Beast, Blue Blood - Chapter 33

Chapter 33

The two of them lay side by side. Hisha gently placed his lips on Eugene’s head, resting on his shoulder, and softly stroked her hair. When Eugene was quiet, Hisha glanced at her, wondering if she was asleep. Eugene was awake but appeared lost in thought.

“You seem deep in thought since coming to my house.”

Eugene looked up at him and spoke.

“It feels different.”

“What’s different?”

“Everything. The people, the smells, even the air.”

Eugene leaned more comfortably on his shoulder and continued.

“For my mother, our house must have felt like your home does to you. Everything belonged to her.”

Eugene’s mother, Lian Meilin, the beloved youngest granddaughter of the Lian family head, Lian Qing, was a princess admired by many. In photos, she resembled Eugene but had a more charming and feminine aura.

“But her husband’s love was different.”

Eugene muttered.

“My mother could never understand why my father didn’t love her. Everyone loved my mother, whether it was because of her money or not. To her, money was like air, always there. She never had to think about it as a defining part of herself.”

Her mother’s expectations of a harmonious marriage were shattered, and she grew increasingly eccentric. The more she tried to attract her husband’s attention, the more he withdrew.

“Pierlu is a stern but kind person. Diligent too.”

Eugene said, surprising Hisha.

“I didn’t think you’d see him that way.”

“Even before the cruise incident, I knew my mother had feelings for him.”

As a perceptive child, Eugene could tell where her mother’s affections lay. Young Pierlu, with his refreshing smile, was a diligent youth admired by many, including Eugene’s mother.

Only Eugene knew that Pierlu reciprocated her mother’s feelings, though he barely showed it, having sternly suppressed his emotions. Adults often let their guard down around children, revealing more than they intended.

“But they lacked the opportunity to cross the line.”

Eugene murmured.

“Pierlu wouldn’t make the first move, even if he turned to stone.”

The cruise incident changed everything.

“I think my mother and Mr. Pierlu realized that they can’t be together, but this world is the only place they can be together at least a little bit.”

Eugene mumbled.

“As she left, my mother promised to come for me. And she kept that promise. That’s why I couldn’t go with her. If I left, my father wouldn’t let her live happily with Pierlu out of pride.”

To Heinrich, a wife not chosen by her daughter wasn’t worth bothering with. From the start, Meilin was neither loved nor hated by Heinrich; she was an insignificant presence. Meilin realized this and left him.

“I wished for my mother to be happy for a little longer.”

Eugene murmured, sounding like a little girl. Hisha embraced her tightly.

“What’s this?” 

Eugene looked up at Hisha with half-closed eyes.

“I just wanted to hug you.”

“I didn’t tell you this for sympathy.”

“It’s not sympathy, it’s empathy.”

“Don’t empathize with such an absurd story.”

Eugene said, closing her eyes.

“Just stay as you are, as you are now.”

* * *

Hisha woke up alone in bed. Eugene, who had been sleeping in his arms until dawn, was gone. Hisha sat up, calling her name.

“Eugene?”

There was no response from the shower room. He got up and left the room, still slightly groggy, and headed to the kitchen. There, Eugene stood with her back turned. She turned around as if she sensed his presence.

For a moment, it felt like a dream. Wearing an apron over her neatly ironed outfit from the day before, she was cooking. The scene was so picture-perfect it was almost moving.

“Awake? Go wash up. Breakfast is ready.”

Eugene said, continuing to cook. Hisha then noticed Ivan sitting on the sofa, reading a newspaper.

“Good morning.”

Ivan greeted him with a nod.

“Where’s my mother?”

Hisha asked.

“She went to work.”

Ivan replied nonchalantly. A bomb explosion in the city center meant Yeon-ha had to be even busier.

“I’ll be right back after I wash up.”

Hisha returned to the room, washed up, and went back to the kitchen. By then, the meal was ready. Eugene had taken off her apron, folded it, and sat down.

“Do you know how to cook?”

Hisha asked, surprised. He had assumed she would be too busy with her studies and work to be skilled in household chores. Yet, she didn’t look out of place in an apron, and the prepared dishes looked impressively presented, almost like something from a traditional family’s eldest daughter-in-law.

“Many of the elders on my mother’s side have conservative views.”

Eugene responded indifferently.

“You didn’t have to.”

Ivan commented, to which Eugene replied calmly.

“Think of it as covering the cost of my stay. I figured you wouldn’t accept money.”

