
"Joanna, are you sick?" rose asked, a little anxious when she saw Joanna's pale face. The woman examined Joanna, also wiping the cold sweat coming out from her forehead.
Joanna is currently with Rose. Bringing Oskar and Ebra to visit and spend the night at Grandma Anne's house according to her promise. Right now, the two children should be listening to a fairy tale before going to bed from Jordan.
"Tante, I'm just a little tired. I'll be fine after I rest" replied Joanna giving an excuse, commenting on a slight smile so that Rose did not worry excessively.
Actually, Joanna was tired, very tired of thinking about what she should do next. Louise, how Joanna explains it. What Louise did to him at that time could be called body relations. It shouldn't be, but even if it's embarrassing and Louise and herself have made a mistake, they shouldn't be.
Now Joanna is constantly thinking about how good it is. Should you accept Louise's offer of marriage? Louise, however, had dived into the deepest part of hers. But Joanna was hesitant. They were not that close, having never even told anything about their respective lives in detail.
Louise may not be a problem, but not her. Is this very ordinary herself worthy of the extraordinary Louise. Will people not say they are self-informed and materialistic?
Joanna, she's just a mother of a five-year-old who doesn't even know who the man that Oskar should call father is.
With such a reality, Louise could accept it. In fact, Joanna doesn't matter even though Louise changes her mind and eventually drifts away. He just needs to live out his days like before and assume nothing happened between him and Louise that afternoon. Then, forget about it like water evaporating in the air.
But, there was one thing that made Joanna very frightened. What if Louise is angry, and what if Louise ends up doing something to Oskar. Joanna hesitated, her heart was worried. Especially when considering how many bodyguards Louise has. It's just the visible, what about the invisible. With that much power, wasn't destroying it as easy as winking an eye. Joanna's heart continues to beat faster and faster when she thinks of the worst possible among the worst. The days continued like this until it had no appetite to eat. Joanna wasn't thinking about herself, she didn't care at all. All he thought about was the child's safety. His little Oskar, his heart lamp.
"Then lie down and don't move much. Aunty will take vitamins for you" Rose said, then left Joanna in the room.
Rose only left Joanna for about ten minutes. But when she returns, Rose finds Joanna asleep. His breathing was very regular, his eyes were tightly closed. Looks like he's too tired. Rose stroked her hair softly, then smiled as she recalled the day Joanna and Louise joined hands, "may you get married soon. Then, give us another cute grandson besides Oskar. She was already five years old, it was time to give her a sister, "inner Rose then kissed Joanna softly.
"If Louise hadn't prevented me from interfering, I would have called you daughter-in-law by now. Then he called Oskar my grandson. Unfortunately, Louise doesn't allow it and asks to pretend not to know that your relationship is close enough" Rose said.
Once again, Rose smiled then pulled the blanket over to cover Joanna. But his eyes caught something wrong in one of Joanna's parts. At once, Diaz's words again disturbed his mind. Because Diaz had said that Joanna was a little strange and more reserved lately, "If what I saw was true, this child must be feeling depressed right now. Perhaps this is what made him think so much that he fell ill," said Rose.
Rose could not help it, slowly and carefully beginning to reveal Joanna's pajamas. Make sure something peeked out of Joanna's pure white skin around her chest. Rose trembled as soon as she saw it, her eyes widened and then covered her mouth with both of her hands, "That punk, what he's done. Is this what he said by repenting?" furious Rose, not out of thought with Louise's behavior after seeing the relic's mark that still has not completely disappeared.
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"Louise, what did you do to Joanna?" ask Rose when she gets to her room. She could not calm down, that night she immediately contacted Louise even though she knew Louise was busy.
"Ma, what are you talking about. I'll call back later," replied Louise from where she is now. She had just returned to the hotel, planning to take a shower but seemed to have to be delayed due to a call from her mother.
"What you do is more important than Joanna. Tell me, have you slept with Joanna?" ask Rose straight to the point.
"Ma, it's not like that. I don't-"
"What's not, if you don't sleep with him how could there be such a terrible relic. Obviously it was only you who took him away. Since when did you turn into such a dracula, Louise?" ask Rose in wonder.
"M-ma, did you see her?" ask Louise. How could they be together. It's so embarrassing.
"Of course Mama saw it, the boy is sick now. Mama accidentally saw something strange, so mama checked it while she was sleeping" Rose replied.
"Ma, why did you check on Joanna so recklessly. That's not polite, you know?" louise protest. Actually, Louise was just so embarrassed that her mother saw her brutal act. Since when did the bed game become public consumption?
"Hummit! Not a mama who doesn't know manners, but you. Who taught you this, Louise?" snapped Rose. Just this once, Rose finally dared to be angry with her own son.
"Ma, how else, the name is also a business," replied Louise as he pleased.
Rose almost cried in the corner of the room when she heard the unexpected answer. Why does Louise always give him trouble?
"Your head is! That's not how Louise tries. Mama doesn't want to know, once you get back, you have to take responsibility for what you did, do you understand?" ask Rose. He did not want to argue any further and made his emotions even more elevated.
"Ma, Louise does want to marry him. So don't worry," replied Louise then ended her call and went to clean her body.
After 20 minutes, he came out. Checking her phone and again not getting any messages or calls back from Joanna, "what the hell is she doing. Why is his phone always off."
