SMR | Chapter 89

~Chapter 89~ 

“I guess it was my fate to become a scandal maker.”

There was no fear in her voice as she spoke those words. After all, she had already made up her mind before returning to Genoa. If anything, she sounded resolute—like someone who had accepted what lay ahead, even if it meant standing alone against a storm.

She dusted off her hands as if to mark the end of something. With a faint smile tugging at her lips, she turned her eyes toward the sky.

“This part of the plan is done. Now it’s time to go back and see what my dear uncle has up his sleeve.”

Her eyes shimmered with a new intensity, no longer dulled by weariness or fear. It was the light of resolve—the calm before the storm.

***

Meanwhile, in a lavish office in the heart of the city, Albert stood stiffly beside Benedict, listening to a report delivered by one of their subordinates.

“What did you just say? Someone’s been digging into our business partners?”

Albert’s brows furrowed sharply, his clenched fist revealing the growing frustration bubbling inside him.

It wasn’t the first time he had heard that someone was sniffing around their company’s dealings. In fact, it was common in a profitable business. Whenever money flowed freely, there were always thieves trying to take a piece of the pie.

But this time… something felt different.

This wasn’t just a case of competition or opportunism. No one was asking how the product was made or where it was produced. Instead, they were investigating the buyers—those who purchased the drug.”

“Only someone with a very specific purpose would investigate buyers,” Albert muttered under his breath, green eyes narrowing in thought. “Not some nobody trying to steal our formula.”

He had a strong suspicion about who was behind this.

Albert’s gaze sharpened.

The same person who had been gathering intel on the so-called “cruise parties”—events that Albert himself organized.

“Cedric Kailas…”

His name slipped out like venom from Albert’s tongue.

“That bastard cousin of mine! He won’t support my business, but he’s more than happy to hunt for my weaknesses!”

Albert’s anger flared as he remembered the incident at the Laurel Count’s party, where Cedric had caught on to his use of the drug. But deep down, Albert knew this hadn’t started there. Cedric had likely been suspicious of him long before.

Benedict, who had been silently processing the report, finally spoke up, his voice grim.

“You don’t think he’s already found out what’s happening on the ship… do you?”

Albert’s heart skipped a beat.

It wasn’t just any ship they were talking about. Thanks to the second prince’s support, the drug “Anghelic” had been officially approved and was being sold as a legitimate medicine. However, healing was not its true power.

No, its true effects showed themselves at night—at Albert’s infamous “cruise parties.”

People who tasted pleasure through Anghelic always wanted more. That was the danger of stimulation—once experienced, the body craved greater thrills. And when the senses grew dull, people desired escape in fantasies far removed from moral boundaries. Albert’s ship offered exactly that: a floating paradise free from consequence.

After all, if anything went wrong, they could simply sail the ship to another country. It was the perfect setup.

“Even if Cedric’s investigating, he won’t find any proof of tax evasion,” Benedict muttered. “We’ve filed all the right paperwork. The quantities match our official records. No one can tell what was sold on the ship.”

That was true. On paper, everything looked perfect. But if someone caught wind of what actually happened on that ship—of nobles intoxicated and losing themselves in sins—it could cause a far worse scandal than mere tax fraud.

“This could turn into a nightmare,” Albert muttered. “We need a solution.”

“We have to get Cedric involved,” Benedict suggested. “If we can trap him into investing, he won’t be able to touch us. He’d be too implicated himself.”

Albert scoffed. “And just how do you suggest we do that?”

They had already tried. When starting the company, Albert had approached Cedric with a smile and a honeyed tongue.

“Just a small investment would do,” he’d said. “With the name of the Kailas family backing us, we could launch this business much more easily.”

“As your cousin, I’m sure you’ll help me, right, Cedric?”

Cedric had responded with his usual polite smile.

“I would love to help, truly. But the name ‘Kailas’ carries significant weight. I can’t support a drug without knowing its exact ingredients and effects. That would be irresponsible.”

Of course, Albert and Benedict hadn’t dared reveal the formula. And Cedric, who was already being watched by foreign powers like the Kingdom of Firma, wouldn’t allow himself to be tied to a mysterious drug that could benefit his enemies.

Albert ground his teeth. His jaw tightened with rage.

He had come so far. He had built this business into a thriving empire. He wouldn’t let it all fall apart just because of one arrogant cousin.

