“I’m about to go bankrupt, and you care about this? This pathetic piece of bread?”
Pierre’s bellowing shout sent the terrified old woman scrambling to join the other workers.
With a mocking chuckle, he plopped onto the factory’s only clean, ornate sofa, still clutching his liquor bottle.
Moments later, he stood abruptly, laughing and shaking his shoulders as he grabbed a whip from the corner.
His narrowed eyes scanned the workers not as people but as livestock.
The workers toiled diligently to avoid his wrath.
Then, thud.
Someone fell.
As Pierre twisted his lips and raised the whip toward the fallen worker, a boy rushed forward, shielding his mother with his body.
Pierre sneered mockingly. “Get out of the way. Your mother’s useless. She needs to be tamed like a horse!”
The boy, trembling, held his mother tighter.
The woman tried to push him away, her voice firm. “Luan, go over there. Now!”
Unable to leave her, Luan dropped to his knees before Pierre.
“Please don’t hit her. She’s sick. I’ll work in her place. I beg you.”
Despite his desperate plea, Pierre’s eyes gleamed with madness.
“How dare you defy me, you filthy cockroaches!”
His whip lashed out.
The woman threw herself over Luan, shielding him.
As Luan’s view was blocked by his mother’s embrace, a muffled ugh sounded.
Pierre crumpled forward.
Behind him stood a silver-haired woman holding a large shovel.
“Are you okay?”
Her voice was as clear as her blue eyes.
“I’m… fine. But my mom…”
Luan looked at his mother with worry.
Aselin noticed a long scratch on the woman’s leg.
Thankfully, it doesn’t need stitches.
She pulled a first-aid kit and a water bottle from her bag.
To prevent infection, she washed the wound, dried it, and sprinkled medicinal powder before bandaging it.
Handing Luan a pouch of pills, she said, “Have her take one now, then two daily, morning and evening. It’ll help the wound heal quickly.”
“…But we don’t have money for treatment,” Luan said, staring at the pills.
Medical fees and medicines were exorbitant, often costing months’ worth of a commoner’s wages.
“No charge. She was injured working here, so it’s only right we treat her.”
“…‘We’? Who are you, miss?”
“I’m Aselin Rondinella.”
“You’re Lady Rondinella?”
“Yep, and that drunkard is my brother.”
Aselin gestured at Pierre, sprawled on the floor.
Luan’s eyes widened in shock. A sister knocking out her brother with a shovel was astonishing.
Smiling, Aselin stood and scanned the shelves of herbs.
“Pernish leaves, Matrinium roots… all for burn ointment, but no Polia fruit juice? Where’s that kept?”
“Polia’s price went up, so the Duke ordered us not to use it.”
“No Polia? That’s ridiculous. It’s crucial for sterilization. Without it, burns could get infected, and in the worst case, lead to necrosis.”
Aselin rattled off facts about burn ointment, and Luan’s eyes grew wide.
Aspiring to be an apothecary, he knew Polia’s importance.
When Pierre abruptly banned it, Luan had tried to convince the foreman, but was ignored.
“How do you know all this, my lady?”
“Because I developed the medicines for this factory.”
“But… I thought the Duke did that…”
“Nope, every medicine here was my creation.”
Aselin answered, still eyeing the herbs.
Luan had wondered how the clueless Pierre could develop such remarkable medicines.
He was awestruck that Aselin, the creator of these groundbreaking remedies, stood before him.
“My lady…”
“Yes?”
“I have a request.”
Aselin looked at him curiously as Luan, gathering courage, knelt before her.
“I want to learn how to make medicines from you. So I can treat my mother if she gets hurt. Please teach me, even just a little.”
Caught off guard, Aselin’s eyes rolled in thought.
Her gaze shifted to Luan’s frail frame and the exhausted workers.
Clearly, Pierre was exploiting them, barely paying fair wages.
The Rondinella family, known for its virtue and charity, was being tarnished like this.
It was deplorable.
Staring at the unsanitary conditions and poorly mixed herbs, Aselin spoke slowly.
“Alright, I’ll teach you.”
“Really?”
“But in return, can you help me out?”
Patting Luan’s head, she winked.
Facing her radiant, summer-sun smile, Luan nodded vigorously, vowing to do anything for the woman who saved him and his mother.
“What’s wrong with brother? What happened?”
Rachel fussed, seeing Pierre passed out drunk.
“He’ll be fine once he sobers up. Though he’ll probably drink again.”
I replied indifferently, watching the servants carry Pierre away as I headed to the study.
Climbing the stairs, I pondered how to take over Pierre’s factory.
Women couldn’t own property, so it couldn’t be in my name.
I’d need to discuss it with Claude, my temporary husband for the next year.
Lost in thought, Rachel’s whining voice interrupted.
“What happened? Where did you meet your brother?”
Ignoring her, I kept walking, but she sidled up, feigning closeness.
“Is something going on? You’re always home, but now you’re out so much. I’m worried.”
I stopped, incredulous.
Worried? About me?
“Wedding preparations have kept me busy. By the way, your bridesmaid’s dress came out perfectly. It’s very… you.”
“Like me? The dress?”
Rachel frowned, displeased.
“You’ll understand when you try it on.”
Smiling at her, I turned away.
I hadn’t actually designed her dress.
It’d be identical to my bridal gown.
Glancing back, I saw Rachel glaring at me before storming off.
I chuckled, imagining Alex’s face when he saw two women in the same dress on our wedding day.
Entering the study, I locked the door, drew the curtains, and sat.
Recalling Betty’s words, I pulled an item from my bag.
[The detective found something amazing. It’s a magical device from the Western continent.
The evidence is inside. Press the button on the base to activate it.]
Unwrapping the velvet, a sparkling crystal orb appeared.
What’s this? Just a glass ball?
Curious, I examined the orb and felt the wooden base until click—I pressed a raised button.
[Oh, Viscount… what if someone sees us?]
[Who’s here in this secluded spot? Rachel, I can’t hold back. Spread your legs.]
The orb expanded into a large mirror-like screen, playing a video.
Inside a carriage, two naked figures intertwined.
Gasping breaths and cat-like moans filled the air.
I burst into a hollow laugh.
I wasn’t even angry anymore—it was almost absurd.
Leaning back, I watched the scene like a play.
As their passionate display continued, something caught my eye.
What’s that?
My eyes widened instantly.
