ITAYA 54

~Chapter 54~

Ramzi Barnaby got off the train at the capital station. His face was hard and angry.

After Egbert’s visit, Ramzi’s little heart had shriveled up even more. If his wife’s illness hadn’t gotten worse, he would have come to the capital much sooner.

His breath was rough with anger.

Anais was selfish. Ever since she was little, the only thing that mattered to her was filling her own mouth.

‘And in the end…! She pushed her mother to death!’

Ramzi’s eyes went wild. He climbed into a carriage and shouted fiercely,

“To Graham Bank!”

He needed to see what his damned daughter’s bank was really like. Ramzi gritted his teeth.

Sometimes I forget that misfortune is still waiting for me.

I stared blankly at the Lakecia books I had bought, neatly placed on my desk.

“You’re killing your own mother!”

Crash!

Everything I had carefully picked out was smashed and broken. I covered my ears.

My father hadn’t changed.

Even when I was young, he took out his anger on me with violence.

Outside, he was always weak.

At home, he was always strong.

Outside, he bowed his head because he had no money or power. Then he came home and let out all his anger on me.

“I told you! You have to pay back the cost of raising you! Do you feel better now, kicking your mother out of Sezares Hospital?”

I could see staff running around outside the door. What great timing, I thought.

I gave a hollow laugh.

Heres left for Hertel with Jenus today. They’d be gone for a while, and that’s exactly when my father came.

Even the security guards at the door looked unsure.

“Don’t come in! If you come in, I’ll just die right here!”

Blood dripped from my father’s foot. His wild eyes turned to me.

“Divorce right now and go crawling to the Graham Marquis! Bow down and beg!”

“I’ll take care of Mother’s situation myself.”

I barely managed to say it, swallowing hard.

The office being destroyed felt like me. My soul was rolling around in the dirt like trash.

My whole body tingled, then hurt.

I hugged myself.

My mouth wouldn’t work. The scars of childhood violence made my body freeze.

I was powerless.

I couldn’t do anything.

My breathing was all messed up. I’m grown now, and I know my father can’t hurt me like before.

In the past, even if I reported him, the police would just say it was “disciplining a child” and leave.

‘Kid, if you did better, would your father get mad?’

That question hurt so much. What more could I do to be “better”?

It’s okay, Anais.

Don’t be stupid.

…Please.

“You think you can handle it? Do you know your mother almost died last night?! You’ll only be happy if she dies, won’t you?”

“That’s not true.”

“Then get up right now! Come with me. Divorce and beg the marquis!”

I bit my lip hard.

“I told you, I’ll handle it. My ties with the Graham family are over. And the director at Sezares Hospital can’t throw out Mother. It was in the late marquis’s will. So…”

“You sure have a lot to say! Always acting so smart.”

My father stomped his foot. The guards were busy keeping people away from the office door. The noise grew louder.

“A marriage you did without telling your parents means nothing! Give up right now!”

“Even if I did, the marquis wouldn’t take me back.”

“No! It’s all arranged. If you do well, the marquis will forgive you!”

Now I saw what was going on.

Egbert must have stirred up my father and threatened the hospital director.

That’s just the sort of thing he would do.

He must really want the bank.

But Graham Bank is too big for Egbert. I knew he’d ruin it if he ever got it.

Realizing this made my blood boil with anger. But the anger gave me courage.

“I said I’d take care of it, Father!”

“When? After your mother dies? Look at you—your mother and I are suffering!”

My father stared at the brooch pinned to my chest.

“You just care about yourself, living well while we suffer!”

“I’ll meet with the hospital director. I can fix this. Please stop, Father.”

“Your attitude is the problem…!”

I forced myself to move and opened the safe.

I grabbed some cash—whatever was there.

“Anais, what are you…!”

“Take this and go back.”

My father never listened. The only thing that worked with him was money.

It’s hard to believe someone like him truly loved my mother.

His face lit up. In the end, it was always about the money. I let out a dry laugh.

He grabbed the cash.

“This isn’t enough to save your mother.”

To my father, Mother was just an excuse, a shield. I handed over another bundle of cash, completely emotionless.

“There’s no more.”

He glanced at the empty safe. I moved aside so he could see for himself. Finally, he stepped back.

“Ahem. It’s not about the money.”

I looked at him coldly.

I didn’t care if it was about money or not. He looked like a monster to me.

“I need to take care of your mother, so I’ll leave now. Fix this as soon as you can. If something happens, I’ll go straight to the marquis. Understand?”

I didn’t answer, but he acted like I had and left.

I sat blankly for a long time, holding my head and sighing deeply.

“Ha…”

I sat down weakly in my chair and waved my hand.

“Everyone, get out.”

“Director, we should clean up in here.”

The security guard looked at me with pity. I didn’t like that look. I wasn’t someone to be pitied—I was the boss who gave orders.

If they mixed their feelings in, they’d start looking down on me. My father was a genius at ruining my life.

“Leave. I’ll call you back in a while.”

“…Yes, Director.”

The broken door closed behind them.

I buried my face in my hands. Everything from this morning felt so far away.

“Ha…”

I bit my lip hard.

Good luck usually doesn’t follow misfortune, but bad luck comes so easily after good luck.

My shoulders shook.

Between my fingers, I could see the books I bought about Lakecia.

Just a while ago, those books had made me so excited.

[This book is good. That one has too many opinions, and some are wrong.]

‘Then I’ll use this book. Oh, what about this one?’

[It’s good for finding travel spots.]

‘I’ll pick some places to visit with Baldwin. You’ll go somewhere with me other than the fountain, right?’

[Of course.]

Even the small conversations I had with Baldwin were clear in my mind. Even in a crowd, Baldwin never felt shy.

His hand holding mine was always firm and trustworthy. I felt like nothing bad could ever happen.

But misfortune was still with me.

“Ah, really…”

In the end, I couldn’t hold back my tears. I tried to think of other things, but it didn’t work.

“Damn Egbert.”

I muttered quietly.

I want to be rid of him, but he’s still my bad luck.

I don’t know how to get away from him completely.

And I don’t even know why he’s so obsessed with me. He never even saw me as a woman. Even without Graham Bank, he’d have enough to live well.

He could still have all the luxury he wanted.

So why?

“Is it just pride?”

Maybe it was.

But does the reason really matter? I had to fight the enemy in front of me.

I pulled out my handkerchief and wiped my tears.

I hadn’t done anything wrong. I wouldn’t give up, and I would never lose.

I pulled myself together. I filled my heart with stubbornness.

And in that moment, one person came to mind.

[Tell me if you need me.]

I wanted to see my protector. I wanted to see Baldwin.