“Gratitude alone seems insufficient to explain such a large inheritance. Don’t you agree?”

Instead of answering, Warren cleared his throat. Though he too suspected a romantic relationship, his polite nature made him avoid direct mention. Besides, considering the “what if” scenarios, he needed to choose his words carefully.

But Oscar had already decided in his mind that Jacqueline was a seductress who manipulated disabled men for money. 

With this perspective, he now understood why she had been so persistent in meeting him despite being repeatedly dismissed.

“So compensation was her goal after all.”

Having never expected much, he wasn’t disappointed, but he regretted his momentary attempt to think well of her. He felt pathetic for nearly falling victim to such a person again.

‘I won’t be fooled anymore.’

Oscar spoke, showing little surprise.

“Well, inappropriate relationships between patients and caregivers aren’t exactly a secret.”

Men, as creatures, will resort to any means to satisfy their s*xual desires even with disabled bodies. As a man himself, Oscar couldn’t completely fail to understand their feelings.

‘They might buy bodies with money, but they can’t buy hearts.’

Since learning about the deplorable actions of some caregivers who exploited patients’ vulnerabilities and the hypocrisy of the Caregivers Association, he had developed a negative perception of such relationships.

“Anyway, 24,000 lifs… That’s an inheritance amount with no other explanation.”

Heather, lamenting Oscar’s distrust of people and his narrow-mindedness, defended Jacqueline.

“The late Lord von Oestenberg, your great-grandfather Ander, also left my mother a substantial sum. It’s not uncommon for employees to receive inheritance shares through their employer’s consideration. The patient Miss Carroll previously cared for likely wrote his will with good intentions.”

Hearing Heather’s words, Warren inwardly flinched and briefly avoided his eyes. In contrast, Oscar remained unyielding in his position.

“You’ve clearly fallen under her spell. You know very well that people cannot be judged by appearances alone. Have you forgotten that incident already?”

“No, sir! I was merely thinking of your best interests…”

“Heather, I stopped trusting people after that day. The two most precious people in my life betrayed me. How could I easily trust a woman I’ve only met a few times?”

After Oscar lost his eyesight, Claire visited Hildegard House exactly once. That day, she wore a meaningful perfume that held significance for both her and her fiancé.

It was a unique fragrance Oscar had commissioned from the perfumer Roche de Belle, the only one of its kind in the world. 

Claire would only use this perfume when she wanted to spend the night with Oscar or convey intimate intentions.

So Oscar couldn’t help but misunderstand. He thought Claire had come to comfort him in his despair.

‘But it wasn’t a promise of faith she brought, it was a harbinger of betrayal.’

Not long after, when Lieutenant Terrence visited, Oscar warmly welcomed his subordinate and moved to embrace him when he caught the familiar scent of perfume and froze. 

If it had been a common fragrance, he might have simply felt suspicious, but this perfume was created for one person only, with no duplicates in existence.

Oscar immediately sensed that his fiancée and former subordinate shared a special relationship. 

From that day forward, the fragrance combining roses unique to the Oestenberg estate and freesias that Claire loved most transformed instantly from something most precious to something cheap and vulgar.

It was humiliating that the rose, which held memories of his parents, should be tainted in such a way—with the names of deception and betrayal he despised most.

Heather judged it would be difficult to persuade Oscar further.

“Then I’ll notify the Caregivers Association to withdraw Miss Carroll’s assignment.”

“No, not yet.”

“I’m sure Lady Sharon would change her mind if you truly disliked the arrangement.”

“On second thought, keeping her company for a while might not be so bad.”

Heather and Warren looked at Oscar with incomprehension. Though unable to see, Oscar could imagine the looks they were giving him.

‘Yes, this will be my entertainment.’

Oscar’s heart leaned not toward dismissing the deceitful woman but toward punishing her. If she sought to achieve her goals through special services, he would thoroughly use and discard her.

‘I look forward to tomorrow. I wonder what words she’ll use to bewitch me next.’

* * *

Jacqueline was accustomed to others’ unkindness, but she hadn’t encountered anyone as rude as this Julia Basset since Mr. Hennessy. 

This woman who grabbed her without warning and picked a fight reminded her of Mrs. Everett, with whom she’d severed ties long ago. Not fully understanding what this stranger was saying, Jacqueline repeated herself.

