81.
Through the window of the rapidly departing carriage, the butler’s shocked expression could be seen. He ran after them shouting, but soon even that became inaudible. Yu Jin had wondered what it would feel like to completely sever ties with Ruhan.
‘So this is how it feels.’
He thought it would just be painful, but it wasn’t. Rather, feeling relieved, Yu Jin laughed out loud without realizing it. Even Jinhyeon, who had been wearing a worried expression, smiled back when he saw him. Thus, the carriage moved farther away from Lucid.
Ruhan asked the butler who carefully entered the study:
“What about Yu Jin?”
“I’m sorry. I couldn’t stop the young master.”
“I see.”
Rising from his seat, Ruhan turned his back to the butler and looked out the window. Lucid’s garden was, as always, perfectly and lavishly decorated. It wasn’t the way the person he loved used to like it. The current garden was tailored to the taste of his first wife, Pamina, not her.
“It’s fine. He can rebel once in a while.”
Although Yu Jin’s actions didn’t seem like simple rebellion, the butler didn’t refute this. In Lucid, the head of the family’s word was law.
“Tomorrow, call a family council.”
Gathering all family members in one day wasn’t easy, but it wasn’t impossible either. After all, Ruhan was Lucid’s greatest family head.
“I’ll prepare it. What should I say is the reason for the gathering?”
“Tell them they’ll know when they arrive.”
“Yes, sir.”
The butler bowed deeply and turned away.
The second wife, Azes, became anxious about the sudden family gathering.
“Why? Why are they suddenly holding a family council?”
No matter how much she racked her brain, nothing came to mind immediately. One thing did occur to her briefly, but she shook her head, thinking it couldn’t be that.
‘Surely they’re not trying to change the heir?’
The current heir was Pamina’s son, Grein. Azes’ son, Ahmed, was eyeing that position, but a problem had arisen. Ahmed had caused trouble and fallen out of Ruhan’s favor.
Afterwards, Azes had gone around trying to smooth things over, but to little effect. Ruhan had been that adamant. In the past, she would have tried to persuade him in bed.
Since the death of his third wife, Ruhan hadn’t shared his bed with anyone. Moreover, he had even blocked the wives’ access, so to meet him, one had to request an audience.
“What kind of wife is this!”
Azes muttered irritably, shaking her head. When the woman who bothered her disappeared, she had been overjoyed as if she had gained everything in the world, but in the end, the situation had worsened. No, that’s not right. Although she hadn’t gained her husband’s love, her son had been able to vie for the position of heir. If that woman had lived, Yu Jin, who was now cast out, might have become the heir. That’s how much Ruhan had loved her.
“I don’t know.”
Despite her best efforts, Azes had never managed to surpass Pamina. Thus, she had no choice but to face this summons without knowing anything. In contrast, Azes’ son Ahmed knew how to think a little.
“Why now?”
Ahmed calmly organized his thoughts. Even during his confinement, he had been receiving news from outside through his mother and relatives. Grein’s sudden injury, the subsequent weakening of the family head’s health, and Yu Jin’s recent business ventures bringing in huge profits. In this situation, why would the family head summon the relatives?
“The heir.”
As he thought of it, Ahmed’s expression twisted horribly. Was Grein’s injury beyond treatment? If so, it wouldn’t be strange for Ruhan to consider changing the heir. The position wouldn’t go to the female siblings. Both Pamina and Azes had sons as their first children, and therefore deliberately didn’t give the next siblings a chance at power. It was a matter of birth order, regardless of gender. Then, would the position of heir, leaving Grein, come to him?
Ahmed thought not. If Yu Jin had still been the same scoundrel as before, he would have thought it would definitely be him. But not now. Yu Jin had gained connections with Tulin and was increasing his wealth. Still, he couldn’t have amassed as much power as Grein or Ahmed, who had been forming factions and aiming for the heir position since childhood. Yu Jin had started from the bottom.
But what if the family head’s hand reached out to him? At that thought, Ahmed felt as if all the blood was draining from his body. How had he endured and built up to this point? His tightly clenched fist tensed.
