Chapter 474
The people began closing in around Felicia, desperate, anxious, half-strangers acting like lifelong friends.
“Felicia, we’re all your friends, right?” one woman pleaded. “Can you ask this handsome man to help us too? The credit union wants to take our organs-this is insane! It’s illegal p>
Some were real acquaintances. Most were just passersby pretending to know her. Others were just hoping proximity could save them.
Felicia lifted her chin, smug and untouchable.
“Oh, that’s not up to me. Count Gustav is here to help me. He doesn’t know any of you. Why would he help total strangers p>
The crowd shifted toward Gustav like water finding a new path.
“Mr. Klein, please! Be merciful, help us p>
“Yes, we’re Felicia’s closest friends p>
“We always treated her like a sister p>
Gustav found them irritating-people who borrowed money and then cried when the bill came due. But Felicia’s glowing pride amused him, so he offered a smooth smile.
“Well,” he said, slow and casual, “if you’re Felicia’s friends, then helping you isn’t impossible. But only if Felicia agrees p>
Heads snapped back toward Felicia. Dozens of faces stared at her, begging for a scrap of hope.
Felicia smirked, savoring the moment.
“I’ll help you—but only if you promise to pay me ten thousand each p>
“What? Why?” someone protested. “We’re here to shut down the credit union! If it closes, they can’t come after us anymore, right p>
Felicia laughed in their faces.
“You think a big credit union like this can be shut down by a street protest? The most that will happen is they’ll erase my loan-not yours. You’ll still owe every cent. If you pay me ten thousand dollars each, I’ll ask Count Gustav to help all of you. Acceptable p>
The reaction was instant. Most people owed hundreds of thousands at least. Ten thousand felt like a bargain next to losing an organ.
“No problem—I’ll give you ten thousand, just remember my name p>
“Yes, yes, we’ll pay-just help us p>
Felicia’s heart shot straight into the sky.
Nearly a hundred people were crowding the credit union entrance. If each one paid her ten thousand… that was a million.
A million dollars.
She felt dizzy with joy. She had never imagined a protest could turn into the most profitable day of her life.
Just as Felicia was bursting with excitement, Gustav raised his voice for everyone to hear.
“Everyone, calm down. I’ll go in and speak to them now. Wait here for my good news p>
The crowd perked up, and Felicia practically glowed. With Gustav at her side, she felt invincible-untouchable. She blurted out, breathless and thrilled,
“Gustav, I’m coming with you p>
Alex stepped in quickly. “Felicia, you should stay out of this. If Gustav can’t fix it, you might get dragged into trouble p>
“Bah!” Felicia snapped, rage burning in her eyes. “How dare you question Count Gustav’s ability, you useless loser? He can hit anyone he wants and no one dares hit back. What on earth do I have to fear p>
The crowd stiffened. They were hoping Gustav would clear their loans.
Alex’s warning didn’t sit well with people hanging onto desperate hope. Their glares turned sharp, irritated, unfriendly.
Alex felt the weight of their hostility but stayed calm.
“I just don’t want Sofina upset,” he said flatly. “If something happens to her mother, she’ll be devastated. It’s better if you wait here. Count your money. Be a bystander p>
Felicia recoiled as if his voice itself was filth. “Shut your disgusting mouth! This is not your place to speak p>
Gustav’s arrogance dripped off him like cheap cologne. He stepped forward with a
sneer.
“You’re jealous because you’re good at nothing. Do you think I’m like you-a pathetic loser who stands here and whines p>
Alex saw Felicia wasn’t going to listen. He let out a slow breath and shrugged.
“Fine. I’ll tell Sofina I did everything I could to stop you p>
Felicia didn’t understand he was genuinely trying to protect her. She shot him a murderous glare, then turned to Gustav with syrupy devotion.
“Gustav, don’t mind anything that loser says. I trust you completely p>
Gustav flashed a smug, triumphant grin.
“Don’t worry, Felicia. I don’t lower myself to a wimp’s level p>
Then he straightened his jacket, squared his shoulders, and nodded toward the credit union entrance.
“Felicia, let’s go p>
“Alright p>
Gustav pushed through the crowd with Felicia clinging to him like a trophy, and marched straight toward the entrance of the Königsberg Credit Union.
The moment he reached the doorway, he planted himself there like he owned the building and barked at the employees inside.
“Listen up! Go tell your boss to clear their loans right now! If he doesn’t, I’ll come back with my legal team and my security detail, and we’ll tear this door off its hinges. I’ll have you and your boss dragged out in handcuffs p>
Felicia jumped in, her voice sharp and shrill.
“You heard him, you clueless idiots! I’ve got someone powerful backing us now! If you refuse to clear our loans, Mr. Klein will throw every single one of you in
prison p>
The employee at the front a young man clearly not paid enough for this-went pale. He raised his hands nervously.
“I—I’m sorry, sir. I’m only customer service. I’m not authorized to clear any loans.” Gustav’s expression iced over.
