Chapter 7

During the fifteen long years that he searched for her, Strawberry had been living in that damned Tertz family’s house. Not as an adopted child, but in some ambiguous arrangement.  

If she had been adopted, it wouldn’t have been possible.  

If adopted, they would have become siblings.  

Edward, convinced by his own reasoning, believed that the Tertz couple had kept Diane Lina in a non-adopted status because they had sinister intentions from the very beginning.  

Normally, Edward was someone who could accurately see through the hidden motives and meanings behind people and situations, but now, strangely, he was making a very biased judgment.  

He was completely ignoring the simple and logical conclusion that, perhaps, they simply didn’t have the financial or time resources to go through legal adoption procedures in their tight circumstances.  

“So that’s why she came looking for me and said those odd things. Even the house where the three of them squeezed together was in the old town of Center Shire.”  

“Yes. Not only the office, but the house must be vacated as well.”  

“So, where are they planning to go after moving out?”  

Edward took his eyes off the report and stared at James.  

James replied confidently, as if he had already investigated everything.  

“They’re planning to leave Rettrang. I heard they’re saying goodbye to the shop owners they used to deal with. The exact destination is still…”  

“What!”  

Suddenly, Edward shouted.  

The report he’d been reading now felt like worthless trash.  

James was a foolish, incompetent secretary who had left out the most important information.  

How could he leave out the fact that Strawberry, whom he had missed fifteen years ago, might disappear again?  

Edward began venting his anger at James, who was frozen by his boss’s outburst.  

“James Wharton! Can’t you even write a proper report? Do you really deserve five times the normal salary? If you’re getting paid, you should do your job! Why isn’t there anything here about them leaving, about them leaving Rettrang?”  

“……!”  

Edward banged on the desk as he yelled, lost in thought.  

James felt it was unfair, because he had planned to report verbally that the Tertz family was leaving Rettrang, since it wasn’t confirmed information.  

He had once been harshly scolded for writing uncertain information in a document, so he intended to report it verbally. Matching this boss’s whims 100% would be difficult even over a lifetime.  

Still, James endured without making any excuses.  

There were many bosses with nasty tempers, not just this one.  

But none were as rich as this boss.  

Edward Wale was a boss who could print money, so James just had to endure and persevere.  

‘Yes, a boss who pays five times the salary—that’s generosity.’ 

James Wharton steeled himself with self-hypnosis. That was his mental health management method, which had helped him survive more than five years under Edward Wale.  

While James composed himself, Edward kept drumming on the desk.  

It was a habit he had before planning or making a decision, and James always thought that sound was like the drums announcing a campaign.  

Though more nervous and irregular than the drums of war, it heightened the tension before a campaign.  

Thud.  

Finally, the drumming stopped.  

James straightened up and waited for his boss’s command.  

“Wale Daily. Make a place for them there.”  

As expected, it was a concrete tactical order.  

As a capable secretary, James quickly understood the boss’s instruction and asked about the specifics.  

“How many positions, Sir? And the conditions?”  

“The conditions… Double the base salary of Wale Daily, and provide accommodation. Two positions—one as a technician, one as a reporter. Accommodation is for men only. If they work for more than ten years, add that they’ll get a three-bedroom house in the outskirts of Rettrang as severance.”  

James swiftly jotted down the details in his notebook, then cautiously asked one more question.  

Even if he got scolded for needing to be told everything, it was better than being scolded twice as hard later for not doing the job properly.  

“What about the woman…?”  

“She should go where she was supposed to go.”  

James suddenly felt like he’d hit a wall.  

It wasn’t some riddle. Even as a capable secretary, how was he supposed to know where Diane Lina was originally supposed to go?  

“Upper East Shire 7, Brooks, Rettrang.”  

Watching James freeze, Edward, for once, didn’t get angry and even explained calmly, almost kindly. It was truly a relief.  

‘Upper East Shire 7…!’  

James’s hand, quickly writing down the address, paused for a moment.  

“What?”  

James’s voice shot up, his eyes wide with shock.  

