“Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck!”
Andrew sat alone in his room, pale as a ghost, clawing at his hair in despair. He could barely process what he’d done. What if that bastard told Winston? Damn it all—filthy whore, that lying piece of shit. He tricked me. He made a fool out of me…
“Andrew.”
“AHH!”
Startled by the sudden voice of a woman, Andrew screamed and jumped to his feet. Lady Catherine, who had just entered the room, widened her eyes in shock as she looked at him. For a long moment, the two just stared at each other in silence. Finally, letting out a slow sigh, Lady Catherine broke the stillness.
“What on earth are you doing? You didn’t even hear me knock. Don’t tell me… are you back on something again?”
Her voice was laced with both contempt and concern. Andrew just blinked blankly, stunned for a beat, before exploding in rage.
“Don’t talk shit when you don’t know anything!”
“How could you say that to me, Andrew?”
Lady Catherine gasped, raising her hand to cover her mouth. Remembering how she would often faint without warning, Andrew clenched his teeth.
“Go ahead and pass out—I don’t care. Just get out and leave me alone!”
“Andrew…”
Lady Catherine had no particular fondness for her unruly little brother, who behaved like a disgrace to the family, but blood was blood. Even if he was vulgar and rude, she couldn’t help feeling a sliver of compassion. Containing her frustration, she spoke with as much patience as she could muster.
“What happened? You looked completely out of your mind. Kane said you burst into the house screaming. Did something terrible happen?”
“Just leave me alone! I’m finished! It’s all over…”
Eventually, Andrew collapsed onto the couch and buried his face, sobbing uncontrollably. Unable to watch him suffer like that, Lady Catherine hurried to his side, gently patting his back as she spoke again, her voice filled with worry.
“Andrew, talk to me. Maybe I can help you, okay?”
If he had done something that could potentially disgrace the Campbell family, she had to know—immediately. Preventing a scandal was the first priority. Driven now by a sense of duty, she kept trying to console him. Andrew just wept silently, unable to speak for a while. Finally, after what felt like forever, he opened his mouth.
“Mother… she’ll never forgive me…”
“I’ll talk to Mother,” Lady Catherine said quickly.
“Trust me. I am the eldest daughter of this family, after all. Yes, she’s strict—but she loves us, doesn’t she? If I explain it right, she won’t be too angry.”
It was the kind of line even a teenager wouldn’t buy, but for Andrew—drained by fear, guilt, and dread—it somehow reached him. He stayed silent for a while, lips tightly pressed together, clearly debating with himself. And then, at last, he spoke.
“The truth is…”
***
That lunatic. That drugged-up idiot. That brainless moron with nothing but air between his ears.
Lady Catherine stormed down the hallway, mentally hurling every curse and insult she knew at her brother. Her rage was so overwhelming it practically choked her. The things she couldn’t say out loud only made her seethe more. She was disgusted—utterly appalled—that her brother could be this stupid.
Out of everyone, why the hell did he have to go after him? Has he lost his damn mind?
The household was already on edge ever since Winston had taken Father’s mistress for himself. And now, Andrew had gone and tried to sleep with that same mistress? How dare he. If Madam Campbell ever found out, she would explode. She might even go straight to Yu-jin and shoot him herself.
Even though she could already foresee the disaster ahead, Lady Catherine had no choice but to go to Madam Campbell. It was only a matter of time before she found out anyway. There was nothing that happened within the Campbell family that escaped her notice. So whether it came out sooner or later, it would come out. Better to confess quickly than wait for the explosion. From a young age, Catherine had learned to trust her instincts, and right now, they told her to act fast. Without hesitation, she made her way to her mother’s room, practically at a run, and pounded on the door.
“Mother! Mother! It’s Catherine—I have something urgent to tell you!”
Her voice rose in pitch, trembling with anxiety. After a pause, a cold, sharp voice came from the other side.
“Come in.”
Permission was granted, but Lady Catherine didn’t open the door right away. She took two deep breaths first, her shoulders lifting and falling heavily. Steeling herself, she finally opened the door and stepped inside to face Madam Campbell.
“Forgive me for the sudden intrusion, Mother.”
