Chapter 15

“He suddenly got angry on the way back?”

“Yes. I don’t know why.”

“That’s the worst. Though it’s a good thing, volunteering at an orphanage on a first date? And then suddenly getting angry on the way back? What kind of man does that?”

After Harriet summarized what happened yesterday, Yvonne was shocked.

“Compared to the man you met yesterday, that doctor Eugene seems much better.”

“Well…”

Harriet nodded with a lingering feeling. It was a day when she discovered a new side of Lennox Diorne that she hadn’t known before. Honestly, it was impressive that he had been supporting and volunteering at the orphanage for years despite being incredibly busy. He wasn’t as much of a jerk as she thought. Though regardless of his character, his personality was still rotten and spoiled.

“So, when will you meet this doctor Eugene?”

“Meet?”

“Yes. Based on your past dating experiences, you usually write letters to arrange the next meeting quickly. Didn’t you send one?”

“Oh.”

She hadn’t sent one. Realizing this belatedly, Harriet blinked quietly. With a few exceptions, expressing her interest directly to someone she liked was her style.

“I can send one anytime.”

“Should I bring you some stationery?”

“No, it’s fine. There’s no rush.”

A neat appearance, a professional job. Even a decent personality. He was certainly not a bad match, and she had developed some interest. She even thought he would be a good candidate for her next relationship. But for some reason, she didn’t feel like arranging a meeting right away.

“Let’s start work. Tell me today’s schedule.”

“…Yes.”

Yvonne, momentarily puzzled by Harriet’s changed behavior, quickly returned to her role as secretary.

“Before I go over the schedule, there’s something important to discuss.”

“What is it?”

“I’ve heard some interesting information about the bidding rights for the construction of the second department store.”

“Source?”

“A maid we planted at Theodore’s residence overheard a conversation in the reception room.”

It was certainly an enticing story. Harriet leaned forward to listen more closely.

“It seems Theodore committed fraud in the construction company bidding. It looks like he conspired with a company that bribed him to adjust the bid price.”

As soon as Yvonne finished speaking, Harriet jumped up from her seat.

“What’s the name of the company? Do we have solid evidence?”

“I’ve already sent an informant to secretly follow Theodore. If we keep tailing him, we’ll catch something.”

“Good. Keep monitoring until we find even the smallest piece of evidence.”

“Yes.”

A triumphant smile appeared on Harriet’s lips. This was an opportunity granted by heaven. It might be possible to overturn the balance of power that had been neck and neck with Theodore. Her hands trembled with excitement. She would finally sit in a position of full recognition.

It was as she placed her hand over her rapidly beating heart that Yvonne’s next words made Harriet pause.

“Should we expose the issue with that actress Claire now? We might be able to completely oust him by tying it to the illegitimate child issue. We could socially bury him!”

“…”

“Miss?”

“It’s a good suggestion, but Yvonne.”

Harriet barely opened her lips, smiling faintly.

“It might be better to hold off on that for now.”

“What? But.”

“The bidding fraud hasn’t been fully uncovered yet. It’s better to stay quiet until all the evidence is gathered.”

“…Is it because of Lady Margaret and Lady Olivia?”

Margaret. Hearing the name of the mother who raised her, Harriet lowered her eyes for a moment. It had been three months since she last refused her mother’s letters asking to see her, even for a short time. Sitting in front of her mother made her chest tighten and cold sweat run down her back. It was the same even when she faced her mother’s unchanging warm eyes.

“Mom, am I not your daughter?”

“…Harriet.”

“Didn’t you give birth to me?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

“Do you hate me?”

“…No.”

On the day she first learned the secret of her birth and ran to her mother in tears, her mother shook her head at Harriet’s questions, but Harriet clearly remembered the momentary trembling in her mother’s eyes.

“Ha, Harriet!”

Shock, betrayal, guilt. A whirlwind of indescribable emotions swept over her young heart. Ignoring the urgent voice calling her, she ran out of the room.

It was late at night when she learned that her mother, who was usually frail due to chronic illness, had collapsed that day.

Guilt was compounded by a sense of sin. Since then, their mother-daughter relationship had been awkward, with exchanges limited to occasional obligatory meetings every few months. Her mother seemed to gradually tire of her daughter’s unilateral avoidance, as the frequency of invitations for meals had significantly decreased.

“For now, let’s put it on hold.”

Ending the conversation briefly, Harriet reached for the documents she needed to approve over the weekend.

“Why did sales profits drop by 50% compared to the previous week over the weekend?”

“There was a sudden protest near Central Square. It was a protest by workers against the widening gap between rich and poor, living standards, and unreasonable wages. Some protesters were seriously injured during the suppression by the police, and customers are cautious about encountering aggressive protesters. There are even defamatory leaflets circulating about the Vanetti Department Store.”

Yvonne, reporting with a serious face, took a small parchment paper from her pocket. Harriet’s expression hardened as she checked the illustration.

The leaflet was a satirical cartoon printed for incitement. Nobles in four-wheeled carriages were depicted putting reins on poor and powerless workers and citizens, treating them like horses. Though she had heard about the defamatory leaflets, seeing it firsthand was shocking.

Seeing Harriet’s expression, Yvonne hid something behind her back. Harriet, sharply catching the movement, extended her hand.

“It’s the same illustration.”

“Then why did you hide it so quickly?”

“Well…”

“Don’t say anything. Show me.”

Sighing, Yvonne reluctantly handed over another satirical cartoon. A woman with black hair and golden eyes, dressed like a pr*stitute in a black slip, sat with her legs crossed on a luxurious chair, while peasants struggled to support the chair below. Harriet read the caption under the illustration.

“Lascivious bourgeois witch Harriet Coco Vanetti.”

“Senior?”

Even for the confident and unrestrained Harriet, this illustration was enough to be hurtful. As Yvonne stood awkwardly, unsure of what to say to comfort her, Harriet suddenly asked after putting down the paper.

“Do I look this skinny?”

“What?”

“The face is drawn so harsh and ugly. I never lose in terms of figure and face. Whoever drew this shouldn’t hold a brush. Their skills are terrible.”

“Are you… okay?”

Harriet was not only unbothered by the satirical cartoon depicting her but went so far as to critique the artist’s skills. Surprise and admiration passed over Yvonne.

“It’s fine. It’s just the words of people who don’t know any better. The public always needs someone to blame, and I’m the perfect target for that. A noblewoman, who, instead of quietly taking bridal lessons and getting married, works brazenly among men at my age—how distasteful that must be. Let them point fingers and curse all they want. It’s not like I’m going to care.”

“That’s true. But still, you’re not someone who deserves such criticism. The wages of department store employees are at least 20% higher than the average factory worker’s wage. Plus, you give bonuses based on performance every year.”

“Still, if consumer sentiment shrinks because of this intense atmosphere, it could be problematic. If public opinion turns against luxury goods consumption, it could significantly impact the department store’s profits in the long run.”

A crisis, if well managed, could be turned into an opportunity. As Harriet pondered deeply, the thought of the orphanage came to mind. Surely, there were more orphanages like that in this city.

“How about this? I’ll host a charity party for vagrants and orphans since my birthday is coming up.”

It was an opportunity to do good, quell the negative public opinion about the department store, and claim all the credit for herself.

“That’s a great idea!”

With a clear solution in mind, Yvonne quickly began to think of a guest list.