He was so surprised that he repeated himself, and when he saw Edward’s previously calm face wrinkle, he quickly pulled himself together.  

“Yes, understood.”  

Edward clicked his tongue and continued, rather leisurely,  

“There’s a child there, right? The woman should go there. A secretary who gets paid five times the normal salary should be able to handle that, right, James Wharton?”  

“Yes, understood, Sir!”  

James now fully realized it.  

His boss, Edward Wale, was thoroughly consistent in getting what he wanted, regardless of the target.  

He’d only been confused because the new target was a completely different type than before.  

But there was nothing unfamiliar about it; this was the real Edward Wale.  

Just as he did in business, he would pounce like a beast on a woman, bite down, and never let go.  

He simply hadn’t had a woman to pounce on until now.  

Now that his target had appeared, he would pursue her relentlessly as always.  

James, feeling the true nature of his boss once again, carefully recorded the instructions regarding Diane Lina.  

After James left the office, Edward opened the personnel page in the report and began adding notes to Diane Lina’s information.  

[If she eats strawberries, she turns red. She cries easily. She’s pretty when she cries. When she cries, her hair must be down. There’s a strawberry seed behind her ear. Met Prince Edward Wale at Lina Orphanage at age eight.]  

None of these important facts he knew about her were recorded in James’s report.  

He looked over what he’d written and added one more question. 

[Does Diane Lina remember Edward Wale?]  

He believed this question would be answered once he had her back.  

* * *

Since the newspaper had stopped publishing from today, Walt, Gale, and Diane were busy packing up the office they’d soon have to vacate.  

“Excuse me.”  

The three, busy cleaning, turned in surprise at the unfamiliar voice.  

It was a man they’d never seen before.  

But Diane soon recognized him.  

He was the man she’d seen when she went to meet President Edward Wale.  

“How can I help you?”  

Sometimes, customers who wanted to place ads would come directly, even if they didn’t go out for sales. Walt Tertz, thinking he was one of those, asked with a friendly expression,  

“You’re President Walt Tertz, right? I’m James Wharton from Wale Corporation.”  

“……?”  

The Tertz family’s eyes widened at the unexpected words.  

“I’m President Edward Wale’s secretary. I have something to say regarding Miss Diane Lina’s recent visit to our president. It’s not a bad thing, though.”  

Walt and Gale looked at Diane, who frowned slightly.  

‘He has something to say about my visit?’  

It didn’t seem like he’d listened to her story at all that day.  

She’d only witnessed the rudeness of that so-called president.  

“What is it…?”  

“I’d like to speak with Miss Diane Lina first. Just with Miss Lina, if possible.”  

James wore an apologetic expression at Walt’s question, but made it clear he wanted to speak privately with Diane.  

Walt and Gale’s expressions soured at James’s words.  

“I’m sorry, but please.”  

No matter what, James’s manner and tone were polite.  

Diane, sensing the tense mood, quickly spoke up.  

Since the secretary had come about her meeting with President Wale, it seemed right to talk to him herself.  

“Then shall we step outside the office for a moment?”  

“Yes, please.”  

But Gale grabbed Diane’s arm.  

“Diane, talk here. We don’t know what this is about, but he’s a stranger. Dad and I will step out.”  

Walt nodded at Gale’s words.  

James watched the family and felt bitter.  

To his eyes, the three were simply a family.  

Caring for each other, cherishing each other.  

His boss was sharpening a knife made of money to separate the little sister from her warm brother.  

Of course, he himself would be wielding that knife from now on.  

James waited quietly, indifferent to either side. Walt and Gale left when Diane nodded.  

“Please, have a seat.”  

There was no sofa for guests in the office, so Diane pulled out two chairs from behind the desk and offered one to James.  

“Thank you, Miss Diane Lina.”  

“What do you want to say? I don’t want to keep Uncle and Gale waiting, so please keep it brief.”  

Diane’s expression and tone were already wary.  

Since she’d heard he was sent by President Edward Wale, she was already in a bad mood before hearing what he had to say.