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Thirty minutes ago, in front of the restaurant.
Having finished dinner with one of his business partners, Paydan exited the restaurant with a hardened expression.
"Just because there's a bit of talk about divorce, they get so scared... To make big money, you have to take risks, you idiots. It's not like they're new to business."
Everyone he met recently seemed overly conscious of Leticia's scandal, probing whether Paydan's business was okay.
In fact, some, after testing the waters, backed out of the current project.
'Because of that woman, Leticia...'
Thinking about what Leticia had ruined made him grind his teeth in his sleep.
That's why, as Elise advised, he paid the taxes with Leticia's dowry instead of the shortage.
But Leticia hadn't read his letter, or perhaps she was ignoring it; there was no response.
Far from feeling better, his pride was hurt by her silence.
As if she meant she didn't even want to deal with him.
"Your Excellency, shall we go to the jewelry shop as planned?"
Rockherd, watching Paydan's scowling face, cautiously confirmed their next destination.
When he first left the house, he had planned to buy Elise a necklace after finishing the dinner appointment.
Of course, he didn't want to buy her a gift when he was already short on cash...
"Since I solved the tax problem, wouldn't it be okay to buy her a gift?"
Elise somehow knew he had bought her a fake necklace last time and demanded a new gift, using it as an excuse.
If he left it alone, she would nag him for days, so he had agreed.
'The business is about to fall apart, and now that damn necklace is the problem?'
After the negotiation with the partner fell through, he lost the desire to do so.
He felt a surge of irritation towards Elise for no reason.
'She's always a nuisance. Leticia never asked for gifts—'
Unconsciously thinking of Leticia, Paydan shook his head in annoyance and replied.
"No, just head home."
Soon, the carriage departed.
Paydan, suppressing his anger alone, opened the window to feel the cool breeze.
Then, something caught his eye.
'An antique shop?'
At that moment, a good idea flashed through his mind.
Paydan opened the small window in the front of the carriage and shouted.
"Stop the carriage!"
The coachman and Rockherd, startled by the sudden command, stopped the carriage.
Paydan had them wait and headed to the antique shop.
'There must be necklaces in the antique shop.'
Since it was an antique, it would be relatively cheaper than a newly made necklace.
Among them, if he looked carefully, there might be some with almost no signs of use.
Satisfied with the thought of appeasing Elise cheaply, Paydan entered the shop, but his expression hardened.
"...Leticia?"
For there was the main culprit who had been grating on his nerves lately.
Seeing Leticia look at him with a clear sign of displeasure, anger surged within him.
"Ha... You ignore my letters, but I run into you in a place like this?"
"Ah, that letter? I didn't think I needed to see it, so I burned them all."
"What?!"
Incensed, Paydan strode towards Leticia, but a shadow loomed over him.
'What, what is it? This gorilla.'
Facing Wigg's threatening physique and expression, Paydan instinctively flinched and took a step back.
Leticia smirked at Paydan and continued.
"Didn't I tell you? I have nothing to say to you without a lawyer."
"Even if I paid your dowry to the imperial family instead of taxes?"
Paydan expected Leticia to be furious when she heard the news.
Or to beg and plead with him to get the land back.
But...
"Is that so?"
For some reason, Leticia's reaction was indifferent.
As if it were someone else's problem.
"You should keep your mouth shut."
"...Keep my mouth shut?"
"If people know that you paid your wife's dowry instead of taxes, wouldn't they think that Farnese's finances are that bad?"
At those words, Paydan's eyes began to waver.
He had only thought of irritating Leticia, not considering the repercussions of his actions.
Leticia smiled at Paydan and said.
"Well, take your time and finish your business."
Perhaps, the luck you had in the last life won't come to you this time.
Leticia took the necklace Paydan had come to buy and passed him.
"Excuse me, I'd like to purchase this necklace."
"Ah, yes! Let's see, the price is..."
"Wait."
Just as the owner was about to check the price of the necklace, Paydan suddenly intervened.
"I'll buy that necklace."
At that, Leticia's brow furrowed in displeasure.
"I found it first."
"But you haven't bought it yet, have you? If I pay, it's mine."
"Huh?"
At this point, Paydan doesn't know that this necklace is the one the empress is looking for.
But the fact that he covets it means...
"The land you walk on, the house you want to buy, the food you want to eat. I'm going to buy it all."
'What a petty jerk.'
It was clear that he was just trying to get back at her.
Leticia barely suppressed the curse that was about to come out.
Her hand gripped the necklace tightly.
'I absolutely can't lose it.'
This necklace was the only hope to get her mother's land back from the imperial family.
But in terms of immediate power, it was obvious that the owner would side with Paydan.
Leticia bit her lip, feeling anxious that she might lose her only hope right before her eyes.
She had to find a way.
To change his actions...
'Ah.'
At that moment, something came to Leticia's mind, and she smiled.
"Okay. If you want a necklace that someone has worn so badly, I'll give it to you."
Leticia took a step back for now. As if she were really giving up.
'What, she's backing down so easily?'
Paydan looked suspiciously at Leticia, who was showing a different reaction than he had expected, and gestured to Rockherd to pay.
But just as Rockherd was about to pay for the necklace.
"But, Paydan."
Leticia's meaningful voice came from behind.
"Are you sure you'll be okay with the rumors?"
"Rumors? What rumors?"
"That Duke Farnese paid his soon-to-be-divorced wife's dowry with taxes due to financial difficulties, and is buying a necklace for his mistress at an antique shop, something like that."
"Which bastard would spread those rumors...!"
"Me."
Leticia took a step towards him and drove the nail in.
"I'm going to spread those rumors."
"...What?"
"Considering there's already talk about a management crisis because of the divorce, it would be quite dangerous if those rumors were added."
Paydan's face twisted as he looked at her.
Unlike her concerned tone, Leticia said with a playful smile.
"Are you really going to be okay? Even if those rumors spread."
"Leticia!"
As Paydan's voice rose, Leticia's eyes turned cold, as if she had never been smiling.
She warned in a low voice.
"Think carefully. Is it more beneficial to spread those rumors just to ruin my mood for a moment, or not to fuel the rumors any further."
"You, really...!"
"As a businessman, you can make that judgment, right?"
Leticia crossed her arms and stared intently at Paydan.
As if she were going to watch what he did.
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