Heavy Rain Chapter 38

The report from his secretary flashes through his mind—the diagnosis of malnutrition was a chronic issue. He recalls his own complacent self, wondering if Haejin had been doing drugs when he fled from him.

It was not difficult to recall his own image, acting severely toward Haejin and telling him to manage his body, all while being ignorant of the fact that the problem lay within the mansion. He had been committing such stupid acts until the very most recent moment. Every time those thin joints came to mind, Lyle felt so pathetic he could hardly bear it.

The audacity of their deeds did not end there.

“As a result of focusing our search on the areas you mentioned, as expected, the accounts of several servants were suspicious. Deposits exceeding the wages paid by the mansion were frequently made, and their spending was excessive.”

Forcibly detaining this many people would naturally become an issue. However, at this moment, Lyle solidified his resolve to suppress everything with power. He simply could not endure it otherwise.

Why was he this angry?

Only after chewing over it thoroughly could he identify the true nature of this bizarre emotion. It was rage. Lyle felt something boiling inside him to the point where he could fill the entire mansion with his pheromones. He was barely suppressing it only because he could not yet pinpoint the exact reason.

“And it has been determined that the medicine in question is likely unrelated to Mr. Bright. In the first place, the testimony claiming to have witnessed Mr. Bright heading toward the Chairman’s room was a lie. To be precise, they said, ‘The Butler, covering his mouth with a handkerchief, forcibly pushed Haejin into the room.'”

In the process of obtaining this testimony, things that would be difficult to explain within the boundaries of the law happened frequently. However, Lyle had ordered them to use any means necessary, and the secretary had faithfully followed.

“The one who forced them to give such false testimony is said to be the Butler. I suspect that he might also be the one who spiked the food, but…”

Even the secretary could not keep his wits about him at this appalling series of events that had continued for five years. Beyond personal abuse and crime, these were nonsensical things that were unbelievable to have occurred under the name of Vermouth.

What on earth were they thinking when they did this?

Why had he known nothing until now?

“Additionally, the driver who committed the breach of contract has been confirmed to be a relative of the Butler. Problems have also been discovered on the side of the security firm related to the hiring, and measures are being taken. It seems we will need to pull some personnel from the headquarters.”

“Do so.”

There was not a single place, inside or outside the mansion, without problems. Since he had thought it would be fine as long as there was a suitable pretext, perhaps this was a natural result.

After his parents died and were laid out like that, Lyle had used this place strictly as a place to sleep. When work was too busy, he often stayed at his penthouse. Since he was on business trips for half of the year, the mansion was even more of a simple bedroom—nothing more, nothing less.

That was Lyle’s own way of desecrating his parents. It meant leaving the name Vermouth, which they were so proud of, as a mere hollow shell.

It was also a warning to the relatives who were constantly watching for a chance to keep Lyle in check. A warning that although it was a symbolic place he treated with such neglect, they would never set foot here as long as they lived.

But, he shouldn’t have done that.

With a sudden surge of passion, Lyle quickened his pace. He walked, not even knowing what on earth he should say when he saw Haejin.

Just then, the secretary, who had been continuing the report, suddenly blocked his path.

“Circumstances suggesting a plot to silence Mr. Bright have been found on the confiscated phones of the Butler and the driver. He may have actually been threatened.”

“……”

At those words, Lyle abruptly stopped walking. The secretary seemed worried that this might be why Haejin had remained quiet all this time.

But Lyle knew that wasn’t it. If that were the case, he would have tried to hide it even more. Furthermore, Haejin no longer had any points that could serve as a weakness. Before, one could easily have imagined that he might have been threatened through his family. But now that Haejin was alone and had nothing left to lose, might he not have wanted to express the sorrow he had endured?

That was why it was even more incomprehensible. Why had Haejin just endured everything even after returning to the mansion?

“Mr. Chairman, there has been no news of him waking up yet. Now is not a good time…”

“Be quiet.”

The rage he had finally recognized surged through the air like pheromones scattered at will. He clearly knew that now was not the situation to interrogate Haejin like this.

Nevertheless, Lyle was driven to madness by the memory of the boy’s back as he retreated before the driver without saying a word.

He simply could not breathe without seeing Haejin this very instant.

Completely brushing aside the secretary who blocked him, Lyle finally headed to where he was. He was currently using a guest room on the first floor temporarily. Passing through the drawing room connected to the room without hesitation, he knocked on the bedroom door where the fellow should be. There was no answer from inside, but he burst in recklessly.

However, the room he entered was empty. He should clearly have been lying here.

The bed placed in the middle of the room was empty, with the blankets in disarray. The massive room originally did not have much furniture, giving it a desolate feeling, and strangely, that empty space flew into his chest and lodged itself there.

His thumping heart impelled Lyle as if it were familiar. Every single sound of the heavy rain lashed out at him as if it were a clap of thunder.

Haejin had disappeared.

“……Jin.”

Lyle, who had frozen in place unintentionally, called Haejin’s name as if possessed. But there was still no sign of the person who should be in the room.

“Doctor!”

Lyle, who quickly dashed back out, sought the doctor in an angry voice. The doctor, who had been resting in the next room, ran out with a startled face.

“Where is Jin?”

“Pardon? He should still be sleeping…”

“What?”

Lyle, who had assumed they might have moved Haejin to another room without him knowing, froze solid when the doctor looked toward the exact room he had just come out of.

“……When was the last time you checked?”

“About an hour ago.”

“What is the matter, Mr. Chairman?”

The secretary, who had been waiting in front of him with concern, asked. Lyle whipped his head around and interrogated him about this incomprehensible situation.

“Jin isn’t inside. I’m certain I ordered security.”

“Ah, we needed to supplement personnel urgently, so the post was briefly…”

In fact, it was a measure taken because every individual who could harm Haejin was detained in the party hall. However, seeing the glint in Lyle’s eyes, a warning light turned on in the secretary’s head. It seemed the priority had not been here.

“I am sorry. I will ensure such a thing never happens again.”

He immediately bowed his head. In his mind, he adjusted the status of Haejin, which had already been handled importantly recently, even higher.

“I will contact the entrance immediately.”

As he listened to the secretary, Lyle finally felt the reality of Haejin’s absence.

The world, which had been spinning for a while, began to reel uncontrollably. His body was still standing firmly on the ground, but his vision was surprisingly dizzy.

It was a day when the sound of lashing rain invaded even the interior of the mansion. Nevertheless, Lyle felt he could not bear the sound of his own heart, which was louder than the heavy rain.

“……Find him.”

His voice, which had turned roughly low, echoed through the mansion anxiously.

𓂃ﾟ ⋆ ﾟ ☂︎ 🍂༄˖°

They checked the entrance of the mansion immediately, but they said no one had passed through the main gate.

Lyle, who could not just stand there stupidly waiting for news, returned to the place where Haejin should have been lying. It was because he barely remembered that this room also had a small private bathroom attached.

Perhaps he had woken up and gone to the bathroom, and it was a stupid thing not to have checked there first. It was as if his head had gone empty the moment he saw the bed was vacant.

His legs grew faster with some unknown hope. However, as soon as he entered the room, Lyle had to wipe his face anxiously. This was because the wide-open bathroom was clearly empty at a glance.