Beast, Blue Blood - Chapter 14

Chapter 14

Nasiri carefully observed the patch in the greenhouse.

The suspicious thing was not just the AACS (Auto Anti-Collision System) which had no issues.

It was when they were passing through the road where a car accident had just occurred earlier in the day. Workers were in the process of repairing the road at the exact spot where the accident had happened. Nasiri stopped the car, got out, and grabbed one of the workers to ask.

“What kind of construction work is this?”

“Repair work. The road has collapsed.”

“The road?”

When Nasiri asked again, the worker shrugged.

“There are all kinds of things. The surface looks fine, but everything underneath is broken. It’s like the impact was only transmitted downwards. A car passing by would suddenly sink in, you know?”

Nasiri looked around at the spot where the workers were filling in. Though it was hard to be sure, it seemed to be around where Young-soo’s foot had landed.

Maybe his already suspicious mind was playing tricks on him, but Nasiri didn’t believe in coincidences. Especially at times like these, when it was known there was something to be gained here.

Crash.

At that moment, the sound of something breaking inside the greenhouse was heard. Looking at the broken pot on the floor that Young-soo had been holding, he muttered.

“Ah, it broke.”

‘I’m overreacting…….’

Nasiri turned towards the direction of the mansion where Eugene had disappeared.

‘I hope it was just an overreaction.’

Eugene hadn’t seemed this happy in a long time.

She was always surrounded by enemies. At school, at work, and even at home. Her many distinctive brothers were rather nonexistent and incapable.

Nasiri didn’t think he could fully understand Eugene, nor did he think there were clear limits to how much he could assist her as a secretary. He didn’t think Eugene would collapse, but it seemed clear that stress was accumulating due to the recent succession battle. He was more in favor of someone who could relieve that stress, but if he was trying to exploit Eugene’s vulnerability…

Perhaps he didn’t need to take action himself. The other party was Eugene Fuger-Dulloch, after all. And as for the meaning of ‘Fuger-Dulloch,’ he hoped that anyone who regarded the enemy only as a name would not make a mistake.

* * *

‘But how do I get to the company?’

Thinking that, Hisha absentmindedly watered the shrubs in the garden.

Before entering this mansion, he had hoped that Eugene would have a secret space in the mansion like Bruce Wayne, secretly storing viruses, but in fact, he wouldn’t rush to take such a risky item, which also had the potential as a biological weapon, out of the laboratory.

In conclusion, the point was to go to the laboratory where the virus was stored. Wherever that might be.

“Excuse me.”

At that moment, he felt someone behind him and heard a voice.

“Yes.”

Hisha turned around. A woman was standing behind him whom he hadn’t seen before.

She had natural black hair and black eyes, but her appearance was that of a Caucasian. Judging by her attire in a flashy floral dress that revealed her sensual figure, she didn’t seem like an employee. Just now, it seemed like a guest had arrived at the mansion, but Hisha didn’t even know if this woman was that guest.

Hisha turned off the hose and asked.

“How can I help you?”

“Who are you?”

The woman asked. Seeing her confident face assuming Hisha would naturally know her if he were a regular employee, she seemed more like someone related to Eugene’s family than an ordinary guest.

Hisha replied.

“I’m the new part-time worker.”

“Ah, a part-timer.”

The woman seemed to realize something, mumbled to herself, then smiled broadly and approached. Hisha was puzzled but waited for the woman to speak. However, the woman didn’t speak. Instead, she unexpectedly wrapped her arms around Hisha’s neck and leaned in.

“You’re cute. Wanna play with me?”

Startled by the stranger’s actions, Hisha stepped back.

“Um? Hey…!”

But the woman didn’t let go of Hisha and followed him.

“What’s your name?”

“Um? I-I’m Kim Young-soo.”

Even in this situation, Hisha answered without realizing it.

“What a strange name. Where are you from?”

“From Korea. But could you please let go…”

Though he held onto the woman’s arm, Hisha couldn’t muster the strength to pull it off for fear of causing harm.

The woman giggled.

“Is your face turning red now? You’re really cute.”

At that moment, Eugene returned home and saw them. She said, ‘Wait, stop,’ got out of the car, and approached Hisha, who was struggling, and the giggling woman.

Hisha noticed Eugene approaching first. Worried that Eugene might misunderstand the situation, he looked embarrassed. Eugene spoke to the woman.

“Leah, stop it.”

Only then did Leah notice Eugene.

“Oh, Eugene? But where did you find this kid? Look at him blushing.”

“Let him go.”

Eugene said again, and Hisha was at a loss for words.

“Um, um, please stop…”

Seeing that Leah had no intention of stopping, Eugene signaled to her bodyguards. Immediately, the guards grabbed Leah and separated her from Hisha.

Leah’s expression changed instantly.

“Where do these people get off…!”

