If You Are Suited for the Villain's Secretary - Chapter 25

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com

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If the Villain’s Secretary Suits Me
Chapter 25
Aden seemed to be drawing parallels between Jeremy and me as well.
‘Anyone listening would think I do nothing but fight all day! …Which isn’t entirely wrong, but still.’
Embarrassed, I protested weakly.
“Neither of those fights were ones I started, though.”
“Then let me rephrase: ‘getting caught up in fights’ is your hobby.”
“…If you’re willing to adjust it to that, I suppose I have no choice but to accept it.”
A deflating sound escaped him.
Whether he was exasperated or laughing like before, I couldn’t tell as I walked forward, eyes fixed on the darkness ahead.
I wondered if Aden’s earlier comment about hobbies had been his attempt at a joke.
“Did you know that Thomas would come? Is that why I couldn’t ‘dispose of’ the Debt Collector?”
A joke, my foot.
It seemed like a strategic retreat to gain momentum. I hadn’t expected such a direct question.
Playing dumb wouldn’t work with this man. So he had known earlier but let it slide.
“I did know. But I wouldn’t say that was the ‘reason.'”
I bit my lip before answering reluctantly.
“About half of it was because I thought it was naturally my responsibility to handle my own problems. After all, you’ve already helped me, and since you got caught up in my affairs unintentionally, I couldn’t burden you further or cause you more trouble.”
It was a conclusion I’d reached after careful deliberation.
‘It’s better to avoid Aden getting directly entangled with Fang.’
If Aden stepped in, it would certainly be faster.
He would have extracted all information about me from the Debt Collector by any means necessary. I did regret not having that happen.
But if something went wrong and Fang discovered that Aden had disposed of the Debt Collector—
‘With the original protagonists around and Crimson as a rival faction, Aden doesn’t need more enemies.’
So it would be safer if Lenox conducted the investigation into me discreetly, even if it took longer.
For my sake, for my precious workplace La Mare, and for Aden’s.
“That’s Iliana Grecia’s problem, not mine.”
But Aden’s response carried a subtle, somber undertone.
“Yes. It’s not something you need to concern yourself with, sir.”
“Then what about the other half.”
“The other half is….”
Oh, forget it.
“I gave that bastard a pretty thorough beating myself. So I thought, if you report this to security, I could end up under investigation for mutual assault too, and then….”
“….”
“Then I couldn’t come to work during the investigation. I haven’t been here long enough to take leave, and I certainly can’t afford to. …I don’t want to be fired over something like this.”
I shifted the reason to my own circumstances.
This wasn’t entirely a lie either.
Any reasonable person would naturally think of restraining someone and reporting them to the police or security when they heard the word ‘dispose.’
‘Of course, Aden isn’t a reasonable person, but I’m still a new employee who shouldn’t know that.’
And if I borrowed the power of law enforcement and the Debt Collector ended up confessing everything about Fang—
Implementing justice would have been the right thing to do, but it was painfully obvious that my Father would face retaliation as a hostage.
‘And then I’d never hear Mother’s final words.’
So reporting it was never an option for me to begin with.
“…I see.”
Aden seemed to contemplate my answer for quite some time.
‘At least he doesn’t seem to think I’m lying.’
I was relieved and had just refocused on walking when he spoke again.
“Then what would Iliana Grecia have done if I hadn’t shown up?”
This question was easy to answer.
“I did rack my brain in that moment, but nothing concrete came to mind.”
There was no need to fabricate or embellish anything.
So I could answer plainly and honestly.
“But I probably would have looked for any opportunity to escape, adapting to whatever the situation demanded at each moment.”
‘Right. Aden was the question mark killer.’
I’d momentarily forgotten that.
Would the follow-up questions come as they always did?
Suddenly, I realized this might be an opportunity.
Aden would definitely ask more questions. How much debt, when did I incur it, how did it happen—all of that.
‘If I just trail off appropriately or answer ambiguously, wouldn’t he suspect me less?!’
