About Your Pride and My Prejudice

Chapter 27: Ian Leopold

It wasn’t until I left the Libre coffee shop after talking to Tobias that I remembered the Stalker’s demands.

“No, I’ll go alone today.”

I had no choice but to refuse Toby, who would walk me home. I never want anything terrible to happen to this person.

“Ms. Melissa, why…….”

However, the moment I made eye contact with him looking down at me with a disappointed face, I felt helplessly wanting to tell him everything.

I wanted my anxiety to be comforted by you. I want to lean on you endlessly. I’m afraid of going home after a suspicious man.

“That, actually…….”

“…….”

A streak of winter wind scraped past him and me as we faced each other.  The harsh cold woke me up.

This isn’t it.

It’s ridiculous of me to narrow the distance between Tobias and I. We weren’t lovers to begin with, that I could lean on him.

I don’t have the right to get Toby in trouble. This fact never changes even if he favors me or even if we become lovers.

“……it’s nothing. It’s because I want to walk alone today.”

“Do you have to walk alone?”

“Well, it’s not comfortable to be indebted to you every time…….”

I just wanted to endure this situation safely. Until that unidentified man watching me leaves. I’m sure it won’t take too long.

“What do you mean? Never…….”

Tobias trembled like the day we first met.

“You don’t have to follow me, Tobias. Really.”

I told him not to follow me back. I didn’t want him to be hurt by any chance because of this stupid stalker commotion.

“It’s cold, Toby. Let’s part ways.”

“…….”

Looking stiff and awkward, Toby, who was staring at me, managed to open his mouth.

“Goodbye, Miss Melissa. After meeting Mr. Longhorn…….”

“Yes. See you then.”

When I answered softly, he finally smiled brightly.

* * *

I wrote a letter to Mr. Malcolm Longhorn.

It was quite a plausible letter, including my surprise of getting the undeserved gift, how much I liked the dress, and concluding that I wanted to meet in person and say thank you.

The problem is that I don’t know where to send this letter.

“Oh, Melissa! You were at home.”

“Hello, Mr. Greg.”

Mr. Greg smiled coolly, pulling the brows covered by the gray beard marks.  The moment I saw his face, I thought,  I don’t know if the problem will be solved sooner than I expected.

Madame Kerney, as always, with a stern look, rummaged in the box containing meat.

“How come you brought only the rump today? I was going to make more bacon.”

(T/N: rump: the hind part of the body of a mammal)

“Oh! It happened because I made a mistake. If you ripen it well and grill it…….”

Mr. Greg, who was exhausted to appease Madame Kerney, managed to hand over the box of her meat to madam.

After a while, I handed an empty box to him waiting at the doorway and spoke in a low voice.

“Mr. Greg.”

“Oh, thank you. Then next time—”

“I…! I have a question for you.”

Mr. Greg opened his eyes wide and looked at me. It was a natural reaction because he and I never had any separate conversation.

“Do you know where Mr. Longhorn’s house is?”

“Longhorn? Frank Longhorn?”

“Uh, no, that, Malcolm…….”

“Oh! You mean the eldest son? I know.”

That’s a relief…… As expected, Mr. Greg, who was busy going all over Florin, would know.

“But why all of a sudden you are looking for Mr. Longhorn?”

“It’s just that I received a great gift from him, but I can’t return them because I’ve already worn it.….”

I really don’t know why it’s getting so complicated.

“So, I wrote a letter, wanting to thank him in person.….”

“Aha! I know what you mean.”

Mr. Greg chuckled pleasantly. He pointed at me with his playful face and squinted his eyes.

“I… It’s not what you’re thinking right now.”

“Okay, bring me the letter.”

“What? It’s really not a love letter!”

When I waved my hands, Mr. Greg slowly crossed his arms.

“Regardless, I have business with Longhorn this week, so I’ll pass it on to him.”

“Oh, then…!”

“I’m busy, so I’d appreciate it if you could bring it quickly, Melissa.”

“Oh, I’ll bring it quickly, Mr. Greg! Thank you so much.”

After bowing in an awkward voice, I rushed up the stairs.

* * *

A leading businessman, Ian Leopold, who has a major influence on the society of the Sorne Kingdom, starting with the trade business.  He lit the study in the deepest part of the mansion as always tonight.

He, who seemed to have no weakness, suffered from severe migraines all the time. Because of that, he barely managed to go to bed after midnight every day, but it was his daily life to work until just before falling asleep as he was a terrible workaholic.

It was rare for Ian to see his son, Alan, in the mansion. Even more so at this late hour.

So, naturally, he doubted his eyes.  However, the sight of an achromatic man standing by the doorway with a silver candlestick over the transparent glasses was by no means an illusion.

He looked back to see if he had left the study door open, but he couldn’t remember.  It was true that he was so absorbed in his work that he somehow did not notice Alan’s presence.

Tap, tap 

“What’s going on, Alan?”

