If You Are Suited for the Villain's Secretary - Chapter 45

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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 45
Aden cleared his throat and fell silent for a moment.
“…I thought you might be disheartened. But it seems that’s not the case.”
“I’m a bit unsettled, to be honest. We exposed our family’s dirty laundry far too spectacularly.”
I spoke softly, twirling my champagne glass a few times.
“And while I did wish for his downfall… I never imagined it would be this catastrophic. Or rather, I didn’t want to believe it could be.”
“Come to Casis Bay alone. Tell no one.”
Randolph had genuinely intended to bury me at the foot of The Cliff.
“All that just to become a mere viscount.”
Moreover, even if he had brought down The Cliff, he would never have obtained the wealth and title he desired.
This was no metaphor.
According to Laklan, if the explosives had detonated and The Cliff collapsed, Randolph would have been buried under the rubble alongside me. The fool simply didn’t understand the blast radius.
‘No, that must have been Crimson’s arrangement too. They wanted to eliminate the witness along with the evidence.’
So in the end, I had saved Randolph’s life.
That’s why Tessa had cooperated with me. After hearing the explanation about the explosives’ power, she did everything to save her husband.
What touching devotion. They sold out their niece and tried to kill her, yet they cling to each other so desperately. It’s almost laughable….
‘…Perhaps that’s also why Father, still alive, withered away eating only memories of Mother, who passed away instead of me.’
Suddenly, I felt a bit lonely.
Is that what love is? Does it make daughters and nieces, familial affection itself, seem so trivial that it can be discarded?
Aden, standing beside me, was also abandoned by the Blight Family.
Had he ever reflected on the meaning of family? If he had, perhaps I could understand him a little better.
My wandering thoughts had gone on long enough. I cleared my throat awkwardly.
“At any rate, the Maurel Couple won’t be leaving prison for the rest of their lives, will they?”
“That’s right. I promise you.”
“A promise?”
“It’s what I desire as well.”
Indeed, Aden would want Randolph—who nearly ruined an important La Mar project—to rot in prison.
I’d overheard him talking with Scott earlier, and they were planning to pursue additional damages lawsuits. It seemed they intended to leave the Maurel Family with absolutely nothing.
‘It’s actually pretty nice having aligned interests with someone wealthy and capable.’
Though it’s certainly not for my sake, Aden’s assurance feels genuinely reassuring.
“But are you really sure you won’t have anything? Can I get you something?”
“That’s unnecessary.”
“Then would you like this at least?”
A single wrapped chocolate sat forlornly in the palm of Aden’s large hand.
He looked somewhat bewildered.
“Did I give you an answer?”
“My apologies.”
“…That wasn’t a request for an apology.”
“No, this apology is for something else.”
I turned to face Aden, meeting his gaze as I spoke.
“I believe I’ve been misunderstanding you this whole time, Director.”
Even after preventing the catastrophe, my heart remained unsettled for two reasons.
One was what I’d told Aden—I’d been practically shouting about his family’s shameful secrets to everyone within earshot.
And the other reason was,
‘The landslide wasn’t Aden’s fault. He was nearly a victim himself. But because of the preconceived notion that he’s the villain….’
I’d almost overlooked something crucial.
Yet this suspicious man had seriously considered my opinion and trusted me.
Even if he was conducting a background investigation on me out of wariness, regardless.
So the chocolate was a bribe, and—
‘Though admittedly quite modest.’
An apology for all the misunderstandings between us.
“I see.”
“Yes.”
“…Normally, wouldn’t an explanation follow about what the misunderstanding was and how it was resolved?”
“Of course, normally it would, but I’m afraid if I’m too honest, I’ll be fired. I want to work at La Mare for a long time, you see.”
“Ha.”
Aden let out a hollow laugh, his gaze still fixed on me.
After studying me for a moment, he spoke.
“I too have harbored misunderstandings about you, Iliana Grecia. I apologize.”
