CH 63

Odette’s constant companion was Margrethe, who mirrored her every move like a shadow.

Even when she was preoccupied with other tasks, Margrethe never wavered in her attentive gaze. Whenever Odette felt a sudden glance and looked down, Margrethe was there, unwavering in her devotion. Presently, Margrethe sat at her feet, gazing up at Odette with eyes full of affection and trust, as if Odette was her entire universe.

Odette paused her sewing and set down her needle, a gentle smile playing on her lips. Margrethe, brimming with excitement, bounced around and wagged her tail fervently, eagerly seeking a warm embrace.

“Patience, Margrethe,” Odette chided the exuberant pup before returning to her work on the ribbon. However, the puppy’s whimpers and persistent scratching at her legs distracted her. “I’m sorry, Margrethe. I’ll finish this quickly.” With the sewing put away, Odette scooped up the sulking dog and cradled her in her lap.

As soon as Odette took Margrethe into her lap, the puppy’s mood lifted and she showered her with innocent affection, radiating energy despite her small stature. 

In the warm afternoon sunlight, the playful antics of the pup elicited a joyful laugh from Odette that reverberated through the air. As Margrethe’s enthusiastic face-licking finally subsided, Odette picked up the ribbon that lay forgotten on the table. It had been intended to tame the dog’s unruly hair, but Odette had struggled with it.

Her attempt to cut Margrethe’s knotted hair resulted in the creation of the ribbon as a result of her failure. After giving it some thought, she came to the conclusion that the best way to repurpose it would be to put it around the dog’s neck. The bright pink ribbon, which was embroidered with dainty floral motifs, was the ideal accessory to go with the snow-white fur that Margrethe wore.

Odette felt a sense of relief as she looked at Margrethe, who was now wearing the ribbon, and realized that she had found a family in this opulent mansion.

In a situation like this, expanding the family would not be the best idea, but it certainly wouldn’t be impossible to manage even one of these itty-bitty puppies. She had made a decision, and it was now up to her to put out some effort.

Once she had fashioned the ribbon to perfection, Odette planted a gentle kiss on the tip of Margrethe’s panting nose, a gesture she often reserved for the pampered Tira. As she looked at the happy-go-lucky pup, it occurred to her that they shared a similar cheerful disposition.

Carrying the now yawning Margrethe in her arms, Odette made her way to the window. In the warm sunlight, she noticed a frilled cushion and a willow basket adorned with lace. It was a cot that she had crafted with her own hands.

Odette walked to her desk after putting Margrethe down, who had already started to nod off, and began the tasks she needed to complete for the day.  She ended her assessment of the catalogue of guest furnishings that the decorator had mailed to her after she had finished responding to the letters and invitations that were addressed to Mrs. Klauswitz.  

The ultimate selection was a true reflection of Sandrine’s refined taste, as she was to be the true mistress of the mansion. Every ornament, including the artworks, had been chosen according to the same high standards. It was at this moment, as the final letter was being sealed, that a maid arrived.

“Master informed me that he plans to head back home after attending a party hosted by the corporation. An employee of the facility called earlier.” Dora frantically tacked on a message as she hurriedly turned around with the mail that needed to be dispatched.

“Thank you very much for informing me, Dora.  Then, put together a straightforward dinner.” Odette asked for something with a gentle smile on her face.  The maid’s lips, which had previously been rigid, curved into an arc as well.

“Yes, madam.  I will keep you informed.” Dora walked out of the study with a smile on her face after offering a kind greeting. On her way out, she took one last look at the contentedly sleeping puppy.

Odette took a seat and turned her attention to the window on the other side of the room. She watched as the sea, which was an increasingly deep aqua color, shimmered and sparkled in the stillness.

It felt like time passed in a flash, and before she realized it, fall had arrived. This marked the end of yet another season that had passed since the wedding. It was only a matter of time before summer arrived, what with the recent snowfall and the blossoming of flowers, but at this rate, another year would have passed, bringing an end to her marriage.

Grasping the enormity of the situation, Odette was aware that it was time to begin making plans for her life once the contract had expired.

Having reached a decision, Odette swiftly unfurled a blank sheet of paper on the desk and grabbed hold of a pen.

Her first order of business was to jot down the names of her beloved family members, Tira and Margrethe, whom she would be responsible for. Though Odette had envisioned a quiet life in a small town, she was willing to compromise if it meant satisfying Tira’s preferences. After all, the idea of starting afresh on a new continent where no one knew them didn’t seem all that bad.

The next item on the list was finding a suitable house for their new life.

To her surprise, the problem that had been eating away at her for years turned out to have the simplest solution. Bastian’s promised financial support was enough to secure a small house for their family.

However, living expenses were still a concern, so Odette straightened her pen and jotted down the next task on her list – finding a source of income. She considered tutoring as a possibility and added a small note next to it, recalling the time when she had seriously considered this job in the past.

While there would be interest income from the deposited money, Odette knew it would be unwise to rely solely on that. She considered teaching piano lessons as a potential source of income if she could regain her former skills. However, she knew she would need to approach it with a much more serious mindset than she had currently.

With these thoughts in mind, Odette took her time to carefully prepare a budget and a plan of action for various scenarios.

