She Became My Friend’s Mother-In-Law - Chapter 61
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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 61. Deceiving and Being Deceived
What Rosena was wearing was a fake tiara.
The real one was already inside the vault of Brisen Bank.
The appraisal value set by the bank was a whopping 7,000 crowns.
Evan had poured all that money into the diamond mine investment.
His hands had trembled when signing the contract, but.
To get big rewards, you have to take big risks, right?
‘It’s fine. If things go well, I can just put it back.’
Evan let out a small breath.
Surely in just a few days, the diamond mine would be officially announced and investors’ money would pour in.
While Evan was picturing his future plans.
Knock knock.
“Um, Young Duke. You have a visitor.”
A maid’s cautious voice came from beyond the door.
At the mention that someone was specifically looking for Evan, he frowned.
“Who is it?”
“A company employee, sir. He says he urgently needs to see you.”
“What? That fool Thomas?”
What business could that dimwit have coming all the way to the Duke’s Mansion?
Evan scowled as if annoyed.
But right now, it was the perfect excuse to escape this uncomfortable situation with Rosena.
“Wait, I’ll be right out.”
Evan casually stuck his hands in his pockets and slipped out into the corridor.
Until then, he thought Thomas had just come to see him about some trivial matter.
But Thomas’s face when they met was pale.
As if he might collapse at any moment, his legs were weak and he swayed.
“B-Boss!”
“What? Why do you look like this?”
Up close, it was even more of a sight.
Thomas’s lips trembled.
“S-something terrible has happened.”
He cried out as if sobbing.
“Those guys from the diamond mine investment office… they all ran away last night!”
“…What?”
The color drained completely from Evan’s face.
“What did you just say?”
Thomas was gasping, unable to catch his breath.
“T-the mine documents they said they’d send this morning didn’t come. So I went to check directly and…”
“You went and what! Speak quickly!”
“The entire office was empty! The desks and everything that was inside had all been cleared out. Nearby merchants said several carriages came and went at dawn!”
“Hah…”
Evan let out a hollow laugh.
“They ran away? But we put in all our investment money?”
“Yes…”
Thomas nodded while sniffling.
“I checked with the bank too. Their account has already been closed. The names and addresses were all fake.”
“That’s ridiculous nonsense!”
Evan shouted loudly.
He immediately turned around and ran out.
“W-where are you going!”
“I have to see it myself to believe it!”
“Boss!”
Evan ran like a madman.
They disappeared?
No. That couldn’t be possible.
This was a business that would bring him enormous wealth!
That’s why he had bet everything on it!
‘Thomas must have misunderstood something.’
Evan ran while desperately denying reality.
However.
Reality betrayed his expectations.
“Hah…”
The office he arrived at was completely empty.
Just a few days ago, this was the place where he had signed the contract with a smile.
But there were no desks, no documents, no people left.
All that remained was dust and faint traces of furniture on the floor.
“…How.”
Evan stood blankly in the doorway, unable to even enter.
He felt like the ground was collapsing beneath his feet.
Eventually, his legs gave out and he collapsed to the floor.
The same dizzying feeling he had experienced during the Velvet Tea incident overwhelmed him again.
He had believed this would never happen again.
“B-Boss…”
Thomas’s voice trembled.
To Evan, it sounded distant and far away.
But the next words snapped Evan’s mind back to attention.
“W-what should we do? Today is the first payment date for the bank loan interest…”
* * *
Brisen Bank.
As soon as Evan arrived, he demanded an extension on the interest payment deadline.
The well-dressed financier shook his head with a troubled expression.
“We would like to accommodate your situation as much as possible, but it’s difficult due to regulations.”
“Listen. I’m from the Hays Ducal House.”
Evan raised his voice.
“The wealthiest family in all of Listea! Surely you don’t think I, the heir to the ducal house, would default on a debt?”
The fact that the heir to the Empire’s wealthiest family didn’t have a few dozen crowns for immediate interest was contradictory in itself, but.