Besides, Aden had witnessed the Debt Collector’s appearance firsthand today, so there was no need to artificially obscure my words.
Maybe my background investigation would actually accelerate!
‘Ask me more! Misunderstand me about anything! Please!’
It was a thought that would have horrified anyone who knew the original story.
After a long silence, Aden returned something I never would have expected.
“Now I think I’m beginning to understand Iliana Grecia.”
…That’s not supposed to happen.
Startled, my foot slipped on the path. Aden’s other arm quickly steadied my back.
“We’ll continue this conversation another time. For now… it doesn’t seem like the right moment to talk.”
Ah.
Thank goodness. It seemed he still had his suspicions about me, but he’d decided to let it slide for today.
We’d already descended the entire Mountain Path. La Mare was visible in the distance.
Soon he would escort me to the Office and we’d part ways, so now was my chance to ask the question I’d been putting off.
“Director. But what brought you all the way to my house at this hour?”
“Ah.”
Aden’s sharp eyes narrowed slightly.
“I was reading your report.”
“Yes.”
“….”
“Yes?”
As I looked up at Aden, I realized I was still holding onto his arm and quickly let go.
What exactly was wrong with my report…?
“Was there something lacking? Or perhaps missing information?”
“No, the report was excellent. However, there’s no need to attach multiple photographs from different angles.”
“Ah, yes… I’ll correct that.”
“…Very well.”
He came all this way just to say that?
If he were an ordinary person, I might assume there was some other reason, but the man before me was Aden—far from ordinary.
A workaholic obsessed with his work. A man who arrived at dawn and left at dawn.
Considering that I was his secretary and this was my first report, he might have genuinely found it so irritating that he came to point it out.
‘Either way, I benefited from his guidance, so there’s no point in pressing him with “Is that really all?” or calling him a liar.’
Did Jeremy’s personality become the way it is after being tormented like this?
For a boss to come all the way to his employee’s home in the dead of night to point out work issues? It was enough to drive anyone mad.
Would I have to live like this from now on….
‘Six hundred thousand gold feels awfully light for what it costs.’
But I was quick to accept things.
Living that way wouldn’t be so bad, I thought with a shrug, when I suddenly grew puzzled.
‘Wait, this isn’t the direction of La Mar…?’
We were heading toward the Plaza instead.
As I stood there bewildered, Aden stopped in front of a building overlooking the Plaza. Then he pushed the door open.
Where is this place?
‘Is this some kind of secret office?’
I hesitated at Aden’s gesture before stepping inside.
“Where is this, sir?”
“It’s the Company Residence.”
“The Company Residence?”
A gasp escaped me involuntarily.
From the outside, I’d thought it was a neat and impressive building, but stepping inside revealed the very essence of capitalist refinement itself.
The orderly, immaculate furniture and elegant decorative pieces had not a single superfluous element—it was remarkably luxurious. The beauty of negative space, one might say.
‘And the location is incredible too.’
How many years of my salary would I need to save to buy a place like this with a view of the Capital Plaza’s night scenery?
As I looked around the Company Residence, I tilted my head in confusion.
Come to think of it.
“Was the Company Residence originally part of the benefits?”
Among the numerous benefits of La Mar that Luther had mentioned, was there a Company Residence?
I didn’t think there was. So I asked without thinking.
“It was added today.”
“…Pardon?”
“I’ll have your belongings from your original home brought in tomorrow. Get some proper rest.”
I needed a moment to process whether I’d heard him correctly.
So I stood dazed, staring at the front door Aden had closed behind him, when it opened again.
“I’ll process a sick leave for tomorrow.”
With that, the door closed for the last time.
“Wow….”
The same sense of awe escaped me that I’d felt when hearing about the client who was buying a 1.5 billion gold watch.
The reason why the people beside Aden never betrayed him to the very end,
“Now I’m beginning to understand Iliana Grecia a little.”
I’m beginning to understand her a little now too.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com

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