Odette felt a sense of relief knowing that she could finally live a peaceful life with her family. She wondered if they could afford to buy a piano for their new home. As she was about to set down her pen, she noticed her wedding ring and realized that at least this one belonged to her.

Sandrine wouldn’t want Bastian’s ex-wife’s ring, right?

Staring at the platinum and diamond ring, Odette jotted down a quick note in the corner of her plan. “One piano for the new house,” she wrote. All that was left was to practice, practice diligently to regain her piano skills.

*.·:·.✧.·:·.*

The study was devoid of Odette’s presence.

Bastian ambled across the room, basking in the bright autumnal light that flooded in through the open windows. He propped himself against the windowsill, eagerly anticipating his wife’s arrival. However, after several minutes elapsed, the silence continued to pervade the room. Bastian then realized that he hadn’t even noticed the frilled cushion or willow basket for Odette’s cherished dog.

Odette was gone. 

Bastian sat up straight, having come to a decision. Was this the price he had to pay for not being the center of attention at the party and returning home early?

He let out a disappointed laugh, sighing deeply. It was the day when the Berg Railways King dethroned the previous ruler.

Bastian eventually won the right to build an inland railway that would connect the south and north. This outcome was expected, but his father couldn’t accept the defeat easily. Witnessing his father’s loud screams at the presentation venue, it was clear that the loss was a huge shock to him, causing him to forget the dignity of Klauswitz, a man who treated everything as if it were his life. It was regrettable.

Jeff Klauswitz had not lost his tenacity to recover from the loss. Fortunately, it appeared that Bastian’s father was taking the bait that Bastian had carefully laid out, so it was time to begin the next phase. Although it would be ideal if his father sold his shipping stock, investments in steel and shipbuilding were also acceptable.

I hope you can secure the investment capital for your new business at the earliest, Bastian sincerely wished his father who was nearly cursing. The company was probably hosting a big celebratory event by now, but Bastian had decided not to attend after leaving the presentation room. As he gazed up at the crisp autumn sky, one of the executives mentioned that it was a good hunting season, which made him think of Odette and the pitiful weapon she had carried.

As he imagined Odette’s past, walking the streets at night with only an old pocket knife for protection, he couldn’t help but laugh. It seemed even more ridiculous when he considered the small town she had grown up in. Nonetheless, it was fortunate that she had been able to defend herself so effectively.

Bastian had already politely declined the invitation by the time he reached the thought of taking a break, and his request for understanding was met without objection. This understanding was a welcome gesture, much like a walkway in the garden or in front of the piano in the solarium, gifted by a father who had previously been driven to a violent rampage against his own son.

As Bastian moved forward, he recalled where Odette might be at that particular time. However, something caught his attention as he walked past the desk. Unorganized papers and pens were scattered in a way that was unusual for the normally organized Odette, which piqued Bastian’s interest and drew him closer to investigate. At the top of one of the papers, amidst various scribbles, he noticed a grandiose title written in large letters: “New Beginning.”

Bastian took a seat on the edge of the desk and opened the paper. As he examined the plans, he realized that his perception of Odette being only cute and unorganized needed to be revised. The plans were intricately detailed, clear, and remarkably realistic. They depicted either the periphery of the empire or a new continent, both of which were fascinating prospects.

After her marriage ended in divorce, Odette decided to go in two distinct routes with the rest of her life.  There was no trace of Bastian’s name wherever to be located.  It was about the compensation that was overdue to be paid if he had to search for even the slightest trace of him.  Bastian abruptly moved his attention to the number that was located next to it and then burst out laughing.

Compensation.

The numbers that were written side by side looked even sloppier due to the tidy handwriting that had been written with strength. 

The true greed that was concealed made the calligraphy look stronger. It appeared as though she had computed the amount of money she would receive as a result of the transaction; nevertheless, she had included a downward arrow to show that she was unsure of the amount. It seems as though she believed that this was the utmost sum that could be paid in alimony.

“The price is much lower than it appears to be.” With a wry smirk on his face, Bastian replaced the paper in its original position.

Odette was completely emotionally detached from her marriage at this point.

Bastian experienced some dissatisfaction after seeing it with his own eyes for the first time. It was he who made the statement to her that she was merely his employee.

It appeared as though Odette, who was obediently following that order, was behaving in such a disobedient manner because her dreams were too insignificant.

Mrs. Klauswitz, who was no more than a tutor in her capacity.

Bastian found it difficult to comprehend the woman’s excessive and boastful pride, particularly her eagerness to take care of her step-sister, who seemed more like a burden than a family member, as well as the stray dog she had recently adopted.

However, in some ways, Bastian felt that Odette and his grandfather, had he still been alive, would have gotten along well. Despite this, he believed that his grandfather’s old-fashioned values would have left him aghast at Odette’s heartless determination to sell even her wedding ring, leaving him trailing behind. This train of thought led Bastian to the piano in the solarium.

Bastian, who was convinced that he knew where Odette was, hurriedly exited the cramped room.  After winding his way through a lengthy corridor and turning a corner, he finally located the source of the piano’s muffled sound.

Bastian started to take strides forward once he picked up on the rhythm of that ambition.