At the mention of Sergei, Calin's mood shifted sharply. Her eyes darted around the room. "Where is that useless idiot? I ended up like this because he didn't help me! I told him I was unwell and begged him to call a doctor, but instead he went crazy on me!"
Madam Ricci frowned, confused. "What do you mean? Your brother was the one who brought you here."
Calin paused, her teeth grinding. "So he still has a conscience," she hissed. "What did he tell you?"
Her mother sighed, patting her hand gently. "He said your father's plan backfired that Shin Keir drugged you instead, wanting to ruin—"
"Enough." Calin's glare was sharp enough to cut. "Don't you dare go around telling people that."
Madam Ricci blinked, startled. "Calin?"
"Think, Mom," Calin said coldly. "If that rumor spreads, what happens to my reputation? The establishment was under Hexion's name, without evidence, who would believe us? People will just say I tried to trap Brother Shin and failed. Don't embarrass me further by twisting the story."
Madam Ricci fell silent, staring at her daughter in disbelief as Calin sank back against the pillows, her face pale but her tone eerily calm.
Just then, Master Ricci entered the room, his face dark and sullen. When he saw Calin's pale, sickly state, his brows furrowed.
"Dad!" Calin cried out weakly, her voice trembling. "Those people betrayed me! Didn't you say they could be trusted? What should I do now? Brother Shin definitely hates me!"
"You idiot!" Master Ricci snapped. "Why did you immediately resort to using the medicine instead of meeting Shin Keir first? Don't you know how to seduce a man properly? Years in the entertainment industry and you still haven't learned anything! I said those people could assist you, not that you should rely solely on them!"
Calin stared at him, stunned. "How could you say that to me?" she whispered, her eyes widening in disbelief.
Master Ricci ignored her outburst, rubbing his temple impatiently. "What exactly happened?" he demanded.
Calin hesitated, recalling fragments of that night, the humiliation, the panic, but she left out the part where she'd been forced to kneel before Shin Keir in nothing but a skimpy nightgown.
"If you're certain he drank that wine," Master Ricci pressed, "then why is he fine?"
Calin bit her lip. Truthfully, she hadn't actually seen him drink it, she could only assume he had some kind of antidote ready, especially since the establishment was managed by Hexion.
Master Ricci exhaled sharply, waving his hand in irritation. "Forget it. At least he didn't involve the police or the media. That's the only good thing in this case."
He began pacing back and forth, worry deepening the lines on his forehead. The fact that Shin Keir acted swiftly and quietly makes him even more uneasy.
"That bastard will definitely have his guard up now, not just toward you, but toward our entire family."
"Brother didn't help me at all!" Calin suddenly shouted, her voice cracking as tears welled in her eyes. "That idiot didn't do anything for me!"
Before Master Ricci could reply, a knock sounded on the door.
A nurse entered, pushing a wheelchair and seated on it was Hadi, followed by Elder Madam Keir herself.
"Calin," the old matriarch called out as soon as she saw her, her tone heavy with concern. "I heard from your mother that you were hospitalized. What happened, child?"
Calin froze, then glanced quickly at her mother.
Madam Ricci smiled awkwardly and replied before Calin could open her mouth. "Oh, I only said you collapsed and that Sergei rushed you here."
In truth, Madam Ricci had intended to use this "incident" to regain the old matriarch's sympathy and smooth over the tension between them.
After all, she had been the one who previously tried to spread a scandal involving Shin Keir, something Elder Madam Keir took as a provocation, given how much she valued the family's reputation.
Meanwhile, Hadi, who had slightly recovered from his paranoia, wheeled closer and took Calin's hand gently. "Don't be afraid, Calin. I won't let you suffer or be wronged again. Tell me, what really happened?"
Calin flinched inwardly, suppressing her disgust as she faked a small cough and withdrew her hand.
"As you can see," Master Ricci said smoothly, stepping in before his daughter could speak, "my daughter couldn't take the news of Shin Keir's engagement very well. Her health and mental state have been unstable lately."
Shameless as ever, his tone was heavy with practiced grief.
But inwardly, the Riccis exchanged a single unspoken relief, if Elder Madam Keir was here, that could only mean one thing: Shin hadn't told anyone about the drugging incident.
"That lunatic is engaged? With whom?" Hadi suddenly blurted out, his voice thick with disbelief.
"Hadi, mind your words," Elder Madam Keir reprimanded sternly.
But Hadi didn't care. If anything, relief flickered across his face. "Well, at least it isn't Calin," he muttered, letting out a small, humorless laugh before giving Calin a strangely affectionate look. "You dodged a bullet. Trust me, I know him better than anyone."
Calin averted her eyes, lips pressing into a thin line. In her heart, she wanted to retort: 'Brother Shin is still better than you in every way.'
