Chapter 15

Elena got out of the carriage with a pale face.

“Thank you.”

“I only did what I had to do.”

The coachman looked at Elena with pitying eyes. It was definitely the young lady he had seen at Cress Bridge before. He had somehow wanted to stop the carriage. What a connection this turned out to be.

When he saw Elena running out of the mansion, his heart sank. She had a face that looked like she might collapse at any moment.

What could have happened to fill a young lady’s face with so much worry?

“Did your errand not go well?”

The coachman asked while helping her with the luggage from the carriage. Elena stared at the coachman with teary eyes. She felt like she should give some answer, but if she opened her mouth, tears would burst out immediately.

Elena weakly hung her head.

All she could manage was to receive the luggage the coachman handed her.

“Things will work out. Whatever it is, things will go well for you.”

The coachman reluctantly turned his reluctant steps and left. Elena entered the mansion soaked in rain.

“My goodness, Elena!”

Hazel spotted Elena and came running in great alarm.

“What happened? What was going on! Wasn’t there anywhere to take shelter from the rain?”

Elena trembled.

“Lady Hazel.”

This was Hazel, who had willingly become her umbrella for no reason at all. As soon as Elena saw Hazel, emotions welled up inside her. Tears began falling from her eyes.

“Sob.”

Hazel held Elena tightly as she burst into tears without realizing it. Whether from the rain, Elena’s body was cold as ice.

“My goodness, Elena…”

“I’m so powerless… I can’t do anything for Leana. There’s nothing I can do…”

“…”

“I took all the money I had, but I couldn’t even find a doctor. Lady Hazel, my lady…”

So that’s why she came back clutching that medicine bag like her life depended on it. Hazel patted Elena consolingly. She was still only twenty years old. Why were the clouds hanging over this young lady’s face so heavy?

It was too heavy a burden for Elena to bear alone. Both Leana and Cecilia.

And yet, as if it wasn’t difficult at all, she held onto her siblings and wouldn’t let go. Just then, Mrs. Greta came down from the second floor.

“I had the children prepare bath water. It seemed like she needed to bathe.”

“Well done. Elena, let’s wash up first and fill your stomach. Then we’ll talk. Understand?”

Elena nodded while sniffling with her reddened nose. Then Lady Hazel took away the medicine bag Elena was holding.

“Is this medicine prescribed by the doctor in Levonto before?”

“Yes…”

Elena nodded weakly.

“May I take a look at this?”

Elena gave permission. Lady Hazel sent Elena, who had returned after a difficult time, up to the second floor. Hazel and Greta’s eyes met.

“…I’ve already asked the empress to have Dr. Orlando see Leana soon. Can we have Mr. Miles come in right away?”

“I already sent word this afternoon. He’ll come tomorrow morning.”

“I see.”

Hazel stared at Elena’s medicine bag with heavy eyes. Elena’s sweat and tears must be contained within this.

That night, Leana’s fever, which had subsided slightly, began to rise steeply again.

---

Maxim, who had woken up early due to nightmares and headaches, got out of bed.

“Phew.”

The nightmares and headaches clung to Maxim as if they had become one body with him, showing no intention of leaving.

―Maxim. Look only at me. Look only at me! What’s so good about that girl? Her hair? Or her clothes? Or maybe her eyes? Ah, if I change my hair color like that girl, will you look only at me?

―I think only of you all day long. I only need you, Maxim.

―Why aren’t you like that? Why don’t you love me? Why don’t you…

Maxim gulped down water. The dense remnants of nightmares finally scattered. Maxim rummaged through a drawer and took out pills to chew. The pill bottle was almost empty.

He would have to call Miles in once dawn broke.

Maxim rubbed his temples and put on a robe. It was truly “damned.” That woman wouldn’t let him go even in death. Maxim swept back his sweat-soaked hair.

He hadn’t slept properly since that incident.

He always suffered from insomnia, and when he finally managed to fall asleep, he would wake up like this with nightmares and headaches. Maxim glanced at the clock. 5 AM. He had barely fallen asleep around 2, so he had only slept for three hours.

Maxim chuckled bitterly.

“…Right. It’s just you, you damned woman.”

Maxim moistened his dry throat more and opened the door leading to his study. It was more comfortable to just work. When he overworked his body and stayed busy, that day’s nightmares and that woman would be forgotten.

Maxim was just about to spread out some documents.

Clatter.

The sound of horse hooves could be heard. At this dawn hour? Maxim checked outside the window and saw a familiar carriage entering.

“Miles?”

Had something happened? Coming without being called. Could it be Hazel?

Maxim put down the documents he was holding and went down to the first floor. Maxim, Miles who was just entering, and Mrs. Greta met each other.

“Miles, I don’t think today was the day you were supposed to come.”

“I’ll explain, Your Grace.”

Mrs. Greta interjected. Maxim’s gaze turned to her.

“Leana’s fever wouldn’t go down, so I contacted him last night, and he said he’d come this morning. I forgot to tell you.”

“No, actually that’s good. But Leana?”

That name wasn’t in his memory.

“Ah, Miss Elena’s younger sister…”

Come to think of it, he had seen Elena’s sister on the first day they came to the mansion. According to Elena, that child was her joy.

But the child was sick?

“What’s wrong with her?”

“Well… she’s been given a terminal diagnosis. Even if she’s lucky enough to live, she’ll carry the disease for life.”

Mrs. Greta said hesitantly. Maxim let out a hollow laugh. That woman really had an unfortunate fate too. She seemed to be carrying quite a bit of misfortune in her life. Maxim said in a voice mixed with sighs.

“Let’s go together.”

“Yes, Your Grace.”

---

Elena looked at Leana with tear-soaked eyes. The dark circles under her eyes hinted that the previous night had been anything but easy for Elena. She had forgotten due to being filled with good fortune for the past few days.

The fact that her life was never a warm spring day.

Elena gasped for breath. Fresh tears rolled down again. Elena wiped away her tears.

Had she taken Andres too lightly?

Everywhere she went, no doctor would follow up after seeing the amount she offered. Even though she had visited all the doctors in the city district.

[With that amount, you won’t be able to find a doctor on this street.]

[Sigh. I’d like to help, but as you know, miss, our industry has its rules too. If I treat your sister for that amount, my value will remain at that level.]

The reasons varied. She had taken on as much translation work as possible before leaving, but perhaps it was still insufficient.

She remembered the money Cecilia had wheedled away to buy cosmetics. And she also remembered herself being dragged to a party wearing makeup bought with that money.

“Please…”

Elena moved her cracked lips. She tightly held the hand of Leana, who was breathing heavily with a flushed red face.

“Leana… sister will do everything for you…”

Elena made a futile promise. No matter how hard she tried, money flowed out like water, and the goals she had firmly set would scatter like bubbles.

A small house where she and Leana could live together. Abundant food and a healthy Leana.

That was all she wanted, but God wouldn’t even allow that.

Elena stroked Leana’s forehead.

“Don’t be sick…”

Knock knock.

It was around the time when dawn was beginning to stir. Elena turned her head.

“Elena, it’s me. May I come in?”

“Yes, my lady.”

It was Hazel. Elena quickly composed her face. People who only embrace misfortune appear that way to others’ eyes too. Elena was skilled at not revealing her misfortune.

Hazel opened the door.

Hazel was not alone. A tired-looking Maxim and an unfamiliar man were with her. Elena’s gaze went to the bag in the man’s hand.

‘…A doctor?’