Chapter 72
“So… I see. Try to understand. That guy probably doesn’t have the headspace to be fooling around here right now.”
Ravian thought the same on his side, but he didn’t show it and instead asked,
“Why? What happened?”
“Oh, it’s embarrassing to even call it an ‘issue’…”
Arnold then led Ravian to a quiet, secluded balcony.
In an instant, the abandoned Bentley and Jeffrey exchanged lonely, wordless glances.
The balcony was deserted, perhaps because the weather was chilly.
Outside, the main garden was covered in snow and ice sculptures, resembling a winter kingdom.
It was a rare sight in Lohas but common enough in Vina.
“Everyone will find out eventually, but for now, only you should know.”
“What is it?”
Sighing deeply, Arnold replied,
“That pitiful guy is getting a divorce. I wonder what my ancestors would think…”
“Really? That’s all? I thought it was some big problem. Why scare people like that?”
“You fool, this is going to be the first divorce in the history of the Frank lineage, and you say ‘that’s all’?”
“Valerie has always been a bit trendy. Dite might have known… no, of course not.”
Ravian immediately corrected himself. If Dite had known this fact, the commotion would have spread like wildfire, reaching even the stray puppies in the neighborhood.
Arnold also looked deeply sympathetic.
“Both Nana and I are already overwhelmed with just the second boy…”
“So, the one who came to Uncle’s place for recuperation…?”
“Yes. Recuperation was just an excuse. I told Valerie to send Charlotte here. It’s too pitiful to make a sick child witness their parents dragging each other through a divorce battle… By the way, Dite said he met you together with Ravi last time, and Charlotte seemed so happy she couldn’t stop talking about it for days.”
Ravian paused, wondering what this was about, then realized it referred to the shopping incident and frowned.
“It was just a coincidence. Dite took mine without asking.”
“Oh, I see. That explains it. That guy… when will he ever grow up?”
At that moment,
“U-um…”
A small voice came from below. Ravian reflexively thought, Why is it a baby? and almost turned around.
Of course, it wasn’t Nina.
“Excuse me…”
The hesitant voice belonged to Sarah Dout.
In her small hand was the handkerchief Ravian had given her earlier.
Her light brown eyes looked between the two of them pitifully.
It seemed she had something to say to Ravian.
Arnold smiled gently at Sarah and placed a hand on Ravian’s arm.
“I’ll go in first. Before you return, let’s meet your aunt separately as well.”
“I’m really busy.”
After Arnold returned to the ballroom, Ravian looked down at Sarah and smiled.
He had been meaning to look for her anyway, so this was convenient.
Disliking children and manipulating them for a specific purpose were two different matters.
Ravian had long since mastered dealing with girls, even if he hated brats.
…Except for a certain hostage waiting in Lohas.
“You’re not crying anymore?”
Sarah looked up at him as if enchanted, then shook her head quickly.
“I-I want to return this handkerchief.”
“Oh, that? Just keep it. There are more anyway.”
“Still…”
Sarah fidgeted nervously, glancing around. Ravian tilted his head.
“Why? Will your mom scold you if I don’t take it?”
Instead of answering, she wriggled her feet anxiously.
It was clear she had snuck out on her own. If Mrs. Dout had sent her, she wouldn’t have come this far without a nanny.
“Sounds like your mom’s scary. Okay then.”
Ravian knelt in front of her, opening his palm.
Sarah handed him the handkerchief, staring at him wide-eyed in amazement.
Though she was old enough to know proper manners, she seemed genuinely fascinated.
It was understandable. No adult with such an unusual presence as Ravian existed near this young, sprout-like girl in the greenhouse.
Nina was like this too…?
No, Nina was different. From the start…
“Thanks. But were you crying because your mom scolded you earlier?”
Shaking off his thoughts, he asked. Sarah lowered her gaze as if finally coming to her senses.
Then, unexpectedly, she shook her head.
“…No.”
Ravian blinked slowly. He already knew the cause of her crying when he appeared had been the broken plate.
He had been observing the family from the moment the plate broke.
Still, something about the scene was a little troubling.
“Really…? Then why were you crying?”
Sarah looked down, fidgeting with her feet.
Watching her, someone came to mind in Ravian’s head again.
Kids, really.
Even though she didn’t resemble Nina at all, her behavior was surprisingly similar.
Do kids follow some kind of rule?
“Did someone bother you?”
Without thinking, he asked. Sarah slightly raised her head and looked at him.
A flash of fear crossed her bright eyes.
Ravian tilted his head casually.
“Who, that naughty one? Should I scold him?”
“…He broke it.”
“Huh?”
“The plate… my brother broke it.”
Whispering softly, Sarah lowered her gaze and pressed her lips together.
Ravian recalled what Karin had told him.
So that’s how it was.
“Your brother broke it, but made it look like you did?”
She nodded.
“What a terrible brother, not protecting his sister. Does he always act like this?”
“Not usually….”
Sarah hesitated, then continued while wriggling her feet.
“It changed after he disappeared and came back.”
It seemed her personality had changed since the kidnapping incident.
Apparently, Karin’s story from her daughter was true.
“I thought he was a good kid when I saw him earlier…”
“That’s all an act.”
Suddenly, Sarah’s voice became sharp.
Ravian mockingly stuck out his tongue, then widened his eyes.
“An act?”
“Yes. He pretends in front of adults so they don’t find out. Everyone is fooled—Mom, Dad, Grandpa, even the nanny…”
“What is he trying to hide…?”
Sarah paused, then looked around again with fearful eyes.
Ravian, observing her sharply, suddenly felt the urge for a cigarette.
Unbeknownst to himself, Sarah’s timid behavior—so unlike a pampered little lady—was constantly stirring something dangerous within him.
Like the eye of a storm in a dizzying whirlwind…
“…That he’s not our real brother.”
Sarah continued in a whisper.
“But I knew from the start. Only I knew, so I knew that wasn’t our brother… That’s why he keeps bothering me.”
Her thin voice trembled.
Her eyes, ready to spill tears at any moment, looked dark.
Instead of trying to soothe her with idle words, Ravian asked seriously,
“How did you figure out he wasn’t our real brother?”
“Because I’m his sister.”
Sarah wiped her eyes with her sleeve and pouted sulkily.
“I know he can’t remember things well because he had a hard time, but our brother wouldn’t hate me or hurt Pinky just because he doesn’t remember everything.”
“Pinky?”