“There has to be a way… a weak spot… something.”

He racked his brain, searching Cedric’s past for anything that could be used. But Cedric was too careful. Too composed. There were no visible cracks in his armor.

Except—perhaps—for one.

His father.

Albert’s eyes widened.

“Wait… the brooch! The one from the victory banquet. Cedric threw a fit when it disappeared. That woman had it pinned to her dress… he lost his mind.”

He turned to his father, voice urgent.

“Father, didn’t you say the only thing Cedric received from Uncle Rowan was that ruby brooch?”

“Hmm?” His father blinked. “Oh, that? I mean, I wouldn’t say it was the only thing. Rowan’s belongings are still around. But Cedric did seem unusually attached to that one piece. Why?”

Albert’s lips curled into a chilling smile.

“He might care more than we thought. We could use it to lure him.”

Benedict still looked uncertain. “Will he really move over something like that?”

“It’s worth trying,” Albert replied. “Every day we wait, we risk exposure. If this works, we’ll get Cedric’s investment—and full defense.”

And if it didn’t?

Well, they were doomed anyway.

Albert wasn’t one to gamble without preparing. He already had a card up his sleeve.

“I planted someone inside the Kailas estate a long time ago. I didn’t think I’d need him, but… finally, that rat might be useful.”

His smile deepened, dark and dangerous.

***

Later that evening, inside Cedric’s study, the quiet was interrupted by the sound of papers being dropped onto his desk.

Thud.

A thick report landed without much care.

“You’ll want to take a look at this,” Edgar said casually, flopping down onto the couch nearby like he owned the place.

Cedric flipped through the documents, his sharp eyes scanning the pages quickly.

“Your cousin has been very busy lately,” Edgar added with a smirk.

Cedric paused at one section, frowning.

“Thirty percent of those people who were surveyed admitted to using Anghelic,” he muttered.

“Some physicians even prescribe it for patients with depression, chronic fatigue, or anxiety,” Edgar added. “Apparently, it works well.”

“But the side effects…” Cedric narrowed his eyes.

“Dry mouth, heart beating rapidly, insomnia or oversleeping, hallucinations, memory issues… Not mild, but not illegal either,” he concluded.

“Which means the drug can’t be banned just yet,” Edgar confirmed.

“Exactly. Its positive results make it hard to criticize. But flip to the last section,” Edgar added, pointing.

Cedric turned to the final page.

Title: “Secret Cruise Parties”

The words alone made his stomach turn.

He read on—and each line made his skin crawl.

“I’ve heard rumors about those parties… but they’re really happening on a ship?”

“Yep. But that’s not the shocking part,” Edgar said grimly. “Read what happens on those ships.”

Cedric’s fingers gripped the edge of the folder tighter with each paragraph.

Drugs. Overindulgence. Prostitution. Child trafficking.

It was sickening.

Cedric clenched his jaw, his entire body tense with fury.

“This… this is disgusting,” Cedric spat, his expression darkening.

“I completely agree,” Edgar said grimly. “But unfortunately, it’s not enough.”

“What do you mean?”

“Even if we expose everything, the emperor might not care.”

Cedric stared at him.

“What do you mean?”

“You know the Second Prince, right? He was practically unfit for marriage, suffering from severe depression. Then he started taking <Anghelic>—and boom, miraculous recovery.”

“…Which means the Emperor owes Albert.”

“Exactly. He’s grateful. And more importantly—<Anghelic> brings in a lot of revenue.”

“How much?”

“Forty percent of all sales go directly to the royal treasury.”

“Which means… bringing down Albert is the same as cutting off the emperor’s income.”

“Exactly. We would be intruding upon his rights.”

Cedric leaned back, his lips pressed into a tight line.

That changed things.

Not only did Albert have powerful allies, but his business was practically a gold mine for the Empire.

Going after him now wouldn’t just cause scandal—it could spark political fallout.

“It’s tricky,” Edgar muttered. “Take him down, and you risk the Emperor’s wrath. But let him go, and he just keeps getting worse.”

They both fell into silence.

This wasn’t just about business anymore. It was about morality. Cedric’s gaze drifted to the city beyond the window. Somewhere out there, people were being ruined—used and thrown away like toys—all for the pleasure and profit of a few powerful men.

Cedric’s hand curled into a fist.

He had stayed quiet long enough.

It was time to act.

He wouldn’t let Albert win.

Not this time.