The Art of Reforming Villainous Men - Chapter 13
Chapter 13
Translator: Yonnee
—
The countless love letters showered upon Jack weren’t solely due to his extraordinary investment acumen. It was also thanks to the allure he possessed as a man.
His tall stature, the well-tailored suits he always wore, and the glimpse of his solid physique beneath them.
His sharply defined features and the innate air of arrogance and dominance effortlessly drew attention.
Jack was, without a doubt, an unrefined and rough-edged man.
And yet, that very fact was what made him even more enticing to most people.
Ah, but of course.
‘Honestly, I don’t really see it…’
There were always exceptions.
To be frank, Adeline’s taste was far removed from Jack.
But it seemed Diego had thought otherwise, as he had entrusted the Zeller family’s assets to Jack.
Because of that, Jack had often come and gone from the Zeller ducal residence, sharing a shallow yet undeniable acquaintance with Adeline.
‘Even so.’
That faint connection alone wasn’t enough to fully explain the situation at hand.
Adeline waited until Jack came close enough before turning on her heel and heading elsewhere.
An evening ball would have been an excellent place for a secret encounter, but unfortunately, this was a garden in broad daylight.
If it was a conversation that couldn’t be held in the presence of so many onlookers, she needed to change locations.
Luckily, Adeline knew just the place.
‘There was a tearoom in the annex.’
The charity banquet was being held in the main estate.
Naturally, the annex—situated on the opposite side—was bound to be deserted.
A glass-walled tearoom, doubling as a greenhouse and decorated with an array of plants, was just discreet enough for a private discussion.
As Adeline stepped inside, pushing open the tearoom’s glass door, Jack followed suit, closing it behind him.
Clack.
The sound of the door shutting firmly echoed.
At that moment, Adeline, who had kept her back turned to Jack, gracefully spun around.
“I finally get to see your face properly, Mister Hatzfeld. I take it you’re free now?”
“Thanks to you.”
Jack’s curt reply was practically bitten off, his long strides swiftly closing the distance between them.
Now that he was up close, his face looked even fiercer and more unrestrained than it had in the garden.
His voice, rough and gravelly, scraped against the air.
“So. Just what in the world was that, Adeline Zeller?”
“I was helping you. Thanks to me, you’ve secured the old madam’s cooperation, haven’t you?”
Adeline replied with a composed smile.
“I guarantee that without her support, you would’ve spent several times more.”
“But because of you, I lost money I didn’t need to spend.”
Now that Victoria knew a train station would be built in the Monahan Viscounty, she would undoubtedly do everything in her power to secure a bigger cut.
“You leaked my information and caused me losses—yet you call this ‘helping’?”
“That’s right. It wouldn’t do you any good to make an enemy of the old madam, would it?”
Surviving in high society meant that at the very least, it was never wise to turn a powerful figure into an adversary.
This was something Adeline had learned through experience—both as the strong and the weak.
Jack, too, didn’t seem able to refute her words.
Still, his sharp, furrowed brows remained unwavering.
“At this point, I’m actually curious, Adeline. Even if I acknowledge that what you did was beneficial, did you honestly think I would simply accept this situation?”
Beyond displeasure, he was utterly dumbfounded.
So this was why she had sent that letter asking to meet?
‘For fuck’s sake.’
Grinding out a silent curse, Jack raked a hand through his hair.
“I’ll put aside the question of how you got that information. But you wouldn’t have done this without wanting something in return. Am I wrong?”
“No, you’re absolutely right.”
“Then say it.”
Jack stepped forward, lowering his head to match her gaze.
At the suddenly narrowed gap, his lowered voice seeped out, a quiet yet unmistakable threat.
“What is it that you want.”
“It’s nothing much.”
Adeline’s voice was composed, as if she were merely asking a guest if they wanted tea.
“Jack Hatzfeld, what do you say about becoming my lover?”
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