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It's been five days since Louise started expanding her business in a big way. Various collaborations and inaugurations have been passed together so far. With the existence of Arthur and William, their existence is like the right and left wing in the game of football. Equipped with the sharpness of intuition that Louise has, finally they can execute his business goals easily. So far, their cooperation is the best in this era. The profit they got also recorded a very fantastic result, as it exceeded 30% of the initial target.
Now, leave the last days before they return. But there was little problem about their plans to open a business in the noble city of the Northern City.
If they want to open a business there, they must at least get 60% more support from the entire noble family there. Currently Louise, William and Arthur are discussing this matter in their personal space.
"Didn't there not have been any problems like this before?" arthur asked, starting the conversation.
"Of course, no one had previously discussed support reaching 60%. Nobles in the northern city were notoriously a little difficult to accept foreigners for business affairs if not to earn a certain profit. It looks like it's going to be a little harder" William continued.
"Don't we just have to get 60% support. Will, as things stand right now, what's the best percentage we can get to get support from them?" ask Louise.
"Because time is very tight, and our people are still divided into other purposes. Even though we've put it all together we can only get 30% in these two days" William replied.
"That's too little, we should try to raise it by at least 50% support to take a chance" Arthur continued.
"It seems like crushing them is easier than trying to get their support" Louise responded cunningly.
While they were busy discussing, there came a messenger from one of the northern city nobles who brought a message to Louise.
"What message?" louise asked the messenger.
"If Young Master Louise doesn't mind, Sir Alex wants to host you at his private castle at 07:00 tonight" the envoy replied respectfully.
"Shall it be tonight?" ask Arthur.
"Sir Alex said there was not much time left, so he wanted to see Young Master Louise as soon as possible" the bodyguard replied again.
"All right, I get it. I accepted the invitation," replied Louise.
After delivering the message, the messenger left.
"What does the northern nobleman want?" ask William.
"Why should you accept the invitation. We don't know what's going to happen in the castle" Arthur said.
"No, I have to come to know what his purpose is," replied Louise confidently.
"We will accompany you" continued William.
"If you go with me, who will take care of the 30% support you promised?" ask Louise.
"Do we not just need to destroy and force him to agree to this cooperation if we do not get that support. I feel something bad, what if something happens to you?" continued William.
"William's right. Moreover, we have never had a relationship with them before. You better be careful," said Arthur.
"I know what I'm supposed to do. You don't have to come, just give me five bodyguards with the best shooting skills just in case."
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The sun has returned to its contest at the western end, today at exactly 07:00 p.m. Louise actually fulfilled her promise to meet Sir Alex, one of the nobles with considerable power despite not bearing the status of successor of the extended family.
After a series of banquets, Sir Alex took Louise into a room where no one could hear their conversation.
"Young Master of the Matthew family, I'm amazed by your achievements at this young age" praised Sir Alex.
"I'm amazed by you too, sir. Although it does not hold the status of the head of the family, but you have a considerable base of strength and followers" Louise praised.
"Louise Matthew's spouse was exactly as reported. A smart, brilliant man and nothing can be hidden from him" Sir Alex said.
"Can we get straight to the point?" ask Louise.
"As you know, with the power I have now I can help you gain at least 40% of the support of the noble families in the Northern City. Tell me, can you get the rest of the support you need to open your business in the North City?" sir Alex asked with a serious face.
"I can get 30% in two days" Louise replied no less seriously.
"Then I will help you get it" Sir Alex said without thinking for longer.
"Sir, we didn't know each other before, is there any other reason that makes you willing to help me?" ask Louise suspiciously.
"There's no reason whatsoever. Don't you want to spread the wings of your business to be the biggest in the world. Since you want it, then I'm willing to help you with what I can" Sir Alex explained.
"That's not strong enough to serve as an excuse to help me, sir!" insist Louise.
"Then think of it as a thank you to me because you have pleased my grandson" Sir Alex replied later.
"Who's the grandson?" inner Louise.
So far only Oskar and Ebra are close to Louise. Is there any other meaning given that Oskar and Ebra both have no father?
"What do you mean, Sir. Could I say it more clearly. You're not thinking of making one of us the father of one of them are you?" louise asked with a suspicious look.
"I'm not a parent who likes to tie children to matchmaking. A Louise Matthew is free, she can never be arranged or tied up with an arranged marriage. He is free to choose his own woman. Isn't that so, Young Master of the Matthew family?" answer Sir Alex.
Trying to calm down, but really wanting to pull Louise's ear because she suspected it, "Idiot, you brought my daughter as good as you can. Why do you still accuse me of setting her up with you?" grunts in the heart.
"Are you sure you didn't ask for any terms for your help this time?" ask Louise to make sure.
"I didn't ask for any terms, I did it purely as a thank you" replied Sir Alex.
"Then, I'll accept your offer this time. But, if something goes wrong or you do a trick to trick me, you know what the consequences are?" ask Louise.
"Don't worry, I know all the consequences of trying to deceive a Louise Matthew" replied Sir Alex.
"This bastard, even he dared to threaten his own future father-in-law like this. Hhh, I think I have wrongly approved of the future son-in-law, "inner Sir Alex, then sipped his cold coffee.
...***...