Chapter 54

Chapter 54

“I hope you haven’t forgotten who the real owner of this family is.”

“Yes, Captain. I will keep quiet.”

The head maid, Mrs. Belmore, was faithfully following his instructions.

It was inevitable to reveal to Mrs. Belmore that an anonymous woman was imprisoned in the basement of the annex. If meals went into the torture chamber that was said to be closed and women’s clothes are mixed in the laundry, it was only a matter of time before rumors spread.

“Then, why do you still have soldiers in the annex?”

Elizabeth thought that the hideous soldiers would disappear from the mansion as well. However, it was unexpected that the soldiers were not only guarding the annex while Leon almost lived there and did his work there.

“It’s something related to the military, so you’d better not be curious about it.”

As her son gave a knife-like answer, Elizabeth had a sharp look.

“It’s my mansion’s business, but it’s not my business.”

“Winston is my business.”

I am the head of the house, so don’t interfere.

Elisabeth, whose pride was hurt, lowered her voice and asked, knowing that there was a guest.

“Well. If you had always been wise, I would have trusted you and entrusted you with everything in the family as before.”

She alluded to the only mistake her son, who was always wise, had made. Rumors had been circulating for some time that Captain Leon Winston had a housemaid as his mistress. From Leon’s mouth, who couldn’t have known that, the words Elizabeth wanted to hear came out.

“That woman, you will never see her again. Not just mother, no one.”

“I trust you.”

Elizabeth was reluctant to follow up, so she didn’t ask.

“It should suit Rosalyn’s taste, by all means.”

The Grand Lady, who was seated across the gorgeous tea table, smiled softly at Elizabeth’s kind words.

“It’s an etiquette for ladies to refuse dessert, but I can’t possibly refuse this cake.”

Elizabeth smiled happily. She liked Rosalyn’s manner of speaking, which was noble and modest, yet with a good sense of wit.

“I was worried that it might have been prepared according to my old-fashioned taste, but I’m glad.”

“What do you mean old fashioned? I’m rather happy. I have heard that Madam has a good eye.”

It was very true that it was so lame… Her taste, this conversation.

Watching his mother and the Grand Lady exchange pretentious compliments. Leon tilted his teacup as he thought so.

“The Winsford Herald this time, too…”

The Grand Duke, who was listening to the behind-the-scenes story of a recent investigative report by one of Jerome’s media outlets, had the face of someone who wanted to leave immediately.

It was Leon, not his mother, who called Jerome to this meeting. He had a strong premonition that the Grand Duke would bring out some annoying works, so he called Jerome to distract him. However, the conversation began to flow in the direction the Grand Duke wanted.

“Dr. Winston.”

The official title for Jerome, who held a doctorate in the humanities, was doctor.

“The analysis article you published the other day in your business magazine was quite helpful.”

“It’s an honor, Your Excellency. By the way, which article are you talking about?”

“The development of Bria’s diamond mine.”

It was obvious that he was trying to get to his point by forcibly changing the topic.

Leon sneered from behind the teacup.

Bria Diamond Mine. The mine, which had just begun development overseas, was rumored to contain the most prominent diamond deposit ever.

As the government of the Republic of Bria, suffering from financial difficulties, recently announced that they would hold open bidding for the mining rights, the largest-ever competition was also scheduled.

The Grand Duke was thinking of entering the bidding competition.

No matter what the Grand Duke did, Leon had no business, but asking him to invest was an annoyance.

The Winston family already owned a diamond mine, albeit on a smaller scale than the Bria mine. Even if it was themost significantt scale ever expected, Leon had no intention of making duplicate investments in the same kind of luxury goods.

While he had some spare money, he had already decided to invest in the aviation industry and New World real estate, which would one day replace a large share of the shipping industry.

Nevertheless, Grand Duke Aldrich repeatedly asked for a joint venture to develop the Bria mine.

“Baron Chapman has also agreed to join us. You know what I mean.”

Yes, it meant that the royal family would suck up the sweet water from the Winston family and throw it away.

