely uttered answer.
"Yes, think positively."
Mrs. Seymour praised the Coleman Marquess family a little more and left the room with Mrs. Jubern.
Mrs. Jubern silently followed Mrs. Seymour, and opened her mouth when they entered the courtyard between the annex and the main building.
"I'm sorry, Mrs. Seymour, but I'm going to quit being the young lady's chaperone."
Mrs. Seymour's movements, which had been moving busily, stopped for a moment. Mrs. Seymour turned around with a stiff face and stared at Mrs. Jubern as if glaring at her.
"You're quitting now?"
"......"
"You made Isabel dream of becoming a Princess consort, and now you're just going to pull your feet out?"
"......"
"Do you think you can still gain a foothold in the capital and work as a matchmaker?"
"I'm sorry, ma'am. I'll return the money I received in advance for the success fee as it is."
"Is that little money the problem now?!"
"I won't say that I quit being a chaperone. If you don't spread the rumors, people won't know, and since she's old enough not to bring a chaperone, they won't think it's strange."
Mrs. Jubern did not try to reverse her decision despite Mrs. Seymour's sharp threats. It was a scene where you could see how firm her will was.
Mrs. Seymour was furious. She went right up to Mrs. Jubern and warned her.
"If you go like this, you better pack your bags right away. I won't let you set foot in the capital's social circles."
At Mrs. Seymour's advice, Mrs. Jubern took a step back and took a deep breath.
The saying that great rewards come with great risks applied to her as well. But what made her different from Isabel was that she knew when to get out.
"I have one thing to ask."
"Pack your bags and stop talking nonsense."
"Pay more attention to making the young lady give up on His Highness the Crown Prince."
As soon as those words were spoken, Mrs. Seymour slapped Mrs. Jubern's cheek hard.
With a chilling sound, Mrs. Jubern's cheek turned. Mrs. Seymour hissed and yelled in a sinister voice.
"Watch your mouth. How dare you give advice so presumptuously?"
Mrs. Jubern pressed her mouth with a handkerchief and smoothed her hair as if she had expected a slap. Nevertheless, her legs were shaking, but she calmly bowed her head.
"Then I'll be on my way."
"I hope you never come near the capital again."
Ignoring the chilling voice that pierced her ears, Mrs. Jubern hurriedly turned around.
She felt like the tower she had built up until now was collapsing like a sandcastle, but it would be wise to pull out now.
"What on earth did that commoner woman pay as a price?"
Mrs. Jubern had heard Isabel's muttering several times.
She pretended not to know when she heard it for the first time, and advised her when she heard it for the second time.
"You shouldn't say such things."
But Isabel ignored her advice and muttered those words several more times. It was not the first time that Isabel Seymour had ignored Mrs. Jubern's advice.
Mrs. Jubern decided to quit being a chaperone the fifth time Isabel called the Princess consort a "commoner woman."
Isabel, whom she had seen by her side, was a person with strong self-love.
While she was obsessed with Prince Noah and drawing her future alone, her inner self defined herself as a Princess consort. That was why she would not be satisfied with anyone other than Usher Crown Prince now.
Mrs. Jubern, who got into the carriage, stroked her sore lips and muttered.
"They raised their children like that, so now they only have to pay the price. There's no reason for me to pay that price."
Isabel was a person who would express her animosity towards the Princess consort in some way.
The problem was that Prince Noah, whom Mrs. Jubern had observed, was not a person who would let that go.
In fact, when Isabel broke her promise and came to his house on her own, didn't he pour out his anger without holding back?
The Crown Prince didn't even care whether there were servants around, and in the end, that incident became the decisive factor that blocked Isabel's marriage path.
"Prince Noah is a person who can even retaliate as an example."
Mrs. Jubern muttered, and the coachman asked from outside the carriage.
"Madam, where shall I take you?"
At his question, Mrs. Jubern smoothed her disheveled hair and replied.
"Let's go to my parents' house for the first time in a while. I think it's time to rest a little."
