DM Chapter 77
“Everything in moderation.”
Nikolai spoke as if soothing a child.
“…to please. Ah, I feel like doing anything. That seems appropriate.”
Owen, slowly mulling over Nikolai’s words, smiled with a relaxed expression. Nikolai could see the golden eyes, similar to his, burning with heat.
“Who rescued you from almost dying in the gutter? You should never forget that.”
“Of course. That’s why I’ve always lived for you and decorated this place to your liking.”
Eden City was the embodiment of all Nikolai’s desires His entire fortune was transferred to Eden City every year, meticulously laundered to become a huge off-the-books fund.
An astronomical sum of money, an Eldorado made of gold that no one could match. That was the ultimate vision of Eden City.
Nikolai regarded Owen, the gatekeeper of Eden City, with a calculating gaze.
He was the grandson who understood his desires better than anyone else, the one who would bring his dream city to fruition. At Owen’s reply, Nikolai’s gaze shifted to the night view of the city behind him.
The lights of the night contrasted with the inky blackness of the lake that had been created high above the distant land beyond. A dam was built on the lake and a hydroelectric power plant was constructed there, providing electricity that became the light of Eden City.
And all that money flowed into Nikolai’s pocket.
He was truly proud of his wise grandson. If Pavel was like a thorn in his side, Owen was a faithful child who made everything Nikolai desired a reality.
“Yes. That’s why I trust you the most. You’ve never once disappointed me.”
This was not the Owen who would abandon him for Pavel’s seed, which he didn’t even know existed. They had been through too much together for that.
Nikolai believed he could take everything Owen had at any time. Even when he secluded himself in Russia due to poor health and entrusted Eden City entirely to him, he was well informed about the situation here and made important decisions himself.
Owen turned his body towards where Nikolai’s gaze was directed. The two of them looked at the city they had built together.
“I’ll handle Sarin. Don’t interfere.”
He wanted this city, and Owen eventually acquired it.
And this time, he wanted the intensity in those cloudy eyes and the longing in those hands. Owen, gazing out the window, slowly looked down at his palm. TheThe feeling of embracing Sarin remained vividly, engraved like a mark that would never disappear.
“You think I brought you here just to sit idly!”
Finally, Nikolai, who had maintained his composure the entire time, burst into a rage. His presence was so overwhelming that even Yuri behind him seemed to hesitate.
“You brought me here for that purpose, didn’t you? Whether back then or now, it’s no different.”
Owen’s free hand rubbed slowly over the opposite palm of his outstretched hand. Sometimes the sensation made his cock tingle down there, as if he were sticking it in a hole.
Just like now.
“You!”
Nikolai’s glass came flying at Owen.
The glass that was thrown when he first entered the room missed its target, but now it hit him square on the forehead. He could have dodged it, but he didn’t.
The glass that struck his left temple shattered with a loud noise, leaving his face and upper body covered in shards. Alcohol and blood mixed together, flowing down his cheeks and chin. Yuri rushed over and wrapped a handkerchief around Owen’s head, but another curse fell.
“How dare you interfere!”
“I apologize, sir.”
Yuri quickly dropped the handkerchief and stepped back, bending at the waist.
Owen clicked his tongue low. He ran his palm under his chin. The smell of blood and alcohol mingled was sickening.
“Calm down. Especially when your blood pressure isn’t good.”
“If you need to see blood to come to your senses, then so be it.”
But the blood wasn’t Owen’s. Knowing what it meant, he silently let the drops of red moisture fall between his eyelids.
“I guess there’s no other choice.”
He answered Nikolai’s words in a strange way. Owen’s calm response, even after suffering a head injury, momentarily caught Nikolai off guard. After discreetly checking his watch on his wrist, Owen soon looked towards the door he had entered through.
The bell rang, and the guard standing at the door opened it.
As the visitor entered, he faced Owen directly and his expression stiffened.
“It seems like the old man is upset. How about comforting him, Pavel.”
“You… What are you talking about?!”
Pavel, pale at the sight of Owen with his head split open, shouted in horror. When Owen’s subordinates brought him here, he had thought it was simply a meeting with Nikolai. Only Nikolai could have made Owen like that. But Pavel had never seen him lose his temper even once.
He was always perfect, as if calculating everything.
Turning his attention away from Owen, Pavel quickly looked at Nikolai.
“G, Grandfather.”