The Baron was the King’s maternal uncle. In other words, the baron only lent his name and the actual investor was the King.

If the Royal Family directly participates in the open bidding for mines in the Republic of Bria, words will come out in many ways. With a history of collapse due to the people’s revolution, and with only a few decades since the monarchy was restored, the unstable royal family was quite concerned about public opinion.

So, the royal family was investing overseas by mobilizing distant relatives, including the Grand Duke and the Baron, and they asked the Winston family to join them… An idiot who thought this chance was an honor might have bowed his head and held out his hand.

Still, Leon was no idiot.

The royal finances were not very good. The Grand Duchy had many assets, but it also had many debts. The Winston family’s asset stability was far superior.

‘…It means that only the Winston family’s money will be invested like water to win the bid, and the return on investment will be shared between the Royal Family and the Grand Duchy.’

It was clear that his mother, who only wanted to accept the title, would ask him to participate regardless. However, the Grand Duke did not bring up the joint venture with his mother, as if he had no intention of discussing business with a woman.

“Captain Winston, you can use the most precious diamond from there to give Rosalyn an engagement ring.”

The Grand Duke, who had been debating the investment value of the Bria mine with Jerome, eventually revealed his true feelings to Leon, who had been silent.

“It’s a shame, but it will take at least two to three years for the development of the Bria mine to begin.”

It was an excellent strategy to have Jerome in this position. Moreover, even his oblivious mother came to his aid this time.

“You cannot leave a beautiful girl unmarried for so long. Don’t worry, Your Excellency, I’m already looking out for an engagement ring for Rosalyn. Some time ago, in a mine owned by my family…”

While the other members of the Winston family took care of their annoying guests, Leon remembered the woman he had left tied up in the basement of the annex.

‘I wonder if she’s holding up well.’

What if she couldn’t hold out? Leon’s sneering gaze stopped at the tea table, which was lined with cakes ordered from a cafe near the mansion.

‘Come to think of it…’

He quietly raised his finger at the sudden thought.

The maid, who was standing at the door of the conservatory, approached quickly. He then gave the lilac he thought he was giving to the Grand Lady to the maid. Elizabeth, who had smiled as he plucked the lilacs, wondering if his son had a boyish naivete, frowned.

“Tell Mrs. Belmore to deliver it to the annex at 6:00 without omission.”

Besides, she didn’t like the fact that his son was planning to have dinner alone in the annex even today.

“Captain, there’s been an interesting rumor going around lately.”

The Grand Duke, who was looking back at the maid as she walked out of the conservatory carrying a branch of lilac, spoke to Leon. It was obvious that he brought up the topic with a meaningful smile after he gave the flowers to the maid.

“Rumors are covered with rumors.”

Leon put down the teacup and gave a relaxed smile. It was not the attitude of a person who was interrogated for his affair with a maid.

“I have dispelled the vicious rumors about me…”

Even the Grand Duke knew that this wedding talk was just a deal. It was just for pressure because he didn’t like the way he dealt with it. In any case, wouldn’t it be good if the dishonorable nonsense about his impotence was put to rest by having an affair with the maid?

“Don’t worry, you can talk to mother.”

Elizabeth did not hide her smile, showing that she was proud of her son. The scandal with the maid made her feel like she was standing on a tightrope. Nevertheless, it naturally passed as if he was acting deliberately to silence the gossip.

At times like these, it was to her liking that Leon was clever.

“Then…”

Looking for a chance to leave the place with the Grand Duke, Elizabeth folded a napkin and placed it on the table.

“As an old woman, I should get up at this point to let the young people spend time. Oh, come to think of it, there is a new painting I bought at the last auction in the royal capital, and I want to show it to you first.”

It was just an excuse to let the Grand Duke appreciate the painting in a noble way while the two were going to discuss the terms of the snobbish engagement.

“Grand Lady.”

When the Grand Duke disappeared, Jerome revealed his true nature to the Grand Lady.

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