“That position is mine.”
He had no intention of handing it over to anyone. However, there was far too little time to do anything immediately. No matter what he thought, there was nothing he could do. Ahmed found this terrifying.
Pamina quietly watched the sleeping Grein. Although he was a son born from a marriage to a man who didn’t love her, she couldn’t help but love him.
‘But has my love actually helped Grein?’
Her son was precious, but she still couldn’t give up on revenge against Ruhan. She had wanted Grein to take the position of family head and shine brilliantly. She thought that would be compensation for her life. At first, everything seemed to progress smoothly. She had killed the woman Ruhan loved and then succeeded in elevating Grein to heir. She felt no guilt. Rather, occupying that position brought satisfaction. When had things gone wrong?
Pamina laughed softly and stood up. At this family council, Grein would be stripped of his position as heir. And that position would likely go to the son of the woman she had hated so much. Ruhan hadn’t shown affection to Yu Jin, but he had at least protected his life. He had warned Pamina and Azes not to harm even Yu Jin.
“Are you ready?”
At Pamina’s words, the man standing behind her bowed his head.
“All preparations are complete.”
“Then begin.”
Grein, having taken sleeping pills, was in a deep sleep and didn’t wake even at another’s touch. Now Pamina planned to send him to relatives living abroad. It was to save Grein. Even if he fully recovered, it was clear he wouldn’t be able to move as before. A minor problem during treatment had broken Grein. If so, Grein wouldn’t be able to hold on here anymore.
“He might be happy somewhere else.”
No, he had to be happy. That’s why she was doing this.
After sending Grein away, Pamina was left alone. When dawn breaks, Pamina would confess her sins before Ruhan. After that, what remained would be miserable. Usually, it ended with exile, but it was unknown how long the family head would keep Pamina alive. Even in this situation, Pamina didn’t cry. She only hardened her heart further.
If it was the end anyway, she didn’t want to finish like this. Pamina covered her face with a hood and secretly left the mansion with the help of others. Heading to a remote place, mercenaries waited, procured by scraping together all her remaining wealth. They were all vicious men, not normal. They were criminals rather than mercenaries. That’s why they could risk their lives for money and jump into dangerous situations.
“If we really succeed, you’ll give us twice the down payment, right?”
“Of course.”
“Even if you die, the compensation will be paid, right?”
“That too, of course. I swear on my name.”
“Mercenaries don’t believe in name swears.”
Someone chuckled mockingly.
“But you believe in money, don’t you?”
Pamina threw the pouch she had brought. The mercenary at the front checked its contents and curled his lips upward.
“Then is there anything more important in the world than money? Alright. We’ll fulfill your wish.”
In the dark night, a pack of vicious beasts crossed the city. Those whose eyes were covered by money, power, and fear tolerated them. Pamina could do this because she was still a member of Lucid for now. She would be discovered soon anyway, but she thought it would be fine if she achieved what she wanted in the meantime. Thus, the pack of beasts infiltrated Yu Jin’s mansion.
Keith, who had been looking at documents late into the night, suddenly stood up.
“What, what is it?”
Haruna, who had been dozing beside him, asked in surprise.
“Intruders.”
“What? Intruders? Don’t tell me Lucid sent them? Wow, that’s petty and dirty.”
Haruna chattered while slapping her own cheeks with a loud sound.
“Okay, I’m awake. What should I do?”
“Wake up all the guards. And have them guard the right and left sides of the mansion.”
“Got it.”
Keith, holding a sword, followed behind Haruna, who had dashed out like a squirrel. Then he raised his head, sensing a presence from above. The second-floor window opened, and Jinhyeon jumped down. He too was holding a sword like Keith.
“Intruders?”
Keith nodded.
“How many?”
“At least double digits, I think.”
The two walked side by side and then stopped in the middle.
“I’ll take the back.”
“Then I’ll go to the front.”
“What about the other areas?”
“Haruna will send the guards.”
Jinhyeon nodded and quickly leapt away.
