Charlotte’s eyes widened in shock.
“Derek from the general store is at the gambling den?”
“Yes, can you believe it? I was so surprised. I only went there because I was following a patron.”
“My goodness.”
It was the moment when her worst suspicion was confirmed. The actress, who had visited again, chattered away, noticing Charlotte’s frozen expression.
“There are so many people who walk in there and come out completely ruined. Derek must be so young and full of energy that he doesn’t fear anything. Oh, Cecile?”
Charlotte’s legs suddenly felt weak, and she swayed. The actress caught her by the shoulders.
“Are you alright? You look so pale.”
“I’m fine. I just haven’t been sleeping well lately.”
Ever since the news about Derek taking over the general store, Sarah had been beaming with happiness every day. Now, Charlotte’s vision blurred with concern.
Her instincts were usually spot on, and this time was no exception. Ever since she heard about the businessman and the gambling den, there had been a sense of foreboding, and now she knew why.
Taking a deep breath, Charlotte managed to compose herself.
“I think I’ll close up early today. Is there anything else you need?”
“No, everything’s perfect as always. Thank you, Cecile.”
The actress, smiling brightly, was about to leave when Charlotte called out to her.
“Elena, is the gambling den far from here?”
“No, not really.”
“Could you show me how to get there?”
After getting directions from Elena, Charlotte saw her off and quickly closed the shop. She headed straight for the gambling den.
“Derek…”
What she saw there was shocking. From a distance, she recognized Derek leaving the gambling den. Elena’s account was true.
It was a grim realization. Charlotte slowly approached the spot where Derek had been. As she approached closer, two men who seemed to be guards blocked her way.
“Excuse me, but this place is not for ladies.”
“I’m Derek’s sister.”
It was a confident bluff. She remembered Sarah mentioning that the businessman who had set up here was a friend of Derek’s. If her guess was correct, this businessman was running the gambling den.
The guards, taken aback by her assertive demeanor, whispered among themselves. One of them went inside briefly and then returned, addressing Charlotte politely.
“Please, come in.”
The very thought of what might be lurking inside or what awaited her made her spine tingle. Taking a deep breath, Charlotte stepped forward.
The man led her through the building to a room deep inside. The hallway was dim but meticulously decorated. They stopped in front of a large door, and after three knocks, the man opened it. Inside the spacious reception room, a man sat with his back to her.
The guard nudged Charlotte forward. As she hesitantly approached, the man finally spoke.
“Did you say your name was Cecile?”
It was a voice she had never heard before. Charlotte lifted her gaze, meeting the eyes of an elderly gentleman. It wasn’t ‘him’. A wave of relief and strange exhaustion washed over her.
“I never heard that Derek had a sister.”
“No, I’m not. Just a close acquaintance.”
Was this the same frightened woman from moments ago? Her bold reply made his eyebrow twitch.
“Please, have a seat.”
“No, I’d rather just say what I need to and leave, if you don’t mind.”
Charlotte clenched and unclenched her fists, standing her ground.
“I’d like you to stop bringing Derek here.”
“That’s odd. That’s not what I heard. Did Derek say that?”
The subtle irritation in his voice made Charlotte sit up straighter. They were alone in the large reception room, and outside were the man’s subordinates. It was a frightening situation, but she couldn’t back down now. This wasn’t the worst-case scenario she had imagined. She knew men far more intimidating and ruthless than him.
“No, he didn’t. But Derek is young.”
Charlotte shook her head slowly, choosing her words carefully.
“He’s at an age where he can’t distinguish between bravery and recklessness. He doesn’t fully understand what’s dangerous and what’s safe.”
“……”
“I’m not his real sister or guardian, but I know his mother. A mother who has devoted herself entirely to her only child.”
She thought of Sarah, who had warmly welcomed her when she had no one else in this unfamiliar town. She couldn’t bear to see Sarah’s world fall apart.
Charlotte, who had been acting boldly moments ago, now bowed deeply, her voice filled with desperation.
“So please, Mr. Gerald. Don’t let Derek come here anymore. Forgive me if I’ve been rude.”
As the actress left the reception room, Charlotte remained, waiting for a definitive answer. Only after she received it did she leave. Once she was gone, the curtains, which had been drawn, were pulled back. Gerald, hearing approaching footsteps, took a sip of vodka and spoke.
“She’s quite brave. Not quite what you described.”
“Are you interested?”
