~Chapter 79~
Lovelace stared blankly at the police officer who came, carrying Becky’s body. Judith hugged Lovelace tightly, her hands shaking.
Now Lovelace could never have a personal talk with Becky again, and she could never see her smiling face anymore.
“Sorry to come so late at night, Count. Becky had no family, so there was no one to identify her body.”
The officer glanced at the cart behind him. Under a thick blanket, two small, pale feet stuck out.
“I’ll check.”
Judith stepped forward instead of Lovelace. Lovelace grabbed Judith’s wrist and pulled her back.
Their eyes met in the air. Lovelace shook her head.
“I’ll do it, officer.”
The officer’s face was full of tiredness. Lovelace felt in her gut that Becky’s death wasn’t just a normal death.
“Please prepare yourself.”
The officer warned her.
Lovelace wanted to run away. But as the head of the family, as the lord, she had to check. The ground felt like it was grabbing her feet, but Lovelace forced herself to move.
At last, she stood next to the cart. Many emotions burned inside, but her face stayed cold. Lovelace looked at the officer.
She silently told him to lift the blanket. He slowly pulled it back.
Lovelace’s face turned white. She shut her eyes tight.
“Is this Miss Becky?”
“…Yes.”
After a long time, Lovelace answered. Heavy silence fell over the mansion. No one dared to speak.
Crying was finally heard, starting from Nora. Tears rolled down Lovelace’s cheeks.
“Please catch the killer.”
Lovelace asked the officer, then went back to her room.
Her body kept shaking, so she clasped her hands tightly together. Even though she squeezed so hard her knuckles stuck out, she couldn’t stop shaking.
“Count… Here’s some warm water.”
Judith came in. She put a cup in Lovelace’s hands. It was hard to let go and take the cup.
“Did you see her, Judith?”
Judith was about to leave, but Lovelace called her back.
Judith knew what Lovelace was asking—if she saw Becky’s body.
“Yes, I saw.”
“She was murdered.”
Judith didn’t deny it.
“Bring me everything about Becky.”
Lovelace put the cup down and looked straight at Judith.
“Count, please go to sleep. The police already started the investigation. You made them promise to do it right.”
Judith was right—Lovelace needed rest. She needed sleep to calm her nerves.
Like how you leave cooking to a chef and swords to a blacksmith, you should leave investigations to the police. But Lovelace couldn’t sit still. Becky’s clear smile drove her crazy.
“Bring it.”
Judith didn’t try to stop her again. She sighed and left. She soon came back, carrying a thick file.
Everyone Lovelace picked for work was checked by Judith. That was what this thick file was—Judith’s background check. Lovelace took the file and looked through it carefully.
She read it once, then twice in case she missed something. Still worried, she read it a third time and sighed.
“There’s nothing…”
Becky’s face was the only part left whole. The rest of her body had been brutally cut. It didn’t look like a simple robbery—she still had all her money. Lovelace could only think someone killed Becky out of hate.
But Becky had never made enemies. She didn’t even have that many relationships.
She came alone and left alone…
“It’s not because of a grudge, Count.”
“Then what? It wasn’t for money.”
Judith took the paper from Lovelace’s hand. What Lovelace needed was a break from all this.
“You need to sleep. You have a lot to do tomorrow.”
“Becky was supposed to write a report for me.”
Lovelace stubbornly said she wouldn’t sleep, as if Becky would come back if she waited.
“Becky’s not coming back, Count.”
Judith said firmly, pulling Lovelace by the hand.
“Judith, did I see right? Maybe it was someone who just looked like Becky.”
Judith understood how much Lovelace wanted to deny the truth. Judith herself acted the same when she lost a friend for the first time.
Sometimes you have to force someone to face reality. Lovelace was strong enough for that.
“It was Becky, Count. Tomorrow, we’ll talk about her funeral. The police said since she had no family, they’d treat her as having no relatives and handle the body that way…”
“Becky has family!”
Lovelace shouted sharply. She bit her lip hard, barely holding back tears. Judith’s heart hurt seeing her like that.
“I’ll do Becky’s funeral.”
Of course.
“Okay, Count. Now you have to sleep.”
Finally, Lovelace stood and walked to bed. She stumbled and fell onto the mattress.
Judith fixed Lovelace’s arms and legs, then covered her with a blanket.
“Good night, Count.”
Now alone, Lovelace couldn’t close her eyes because Becky kept appearing in her mind. So she stayed awake all night.
Larvihan, who said he’d be at the Harmelda mansion all day, didn’t show up.
He finally came the next day.
“Becky died.”
As soon as Lovelace saw Larvihan, she mentioned Becky’s death. Larvihan just nodded calmly.
“Sorry to hear that.”
“Is that all?”
“What?”
“Becky died.”
“Yeah. Sorry to hear that.”
Lovelace’s mouth dropped open. Larvihan’s reaction was so strange.
Even though he didn’t know Becky well, when Lovelace had asked before, he said he did know her.
But now, he reacted like an ant had died.
“Becky died. Isn’t that a problem?”
It was a very big problem.
Someone Lovelace trusted and depended on had died—not by sickness or accident, but murder.
She was exhausted, wanted comfort, and needed help with the funeral.
But Larvihan was not the type to share those feelings. He was like a pretty but cold wax doll.
Beautiful, but not warm.
‘Would he be like this if I died too?’
Because things were so bad, Lovelace’s thoughts turned dark and sad.
“Did I do something wrong?”
Larvihan watched Lovelace’s reaction and asked. Even this response was strange.
When he heard someone died, he didn’t care at all, but now that Lovelace looked hurt, a small frown appeared on his face.
“Larvihan, when you hear someone died, you should be surprised. Or sad.”
“Why?”
He asked so confidently that Lovelace lost her words.
“Rey, are you sad because Becky died?”
Larvihan came closer. Lovelace tried to move away but couldn’t escape his eyes.
Larvihan, cold as ice, took Lovelace’s hand. His hand was warm, even though he seemed cold.
“Your hands are cold. You look tired. Did you not sleep because of Becky?”
His voice was gentle enough to give goosebumps.
“Rey, you can’t get so upset over someone dying.”
Lovelace wanted comfort but got advice instead. She looked up at him, hurt.
Larvihan noticed her angry eyes and gave a tiny smile, bringing her hands to his mouth and blowing on them.
“Don’t waste your feelings on useless things. Isn’t it hard enough just watching me? Should I really lock you up on an island?”
That gave Lovelace chills. She didn’t want to believe he’d actually do it, but the idea crossed her mind.
Her hands grew warmer, but inside, Lovelace felt cold as ice.
