Heavy Rain Chapter 41

“Explain the situation to Jin now. Make sure his condition doesn’t worsen, and consider hiring more personnel if necessary. ……Keep the security tight as well.”

“Yes, I understand.”

He had never felt his steps heading forward again to be so heavy. It was as if he were soaked with rain, carrying Haejin’s share as well.

The anger that had found its place earlier pierced through his chest and then suddenly left a single seed behind. The rain that had flowed in while he was searching for Haejin began to nurse the seed firmly embedded inside.

As if it intended to sprout without fail in the near future.

𓂃ﾟ ⋆ ﾟ ☂︎ 🍂༄˖°

“The first few who confessed the truth said they would testify in court about the abuse against Mr. Bright. They are pleading for leniency, claiming they never directly participated.”

Claiming they never participated—it was all nonsense. While it was Lyle who had detained everyone out of suspicion, the more he investigated, the more he realized why not a single rumor had reached his ears until now.

In the early days of Haejin’s arrival here, traces would occasionally leak out on the servants’ personal SNS and such. Embezzled clothing or food ingredients, and sometimes even allocated supplies and funds.

However, as time went on, those traces disappeared to a surprising degree. It wasn’t that the treatment of Haejin had improved. It was that they had accurately recognized that such actions were wrong and began to watch their mouths.

Their thievery, which was clumsy enough to be caught on CCTV at first, became more sophisticated day by day. They even bribed members of the security team guarding the mansion to load stolen goods into the vehicles of outside contractors coming and going from the estate.

The reputation of the Vermouth family was far too high for it to be called a budget allocated for just one guest. This was because the amount used in a single quarter was equivalent to the combined annual salaries of ten servants.

It wasn’t because they had cherished the Omega coming to this mansion all this time. It was merely the result of following the advice of the legal team, who were concerned that it might become an issue in future contracts. After all, it wasn’t exactly a desirable contract.

Keeping one’s mouth shut inevitably requires a price. Lyle intended to find that evidence even if it meant tracking every single one of their accounts. Therefore, those who did not actively participate were ultimately active bystanders.

Including Lyle himself.

“There is no leniency. That measly testimony isn’t important, so cut out all that half-baked nonsense.”

“Understood.”

And from the beginning, he had no intention of sending Haejin to the forefront of a legal battle. Becoming a party to a lawsuit draws people’s attention, whether one likes it or not. He would meet Haejin and ask for his intent, but he doubted whether he would willingly agree to such a thing.

So, for now, he was proceeding with the matter while hiding the boy’s existence as much as possible. Their crimes were more than enough anyway.

“I have assigned the case to the law firm Dream K. They are confident that a significant number of people will face legal responsibility even if we only charge them with embezzlement within the mansion.”

The law firm the secretary mentioned was the largest major legal firm in this city. While the Vermouth family had its own professional legal team, there were many lawsuits to handle, so the matters regarding the individual servants were left to them. It went without saying that everyone involved was immediately terminated.

“I will convey that we want to see results quickly.”

It was a seamless measure, but for some reason, Lyle was not satisfied. Throughout the report, Haejin’s pale complexion kept coming to mind. That hollow gaze radiated a presence from a corner as if reproaching him.

The cold anger now deeply embedded in his chest was screaming for him to care a bit more about the boy’s pain.

“No. Tell them not to proceed quickly.”

“Pardon?”

“File the lawsuit and drag out the time as much as possible. So that they can suffer from legal issues for at least five years.”

He had heard news that those who had only been starving for two days had caused a riot toward the new security team, demanding that they should at least be given food. This was why his blood-red vision had yet to regain its original color.

“And, contact other major law firms.”

“Is there another matter you wish to proceed with?”

“No. Tell them that Vermouth is watching these lawsuits closely. They are smart, so they will understand.”

In effect, it meant he would block the way for the servants to individually obtain lawyers. Standing on the opposite side of Vermouth in this city meant exactly that.

“And, since it shouldn’t end too early, pull some strings under the surface. Make it so that a decent lawyer is attached and then pulled out several times.”

“……Understood.”

The secretary, finally realizing that the condition of “at least five years” was not just empty words, carefully wrote down the memo. The things that had to be kept secret were increasing, but it couldn’t be helped. Because what Lyle wanted went beyond simple punishment; it was the pain itself gained while undergoing a legal battle.

Just as Haejin had suffered in this mansion for a long time.

“However, we cannot keep them locked up like this indefinitely.”

“I know.”

At the secretary’s worried words, Lyle roughly swept back his hair. In his heart, he wanted to leave them all to starve and collapse in the party hall just like this.

However, too much attention was already focused on them. His mansion was certainly on the outskirts of the city, but it couldn’t escape the eyes of the people. Furthermore, with the servants and even the security team being completely replaced, it was impossible not to arouse suspicion.

“First, bring the former butler.”

While the secretary went outside for a moment to deliver the command, Lyle leaned deep into his chair and fell into thought.

The question ‘Why?’ had been tormenting him all along. First toward Haejin, then toward the people of the mansion.

Naturally, those who work for his family receive high salaries. No matter how much higher the amount allocated to Haejin was, the fact that they were high-income earners did not change.

So what was the reason they committed criminal acts while risking such danger?

Reviewing all the recorded CCTV, Lyle could vaguely figure out how Haejin had fallen into such a swamp. At first, he must have been just an easy guest. A guest who never raised his voice even if they made a mistake, and who couldn’t protest even if clear injustice befell him.

And above all, a person whose master neglected him with indifference.

While Haejin’s mouth remained closed out of desperation, human malice grew bit by bit. Eventually, it grew into a greed large enough to swallow the entire mansion. Were they that jealous that the high salaries they received were less than the money going to just one easy Omega?

That was absolutely not Haejin’s fault. It was a problem with those who easily abandoned their humanity when the opportunity arose. It was the fault of those who dared to covet what was not theirs.

“I have brought him.”

The butler, who had become quite haggard in just two days, was dragged into the study by the rough hands of a guard. Looking at that greasy hair, Lyle narrowed his eyes. Seeing those eyes rolling around to gauge the situation made him feel nauseous.

“Ma, Master.”

“What on earth were you thinking to do such a thing?”

Unlike the cold anger, an infinitely calm voice flowed out. Seeing that, the former butler’s face quickly brightened, misinterpreting it as something else.

“This was all for the sake of the Master and this mansion.”

The bastard didn’t bother saying anything like it was a misunderstanding. He probably realized it the moment the driver, who had been detained in the party hall with him and then called out, returned with bruises all over his body. That many things had been discovered.

In fact, with just a few kicks, the driver had spilled every little detail he knew. For instance, the fact that the butler’s filthy hobby included forcing the Omega to take such drugs.

According to the testimony of another servant, it was said that the bastard had dragged Haejin with those filthy hands. Haejin, who must have been inadvertently emitting a massive amount of pheromones because his heat cycle had come.

Just thinking of that scene, Lyle strangely felt as if needles were rising backward in his veins.

“For such a recessive thing to stay in the mansion is, after all…”

“Why is that for you to judge?”