Though the question was posed calmly, the atmosphere was tense, like a predator baring its teeth. Gerald quickly shook his head and replied.
“Of course not. Think of my age. Do I seem like someone who would covet another man’s woman?”
The threatening air around the man eased slightly. Gerald, observing this, swallowed his familiar admiration.
He had seen countless beautiful works of art, both genuine and fake, but the man before him was stunning every time he looked at him.
‘Richard Winkle.’
‘Gerald Hacker. What brings you here?’
Expecting a pale, nerdy young lawyer, Gerald had been pleasantly surprised. From their first meeting, Richard had overpowered him with just a look.
‘I have an offer you can’t refuse.’
When Richard smiled, Gerald instinctively knew that this man was a dominant force, always on top. Richard was similar to him but operated on a different level.
The fruits of their trust were sweet. With Richard’s brilliant business ideas, Gerald had significantly expanded his small company over the past two years and achieved great success. What Richard wanted in return was peculiar.
“So far, everything has gone as you wished. What’s next?”
Richard Winkler smiled, a look Gerald had never seen on his partner’s face. It was a smile both threatening and alluring, sending chills down Gerald’s spine.
“I’ve given you much, and now it’s time to collect.”
As he spoke, Richard turned to watch the woman walking away outside. Nothing in this world came for free.
***
“What kind of nonsense is this!”
The sudden ban from the gambling den was a bolt from the blue for Derek. He had never imagined he would be barred, and thus had no contingency plan.
Half of the payment for the general store was still due, and now his way of making money was blocked. He had almost no savings left. Considering the debt Sarah had accrued from struggling to run the boarding house, the future looked bleak.
“What am I supposed to do now? How…”
Derek clutched his throbbing head, wandering aimlessly down the street. Just then, someone grabbed his arm. He looked up irritably, only to see a familiar face.
“Cecile…?”
“Get up.”
With a stern expression he had never seen before, Cecile dragged him somewhere. She took him to none other than the boarding house.
“Cecile!”
“I know everything.”
As Derek recoiled at the door, shaking off her hand and about to speak, Charlotte cut him off firmly.
“I know you’ve been frequenting the gambling den. And that your recent flush of money came from your winnings there, right?”
“How… how did you…?”
“Are you out of your mind? Do you not realize how many eyes are watching places like that?”
A thought suddenly struck Derek.
“Wait, Cecile, you…”
“Yes, it was me.”
“What right do you have!”
Derek, unable to contain his sudden surge of anger, raised his hand. In that instant, the door swung open, and it was he who found himself sprawled on the floor, slapped hard.
“Mom!”
“You useless fool!”
Sarah, who had heard everything from Charlotte the night before, looked down at her son with a face flushed with rage.
“Of all the things you could do, you turn to gambling! Even if you grew up without a father, how could you… how could you…”
“……”
“How could you do this to me…?”
Her voice, choked with shock and anger, trembled. Derek, clutching his burning cheek, avoided her gaze. The betrayal and despair that had frozen the two of them were palpable. Watching the scene, Charlotte quietly broke the silence.
“Let’s all sit down and talk.”
The three of them entered the house without a word.
Faced with his mother’s disappointed expression, Derek finally broke down and confessed everything. His story was just as Charlotte had expected. Gerald had saved him by chance and introduced him to the gambling den, where he quickly became addicted and couldn’t escape.
“I must have been out of my mind… I’m so sorry, Mom.”
Sobbing uncontrollably, Derek was, at that moment, the young man Charlotte had known. Sarah, who had been crying while holding her son, cupped his cheeks.
“It’s alright. We still have our home. We can give up the general store and start over…”
“But… we still have so much debt, don’t we? The money we borrowed to run the boarding house…”
“We borrowed it from a friend, so they’ll understand our situation. It’s going to be okay, Derek.”
“If it’s alright with you.”
Charlotte, who had been quietly watching the two, spoke cautiously.
“For now, you can sell goods at my shop.”
“Cecile!”
“I’ve already bought the inventory for the store, and there’s no other way to handle it.”
“But, won’t that be…”
“I’ll be focusing on my work with the theater company for a while, so I can take commissions here and work on them.”
Elena would understand their situation. Hesitating at Charlotte’s sudden suggestion, Derek finally nodded.
“Thank you so much. If we sell at cost, we can clear out the stock quickly. I’ll vacate the space as soon as possible.”
🍉🍉🍉