Thud!

The sound startled Hisha even more. Eugene slapped Leah across the face, causing her head to turn halfway.

“Don’t make me tell you twice.”

Eugene’s icy glare almost seemed bluish, freezing the air.

“I’m sorry.”

Leah was visibly shocked. But Eugene slapped her again.

“And I told you not to disrespect my employees.”

At the sharp sound, Hisha flinched even more. He quickly grabbed Eugene’s arm.

“Please stop.”

Leah looked at him in horror.

“Do you want to die?”

Hisha was rather confused.

“What?”

“Let go of her now.”

Hisha looked at Eugene’s arm that he was holding onto.

“Ah, I’m sorry.”

He then let go of the arm. Eugene just nodded slightly without showing any further reaction. Leah, however, didn’t hide her surprise.

“This is my sister, Leah.”

Eugene introduced Leah to Hisha. Hisha nodded slightly in response.

“Hello.”

His spine was still tingling. Eugene’s eyes were terrified when she slapped her. But Leah seemed to have already forgotten that she had been hit as she smiled broadly.

“Sorry. You’re just too cute.”

Her smiling face overlapped with a photo in his memory. In fact, when Leah called out earlier, Hisha immediately recognized who she was.

* * *

“Leah Mavrogiotis.”

This time, Kate spoke beside Leah’s photo.

“She’s one of Heinrich Fuger-Dulloch’s illegitimate children from an extramarital affair.”

It was a photo taken by some informant at a hotel swimming pool. Leah was sitting on top of a man who looked like some Greek statue, halfway lying on a sunbed.

Leah wore a checkered bikini and had large sunglasses on top of her head. Even at the swimming pool, she wore high heels, making Hisha briefly wonder if she was doing a photo shoot.

Kate continued.

“Leah Mavrogiotis is different from the other illegitimate children. Because she’s from the Mavrogiotis family.”

“‘Mav… what? My tongue is twisted.”

At Hisha’s words, Kate suddenly grabbed a pen and threw it.

“Aren’t you paying attention?”

Hisha caught the pen that flew like he was memorizing it and pointed at Leah’s photo.

“Of course, I’m concentrating. How could I not?”

The pen pointed to Leah’s chest in a swimsuit. At least a D cup.

Kate raised a middle finger as if she thought he was pathetic.

“They’re Panariotes, which means wealthy Greek merchant families who moved to Constantinople in the old days, and they still hold a tight grip on trade between Greece and Turkey.”

While spinning the pen with his finger, Hisha listened to the story.

“But why that family?”

“Heinrich Fuger-Dulloch, despite having affairs multiple times, kept succession matters in mind and didn’t usually touch women from prestigious families. But Leah Mavrogiotis’s mother slept with him without revealing her name. The child was conceived that night.”

Kate added casually. However, it seemed more like she was restraining herself to maintain as objective an attitude as possible, lest she be constantly contemptuous.

Hisha leaned on the desk with his arms, looking interested.

“This drama needs a title, doesn’t it? Keep going.”

“Upon learning that his unmarried daughter was pregnant, Mavrogiotis, the father, was reportedly thrown into turmoil. However, as you know, the Lian family, Heinrich’s legitimate family, wields considerable influence globally and he couldn’t bring up the topic of divorce and remarriage lightly.”

Kate continued speaking.

“Nevertheless, he consistently voiced dissatisfaction with Lian and Fuger-Dulloch. Neither family could completely ignore Mavrogiotis. Anyway, it’s a small circle.”

Hisha nodded in agreement, understanding her point. Kate tapped the desk lightly and continued.

“So, they eventually reached an agreement to recognize Mavrogiotis’s daughter as Fuger-Dulloch’s ‘official unofficial second wife.'”

At this point, Hisha raised his hand like a student in class.

“But isn’t this supposed to be a monogamous society?”

“It’s a rumor, but it seems Leah Mavrogiotis’s mother had… um, some issues with her morals. There’s a rumor that her father entered into a sort of companion position with Fuger-Dulloch and managed to clear things up.”

Kate gestured towards the wall as she spoke, and a picture came to mind.

“Even now, she enjoys a free relationship as a limited lady.”

It was a picture of a middle-aged woman resembling Leah, walking out of Herod’s department store with a young handsome man of Latin descent. The man looked younger than her daughter Leah, only a couple of years older than Hisha.

“Oh, that lady…”

“Yes, recognize her?”

“She seemed cheerful.”

Hisha muttered, and Kate shrugged.

“The mom didn’t seem to mind either.”

Then Kate added.

“However, afterward, Heinrich Fuger-Dulloch doesn’t seem to have learned any lessons. He may have become more careful in choosing his partners, but two illegitimate children were born after Leah Mavrogiotis.”

“He seems to live his life to the fullest.”

Hisha couldn’t help but admire.