Chapter 5

Egbert looked around the banquet hall with a sharp glance.

“They all showed up hoping to get some leftovers.”

Unlike before, the people’s attention was now focused on Anais, not Egbert.

When Anais used to run the bank as Egbert’s representative, it hadn’t been like this.

Back then, everyone thought Egbert had the final say, so they would flatter him and try to stay close.

Anais did all the work, but Egbert got all the credit. But now, things were clearly different.

“Filthy leeches.”

Egbert clenched his teeth in anger and quickly walked into the hall.

He spotted Anais, surrounded by a group of people.

“Was Anais always that beautiful?”

“I think she found a new dressmaker. She used to always dress so dull.”

“There were even rumors that’s why her husband ignored her. But now…”

“Well, she wasn’t ugly. She takes after her mother, Madame Barnaby, the opera singer.”

“True…”

What are they all talking about?

Egbert tried to ignore the words he overheard.

To him, Anais Barnaby had always been a stiff, boring woman. She always wore tight, high-necked dresses that looked suffocating.

Her style was totally opposite of what was fashionable in Estus.

“She made the Graham family look even worse. Couldn’t she just throw out those ugly dresses?”

“Don’t talk about my style like that.”

She had once said that to him, just like her old-fashioned grandfather. He could still clearly remember her cold attitude.

“Unbelievable…”

Egbert angrily pushed through the crowd. Some people were ready to yell at him but backed away once they realized who he was.

Everyone was looking at him with curious eyes, waiting for something to happen.

“Hey, Anais.”

Egbert let out a big breath and called her. After she kept avoiding his calls, this was the first time they were face to face.

“We need to talk. Right now…”

He had been talking fast, but then suddenly froze, his mouth hanging open in shock.

She was looking right at him with deep, clear blue eyes. Her usually pale face was now glowing with stylish makeup.

And her dress—

It softly moved with her as it showed off her straight collarbones and pearl-like skin.

Every time she moved, the loose sleeves slipped back and revealed her thin, white wrists—graceful like wings.

Her silver hair, usually tied up tightly, was now half-down and shining.

“If you want to talk, please make a formal appointment, Marquis.”

Anais replied calmly.

Only her clean and calm voice remained the same.

“It’s definitely Anais… but what’s with that look?”

Egbert slowly looked around at the people surrounding Anais.

Among them were men—unmarried men—who used to treat Anais poorly, just like he had.

“Ah…”
Egbert smirked.

“So, you’re a woman after all. You want attention from men, huh?”

He thought he had figured out the reason for Anais’s change.

“Well, how could a mere daughter of Baron Barnaby manage a huge bank anyway? Are they trying to sell you off in the marriage market or something? What a trashy display.”

People around them coughed awkwardly and looked uncomfortable—probably because many of them were dressed similarly.

But Egbert had never cared about others’ opinions his entire life.

“So, were you checking out which man was the best? Answer me.”

“I don’t think I need to respond to such a rude and ridiculous question.”

Anais replied coldly.

“You were invited here only to honor the late Lord Graham. Nothing more, nothing less.”

That sharp, cold look in her eyes said it all: Without the old man, you are nothing.

Yes—Anais hadn’t changed one bit.

“I don’t want to deal with you anymore.”

It was a clear dismissal.

The murmurs of the crowd filled the room like background noise.

“After playing around with all those cheap women…”

“Honestly, this is great. When else would we get to see the mighty Marquis Graham humiliated like this?”

“It’s a huge embarrassment for the financial world too. Losing a bank in broad daylight?”

“Oops, he’s looking this way.”

The giggling voices of the women brought Egbert’s rage boiling back up.

Nonsense. All of it—complete nonsense.

To him, Anais was still his possession. Just a toy given to him by the old man before he died.

Egbert suddenly grabbed Anais by the wrist.

The glass in her hand slipped and shattered loudly on the floor.

“Come with me. Unless you want to be embarrassed in front of everyone!”

He would show them—show everyone—who held the real power. Who the true owner of Graham Bank was.

“Or should I rip that dress off you right here? Show them who your husband is?”

He wanted to show them who this woman really belonged to.

Egbert hadn’t changed at all.

He was still self-centered and convinced he was better than everyone else.

And he still believed disgusting threats like this could control her—just like in the old days.

Of course, the way people looked at me hadn’t changed much.
They were still weighing me and Egbert against each other.

Just like I had the Graham Bank, Egbert had the Graham Marquisate.
It wasn’t just an ordinary family—it had wealth and power.

“You should let go, Marquis.”

There was no one here on my side.

“Your precious old man isn’t here. No one’s going to save you now. So stop acting all high and mighty.”

Egbert forcefully pulled on my arm.
Even though I clenched my teeth and resisted, I couldn’t match his brute strength.

“Let go of me. I’m no longer a part of the Graham family. Have you forgotten I can sue you now?”

I wasn’t afraid.
This was something I had expected.
As long as Egbert and I existed under the same sky, things like this would keep happening.

I was prepared for it.

Unfortunately for Egbert, this was a time when reason and law existed, and social status didn’t protect you from everything.

Just outside the banquet hall, there were patrol guards.
They were here at my request to watch over the event.

They would at least offer me some formal support.

“Let’s talk back at the mansion. But if you keep acting like this, you’ll regret it. Why don’t you just take off that trashy dress too?!”

“…Do you want to lose the Graham name as well?”

At that moment, Egbert hesitated.
He had already lost the Graham Bank without doing anything to stop it.
In this situation, my words had to sting.

“Did that crazy old man leave something else for you—AARGH!”

Something surprising happened.
Someone had stepped in between us.

I thought no one would help me—but there was someone.

He was leading us deliberately toward the exit, where the guards were stationed.

I saw a metal cane gripping Egbert’s wrist.
The man holding it was watching the situation with cold, sharp eyes.

He had neatly brushed back dark blond hair and striking violet eyes beneath it.

Even though he had the same blond hair as Egbert, the aura he gave off was completely different.

Maybe it was the sharpness of his gaze.
Or maybe it was the tightly closed lips that gave off a restrained, almost monk-like intensity.

Either way, he was just as stunning as Egbert—who was often praised as looking like an angel from a painting.

This man was Baldwin Constantine.

A man well-known in politics, finance, and high society—for many reasons.

He silently stared down Egbert.

He had no reason to get involved.
He didn’t know me.
And yet, his presence alone overwhelmed the whole scene.

Egbert’s face twisted like a rat that just had its food snatched away.