SMR | Chapter 73

~Chapter 73~

“Investors are all like that. To avoid failure, they prefer to know every little detail about where they’re putting their money.”

“…That makes sense.”

Harriet shrugged.

She was a little surprised, but when she thought about it, it wasn’t strange. The incident where her parents died wasn’t a secret, and everyone in this world knew about Harriet Listerwell living with her uncle’s family.

If someone wanted to invest in her had simply looked into things that everyone already knew, there was no reason to feel upset about it.

“Well, if you already know that much, you probably aren’t even curious about why I’m trying to make money. A young woman who lost her guardian and doesn’t have a single penny—especially one who’s known as a scandal maker—needs at least money to survive without getting hurt.”

Feeling thirsty, Harriet took another sip of champagne. Even inside, where the fireplace was lit, the champagne brought in through the cold still felt cool.

“I also want to show the people who locked me away in a convent and abandoned me that I can succeed. And… I have some debts to repay.”

When she said the word ‘debt,’ a flicker of hatred slipped through her voice. Maybe that bitterness had crept out without her meaning to.

“It sounds like repaying that debt is your real goal.”

Cedric’s sharp observation startled Harriet, and she forced a smile.

“But that’s not exactly easy. For now, I’ll consider it a success if I can at least manage to take care of myself.”

That was how Harriet ended her answer.

To Cedric, it felt like watching a door that had opened a little suddenly shut again. He wondered what the key was to fully open that door—to the mysterious world Harriet seemed to keep inside.

‘More than that, why do I even want to open that door?’

He didn’t know. Just like he hadn’t known why he kissed Harriet Listerwell during that dark moment beneath the gates of Genoa Castle.

He thought a little background check and a few conversations would be enough to understand her. But the more he learned about her, the more curious he became.

Then Harriet asked him a question.

“This might sound sudden, too, but can I ask you something? Why did you invest in me, Your Grace? Honestly, I thought you hated me.”

Instead of answering right away, Cedric reached for the champagne bottle and refilled both their glasses.

Almost like it had been planned, they both raised their glasses at the same time.

Before the lingering scent of the drink faded, Cedric finally spoke.

“I never hated you.”

“Have you already forgotten? The victory banquet?”

“Even back then, I didn’t feel disgust or hostility toward you personally, Miss Harriet. If anything, I was just irritated by the situation.”

Just remembering that time was exhausting. He hadn’t even recovered from the shock of his father’s death, and yet everyone was celebrating victory, talking about succession, and crowding around him.

Back then, all Cedric could do was endure it, holding the brooch his father left behind, acting like the perfect heir to a noble house, pretending to be composed under all the weight of people’s expectations.

“I never thought it was your doing. At first, I did get a bit hyper and pushed you, but once I heard your explanation, I realized that couldn’t be the case.”

“You… really thought that?”

“If I hadn’t, things would’ve gotten much worse. I’m not the kind of man who forgives insults easily.”

Harriet remembered how Cedric had looked at her back then. His attitude hadn’t been full of hatred. He had seemed to calm down slightly, too.

‘So he did believe me.’

She hadn’t known. At the time, it had felt like the whole world was against her.

Even other young ladies at Annabelle’s tea party had said something felt strange about the situation. Maybe things weren’t as hopeless as she had thought.

Maybe she had just been too caught in her uncle and Bella’s trap to see clearly.

“Thank you.”

“I’m not sure I deserve that. After all, it was because I overreacted that you ended up stuck in the convent for a year.”

“And thanks to that, I became who I am today. So I really do have something to thank you for.”

Harriet lowered her gaze. Life was full of irony, wasn’t it?

She took a long sip of champagne and grabbed the bottle again.

“Would you like another glass?”

“Gladly.”

Cedric drank the rest of his glass and held it out to her.

The golden liquid flowed from the dark green bottle, catching the flickering light of the fireplace.

The two of them didn’t leave the spot until the bottle was empty.

They chatted occasionally, followed each other’s gazes, and exchanged quiet, wordless smiles—as if they were people who wanted to stay like that forever. 

***

Meanwhile…

It was the New Year, and John was going through a stack of greeting letters when one envelope made him frown deeply.

“What now?”

He ripped the envelope open without hesitation and unfolded the letter inside.

[May the grace and blessing of God be upon House Listerwell.

As we haven’t heard back despite the new year, we are sending another letter. We kindly ask that Miss Harriet Listerwell personally visit this year to sign the confirmation papers for the return of the land and mansion.

– Bank President of Perillas Assetti]

After reading it, John crumpled the letter with a scowl and threw it into the trash.

“Damn it!”

Just thinking about the Perillas estate made his head throb and his insides boil.

“How on earth am I supposed to drag that girl all the way out there?!”

Even if he managed to bring her, it would still be a problem. Harriet wasn’t the same girl he used to know anymore.

Now she had strong support from Trisha Pellon, and she even earned money working as the face of a store that sold convent-made soap. If she had gotten a taste for money, there was no way she would quietly sign over the land.

So was he supposed to just hand the estate over to Harriet?

‘No way in hell!’

There had to be a way. There must be!

As he clutched his aching head and groaned, someone knocked on the door. When he gave permission to enter, Bella walked in, dressed in her new winter coat and brushing her fur muff.

“Bella? What is it?”

“I just came to let you know I’m going to meet James. There’s a lot to prepare for the engagement.”

“Yes, yes. Have a good time.”

But instead of leaving, Bella glanced at her father’s face.

“Something wrong? You look really upset.”

“Sigh… It’s that Harriet girl again.”

He told her about the letter from the Perillas Assetti Bank.

“They’ve sent another reminder. I need to take Harriet there somehow, but I can’t think of a single way to do it.”

Bella thought for a moment, then chuckled.

“Dad, do you really need to take Harriet herself?”

“That’s what I’m saying! Country bumpkins, they’re so stubborn! I’m the rightful Baron Listerwell—why do they need some distant girl?”

John grew more heated and started shouting, but Bella just shook her head with a sly smile.

“That’s not what I meant. I’m asking… do those people even know what Harriet looks like?”

“Huh?”

“They don’t know her face. So why not hire an actress who looks a little like her and have her pretend to be Harriet?”

“Oho! That’s it!”

John’s clouded mind cleared like sunshine breaking through. He felt completely refreshed.

“My daughter really is a genius!”

“But things might not be that simple. They’re probably more cautious now, so don’t just fake the signature like last time. Teach the actress to copy Harriet’s handwriting.”

“Do we have a document with Harriet’s signature?”

“She signed the guardian permission paper, remember? You didn’t throw that away, right?”

“Oh, right, that’s perfect!”

Excited, John rushed to open the family locker. Inside was the document Harriet had signed back when he was officially assigned as her guardian.

“This will work!”

“So you’re admitting I saved the day, right?”

“Of course! Want to buy another nice dress while you’re out?”

“No thanks. I’d like something else.”

Bella hadn’t helped him just out of kindness.

“If you get the Perillas land with my idea, give me part of it in my name.”

“Huh? Well… that’s…”

“Uncle gave his daughter a big estate as a gift. You’re not going to give even a portion to your daughter?”

John felt a chill from Bella’s cold gaze. She was smiling, but it was clear she wasn’t truly happy inside.

She was about to become a countess. It wouldn’t do to upset her now.

“O-of course not! Once I get the Perillas estate, I’ll give you half of it.”

“Thanks, Daddy!”

Only then did Bella’s usual bright smile return.