MGN | Chapter 26

“You’re going to help?”

“Why do you think I’m here?”

To catch a weakness, right? As those words lingered in my mouth, the man lifted his chin.

“Just make it so no one knows if they’re dead, killed, or disappeared. There are plenty of ways. Who would imagine a pregnant woman pushed her husband to death on their wedding day?”

The chilling words flowed without hesitation.

It hinted at the man’s past.

He was different from Felix, Philippe, or Charles. Yves wasn’t above the law like them. The man before me had been outside the law.

And Maël and his sister needed help from someone like that.

Realizing this, Maël could deeply feel the gravity of the situation. Yves scanned my tense expression and added a word.

“Anyway, until a body is found, it’s not even dead.”

“Please, stop using that word ‘body’!”

“Does the situation change if I don’t use it?”

Yves, speaking mockingly, looked at Manon. He offered a command-like suggestion to Manon, who was trembling under his coat.

“I’ll help if you want.”

Manon looked at Maël as if answering him.

Yves would surely be helpful. He was the executive director of the hotel where the incident occurred and knew the grand ducal family well.

‘But…’

This help was definitely not free.

It wasn’t out of goodwill either. Such a big favor couldn’t be free, nor should it be.

‘He’s probably after the casino shares.’

For Yves, Philippe’s death and the situation to help Manon were opportunities.

He hadn’t previously mentioned how he would buy them from Manon. But if she accepted his help today, she’d probably hand over her share of the casino to Yves at a bargain when he wanted.

That was entirely possible with the prenuptial agreement Manon mistakenly signed. According to it, the casino shares would go to Manon through asset division.

‘Now it’s impossible.’

Maël hadn’t yet told Yves this fact. He knew he should tell him immediately.

But… if Yves knew, would he still offer to help Manon?

Could Manon, without casino shares, receive Yves’s help?

Of course not. Maël was sure and thus couldn’t utter a word.

As the silence dragged on, his sister finally spoke up with a voice that seemed choked.

“Oppa said it was okay to tell Valois, and since he’s already heard… I told him everything.”

Manon, unable to properly look at Yves, clutched the now-cold coffee cup and bit her lip.

“Why are you helping me? You’re much closer to His Highness the Crown Prince or Philippe than to oppa. I just… don’t understand…”

Her voice crumbled more and more. Yves, as if hearing a trivial question, lowered his eyes and turned to Maël.

“That depends on how Maël Montmatier acts.”

“…”

“I might become part of your family.”

“…Family?”

“They say family helps each other.”

Yves’s gaze remained on Maël. Because of the word ‘family,’ Manon looked confused.

‘That guy is talking about the paternity claim lawsuit now.’

If that were properly concluded, Yves could be tied as family with Manon and the grand ducal family.

But there was no time to explain that slowly now. Manon looked back and forth between Maël and Yves, then muttered as if reaching a conclusion.

“I have no idea what that means.”

“Does it matter?”

Yves asked back.

“Don’t talk to my sister like that.”

Maël intervened. Yves left a strange, cold gaze and turned his head.

“Choose between being a widow or a murderer. Which would you prefer to be called?”

With those words, Yves stood up. He took out a pack of cigarettes, put one in his mouth, clicked his tongue at Manon, and headed to the balcony. The sound of the door opening and closing echoed. As if telling them to discuss.

Once he was out of sight, Manon hurriedly poured out her words.

“Who is that guy, oppa? Why are you with him at this hour? Are you meeting him? What does he mean by becoming family…?”

“It’s not important right now.”

The time it takes for a cigarette to burn. That’s how long they had to decide. Maël held his sister’s small hand.

“Do you want to report it? As an accident. There are many things that can be considered since it wasn’t planned or intentional. There are favorable circumstances for you, like your cheek…”

“No, I can’t!”

That was desperate and clear. Manon kept shaking her head.