Seated on the sofa with a book in her lap, Madam Campbell placed it across her knees and stared unblinking at her daughter. Lady Catherine, who had begun with an apology, stood nervously under that gaze, waiting. It was only after a long moment that Madam Campbell finally spoke.
“What is this ruckus all about?”
“I’m sorry, but it’s urgent.”
Catherine inhaled again, then dropped the bomb.
“Andrew tried to assault that boy… but he failed. If Winston finds out, he might try to kill Andrew.”
Madam Campbell’s brow twitched ever so slightly. That was all—but Catherine could tell just how violently her mother’s emotions were surging beneath the surface. A chill crept down her spine. When Madam Campbell spoke again, her voice came slowly, coldly.
“Explain it clearly so I understand.”
Her tone was not much different from usual, but her pacing had changed. Slower, more deliberate. Lady Catherine was sure it was because she was fighting to suppress her fury.
“Andrew went to him a few times, apparently while he was on something…”
As she began recounting what she’d heard from her brother—rattling it off like a machine gun—Madam Campbell said nothing. She didn’t so much as flinch, sitting upright with perfect posture, simply listening. Her silence was unnerving, but Catherine had no choice but to continue.
“…So now Andrew’s completely panicked. He’s terrified of what’s coming.”
As soon as she finished speaking, silence fell like a heavy curtain. Madam Campbell sat motionless, her expression unreadable. Lady Catherine couldn’t begin to guess what her mother was thinking. She sat there, suffocating in the quiet, gauging the air, when Madam Campbell suddenly gave a small, abrupt shrug of her shoulders. Hoo, she exhaled a short sigh—and then, without warning, hurled the book from her lap.
“Ahh!”
Thud! The dull sound of the book slamming into the wall rang out, followed by its thump as it hit the floor. Lady Catherine let out a startled cry and shrank back, shoulders tensing. She opened her eyes cautiously, watching for signs of her mother’s mood. Madam Campbell, however, only stared coldly at the wall as she spoke.
“Men. Why are they always so disgustingly simple and crude?”
It came out like a bitter lament—one laced with pity, loathing, and resignation, all tangled together. Not just for her son, but for all the men in her life—including her husband, who had treated her as little more than a decorative shell.
Lady Catherine, watching carefully and hesitating, cautiously asked, “Um… Mother… Then, what are you going to do now…?”
Still gazing at the wall, Madam Campbell answered flatly.
“What do you think? If one overgrown weed causes others to trip and fall, you pull it out by the root.”
But how exactly?
Lady Catherine held back her curiosity, waiting for her mother’s next words. Then came the order.
“Bring Andrew to me. Tell him I have something to say.”
***
“…What?”
Andrew blinked in shock, completely thrown. For a moment, he wondered if he’d misheard. There was no way—no way—his mother had just said that. Had she? Why? How?
Staring dumbly, confused and pale, he looked into his mother’s eyes. Madam Campbell repeated herself without the slightest change in tone.
“Rape him. You must have plenty of friends who’d be useful for that sort of thing.”
Mother, I may be a drug addict, but I’m not a criminal.
Andrew felt a wave of injustice swell in his chest—but he didn’t dare protest out loud. Instead, he asked another question.
“Why? Why would I do that? All that’ll do is make Winston hate me even more…”
Suddenly, Yu-jin’s words echoed in his mind. The memory stung like fresh wounds, and Andrew’s face twisted in pain.
“If you’re thinking of making up lies to tear them apart, it won’t work. No matter what happens, Winston will believe Yu-jin. He loves him.”
He knew he shouldn’t have said it—knew those words would only anger his mother—but he couldn’t hold it in. Sure enough, Madam Campbell shot him a glare sharp enough to freeze the blood in his veins. Andrew flinched and shrank back.
“Andrew.”
Her voice was slow, deliberate. Andrew, tense and terrified, looked at her as she continued.
“If he believes him because he loves him… then what happens when that trust is broken?”
“…What?”
Andrew just blinked, dazed, his face blank with confusion.
These people are unreal!!!
i hope u die a painful death at my hands madam campbell