“What are you talking about?”

“Exactly what I said. I want to know how you manage to get assigned exclusively to wealthy male patients.”

The talk about needing to learn was just a roundabout way of making a crude accusation. What Julia Basset really wanted to know was this: beyond helping with rehabilitation and nursing care, was Jacqueline providing additional services, selling her body for money?

The question wasn’t worth responding to, so Jacqueline ignored Julia Basset.

“I don’t know what you mean. If that’s all you wanted to ask, I’ll be going now.”

“Why pretend you don’t know? You know perfectly well.”

“I told you I don’t know!”

“You’re the one being dishonest, so why are you getting angry with me?”

The woman was impossible to reason with. Jacqueline felt she might go crazy if she continued engaging with her, so she ignored her and kept walking straight ahead. Julia Basset quickly caught up and blocked her path.

“You haven’t answered my question yet.”

“I think I’ve been generous enough listening to something that barely qualifies as a question.”

Julia Basset spoke quietly so only she and Jacqueline could hear.

“You should choose your words carefully. If you make a clumsy explanation here, those dirty rumors might become reality. Though, if they’re already true, that’s unfortunate.”

This was resentment and malice that had accumulated over a long time. Jacqueline had no idea why this Julia Basset woman was treating her this way. 

To Jacqueline, who didn’t understand the situation, Julia Basset seemed deranged. After all, what sane person would grab someone and demand to verify baseless rumors?

However, Jacqueline was deeply shaken by what Julia Basset said next.

“Actually, I started that rumor.”

“How much do you know about me to spread such false rumors?”

“More than Miss Carroll thinks.”

Whenever her father, an executive at the Caregivers Association, tormented her, Jacqueline Carroll’s name always came up in his stories.

‘Friedman left a large sum to his caregiver. If you had listened to me back then, that money could have been yours. But then again, he was probably more than you could handle. Still, even a man who can’t perform properly gains confidence when he has a woman who boosts his spirits.’

‘Your mother couldn’t do that for me. That’s why I seek comfort elsewhere. Anyway, one receives blessings according to one’s capacity. You take after your mother with that rigid personality, so I won’t expect much from you.’

Julia Basset’s resentment grew each time her father scolded her. When she heard that Jacqueline Carroll had become Oscar von Oestenberg’s caregiver, she couldn’t suppress her feelings of inferiority and jealousy. 

Her provocative lies, mixed with bits of truth, spread quickly from person to person. Julia Basset relieved the mental pressure and grudge she received from her father by watching Jacqueline’s discomfort.

‘She’s just like Philippa, acting as a mistress and extorting money.’

Julia Basset became addicted to the sense of mission that people should know how corrupt a person Jacqueline was. Whether it was true or not no longer mattered.

‘How dare she, without any qualifications, frequent Lord von Oestenberg’s home.’

Julia Basset spoke loudly enough for others to hear.

“I heard you inherited 24,000 lifs from Pers Friedman. A man like Pers Friedman wouldn’t leave such a large sum without reason. I’m just curious about your secret to receiving such an inheritance, so why are you being so prickly?”

Jacqueline was about to refute but hesitated, conscious of people watching. How many of them would believe her explanation here? 

She didn’t want to waste such effort on people who only believe what they want to believe.

But she couldn’t simply stand by while someone casually spread rumors about her relationship with Pers Friedman.

“Miss Basset, you’re a caregiver too, right? Then you should know what we learned at the training center. The first line of the confidentiality rule: a caregiver must absolutely maintain silence about anything that happens between patients, no matter what. Besides, we’re meeting for the first time, so I’m curious how you know so much about Mr. Friedman and me. Could you explain how you know information that should only be available to administrators or executives?”

Jacqueline whispered so only they could hear, just as Julia Basset had done earlier.

“You want me to explain something I never did? You should explain first. Who gave you this confidential information?”

“Oh, what good would knowing do?”

“When someone in a high position acts improperly, it deserves questioning.”

Julia Basset became frightened when her father, her sore spot, was mentioned. Her father would never forgive a daughter who caused him trouble. 

Even her sister, who defied their father just once, was sent to the notorious Troby Boarding School. Only then did Julia Basset become aware of the onlookers whispering around them.