“We even fought over the prenuptial agreement this morning! What if the driver or protocol officer mentions it? Oppa, who would forgive me? If they hear it was an accident and their eldest son died, do you think His Highness the Grand Duke would let it slide? You know he’s not that kind of person…”

“Manon, then what do you want?”

“Going to jail, since I pushed him, is fine. I’m not afraid of being punished. I can go there as many times as needed! But oppa, then… what about the baby?”

Her voice, dry when talking about jail, became instantly wet when talking about the baby. Her eyes crumbled, and tears welled up and flowed.

“The baby… would become a child whose mom killed their dad. The whole world would know, and then… then I’d be so sorry, I wouldn’t know what to do…”

Manon gasped for breath. Maël knew best what kind of family his sister wanted to escape from and what she dreamed of.

Everyone sneered at her as Cinderella, but what she wanted wasn’t different from Maël. A normal, complete family. A family with love, even if it seemed old-fashioned and outdated.

The kind of family they briefly had when their mother was alive, only to have it taken away, knowing how warm it was made the aftermath harder.

That kind of family.

“Manon, it’s okay. Don’t cry.”

After their stepmother died, their stepfather crumbled rapidly. He was the kind who became evil when weak, and he aimed that evil at the weak.

Maël was exposed to much more violence than his biological sister, Manon. In those days when his body was covered with bruises and wounds, eight-year-old Manon stood up for him.

She was the sister who stood in the way, telling their father not to hit her brother. She clung to his leg, got thrown and scarred her arm, and even while crying and trembling, she screamed she’d rather get hit together. That was all Manon.

Even after that, Manon lied for Maël countless times. That sister was now crumbling before Maël’s eyes.

Some things had to be chosen, knowing they weren’t right.

“We can solve it. Yves said he’d help. Just accept the help.”

There were times when the more rational choice couldn’t be the right answer.

It felt like being dragged into a gambling table I never wanted to join. As soon as the decision was made, the terrifying sound of the wind on the coastal cliff was heard. Yves, carrying the scent of the cold wind, came back inside.

Standing before the table where the two sat, he looked like a harbinger of death pulled from the sea.

His gray eyes turned to Maël. The last bit of pride on my tongue struggled. But Maël swallowed it and spoke.

“Please help.”

The short words were met with a long gaze. Yves’s lips curved into a faint smile.

“It won’t take long.”

He left those words and disappeared. The door closed, and Manon buried her face in her hands, sobbing. Maël wanted to cry too. But he couldn’t.

* * *

It wasn’t precisely confirmed. But it certainly didn’t take even an hour. The executive director of the Riviera Hotel, who opened the door at will, looked at Manon and informed her.

“Go back to the room where the cameras don’t reach well. Take some medicine, sleep, and when you wake up in the morning, act like your husband disappeared on the first night. When you called your brother at night, your husband came briefly, and you were going to ask for medicine, but your brother didn’t answer. Instead, your husband had some pills set aside, you took them, and fell asleep. When you woke up, your husband was gone, and you thought he went back to the party while you were getting ready. Order room service in the morning, call Philippe once or twice. He won’t answer, and that’s all you have to do.”

“That’s all?”

Manon asked incredulously. Yves nodded just once.

“What kind of situation have you set up?”

“It’s better if your sister doesn’t know.”

Maël interjected, but the answer was firm. As if saying she didn’t need to know anything other than playing the role of an innocent pregnant woman.

Manon didn’t ask further. After receiving a morning sickness pill from Maël, she stood up.

“I’m going.”

“Can you sleep?”

“I have to, right? Anyway, if I take this, it’ll be quick.”

Manon held her breath as if trying not to cry anymore. Then she bowed her head to Yves.

“Thank you. I won’t forget your help.”

Leaving the heavy coat that seemed like a burden, Manon left the room. Her thin frame and white dress made her look like a ghost.

The door closed quietly. In the place where Manon had been, Yves’s coat and an untouched coffee cup remained.

“Yves, what do you want?”

And now, it was just Yves and Maël in the room.