“Here, we don’t view everything so coldly.”

Ivan said, unusually stern. It was the first time he had spoken to Eugene with such a tone, and Eugene bowed slightly.

“I’m sorry if that was offensive.”

Then, gesturing towards the food, she added.

“I’m not sure if you’ll like it. It’s Chinese style.”

“It’s fine. I lived in China for a while.”

Ivan replied and Hisha turned to him.

“You lived in China? When?”

“During the Emperor Yongzheng’s reign.”

“That was long before the Cultural Revolution. Eating habits must have changed since then.”

“Indeed.”

The father and son started their meal, engaging in a conversation that would sound odd to a regular person. Eugene quietly ate beside them. Hisha glanced at her, thinking how strikingly beautiful she was, albeit with a cold demeanor. If he had met her elsewhere, he wouldn’t have had the courage to approach her. Yet last night…

Feeling another reaction below, Hisha mentally recited a patriotic song, astonished at his seemingly boundless energy.

“Hisha, this is the dining table.”

Ivan said, not looking at him.

“Huh? Oh, right.”

Hisha responded, still puzzled. Eugene glanced at him but seemed not to notice anything amiss.

‘Does he know?’

Hisha wondered, looking at his father. Ivan’s expression was normal, but their brief eye contact told Hisha that his father knew everything. Hisha cleared his throat awkwardly.

After the meal, Emily, the housekeeper, approached and asked.

“How about some tea?”

“I’ll get it.”

Eugene offered, but Emily smiled and stopped her.

“Please, remain seated. You’re a guest.”

Emily left, and Eugene reluctantly sat back down. Soon, Emily returned with the tea.

“Now, let’s hear your story.”

Ivan said after taking a sip. Hisha looked at his father, confused about what story he meant. Eugene, with a perfectly calm demeanor, placed her teacup down and began.

“It’s embarrassing, but my family situation is complicated, and my safety is at risk. I’d like to borrow forces from ISLE.”

Hisha was taken aback.

“Are you going back?”

Eugene nodded.

“It’s my home.”

Just as this place is his, she seemed to imply. It felt like she was drawing a line.

“You should discuss this with someone else.”

Ivan said as the sound of footsteps descending the stairs was heard. Selena, impeccably dressed, appeared.

“Selena.”

Hisha called out, surprised by her appearance, but Selena’s eyes were fixed on Eugene.

“It’s been a while, Director.”

Selena greeted, extending her hand. Eugene stood and shook it.

“It has been.”

“Of all the places I expected to see you, this wasn’t one of them.”

Selena said, a mix of surprise and skepticism in her voice.

“Shall we sit?”

Selena gestured towards the sofa, and everyone took a seat.

Selena, now serious, spoke.

“Lending forces isn’t a problem, as long as you pay the rightful price.”

“I’ll pay, of course.”

Eugene replied immediately.

“But if you plan to throw them into a place like Fuger-Dulloch, we can’t agree. We can’t risk our people in certain death.”

Selena stated firmly.

“It’s a place where people live too.”

Eugene countered.

“More importantly…”

Selena’s piercing gaze met Eugene’s as she concluded.

“Isn’t what you want the symbolic presence of ISLE behind you?”

Eugene glanced at Hisha.

“You have to use the cards you’re dealt.”

Eugene finally said.

Selena studied Eugene silently before asking.

“Can you promise to stop the virus development?”

Eugene’s expression barely changed.

“Even if I stop, others won’t.”

“But getting that promise from you is enough. You’re the one who advanced the research this far. Your siblings wouldn’t have gotten this far.”

Selena said, choosing her words carefully.

“It’s shameful to have such siblings.”

Eugene said flatly, showing no emotion. Selena added.

“That’s a relief, in a way.”

Then she asked again.

“Will you promise to stop the virus development?”

Hisha watched Eugene, hoping fervently. After a brief silence, Eugene spoke.

“I’m sorry, I can’t promise that.”

“Then we can’t help you.”

Ivan finally spoke up.

“And I can’t approve of you meeting Hisha anymore.”

“Father.”

Hisha protested, feeling betrayed, but Ivan was resolute.

“I don’t want to meddle in my grown son’s love life, but this concerns his safety.”

He had allowed things to proceed until now because he knew nothing could stop Hisha until the matter was settled. But with Eugene’s intentions clear, there was nothing more to discuss.

“I understand.”

Eugene said.