Chapter 33
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Staring blankly at Bridget, who was speechless with disbelief, he glanced up at the building nearby.
"Have you finally hired a legal representative?"
Bridget, noticing that his gaze had shifted toward the law office, replied in a cold tone.
"As far as I recall, I entrusted the entire matter to you."
"Then..."
Ain, who was trailing off, gestured toward the envelope in Bridget's hand.
"The Grand Theater issue?"
Only then did Bridget realize that the documents had slipped out of the envelope for some time. The top part sticking out revealed the name of the Glynford Grand Theater. It was only a few letters, but it seemed that was enough for him to make an inference.
Bridget, her expression suddenly changing, carefully pushed the documents back into the envelope and said sternly.
"Stop worrying about me and go about your business."
"Didn't I tell you I'm not an inhumane person? Right now, you look like you'd collapse after taking just three steps."
What difference would it make if someone takes three steps or five steps?
Not wanting to respond, Bridget turned away, ignoring Ain. She saw a shared carriage arriving at the stop across the street and headed straight for it. She didn't care where the shared carriage was going. She just had a strong desire to get away from there.
She thought she heard a sound behind her, but she didn’t bother to listen. She quickly boarded the shared carriage.
She didn’t want to accidentally glance out the window and see Ain. She stared straight ahead.
The carriage, now loaded with passengers, began to move.
***
Even after Bridget left without looking back, Ain stood there for a moment.
He stared in the direction the shared carriage had departed with a sullen expression, then clicked his tongue briefly. He had just arrived in a car, so he had considered offering to give her a ride out of kindness.
When he met Bridget again in Glynford, her complexion was still poor. He was beginning to think that her pale, bloodless face was her true appearance. Even when she was living in that remote mansion, the servants were disrespectful and the surroundings were isolated, making it difficult to take care of her, but now she was in the city.
Why was she still in such a state? It was incomprehensible.
What on earth was Magnus doing, taking Bridget away so insistently?
"Ain!"
Ain, who had been standing there with a displeased expression, glanced back. Upon seeing Declan running toward him with a briefcase in hand, Ain pulled out his pocket watch to check the time.
"Why are you so late?"
"If you were going to scold me for being late, why didn't you just take me with you earlier? Huh? We're staying at the same hotel, yet you drove off alone in that nice car? Don't you even see me working day and night for you?"
It seemed that he was deeply hurt by Ain, who had stayed at the same hotel but had driven off alone in his car.
Of course, it was Declan who had slept in and missed the agreed-upon time the previous day, but he had done so because he had been working late into the night on tasks that Ain had assigned him. Instead of providing proper information and materials, Ain always made unreasonable demands, expecting him to turn stones into gold!
Despite Declan’s angry protest, Ain remained expressionless.
“That’s why I hired you.”
Ain replied coldly, tucked his pocket watch into his coat, and turned away. Declan looked dumbfounded as Ain walked away in long strides, seemingly unwilling to waste time on the ground.
“Don’t you feel sorry for me, who hasn’t even gotten a proper night’s sleep?”
Indeed, under Declan’s eyes were dark circles. With no one on the legal team capable of appeasing the demanding Ain Wise, Declan was left to handle him alone. He might even have to take sick leave once this lawsuit was over.
Of course, Mr. Wise wouldn’t care about Declan’s situation at all!
“As if that’s news.”
“That inhumane bastard………………”
Despite the harsh words that slipped out, Ain paid no heed. Declan, having opened his mouth, continued to vent his frustrations.
“Do you think your time is the most valuable in the world? Even if you look at it this way, my worth isn’t something to be taken lightly. You must think I’m exclusive to the Wise family, but…”
“Then make me exclusive.”
It was a simple solution. Declan burst into a hollow laugh, filled with disbelief, then replied with a serious expression.
“I have dreams too. My dreams can’t be achieved if I’m tied to a single family.”
“That’s not funny at all.”
Ain scoffed and mocked him without mercy. Declan, furious, tried to say something, but Ain ignored his voice and drifted off into his own thoughts. Lately, Bridget had begun to reclaim his consciousness once again.
“The grand theater is my parents’ dream.”
Dream. He remembered the woman who had spoken those vague, unrealistic words as if they were some great treasure.
“And now it’s my dream.”
Wasn’t it just an abstract word? Wasn’t it a word that young people, full of youthful energy, tend to use indiscriminately? Wasn’t it a convenient excuse, a representative example of rationalization, often used to justify foolish and stupid actions?
Even though he thought that, Ain couldn't utter a single word of his own opinion. Every time Bridget murmured the word "dream," her round lips and sparkling eyes were so fascinating. The faint smile and the warm green eyes were too fragile and sparkling.
It didn't seem necessary to pour cold water on something that didn't look so bad.
“Ah, here it is!”
Bridget’s voice, which had briefly surfaced at the sound of Declan’s booming voice, receded like an outgoing tide. Ain, who had arrived at his destination, glanced up at the entrance. The sign read “Blombolt Newspapers.” Even at a glance, it didn’t seem like a small media company.
“Who are you?”
As they entered the door, the person sitting at the desk closest to the entrance looked up at Declan and Ain. As a newspaper employee who knew the local residents well, he seemed wary of unfamiliar faces. Declan, who had already lost his smile, opened his mouth with a surprisingly businesslike expression and a dry tone.
“I called you yesterday.”
Ain looked around the office with a bored expression as the employee's eyes widened. Judging by the number of desks, it seemed that quite a few employees worked there. After all, it appeared that Glynford maintained close relationships with local dignitaries and wielded considerable influence.
It was often the case that the power wielded by local thugs had a greater impact on daily life than the name of a politician who caused a stir in the country. The power that touched the lives of local residents was also this kind of insignificant authority.
According to his research, this local newspaper had been firmly established in Glynford for quite some time. Both the owner and the staff must have had a strong sense of pride and arrogance.
So they must have ignored the Wise family's warning without even realizing how dangerous it was.
“I am the legal representative of the Wise family. Is the president of the Blombolt Newspaper Company present?”
“He hasn’t arrived yet.”
The employee answered reluctantly, then suddenly furrowed his brow. He stood up, placing his hands on his hips, and spoke in a threatening tone.
“But it was only a few hours ago yesterday. It’s troublesome for you to just barge in like this.”
The answer was so predictable that Ain felt like yawning. Seeing the two of them remain silent, the employee seemed to gain confidence and continued in an even more arrogant tone.
“It seems you think a local newspaper is easy to deal with, but in this day and age, ignoring freedom of the press will come back to haunt you.”
“Do you know why we’re here?”
“Well, people make mistakes! It wasn’t even published in the newspaper, so why are you bringing up something that happened months ago now?”
Oh dear.
Ain rolled her eyes inwardly. Why did he have to act like that toward Declan? If he was trying to intimidate him, he had made a huge mistake.
Why else would Declan be Ain’s legal representative? Not just any legal representative, but a friend from childhood. People tended to stick with those like themselves, and Declan’s personality was just as foul as Ain’s.
“I’ll discuss the specifics with the president.”
“He didn’t come to work!”
“Then you should contact him immediately. I can’t wait any longer.”
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