“Who called this guy here!”
“Grandfather. No, it’s not… I…”
As Nikolai raised his voice at Pavel with the same face, Owen finally took a step forward. Passing by Pavel, he patted his blood-stained hand on Pavel’s shoulder, who was wearing a beige coat, leaving a trace of blood.
“He seemed quite distressed so comfort him. You’re good at that sort of thing.”
With these cryptic words, he walked out of the room nonchalantly.
Pavel’s pupils trembled aimlessly.
“Pavel.”
He tried to follow but his body froze at Nikolai’s call. When he finally turned around, Nikolai gestured towards him. His severed fingers throbbed, and a belated sense of terror swept over him.
“It seems you’re speechless because you’re missing a finger.”
Nikolai’s voice, somewhat broken, remained the same as usual after Owen disappeared. The tension eased.
Pavel managed to calm his racing heart. If there was any anger in the back of his mind, he couldn’t express it with Nikolai in front of him. Nikolai didn’t seem to realize that his anger at Owen had caused him to act strangely.
“M-my finger hurts.”
Pavel forced a refined smile onto his lips. Of all his grandchildren, Nikolai kept these two close to him, partly because they most closely resembled his dead son, but mostly because they reminded him of his own youth.
Sometimes, when Nikolai spoke affectionately to Pavel, he would sadly mention how it felt like his dead son had come back to life.
Nikolai was a clear-cut man when it came to reward and punishment.
Owen had learned it thoroughly under him, and Pavel, now trembling with fear with a racing heart, realized that this situation was the consequence of his actions in the hospital.
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“I’ll call the doctor.”
As Owen was walking down the corridor to call for a doctor since his forehead was split and needed treatment, his steps halted. After checking the time again, Owen reconsidered making the call and put the receiver back on the hook.
“Is it closing time?”
“Anytime for the doctor…”
“I mean ‘jam.’ I thought I’d feel better after eating something sweet.”
When Owen mentioned the name of a shop where he had personally ordered dessert, Yuri realized who it was for. Talking about tarts that were sweet and made you feel better while blood dripped from his head.
“Our hotel’s bakery boutique is quite… renowned.”
Though “Jam” was a famous spot, it catered mainly to tourists. In contrast, the bakery boutique in Eden was exclusive to hotel guests, maintaining its expensive and luxurious image.
With confusion evident in Yuri’s words, Owen nodded in agreement.
“You look fine.”
Kirill, leaning against the wall with his arms crossed in front of the elevator, spoke as soon as he noticed the two approaching. Without any response, Owen ignored him and waited for the elevator to go down.
“They’re going to kill your woman.”
“Worry about your girl. I’ll meet her soon.”
Owen spoke as he looked at the still closed door. He sounded like he already knew they were going to meet. Kirill didn’t expect Owen to be oblivious. He pulled out a handkerchief from his pocket and handed it to Owen.
“Wipe it.”
“What kind of fucking favor is this?”
As he parted his lips, he tasted the metallic tang of blood. Owen’s brow furrowed.
All he wanted to do was go to the store, get dozens of pretty cakes and get out of these stinking clothes and get cleaned up.
If Sarin woke up before then, he’d watch her eat, and then he could do something else. Such thoughts made Kirill’s kindness seem nothing short of annoying.
“We should watch out for each other.”
“I’ll handle my own business.”
“Are you sure about that?”
Kirill asked with a smile. Only then did Owen’s body turn towards him rather than towards the open elevator door.
“Yes, you mentioned settling down?”
Settling down.
Even though he had spoken the words himself, they left a strange residue. Owen ran his tongue over his lips. The taste of bitter iron wasn’t pleasant, causing his brow to furrow. Kirill’s gaze shifted to Yuri, who stood behind Owen.
Seeing that Owen wouldn’t say anything further, he smiled leisurely. Even without words, the darkened lips seemed more sinister with the taste of blood lingering.
“Yuri is fine. He listens well as long as he stays within reasonable bounds.”
Even raising a hand against Nikolai was within those reasonable bounds. Owen knows he hasn’t crossed that line yet. In the end, Yuri’s choice wouldn’t be the waning moon. The moon that had illuminated the Russian night for half a century had little time left.
“…The woman will run away.”
“Is that so?”
Owen let out a sigh and revealed his fangs, showing a smile that could be interpreted as either a snarl or a grin.
