Chapter 473
Felicia hated being looked down on. But today, it felt like the entire street had gathered just to spit on her pride.
Even strangers were pointing at Alex like he was some circus mistake.
“See that man?” a woman sneered loudly. “That’s Alex the dunce the walking error. He doesn’t even understand basic math, let alone advanced p>
She turned to her young son and jabbed a finger at Alex.
“You know what you’ll become if you’re that stupid? A dog wrapped in human skin. Just like him p>
The boy frowned. “But… I heard he already escaped from being Rosenheim’s dog p>
“Oh, sure,” the woman said, her voice dripping with poison. “Escaped to do what? Be a gardener for the Eden Group? A glorified cleaning service p>
“Plucking leaves. And look at his mother-in-law-showing up here screaming about a loan she can’t even pay back. Do you want to end up like him, or have a mother-in-law like that p>
Felicia’s face flushed a violent red.
It burned-humiliation, rage, disgust-like someone had smacked her with a dirty rag.
People always said: get too close to trash, and the smell sticks to you.
Being near Alex was turning her name into rot.
Felicia was furious-shaking, boiling, almost trembling with shame.
She couldn’t depend on Alex Saint-Claire-the eternal loser. The most he could
do was shout useless slogans in front of the Königsberg Credit Union.
They wouldn’t care. They wouldn’t even notice.
She needed someone powerful. Someone who could actually help her close the company and silence these people.
And then it hit her.
Gustav.
Count Gustav Klein-the nobleman she had met at last night’s banquet. The man who had practically melted under Sofina’s beauty. A count from a prominent family.
A man with influence. A man who might actually do something.
And thank heaven-she had gotten his number.
Her fingers shook as she dialed.
The call connected almost instantly.
Felicia straightened her voice and rushed, “Hello? Gustav? Hi-it’s me. I’m Sofina Scheinwald’s mother p>
On the other end, Gustav froze.
From the moment he met Sofina the previous night, he hadn’t been able to think about anything else. Her beauty had struck him like lightning-clean, sharp, unforgettable. He had spent half the night restless, wondering how to approach her, how to speak to her again.
Then suddenly-her mother called him. Out of nowhere.
Fate couldn’t have handed him a clearer signal.
“Yes, Mrs. Felicia, what is this call about?” Gustav asked, polite but curious.
Felicia jumped in fast. “Well-there’s something Sofina tried to help me with, but
she couldn’t. So I thought… maybe you could help her help me p>
“I can try,” Gustav replied smoothly. “Tell me what’s going on p>
Felicia didn’t hold back.
“Count Gustav, a man used my name and my daughters’ names to borrow money. And now the Königsberg Credit Union wants to take my daughter’s body as payment!” Her voice trembled with fury.
“I have the money to pay it off, but I hate the way they’re acting-like gangsters. Can you help me shut down this Königsberg Credit Union? Please p>
“What?” Gustav’s voice sharpened instantly. “They dare demand Sofina’s body as collateral? How dare they p>
Felicia wasn’t about to clarify.
The union wanted Pauline-not Sofina-but the truth wouldn’t get her the help she needed. So she pushed the lie deeper.
“Yes. My daughter… she’s become the collateral,” Felicia said, pretending to choke on the words.
Gustav’s heart pounded.
A damsel in distress-Sofina in distress-this was his moment.
Saving her would be the perfect entrance into her life, her bed and even hers.
“Mrs. Felicia,” he declared, voice full of heroic resolve, “don’t worry. I’m coming right now. I’ll handle everything p>
Felicia nearly burst into tears of joy.
“Oh my goodness-thank you so much, Gustav p>
The moment the call ended, her smile vanished.
She wheeled around and shot Alex a scorching glare.
“Some people are as useless as a pile of garbage,” she snapped. “We can’t count
on him. What can he do besides screaming worthless chants p>
Alex let out a cold, dry laugh.
His mother-in-law ambitious, shameless, and a born scammer.
And she truly believed she could shut down a legal credit union just by calling a count?
Ridiculous.
“So,” Alex said with a sharp edge, “can I go home now? Since your Count Gustav is coming p>
Felicia hissed, eyes flaring.
“What’s this? Jealous? Does it hurt your pride when someone better than you steps in?” She jabbed a finger at him. “No-you stay here. Keep yelling until this credit union shuts down forever p>
Alex was too tired to argue with her.
He kept shouting with the crowd, pressing the credit union harder-not because he believed it mattered, but because he was too exhausted to argue with Felicia… and because he wanted to see how Count Gustav planned to “shut down” a legal institution with nothing but arrogance.
Felicia, meanwhile, was in full performance mode.
She told everyone-loudly-that Count Gustav himself wanted to marry her daughter. She dropped the story like bait into water, and the desperate crowd bit instantly.
People brightened, surrounding her with eager hope.
Felicia lifted her chin, basking in the attention.
“Don’t worry, everyone. I’ve asked Count Gustav Klein to help us. He’s powerful, well-connected. I’m sure he can shut down this shady company-and we won’t have to pay a single cent of that loan ever again p>
A woman gasped, almost squealing.
“Count Gustav Klein? Felicia, you’re incredible! How did you manage to get someone like him p>
Another added, wide-eyed, “The Klein family knows everyone. He’ll fix this in minutes p>
Someone suddenly pointed at Alex.