“Oh, um… May I ask what misunderstandings you had?”
“No.”
“What?!”
Is he really getting revenge like this?
As I stood there bewildered, Aden answered with a voice tinged with amusement.
“Because if you knew, you might resign.”
That night, Aden ultimately never ate my chocolate.
But he didn’t refuse it or hand it back either. The chocolate simply remained in his hand.
And I found myself thinking that was enough.
***
Norbert moved forward as though being dragged into a slaughterhouse.
‘How on earth did La Mar know and prepare for this?’
Even with a blood contract sealing their lips, La Mar had blocked Randolph as if they’d known beforehand.
That wasn’t all. The moment Norbert saw Randolph hesitate upon seeing his wife, he pressed the backup button.
At least to him, Randolph, Randolph’s wife, and innocent bystanders were not considerations.
Yet they’d already disarmed the bomb in advance!
He wondered if they’d nullified the contract like they had with Lenox, but seeing Randolph in pain meant even the brand mark remained intact.
But how on earth had they managed it?
‘Damn it, damn it!’
Of course, this incident wouldn’t expose that Crimson was behind it.
After all, he’d bound the Viscountess with a blood contract containing confidentiality clauses.
Even without a blood contract, there were countless ways to “handle” her, and if necessary, he could claim they were trying to frame Crimson again by spreading the fact that Noel had once backstabbed Kaileb Crimson.
But the failure of the plan itself was a different matter.
‘Since I’m already exposed, I can’t use the same method again.’
It looked like La Mar would inevitably swallow Noel Harbor and seize control of the Southern Region’s distribution network.
Kaileb Crimson would never tolerate that. No matter how much the Viscountess protected him!
Trembling with anxiety, Norbert knocked on Kaileb Crimson’s office door and squeezed his eyes shut.
The report had already been submitted. He expected fists and ashtrays to come flying.
“I sincerely apologize, Chairman!”
“….”
“…Chairman?”
‘Huh?’
But nothing happened.
As he carefully lifted his eyelids, he saw Kaileb turning over the report.
Norbert, rolling his eyes nervously, was about to open his mouth to offer some excuse when—
“Enough. It’s hardly surprising that an incompetent fool like you would fall to someone as cunning as La Mar.”
It was a cold rebuke, but by Kaileb’s usual standards, it was remarkably mild.
Norbert, thinking it over, realized something.
This plan had been entirely Kaileb’s, and Norbert, terrified, had executed it flawlessly this time to win the Chairman’s favor.
So that was a form of self-defense. If he blamed Norbert as usual, he’d have to admit there were flaws in his own plan.
Or perhaps….
“Now I understand.”
There might be an unexpected gain.
Kaileb was staring at a name that frequently appeared in Norbert’s report.
Iliana Grecia. Aden’s attitude toward that new secretary was distinctly different from how he’d been with Jeremy.
Despite having only recently joined, he’d taken her along on major projects, tolerated her independent actions, and even—
‘He didn’t exclude her from duties despite knowing the opposing side had the secretary’s relative.’
That Aden?
That irritatingly cautious bastard hadn’t eliminated the variable?
“Hahahaha!”
Kaileb Crimson laughed heartily, his gaze fixed on Norbert.
“Gather all the information you can find on Aden’s new secretary.”
“Yes? Ah, yes! Understood, sir!”
After Norbert hurried out in a fluster.
Kaileb Crimson exhaled a long, satisfied breath and opened a drawer.
Inside lay glass vials containing an ominously luminescent green potion.
[Prototype]
Kaileb Crimson turned the magical elixir bottle crafted by the Mage Tower, a sinister smile spreading across his face.
Yes, explosives were far too crude. They would end everything in a flash, leaving no time to savor watching their downfall unfold.
So Kaileb intended to employ the method he excelled at most.
“I’ll rot you from the very roots.”
He would watch La Mare and Aden crumble slowly from the highest vantage point.
Kaileb Crimson’s laughter filled his office.

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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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