Love Doesn’t Matter - Chapter 43 – Chasing Rats

“Emilia!”
“Sister!”

The blood that started from her fingertip immediately ran down to the back of her hand.

“Are you bleeding?!”
“Quickly… Stop the bleeding!”

A complete panic ensued.
It was something that anyone would experience at least once while preparing food. However, they were overreacting, as if the whole family was in the middle of a battlefield.

“I’m fine. This is nothing… I’m fine…”

While muttering, Emilia felt something hot coming up in her nose and throat.
Even if she blinked hard to shake it off, it was of no use. The hot feeling continued to rush in like a wave, and then flow down.

“Emilia?!”

Thick drops fell with a thunderbolt-like cry. Because she rarely cried, everyone who was looking at her was stunned for a moment.

It was the stepmother who came to her senses first.

“Let me see. Emilia. Maybe it should be stitched up?”
“No, that’s not…”

Before she could finish speaking, Mitch interrupted.

“A doctor… I will go get the doctor doing house calls. Mr. Beppy…!”
“N-No! I’m fine.”

Emilia was barely able to hold onto her brother’s back, who was about to bounce off like a bullet.

“Let’s disinfect it first.”

Kallia calmly poured rum and applied a hemostatic liquid. Emilia stared blankly at the bubbles rising from the wound. A sharp pain pressed down on her spine.

“It’s not serious. Fortunately.”

The stepmother began to wrap her daughter’s finger with a bandage. As the number of windings increased, the tears stopped.

“… Mother is right.”

Emilia mumbled, as if she were talking to herself.

“A kind-hearted, ordinary man. I want to meet someone like that.”
“Of course.”
“But before that, I need to make some money. I’m not even twenty years old yet.”
“That’s good too.”
“I’m going to ask Mr. Haspel to officially hire me as a worker. I want to build a career and make more money. Whether I study or…”
“Of course, if that’s what you want, you should do it.”

Kallia’s calm affirmation warmed her bruised heart.

“Alright, it’s done.”

Before she knew it, Kallia had finished wrapping the bandage. Emilia stared quietly at her throbbing finger.

“It’s weird… I don’t know why I cried…”
“Why do you think you cried? Because it hurts. Rest today, Emilia. Don’t be stubborn.”

Emilia nodded and said, “Yes.”, like a gentle sheep.

*** 

Grozhang’s gaze turned to the ring that was lying on the desk.
The ring was so small that it was difficult to fit even on his pinky finger. Since that ring returned to this place, his master had become visibly gloomy.

“Mrs. Meyer is starting to suspect me?”

Grozhang turned his eyes away from the ring and looked at his master. Hadius was looking at the plan layout hanging on the wall with his arms crossed.

“Yes. It’s probably because the Young Master expressed his distrust of the alliance and requested Meyer Steel too abruptly. She told me to look closely behind the scenes, saying she was concerned that you might have a secret scheme.”
“Well, I don’t think it’s just because I’m suspicious.”

A crooked smile hung on the corner of his master’s lips.

“Meyer Steel recognized me as the representative sooner than I expected. That woman would have expected the shareholders to oppose it for longer, and more fiercely. Business comes first only in words, but in reality, she is only hoping that I will fail.”

Although it made him think, ‘No way, would she go that far?’, on the other hand, he nodded his head.

“Then what should we do?”
“You have to humor her first. As you always have done.”

Hadius took his eyes off the plan for a moment and looked at Grozhang.

“Tell her that the young heir seems to be having some difficulties. That he thinks he inherited Meyer Steel too early. You have to confuse her as much as possible. Then we will start chasing rats in earnest.”

Grozhang nodded his head without saying a word.

Hadius Meyer is the most capable and greedy of all Meyers. So, he doesn’t need to worry about betraying Caitlyn Meyer and choosing the son.
Except for one problem.

“Mrs. Meyer also asked about Miss Bern.”

As soon as the fiancée’s name came out, he straightened up and his eyes changed like that…

“It is nothing special. How often does she meet with the Young Master, or if I see any strange signs, things like that. She seems to be worried as the ball is approaching. Since she has to spread the scandal, she must be concerned that the Young Master is attending the ball with her.”
“…”
“Do you have any plan? I am a little worried.”
“I do not gamble with life. The war with my Mother must come after that. After safety has been secured.”

Grozhang fell into an anxious mood once again.

When he first received the order to build Hilden Farm and protect the family in the shabby house, he didn’t know exactly what his master was feeling.
He only thought of it as a sense of remorse, pity, or fresh excitement. No, even if it was more than that, he was confident that he would be able to draw a line.

But now, he couldn’t be sure. His master’s gaze towards his fiancée, whose title is nothing but a word, has already crossed the line, and there is a fear that the country child may even take over the soul of the young Meyer.

It is like he’s following in the footsteps of his father, Van Drake Meyer. Even before getting married, he fell for a commoner woman and an illegitimate child, digging his own grave and walking on the path of downfall.

“What is the next schedule?”

Grozhang opened his mouth, unable to shake off the heavy thoughts that descended upon him.

“… There are no more morning schedules. You will meet His Majesty the King in the afternoon.”

*** 

Ricardi Palace is one of the most beautiful buildings in the continent. It is a long rectangular three-story building, made with the highest quality stone materials and cutting-edge technology, and the beautiful lake and fir forest behind it were spectacular.