Elder Madam Keir ignored Hadi's remark about Shin's fiancée. Truthfully, she had already forgotten the girl's name. To her, anything unworthy of the Keir lineage was easily forgettable.
Madam Ricci seized the silence and clasped the old matriarch's hands, her tone dripping with false remorse. "Elder Madam Keir, it's been far too long. I've been meaning to apologize for my behavior before. I truly went too far… I never meant to cause damage to the Keir family's reputation."
The old matriarch sighed, gently patting Madam Ricci's arm in a polite gesture. "It's all in the past," she said softly, though her eyes betrayed no warmth.
Forgiveness, in their circle, was often just another word for strategic tolerance.
But Madam Ricci wasn't done. "How could I live with myself, knowing I'm the one who broke my daughter's heart?" she continued dramatically, dabbing at her dry eyes. "If I must personally apologize to Shin, I'll do it...as long as he'll consider giving Calin another chance."
Elder Madam Keir's expression stiffened. She glanced nervously at Calin, who looked pale. She had thought this issue was long settled, that Calin had already accepted reality.
"I was the most frustrated when the clan elders decided on that engagement," the old matriarch said heavily. "You have no idea how much I wanted Calin as my granddaughter-in-law. I even asked if she'd consider Tristan instead, but she refused… Well, matters of the heart are always complicated."
At that, only Master Ricci's eyes lit up.
Tristan Felan.
Why had no one told him about this?
Forcing a marriage alliance with Shin Keir was nearly impossible now after what happened. But Tristan? Tristan was still within reach. Yes, he had a reputation as a womanizer, playboy, but his standing within KGG was second only to Shin Keir and despite the foreign surname, he was still a Keir by blood.
"Grandma, what do you mean by that?" Hadi burst out indignantly. "Do you even know what kind of man Tristan is? You want to ruin Calin?"
He was already seething inside, jealousy clawing at him. Shin may have been a fool for letting Calin go, but if she ended up with someone like Tristan, it would be unbearable.
She'd be better off with him. Once he get rid of that useless wife, he'll take Calin as his wife.
Master Ricci, on the other hand, wasn't bothered by Hadi's tantrum. He put on his best practiced smile and turned to Elder Madam Keir.
"Elder Madam," he said smoothly, "if it's convenient, may we speak privately? I'd like to discuss a matter of business between our families."
Elder Madam Keir regarded him thoughtfully, aware that "business" in the Ricci family's mouth rarely meant anything straightforward.
Still, with a polite nod, she gestured for him to follow her out of the hospital room.
---
That night, Shin showed up at Yeri's penthouse, much to her surprise.
To make sure she didn't feel uneasy, he'd arranged for her longtime nanny to move in and care for her instead of sending one of his own staff.
From a distance, he could hear Yeri chatting with her nanny.
"It's always hard to keep up with school whenever I'm hospitalized," she sighed, poking at her rice.
"Then do you need a tutor?" Shin's voice cut through the air.
Yeri nearly choked. She turned and saw him leaning casually by the dining entrance, hands in his pockets.
The nanny blinked, startled. She had only just heard that day about the engagement, an announcement that left her both shocked and elated. Having looked after Yeri since she was a child, she'd long seen her as her own daughter.
"I'll… go clean Carpet," the nanny murmured politely before excusing herself.
Carpet, tail wagging wildly at the sight of Shin, was reluctantly dragged out of the dining.
"What are you doing here?" Yeri asked once they were alone.
"I can't be here?" Shin countered, glancing at the table full of dishes.
Yeri blinked, momentarily forgetting that the penthouse technically belonged to him. "I mean you could've at least told me first. Anyway, do you need something?"
"Why do I always need a reason to see you?" Shin met her gaze calmly. "Can't I come just because I want to see you?"
Yeri rolled her eyes. Every time she asked him something, he'd twist it back with another question. But this time… he seemed to be in a particularly good mood.
She was just about to ask when his phone rang. Shin looked at the caller ID, and a small, knowing smile tugged at his lips.
"Zahn Neri," he said aloud before answering.
The voice on the other end was cold and weary. "Did Lianna come to find you? What did you talk about with her?"
Shin chuckled, leaning back in his chair. "You're quite well-informed today. Finally decided to put your money to work?"
"Just tell me what she wanted from you," Zahn snapped, sounding visibly agitated.
Yeri, who was sitting nearby, could hear everything. Shin didn't even bother stepping out of the room to take the call.
Sister Lianna actually went to see Shin Keir?!
"I think you already know," Shin said, voice smooth as glass. "She asked for my help to divorce you."
"Shin Keir!" Zahn's voice exploded through the phone, half fury, half panic.