Right now, he had to put out the urgent fire first.
“Don’t you trust me? Huh? Say something!”
“It’s not that kind of problem, Young Duke.”
The financier spoke in an even firmer voice.
“We have procedures to follow. If it’s really difficult, you can transfer ownership of the collateral, or we can visit the ducal house directly—”
“N-no, that won’t do!”
Evan shouted sharply.
He obviously couldn’t hand over the tiara.
And if they came to the ducal house and revealed that he had taken out a loan!
‘My position in the ducal house will completely collapse!’
He had already completely lost Rainer’s trust after the 62nd Street incident.
He couldn’t make things worse here.
“I’ll somehow repay that money soon, so just wait!”
Evan pulled out a few bills from inside his coat and threw them down.
“Just take this for now!”
It was far short of the interest he had to pay today.
But it was all the fortune he had left.
“Don’t you dare even mention the Duke’s Mansion! Got it?”
Evan made one last threat and left the bank.
He spoke boldly, but his future looked bleak.
‘Damn, where am I going to get that money?’
7,000 crowns.
Trying to obtain such a huge sum that ordinary people would never touch in their lifetime, despair began to choke him.
* * *
A few days later, on the streets of downtown.
Cecilia was walking side by side with Mary, browsing the shops.
The display window of a dessert shop was filled with colorful cookies and candies, and elaborately decorated snacks.
“Oh my, how pretty.”
Mary’s eyes sparkled as she looked at the display window.
Her gaze stopped on a small cookie box.
They were baby cookies shaped like teddy bears.
“Our Crown Prince would love these.”
Mary muttered to herself.
It had been almost a week since she left the Imperial Palace.
She hadn’t planned to be away from her position for this long from the beginning.
But being stubborn, she had unintentionally missed the right time to return.
She should be heading back soon.
The son she left behind kept weighing on her mind too.
“Your Highness?”
When Mary couldn’t seem to leave the dessert shop, Cecilia tilted her head.
“Is something wrong?”
“Oh, no.”
Mary hurriedly shook her head.
“I was just thinking about something else for a moment. We should get going.”
But contrary to her words, Mary’s feet wouldn’t easily move away.
After hesitating for a moment, she spoke up.
“Um, madam.”
“Yes.”
“I’m sorry, but could you go ahead? I have something to take care of here briefly.”
“…Ah.”
Cecilia paused.
Only after seeing the cookies in the display window did she understand belatedly.
She probably didn’t want to show her vulnerable side in front of her.
“Then I have business at the bank anyway. I’ll be there, so take your time.”
“Thank you.”
Cecilia tactfully stepped away.
Since guards were following from a distance anyway, it seemed fine.
Behind her, she heard the jingle of the dessert shop door opening.
When she glanced back, she saw Mary picking up the baby cookies.
‘Just as I thought. I knew she would.’
Cecilia smiled softly.
She turned her steps back toward the bank.
The bank building stood majestically at the end of the street.
The main entrance with marble columns and golden crests carved into it exuded a heavy atmosphere.
When Cecilia entered, the staff who immediately recognized her hurried to greet her.
“Duchess, welcome.”
“Yes, I’d like to review the Duke’s family accounts today.”
“Ah, I see. Please allow me to escort you this way.”
The staff member guided Cecilia to the VIP room inside.
As she sat on the spacious and comfortable sofa, the Bank Manager himself came out upon hearing the news.
“Duchess, thank you for gracing us with your presence.”
The Bank Manager, who bowed politely, sat across from Cecilia.
He personally spread out documents and reported on the Duke’s family performance for a while.
After the conversation flowed in a friendly atmosphere for some time.
“Ah, I’ve been wanting to express my gratitude.”
“Gratitude?”
“Yes, the young Duke recently used our bank’s loan services.”
Cecilia’s hand, which was holding a teacup, stopped in mid-air.
“Evan took out a loan?”
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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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