“Felicia, if you know such a capable man, why didn’t you marry your daughter to
him? Why choose this loser p>
Laughter rippled through the air.
Felicia shot Alex a glare sharp enough to cut glass.
“This loser will be thrown out of our family soon enough p>
Alex stayed silent.
He wasn’t offended.
He wasn’t even bothered.
He just wanted to see the show-Gustav arriving like a hero, trying to solve a problem that wasn’t his, with no idea what he was walking into. Not even Sofina knew.
“Alex,” Felicia snapped suddenly, “try not to embarrass me in front of Gustav p>
Alex raised a brow. “Why would I do that p>
“Because you always ruin the moment p>
“And what moment is that exactly p>
Felicia gestured proudly toward the crowd. “Look at them! They finally admire
me p>
Alex nodded. “Right. Because you called someone richer than you p>
Felicia glared. “Jealous p>
Alex smirked. “Not at all. I’m just wondering when Gustav finds out the real story, do you want to fake faint before or after he leaves p>
Minutes later, a sleek black luxury car rolled to a stop in front of the entire crowd.
A tall, handsome man in a tailored suit stepped out with practiced elegance. Gustav Klein had arrived.
The women near Felicia practically squealed.
“Oh my God, look at him! So handsome-so refined! Which family will be lucky
enough to have him as a son-in-law p>
Another clutched her chest dramatically.
“If my daughter could marry him, I could die happy p>
A third scoffed. “Please. He’d probably sue for emotional damages p>
“Alex! Did you see?” Felicia hissed excitedly. “Gustav arrived in a luxury car p>
Alex nodded. “Yes. So p>
“So? Don’t you know what that means p>
Alex shrugged. “That he owns a car p>
Felicia gasped. “No, idiot! It means he’s influential p>
Alex stared at her. “Felicia, in this country even drug dealers and thief own luxury cars p>
Felicia didn’t waste a second.
She rushed up to Gustav, her face overflowing with fake relief.
“Count Gustav! You’re finally here I’ve been so anxious waiting for you p>
Gustav smiled warmly, confident and composed.
“Mrs. Felicia, my apologies for the wait p>
“Oh, nonsense!” Felicia waved her hand dramatically. “It barely took you five
minutes to get here you came so fast p>
The crowd stared with awe, whispering, pointing, dreaming.
Alex stood behind them all, arms crossed, expression unreadable.
The show was about to begin.
“As soon as I heard you were in trouble, I rushed over,” Gustav said smoothly. “I
even ran a few cars off the road on the way p>
Felicia’s eyes sparkled with pride, though she still put on her fragile, worried act.
“Won’t you get in trouble for… running into cars like that p>
Gustav laughed-low, cold, and confident.
“No. I’m a count. And this is Winchester There are only a few of us. As long as I don’t hit another noble, everyone else just swallows it and moves on. The police here are p>
cooperative. Let’s just say this city
my playground. I do whatever
want p>
is
Felicia and several women around her froze in awe, their eyes widening.
To have a man who could break rules without consequence-who could bend the
law with a flick of his hand-felt like discovering a rare treasure.
Gustav cleared his throat, refocusing.
“Anyway. Tell me exactly what happened. How much were you scammed for p>
Felicia let out a heavy, dramatic sigh.
“It’s like this. My husband-Sofina’s stepfather-borrowed forty grand without telling me. And that bastard
as
even put my daughter down collateral Now they’re demanding four hundred grand or they’ll take my daughter away. Isn’t this extortion p>
Gustav nodded hard, his jaw tight.
“Alright. Don’t worry. Leave it to me. I’ll tear this shady loan shark operation apart
myself p>
Then he finally noticed Alex standing behind Felicia.
His expression soured instantly.
He hadn’t expected him to be here the loser husband of the woman he wanted.
Ever since meeting Sofina, he’d been obsessed with getting close to her. Seeing
Alex only made his blood heat with contempt.
Gustav flashed a deliberate smirk.
“Well, well. Alex, I didn’t know you
were here too. Do you have a way to solve this? To help your wife?” He leaned forward mockingly. “Want to
give it a shot first? I don’t
whining later saying stole your spotlight p>
you
Felicia immediately cut in, waving her hand with open disgust.
“Oh, stop talking nonsense. What can he do? The only thing he’s good at is
shouting those stupid protest slogans. Gustav, ignore him p>
Gustav nodded with a smug curl of his lips.
“Well then. Since Alex can’t help, let me handle it p>
Alex raised an eyebrow.
“Oh? Did you bring legal authority p>
“No p>
“A lawsuit p>
“No p>
“A plan p>
“I said I’ll handle it,” Gustav repeated, puffing up with pride.
Alex exhaled slowly, the sigh dripping with tired sarcasm.
“Fantastic. So everyone’s placing their hopes in a man whose entire strategy is
confidence and cheekbones p>
He gave Gustav a faint, amused smile.
“Good luck then, Mr. Klein p>
He didn’t bother adding the part Gustav would never guess:
He wasn’t here to save Sofina.
He was here to save Pauline.
and to watch how badly Gustav was about to embarrass himself.
Because Alex himself is the true owner of the Königsberg Credit Union-
the hidden king who controls the entire underground scene.
This “loan shark” was just one of his Kingswell operations.