A Handsome K*nky Gangster Reporter - Chapter 66

#66

3 weeks as they promised,

The imposter, Edgar, appeared in the drawing room at Baron Stephen’s mansion with the lawyer and Henrick. Gloria, who had already heard from me about the facts related to her, she welcomed the guest with a very relaxed attitude today.

“I’ve reported it to the court, so there will be a demand letter for you to empty the mansion soon.”

He looked around and clicked his tongue, saying that he should decorate this house to his taste even the trial hasn’t begun yet.

“This, it’s probably because a commoner is pretending to be a Baroness. There is no glory for you. The moment I walk into this mansion, I will destroy it.”

I looked at her and laughed like a maniac. Then, she started to panic.

“What’s wrong with this woman?”

“Hahaha. No, I was just joking about this.”

“What?”

“I once interviewed the Baron about his success story when he was alive. From her first love story, I heard she had difficulties in business.”

“?”

“However, from what the Baron told me back then, he hated himself so much as a nobleman in love that he even went as far as changing his name and surname after being abandoned by his first love. The noble status in his name was also only granted by the empress six years ago after he contributed to the Morris Empire by being famous in trade.”

Baron Stephen was the one who claimed to be the source of funds for Fionia since the beginning of her tenure as Empress. In order to control the National Assembly, the Empress gave him a minor title and spread his money to members of the upper and lower households. This was a fact known only to me, the people in the imperial court, and the late Baron Stephen.

Henrick’s listening expression made me feel sorry for him. He was the one who had been employed in this house since the baron’s business started doing well. However, he didn’t know about this because Douglas Stephen hired him only after he changed his surname.

Edgar panicked.

“Do you have any proof? You’re just insisting!”

“No, I have proof.”

When I published the article regarding the marriage between Baron Stephen and Gloria, I hid the sentence ‘Before starting the business, his last name was changed’ at the end of the article. Until it didn’t get the attention of as many people as possible. It was all an excuse to anticipate what would happen today.

‘So they haven’t read my newspaper?’

Good. Edgar was not interested in the newspaper. This was content that could be known if you paid a bit more attention and read the Golden Wild Goose Daily carefully.

Actually, it was information hidden in small letters to the point that it had to be read with a magnifying glass, so they had to read it carefully and thoroughly to be able to find it.

Moreover, there were other people who could testify that Baron Stephen changed his surname. The blonde fool who was called the Crown Prince’s bodyguard. I dare not call the crown prince, crown princess, or empress to confirm the fact, but I can call that blonde b*st*r* to court and testify for me and the imperial family.

If the blond idiot didn’t want to testify, the simple matter could be solved by asking people who worked in the palace when Baron Stephen received his title and asking them to act as a witness.

Henrick’s face turned pale. He tried to meet with a painting professor whom I casted a few days ago and persuade him with a large sum of money to testify that Edgar’s family portrait was real.

Even though I knew how much he tried, I still let him do that. I knew that the battle between Gloria and Edgar would never make it to court. In other words, the swindler was letting his money go to waste.

“Well, then my picture is ….”

“First of all, the names of the great-grandfather and grandfather that Edgar mentioned actually are people who have nothing to do with Baron Stephen. Then, what does that have to do with the picture?”

I remembered it clearly. Back then, Edgar said that his great-grandfather was Muldrick Stephen and his grandfather was Okden Stephen. People with surnames who had nothing to do with Baron Douglas Stephen who changed his name six years ago. In other words, it made no sense to say that Edgar was a relative of Baron Stephen.

Then there was a knock on the door from outside.

“Come in.”

The people who went in after the door was opened turned out to be officers from the police station brought directly by Claude. I quickly pointed at Edgar and Henrick.

“This is it. You can arrest these swindlers.”

“What? Swindlers?”

Shocked by what I said, Edgar started to rebel too late when his arm was caught by the police. He struggled and shouted.

“What did I do wrong?”

I looked at him coldly.

“You pretended to be Stephen’s relative in order to deceive us.”

“Oh, no! Baroness, did I do something wrong to you? Did I steal your property? What did I do?”

He insisted that he had done nothing wrong because he never tried to hurt the Baroness. Actually, if he was brought to the National Police Agency like this, it was clear that he would be free from the suspicion of doing fraud. The lawyer he hired had amazing abilities. However, he would be convicted of defamation for spreading false information. Mostly for the insult towards the nobility.

I quickly approached the camera that had been set up and took some photos of him while being captured by the police. And explained kindly to the person who felt it was unfair.

“The people of the North Island are going to be busy trying to kill you.”

This part was revealed in the second half of the original novel. I happily decided to give a spoiler to put a path of flowers in front of the female lead.

Edgar distorted his expression upon my words. However, she claimed innocence until the end.

“No, North Island? What do I have to do in that place?”

“You’ll find out. There are at least more than 20 people that you tricked into doubling their investment and you’re going to give them back twice as much.”

“Oh, how could you…?. Oh, no! It wasn’t me!”