On a sunny afternoon without a single cloud, Hadius was meeting the King, Josef, in the garden of the palace.

“Congratulations. On becoming the representative of Meyer Steel at only twenty years old.”
“Thank you.”
“Don’t lower your guard too much. This is only the beginning. No matter if you are the successor in the direct line of descent, there will be opposition from the existing forces.”
“I will keep that in mind.”

After shaking hands, the two crossed the bridge over the pond.

“Now that you have proven your skills by acquiring Meyer Steel, it is my turn to keep my promise. I will allow the breakup. Right here, right now.”

The successor of the Meyer family will soon break up the engagement with Jim Bern’s daughter. In return, the King will receive a portion of the earnings from the Trunia mine owned by the Meyer family in the form of a tribute.
The alliance, including Caitlyn Meyer, will only know that much.

“Your plan is slowly moving forward. Except for one thing, the third condition.”
“Speaking of which, I have a question for you on that matter.”

Josef hesitated a bit, then nodded his head as if telling him to continue.

“When will it be possible?”

The King sighed.

“Actually, I am also a little worried. The Queen doesn’t trust you. I’m afraid that the third proposal is suspicious and questionable.”
“… This is impudent of me, but please, I hope you will make a decision as soon as possible.”

The King frowned but made an expression on his face as if it were interesting.

“What’s the hurry? Didn’t you specifically ask that we do it safely and securely, even if it takes time?”

Seeing that he wasn’t answering, the King brushed his beard again.

“The truth is… It’s really not that easy to do it. It’s easy to say that you want me to be your fiancée’s guardian. But the Queen is a little reluctant, saying that she will end up having a foster daughter. I guess your mother is weighing on her mind. Besides, at your request, we have to protect not only that child, but also her family…”

Josef glanced at the successor, who wasn’t speaking.
A look of dissatisfaction emanated from him, who kept his mouth shut.

“Of course, I don’t mean to go back on the deal. I just want you to meet the Queen and convince her. Yvonne will also be able to put her mind at ease if she sees you in person.”
“… I will do as you command.”

Only then did Josef feel relieved. That sensitive successor acted like thin ice in regard to the third condition.

“By the way, when should I summon your mother? That’s what you said, right? To summon Mrs. Meyer to the palace and declare the breakup with my own mouth.”
“Please, as soon as possible.”
“Alright, let’s do it in three days.”

*** 

Caitlyn Meyer has been confining herself in her room for several days. The servants of the villa had no choice but to worry.

Their master is skipping meals and isn’t sleeping well at night. Grand Duke Reinen, who had always visited the villa once every three days, as well as Assemblyman Richards, suddenly stopped visiting.

No one knew exactly why, but one thing was certain.
Their master gave up on Meyer Steel too early. The sense of loss resulting from that is too great.

Of course, there was an even greater reason that the servants couldn’t even guess.

‘Aren’t trusting William Richards and Hannes too blindly? Sometimes they look like dogs. Loyal dogs that only look at their owner’s face and turn the boat over when an opportunity arises.’

After hearing such shocking words from her son, Caitlyn was rapidly losing her strength like a toothless tiger.

What her son said that day, like a dagger, was definitely right.
She became overly dependent on those with whom she formed the alliance and was obsessed with breaking up the engagement, neglecting more important business matters.

However, once the initial shock had cleared away, suspicions arose one by one.

Since when? Probably since the day she saw the ‘The Meyer Family’s Abandoned Fiancée’ article. She couldn’t pinpoint it exactly, but things have changed drastically since then.

It was always Caitlyn’s job to give orders and directions. But at some point, the relationship started to reverse.
Hadius ordered and she just followed. She was losing control.

Her son is so unfamiliar. Hadius was becoming a completely different person without her realizing it.

Hadius used the mine as a pretext to threaten her, but if he hadn’t, she would never have given him Meyer Steel. However, the mines obtained from Trunia certainly belonged to her successor, ‘Hadius Meyer’.
She never expected that her son would use that as an excuse to threaten her. In addition, he obtained the approval of the shareholders.

She thought that a confident successor would satisfy her, but on the contrary, it is only unpleasant and unsettling.

That wasn’t the only strange feeling she couldn’t understand on her own.

Hadius had just announced the startling news that the engagement was about to be broken. He even asked her to take care of the aftermath, saying that she would be contacted by the royal family soon.

But still, Caitlyn couldn’t believe it.

What if Hadius had completely different thoughts from what she had ever known until now?
What if the breakup matter also had a secret scheme?
Should she call Grozhang again? It doesn’t matter if he gets caught, so how about asking him to look closer into it?

No, she shouldn’t rush it. Maybe she’s too sensitive.

“Damn it…”

Caitlyn bit her nails hard.

It was only three days later that the chaos in her head was put to an end.

“Master, a messenger has arrived from Ricardi.”
“Ricardi?”
“It is a message from the Queen. She hopes to see you at the Etna Palace tomorrow.”

Caitlyn had completely ceased visiting the royal family since the engagement 5 years ago. Especially with Queen Yvonne, she never had a proper conversation with her except for formal greetings in public.
But suddenly, she came to her. As Hadius predicted.

Is it real? Is Josef really trying to break up the engagement?