Chapter 23

Maxim stood with his arms crossed, staring out the corridor window. He could see Cecilia’s retreating figure walking away quickly. That woman. The one who had used Elena to do business that day too.

He slowly ran his hand through his hair.

That woman was also the reason Elena had to be pushed to come to Andres, a place with no connection to her or Leana.

‘Like a leech.’

He smiled bitterly. Someone came to mind. In his life too, there was a specter that clung like that and wouldn’t let go. He looked behind himself through the window reflection.

He saw a woman laughing with her mouth split wide, red lips gleaming. He clenched his fist. Veins stood out on the back of his pale hand.

‘…Rosalynn.’

His eyelids trembled. That remarkable woman had been chasing him relentlessly until now. Even in death. He leaned his forehead against the window.

[You can’t forget me, Maxim. You know how much I love you. I have no one but you.]

He slowly exhaled. He had told Miles that he no longer saw visions, but that was a lie to reassure those who worried about him. He was still seeing Rosalynn’s apparition.

He slowly swallowed his breath.

The dead couldn’t be cast off.

But the living could be.

His image overlapped with the crouched Elena. He slowly descended the stairs.

“…Maxim.”

Elena, who had been crying like an abandoned bird, looked up at him. Her small face, messily wet, stood out. He slowly sighed.

“Elena.”

He picked up the shoes rolling on the floor. So she had been enduring well. He slowly approached her.

“Oh, this… I’m fine. Really.”

She said out of habit. She had never shown herself so broken to anyone else. She tried to compose herself, but he was faster in lifting her up.

“Maxim…!”

She called out in a shrill voice.

“Lean back comfortably. If you struggle, you’ll fall. Then I won’t catch you.”

She stiffened rigidly. Every time her startled eyes blinked, tears that had gathered on her eyelashes fell with soft pattering sounds. He silently carried her up the stairs.

Usually when getting this close to women, perfume scents would hit strongly, but from Elena came only the scent of soap. His breathing also became comfortable.

He set her down on the sunroom sofa connected to her room. After lightly examining her feet, he clicked his tongue.

“I’ll have to call Miles tomorrow.”

“Ah, no!”

Elena, who had come to her senses, pulled her foot from his hand. To call Miles for something like this. Moreover, she was embarrassed to have shown her bare feet to him over something so trivial.

Pulling her dress down to hide her feet, she said again, “I’m really fine.”

“You’re not a parrot, yet you keep saying the same thing. You’re not fine. Don’t deceive yourself.”

He said indifferently and sat across from her. His expression and tone were utterly indifferent, yet his actions were more caring than anyone’s. She swallowed. What kind of person was he, really?

She cast her gaze toward him.

He sat with his legs crossed, leaning back against the sofa. Tilting his head, he spoke.

“You said before that you wanted revenge.”

“Ah…”

“Does that range include Cecilia Joseph too?”

“Yes. If possible, I want to get back all the money mother took.”

She answered with a voice full of moisture. Though the old travel bag caught her eye, no matter how she thought about it, she absolutely couldn’t forgive how Leana’s medicine money had been embezzled like that.

There was no reason she shouldn’t receive at least that much. Cecilia was demanding 2 million gold from her, her own daughter!

“…I happened to overhear what was discussed today.”

Her face reddened. Actually, with how many people lived in this mansion, it would have been more absurd to think no one would know. He slowly ran his hand through his hair.

“The empire’s medical laws are quite strict. Playing around with medicine usually means prison time. Or paying hefty fines.”

She held her breath. She understood exactly what he meant. Heavy fines or imprisonment. She slowly asked, “Then does that mean mother will also be punished?”

“According to my lawyer consultation, yes. That doctor will face at least 10 years of license revocation, and Cecilia Joseph will serve at least 5 years.”

“What about substituting with fines?”

“The doctor’s fine would be around 300,000 gold, and Cecilia Joseph’s would be around 100,000 gold. Does she have that kind of money?”

She thought it over. Even if they sold the house they currently lived in, it would barely yield 20,000 gold. There was no way Cecilia had that amount. She talked easily about 2 million gold, but right now she didn’t even have 100,000 gold.

She shook her head.

“Absolutely not. There’s no way. Once mother’s crime is proven, what happens to custody? Would mother’s rights over Leana and me be terminated?”

That was what mattered to Elena. He nodded.

“Probably so. Rights over you and Leana would be transferred to someone else. If there are relatives you want, priority would go to them, then to sponsors.”

“…Thank you.”

She clasped her hands together and whispered. Leana was more important to her than herself. If Leana fell into Cecilia’s hands, the child might not survive even a day.

“…I’ll proceed with it if you want.”

“I’ll do it.”

She said with clear eyes. She had no money to give 2 million gold to Cecilia, and she couldn’t let Leana be taken away, so there was only one method. She was rather grateful to him for presenting a new path.

“Please do that.”

“…Alright.”

He nodded.

“Come to the company tomorrow to meet the lawyer. He’s always stationed there. Oh, try to come without my aunt if possible.”

“I’ll try.”

She answered sincerely. But he knew that wouldn’t be up to Elena. Just as he was about to get up from his seat.

“…Thank you.”

She said in a voice that seemed about to cry.

“Really, thank you, Maxim. I don’t know how I’ll ever repay this debt. You always save me. Why are you so good to me?”

“…Because I can help.”

He answered in a voice mixed with sighs. He was learning for the first time that he was such a compassionate person. He kept seeing himself overlapping with Elena. So he was simply doing what he truly could.

Because he wanted to see Elena cast off what he himself couldn’t cast off.

‘Show me.’

That it’s possible to cast off.

He opened the door and left. Tears flowed down her cheeks with soft pattering sounds. Before he completely closed the door, he let slip, “Tomorrow wear comfortable shoes. Don’t get dragged around by my aunt.”

She burst into laughter through her tears.

She stared at her ruined heels. He seemed indifferent but was truly caring.

She gently stroked over the wound.

---

Leana woke up in good condition. Mornings with and without her were very different. He glanced at her.

She was picking out carrots with a very serious expression.

“Leana, I told you that’s not polite.”

Elena sighed.

“But Leana really hates carrots. Ugh. Sister, you eat them for me. Please?”

Hazel let out a laugh.

“You need to eat carrots to become as pretty as your sister. Do you still not want to?”

She glared at the carrots and shook her head.

“Leana is already pretty now. So it’s okay.”

Hazel laughed at the child’s groundless confidence. Having a young child in the house after so long brought such amusement.

“Of course, Leana is pretty now too. Then Elena will have to eat the carrots.”

“I’ll give you chocolate if you eat all the carrots.”

She played her final card. Leana looked at her with teary eyes. Looking back and forth between the carrots and Elena, she cried out, “There are so many carrots! How can you tell me to eat all of them! Sister, that’s too much! Cough.“

It had definitely worked when Maxim did it before? She wiped Leana’s chicken-dropping-like tears with a flustered face.