The North Island, located in the north of the Morris Empire, did not cooperate with the Metropolitan Police Agency. They tend to prioritize their abilities and ignore each other. Thanks to that small battle of pride, the idea that criminals could sin and escape to other places alone was widespread. Of course, the Police in the North Island sent some people on business trips to the mainland. In the process, it was only natural that the arrest rate of criminals dropped.

Edgar identified the loophole and escaped with a Ponzi scheme in his hometown on the North Island. By securing initial funds with high dividends as bait, and repaying the money invested with other people’s investments, gradually increasing the amount invested until one day it runs out. That sort of scam.

“Take him there. If you talk to the North Island Police, they will know that the characteristics are the same as this guy.”

“Just like last time. Thank you very much, Ms. Haley.”

A police officer offered me a handshake and looked at me admiringly. Indeed, this was the second time I assisted their jobs, so it was appropriate that I obtained fans in the National Police Agency.

Another policeman, who smiled kindly while showing his white teeth, took my hand and complimented me.

“I thinks Miss Haley should be working at the Police Agency, not as a journalist. Hahaha. If you need my help, come and see me anytime. My name is Joe Ludwig.”

“I’m Haley Mertes. As you know, I’m the owner of a newspaper agency. If there’s another incident, I’d like you to inform the Golden Wild Goose Daily first.”

Constable Joe’s face turned as red as a raspberry when he received my wink.

“Of course. Joe, I’ll see you soon.”

They nodded and left with the imposter Edgar. The police and inspectors would do further investigation in the future, but it was obvious that what I said was true.

Actually, I’ve been talking to Claude since Baron Stephen’s funeral. I wanted him to bring in case investigators from the North Island Police. They spent three weeks on the journey before arriving in the mainland.

Originally, in my calculations it didn’t really matter to confirm that the painting created by the imposter Edgar was real.

I turned to the female lead and watched her.

“Gloria, there will be many more swindlers approaching you. You must be aware to protect this family’s property. Can you… Can you remember this?”

Gloria, who had only opened her mouth and was not thinking clearly about what had just happened, nodded enthusiastically.

“Yes, I’ll take notes, Haley.”

I felt so sorry for her again.

‘Sorry. Sooner or later, your family will have another big accident. I hope you’re not shaken up by then.’

Since I couldn’t prevent this accident. I just hoped Gloria wouldn’t get too frustrated. I had no choice but to look at her pitifully, but I would try to stop it from happening as much as possible. Although I’m not sure if it would do.

“I’m going back to the office now. I’m sorry I can’t be with you on such a day, Gloria.”

“It’s fine. I have to go back to the bank as well. Thank you so much, Haley.”

I have a lot of work to do. I had to write an article for tomorrow and submit it to the printer immediately.

As soon as I left Baron Stephen’s house, Claude followed me as if he had been waiting and grabbed my wrist.

“Noona, what’s your relationship with that policeman?”

Claude’s bright blue eyes were fixed on me. He smiled with his eyes, but the curve of his mouth remained stiff. The hand which was holding my wrist tightened, and he immediately placed my hand on his cheek gently. At the same time, he fluttered his eyelashes very dramatically.

“Just now, I saw you shaking hands with those policemen with this hand of yours. I feel anxious every time that happens and I keep feeling uneasy about it.”

I felt the anger in his fluttering eyes. Without realizing it, I was startled by his momentum and backed away slightly.

“Come on. You act so unexpectedly.”

“Unexpectedly? I’m always like this. You just don’t know. All this time I wanted to get rid of all the men who touched you.”

Claude leaned into me as he spoke. Suddenly, I felt uncomfortable with my younger brother’s obsession in front of the gate of Baron Stephen’s house.

“Oh, that’s so funny. What do you think we’re related to? It’s just a matter of sharing kisses with each other.”

He even disappeared after our first kiss together. Why did he do this to me?

I held back the last sentence. I stared at him.

“Just a matter of sharing kisses? Haha, Noona. You’re cruel by saying that. If that’s not enough, I’ll do it tens of thousands more times in the future. Is that what you want?”

Claude licked his upper lip and brought his face closer to mine. I wondered if this guy was really crazy. What exactly was he going to do to me in front of the gate of Baron Stephen’s house where everyone passes by freely? If it’s like this, I think I could get caught up in his mood and get sucked into his gentle embrace. I quickly pushed Claude’s body away.

“You go away. What the h*ll are you trying to do this in front of someone else’s house?”

He heaved out a faint sigh and mumbled incomprehensibly. Then, he raised his head and showed a faint smile.

“I didn’t know I’d be so greedy of you, Noona. Please wait for me. Don’t look at other men. Got it?”

I didn’t know how to answer her. If I shook people’s hearts like this and gave my heart to them, wouldn’t they disappear again?

I shook my head happily and left the place with the excuse that I was busy with the newspaper. I have to hurry to put the news of swindler Edgar’s arrest into tomorrow’s newspaper.

Moreover, the news about butler Henrick and Catherine’s arrest would be widespread as well.