Only then did Alan’s elegant lips open after knocking twice on the open door at his father’s question.

“I have something to tell you.”

“…….”

The expressionless face, lit by the soft candle light, looked as noble as a torch. It was such a quiet morning* that even the sound of breathing could be heard.

(* It’s past 12AM)

“Come closer.”

Ian, who took off his glasses and put them down in the corner of the table, added while rubbing his stiff eyes.

“That’s great. I had something to tell you, too.”

The rich man sat face to face in front of the table in the middle of the spacious study. Only a few candles were swaying silently in the dark room. The pungent smell of cigars floated in the air.

“……you bought a coffee shop.”

“Yes.”

Huh— and Ian shed a strange grunt.

“How unlike you. Why?

“Because I’m interested.”

Alan smiled silently. Of course, the only thing that smiled was the lips. His pale blue-grey eyes were still shining as cold as winter in the north.

“You became interested? You know it’s not the time to say something leisurely like that.”

“I don’t have to waste my time because someone I trust is taking good care of it. Don’t worry.”

Ian twisted his forehead and loosened it in response to the gentle answer without a single hesitation.

“……Do well, and don’t embarrass the family. There must be a lot to prepare, so do well without exception.”

“Of course, father.”

“Good. Anything else to say?”

At his father’s words, Alan’s hands interlaced slowly on the table as if waiting. A small candle light fell on the white back of his hand, where his bones were prominent.

“I want to leave the house.”

“What do you mean, Alan?”

“I was wondering if I could focus on my work in a quiet place. I have a lot of work to do, you know.”

“…….”

Ian lowered his neck. Alan continued speaking in a neat low-pitched tone with no highs and lows.

“I am in a hurry  because there are only a few days left before I leave for the Principality.”

Contrary to those words, Alan’s expression was relaxed. Lips with a cool smile, slightly raised chin, and broad shoulders that cannot bend. It certainly looked straight, with an presence  of an overbearing pressure.

Ian thought. There would be no other creature who could fit in the name of Leopold more perfectly than this, someone who  added to the prestige of the family day by day.

‘You’ve regained our honour, I’m incomparably happy, Alan!’

It was Ian who created this Alan Leopold. The effort was immeasurable, but the result was more than perfect.  Inwardly, Ian admired his excellent eyesight, which never went wrong.

However, in his heart, anxiety was rising like smoke. It is because the young man in front of him seemed as if he was about to leap over the high wall that surrounded Ian.

I must be wrong this time. It is just my illusion due to being eroded by fatigue.

“Where are you going? If you don’t have a specific place in mind, I—”

“Ah.”

Alan laughed a little.

“I’m not here to ask for advice.”

“…….”

“I’ve already got a small villa, Father.”

Alan was not born from him, but he was the only child raised by his own hands. When did Alan start to feel more and more mysterious….

‘Remember that there are many things in life that you are better off not knowing

He also didn’t teach his son everything. It was the same for Alan after he became an adult, and Ian never intended to talk about the truths below the surface.

“How come…”

Because you can become a great person if you don’t look back.

“……No, nevermind.”

“There are many things in life that are better off not knowing.”

“…….”

“The teachings you gave me on the first day I came here are always engraved in my heart.”

Ian just stared blankly at the faint pieces of light hanging from the eyelashes that were neatly drooping under his cool eyelids.

Even though they were not connected by blood, the two Leopold men had a striking resemblance.  It was indeed a strange relationship.

Even if he didn’t meet Alan at the orphanage that day, Ian had always believed that he would have met him somewhere and adopted him.

His son will also feel the same thing.

A long time ago, his young, ignorant daughter told Alan that he was not the biological child. The disobedient maid who told Monica that fact was severely punished and kept her mouth shut, but it was already spilled water.

Alan was locked in the room for days with a face as if the world had collapsed. At that time, Ian thought for the first time that the family ties might be severed.

But when Alan finally opened the door and came out, the eyes became determined.

A faint smile appeared on Ian’s tired face as he remembered that day. Even if he were to find more blood-related descendants, there would be no one that could resemble Ian as much as Alan now.

“When will you leave?”

“I think it’ll take less than a few days.”

After Alan was brought in, Ian got rid of his lost biological parents, in case whoever lost him appeared.  Like the excellent businessman he was, Ian was very thorough and meticulous when he did something.

There was no way for Alan to know the truth because there was no one left to know it.

Therefore, he had no concern that their father-child relationship would disappear. This father and son duo would continue to resemble each other forever, as he would  stand at the peak of power in the kingdom.

Alan whispered slowly to his father, who was smiling happily

“I’ll stop by often.”

He was, as always, his perfect son.

***

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Comments From Korean Readers:

Did he kill them? father isn’t normal either…..

He killed His biological parents.. I don’t know if Alan knows or not

What….? He killed them…?

Haha what is this house.. creepy.. he seems to be the real son.. Alan seems to already know everything