The Beast Who Has Returned Obsesses Over Me - Chapter 11

After dinner, Yvonne headed to the study with Leon. Although the work had been tiring, her heart felt lighter, making dinner unusually comfortable. Leon, too, seemed less irritable, as if the brief outing had done him good.

She had an obligation to report accurately, as she was using his money. She believed so. Money matters should be dealt with clearly. She had to let him know that she hadn’t wasted it.

After dinner, when she mentioned that she had a brief report to make in the study, Leon readily agreed.

“I’ve written everything down here. I paid the servants in advance. I thought they would work harder if I did, so I took the liberty of doing so. And I’ve calculated the food expenses and other costs…”

He was looking through the paper she handed him when he raised his hand, stopping her in her tracks.

Yvonne immediately closed her mouth, her eyes hardening for a moment. He didn’t seem pleased. What if he gets angry again? What if he’s upset that she spent his money without permission? She used it wisely, but she should have asked for his permission first. What should she do…?

“Why are you reporting this to me?”

What? She didn’t understand what he meant again. His indifferent tone was beyond her comprehension. He didn’t seem interested at all. Why? Wasn’t it right to report to him in detail?

“I entrusted everything to you. You don’t have to do this.”

He… entrusted everything to her….? Considering their history, it was unthinkable that Leon would trust her with anything.

“But… you don’t know much about how I handle things, and I wanted to be accurate…”

She didn’t understand what he saw in her to entrust her with such a large sum of money. Such trust had never been built between them. That’s why she believed it was right to clarify these things. So that Leon, who had entrusted her with the money, could be reassured.

“Yvonne.”

His voice was low and deep. But it wasn’t scary.

“Unless it’s a significant expense, do as you see fit. I trust you.”

She was so surprised that she swallowed hard. He… trusted her. Leon. Trusted. Her.

Something was wrong. There was no reason for him to trust her. He didn’t know anything about her. Leon had never tried to know.

“How can you trust me…?”

“Yvonne.”

He cut her off again, calling her name in a low voice. Even though he just called her name, his voice held an invisible power.

“I looked through the ledgers in the study while I was resting. It must have been difficult with all the debt, but you’ve managed it very well.”

Huh? What did he mean she managed well when the Count’s mansion was dirt poor? She had been struggling to maintain it with the little money they had left.

Leon seemed to have read her mind.

“Yvonne. It takes skill to manage a large sum of money. But it also takes skill to keep things afloat with limited funds. That’s why I trust you and entrusted you with the money.”

Her legs were shaking. Not out of fear, but for a different reason. She didn’t understand why he was acting this way.

He was right. She had been racking her brains trying to run this Count’s mansion. She had been doing everything she could to avoid incurring any more debt. She had cut down on everything she could and had given up on things like living like a noble. She had been shouldering the burden alone.

No one acknowledged her efforts. Not that there was anyone to acknowledge them, and she didn’t want to burden the remaining employees with the state of their master. It was the last shred of pride she had left.

But… Leon, of all people, acknowledged it. Her legs trembled at the irony. She didn’t understand what was going on.

It was a situation she couldn’t adapt to. Leon had always made her cry with his disillusionment and humiliation. How could he… be like this…?

Her violet eyes sparkled with tears.

Today was a strange day. This was the second time after Leon’s apology. It was strange that such a day existed.

Would he continue to be like this? She shouldn’t get her hopes up. She decided to be grateful for experiencing such a day, even if it was just for a short while.

She had learned something in her life. Don’t expect. Don’t expect anything from anyone.

The moment you start to expect, betrayal and pain will return multiplied. Ironically, it was Leon who taught her this.

Nevertheless, a faint smile spread across her face.

***

The same sun rose. But for Yvonne, who got out of bed and stretched, it wasn’t the same day. It was a brighter, more refreshing morning. She felt a surge of energy, as if influenced by the bright weather. And because of what happened yesterday.

She had a feeling today wouldn’t be a bad day either.

“Miss, what should we do with these curtains?”

It was now the turn of the curtains, faded and sagging from countless washes, that covered the large windows.

“They’re probably unusable even after washing. It’s better to take them down and throw them away.”

The maid immediately rushed to carry out her orders. Even this task alone required a lot of manpower.

The inside and outside of the mansion were now considerably tidy and clean. They were able to tackle all the tasks that had been delayed due to the shortage of manpower. Even the things they couldn’t get to before.

She glanced out the window. She saw Leon, resting under the sunlight to recover. He was visibly getting better. His recovery was frighteningly fast.

Yvonne glanced once more at Leon, who was comfortably leaning back in his chair in the garden. It was as if he knew she was busy and was deliberately giving her space by spending time alone. She knew full well that he was taking his time to recover, but she couldn’t shake off that feeling.

She looked away from Leon, who was still keeping his distance, and slowly shook her head. Maybe she was mistaken. Anyway, she still had a lot to do, so she went to find Nora. She was glad to be so busy. A healthy blush colored her cheeks, reflecting her lively spirit.

As Leon returned to the study, Yvonne approached him.

“Um… you must still be very uncomfortable. Is there anything you need…?”

“Things?”

He asked back, as if he didn’t understand what she meant.

“Because this place doesn’t have nearly as much as the Duke’s mansion… If there’s anything you need, please tell me.”

She intended to provide him with the basics, even if it wasn’t as grand as the Duke’s mansion. After all, she should use the money he gave her for his comfort.

He seemed to be pondering something. It seemed like he needed a lot of things. But he didn’t look like he was going to scold her for not taking care of him sooner.

“Well… I’d prefer it if you didn’t buy anything new.”

At his gentle suggestion, she automatically nodded her head before stopping abruptly.

He said there was nothing. Then what had he been thinking about for so long…? Ah. Was he thinking about how she might buy new things for the mansion, unrelated to him, once the cleaning was done? It seemed likely.

“Of course. I would never buy anything that has nothing to do with you.”

She hadn’t even considered it. That was unthinkable. She shook her head vehemently, emphasizing her point.

Leon smiled faintly at the sight of her, with her eyes wide like a deer’s, speaking as if making a solemn vow.

The ribbon tying her hair fluttered as she turned and walked away. Watching this, the smile that had already graced his lips deepened.

***