“Then call your boss,” he snapped. “Tell him Count Gustav Klein of the Klein family in Winchester is here, and he’d better deal with me personally. Don’t say I didn’t warn him p>
His arrogance filled the entrance like smoke. The Klein family wasn’t the most powerful in Winchester, but a count was still high-ranking nobility.
Meanwhile, Königsberg Credit Union was owned by a viscount—a mediocre title attached to a company with a reputation as a well-dressed fraud.
The employee, rattled and sweating, didn’t dare ignore Gustav’s demand. He made the call immediately.
Moments later, a small elderly man hurried out, adjusting his suit as he approached.
“I am Viscount Friedrich Albrecht,” he said with professional courtesy. “How may I assist you, Count Klein p>
Gustav didn’t bother with pleasantries.
“So you’re Friedrich. Good. I command you to clear these people’s loans p>
Friedrich nodded calmly.
“Of course I can clear their loans-once they repay the money p>
“You bastard!” Felicia exploded. “You were going to take my daughter if we didn’t pay! Do you think that’s legal p>
Gustav’s temper snapped.
“You bastard!” he roared as he struck Friedrich across the face. “I’m your count— when I say clear the loans, you clear them p>
Friedrich, a mere viscount with far less authority than Gustav, staggered but kept his composure. He straightened his suit, eyes cold.
“Count Gustav,” he said, voice firm and official, “are you personally responsible for these people’s loans p>
“No,” Gustav answered without hesitation.
Friedrich nodded once then turned and slapped Felicia so hard she hit the ground.
“You worthless fool!” he barked. “You borrow money, you pay it back. You signed
the papers. You saw every line of the fine print. And you agreed when you spent the damn money p>
Felicia stared up at him, eyes wide with disbelief. “H-How dare you slap me p>
“Slap you?” Friedrich sneered and swung again, striking her a second time. “You’re nothing but the daughter of a Baroness Don’t you ever come to me making demands: Bring me my money and shut your mouth p>
In Prussia, the hierarchy of nobility was absolute. Higher ranks could do whatever
they pleased. Lower ranks suffered in silence.
But Gustav wasn’t silent.
He lunged forward and punched the viscount straight in the jaw.
“What the hell do you think you’re doing to her p>
Friedrich wiped the blood from his lip and spoke with icy authority.
“Sir, unless you take responsibility for her debt, you have no right to interfere She owes me money. We have a legal contract if you’re not assuming her liability, then don’t put your nose where it doesn’t belong p>
Count Gustav trembled with rage-being talked down to by a viscount felt like an insult he couldn’t swallow. He struck Friedrich again, fury exploding through him.
“I told you to stop! Clear the loan p>
Friedrich raised his hand again and struck Felicia hard across the face.
“I already told you only payment clears your debt. So bring me the damn money,
or your loan will never be wiped. And when the time comes, I’ll take your daughter exactly as the contract states p>
Felicia trembled on the ground, eyes burning with fear and rage.
Count Gustav felt his pride collapse. He had brought Felicia here to show he could solve everything, to prove his strength.
But this viscount refused to bow, refused to back down. Every second made Gustav look weaker.
“Fine!” Gustav shouted, voice shaking. “I’ll be the guarantor. I’ll take her loan— and everyone else’s loan too. Just stop hitting her. And clear them now!” Viscount Friedrich nodded calmly, as if he had expected this.
“Very well. You must legally sign the contract stating you assume full responsibility
for her loans—and the others. Once that’s done, I can consider clearing them p>
From his bracelet, Friedrich projected a glowing three-dimensional document into
the air-legal terms spinning like cold machinery.
Gustav hesitated. Sweat gathered at his brow.
Felicia scrambled to support him, desperate and manipulative.
“Sir Gustav, this kind of loan is inhuman. Once you take over the debt your noble rank gives you the authority to declare it illegal. You can close the case. The owner is only a viscount. They can’t fight you p>
Gustav clenched his jaw. “Fine p>
With an angry flourish, he signed the contract-accepting Felicia’s loan and the
loans of several others.
“Now,” Gustav demanded, “clear them p>
Friedrich’s mouth stretched into a thin, cruel smile. “You’ve signed it, so it’s legal.
But I’m sorry to inform you p>
He stepped aside, and his voice dropped into mocking politeness.
“I’m no longer the owner. I sold the entire Königsberg Credit Union. To Count
Oskar Winterhagen. A few minutes ago. I only worked for him”
A tall figure stepped forward-Count Oskar himself. Before Gustav could react,
Oskar grabbed him by the hair and yanked him down.
Then came the blows.
Slap!
Slap!
Slap!
Hard, echoing, humiliating strikes across Gustav’s face.
“You owe me money now,” Oskar snarled. “And you think you can erase debt just
because you feel like it? Who the hell do you think you are p>
He jerked Gustav up by the collar.
“You’re a count? So am I. And now you’ll pay every last damn cent you owe p>