A Handsome Kinky Gangster Reporter

Haley grinned and accepted Marlon Bruce’s opinion.

“Mr. Lawyer. Mary will come to your office with an article next morning. I think you can give Mary the lawyer’s opinion right away.”

Marlon walked out of the Golden Goose Daily while feeling proud.

‘What if I become so famous that women follow me because they like me?’

Although he was past the age where he was supposed to get married, he was a natural presbyterian and has never been in a relationship. Although he had a very reliable job as a lawyer, he could only be utterly quiet in front of a woman he had crush on. He was obviously not popular among women.

Of course, his appearance played a role in his lack of popularity. Short, side-swept style hair and a small, chubby body. Also, despite being 35 years old, he had presbyopia which led people to believe that he was in his 50s.

Even in this situation, he dreamed of a marriage based on romantic love, not an arranged one. 

As he walked while imagining himself becoming popular in the future with a smile on his face, he couldn’t see who was in front of him. Marlon bumped into someone who was walking in front of him. The woman who bumped against him was pushed back in an instant and fell awkwardly.

“Argh!”

Marlon was brought back from his reverie by the woman’s scream, and became shocked to realize that the beautiful woman had fallen on her back because of him.

“Ah. I’m sorry, I really do. I didn’t see you because my mind was elsewhere.”

Marlon extended his hand to the woman with the intention to help her. The woman, who was sitting on the ground glared at Marlon, got up on her own and dusting off her skirt.

“Look in front of you, old man!”

The woman who fell down was Emily. She was carrying the etiquette script to Haley.

“Ah, my skirt got dirty! This is so annoying!”

Emily picked up the papers scattered on the ground.

After shooting Marlon a glare, she turned around and went inside the bakery. Marlon watched her back for a while before walking away.

“Haley. I’m back. Madam told me to bring this to you.”

Actually, Emily had received the script from Madam quite a while ago, but she had just arrived at the newspaper office after a long time of traveling all over places. She was mad that Haley was always on the path of success. Blinded by jealousy, every time she met Haley, she felt uncomfortable as if she couldn’t breathe properly.

Haley’s eyes widened when she saw Emily’s face after a long time.

“Oh? Emily. Did you dye your hair?”

Just in case Haley thought that she was imitating her appearance, Emily hurriedly made up an excuse.

“I’m not imitating you. I just did it for a nice change for myself. However, I don’t know if I used the wrong hair dye because it turns out to be this color.”

“Oh, really? You also look beautiful with red hair.”

Haley accepted the script with a smile.

Emily eventually reacted sensitively to this little debate. Emily had to admit that Haley didn’t consider herself a competitor or someone that would bother her. And that somewhat made Emily upset. That was why she picked a fight with Mary that looked the easiest person in there.

“You don’t bake bread this time. What are you doing here?”

Mary smiled and told the good news.

“Unnie. I work here, not at the bakery anymore. I’m also now a reporter at the Golden Wild Goose Daily.”

She was still technically an intern though. However, Haley wouldn’t fire the daughter of the landlord so carelessly. Mary could write her own story as a journalist one day.

When Emily heard that Mary had been hired as a reporter, she asked Haley with a hint of jealousy.

“Hey! Did you hire an employee? Why didn’t you tell me?”

“Huh? Uh…. About that,”

Haley felt confused. She contemplated whether she had to explain the situation to Emily in detail.

Haley agonized for a moment. Emily thought that Haley was ignoring her and became angry when Haley didn’t answer her question.

“Are you hiding it because you don’t want me to apply for a job in your company? Oh! I can’t believe this. You know I’d prefer a job that makes a lot of money. Don’t look down on me like that!”

“Emily. Why do you say I’m ignoring you? When did I do that?”

Haley vowed never to ignore or belittle Emily. However, she rushed out of the newspaper office in a rage.

“D*mn it!”

Looking at the back of Emily who had misunderstood and walked out angrily, Haley only thought what she had done was so wrong. Mary grumbled in annoyance.

“What’s wrong with her? Did something bad happen to her? Whatever happened, why is she venting her anger on us?”

Emily rushed out of the newspaper office with unnecessary irritation. She was about to argue again and told the madam not to send her on such errands anymore.

‘The man from that time hasn’t contacted me since that day.’

Even if it was a one night stand, Emily was captured with him. Such a beautiful man only looked at her way, at least that night. Perhaps, the red thread on her finger was connected to him. The blond customer looked like a prince who would save her from this harsh reality.

Emily’s hopes of dreaming hopelessly were shattered by her brother’s letter. He also asked Emily to send him money because he needed it.

“Does he think I’m a bank?”‘

Emily let out a long sigh and regretted for venting at Haley without apparent reason. She needed a place to borrow money right away. Emily couldn’t control her anger for a moment and vented it.

“Is there blind money?”

Muttering, Emily trudged back to the store.

*  *  *

A few days later.

Mary and I were busy doing our works. The newspaper office was always in need of staff, and deadlines were getting closer each day. I felt like borrowing the cat’s hand if it would work, too.

“Are you there? Is Haley Mertes here?”

Looking at the door, there was a small child dressed in a maid attire. The child squatted in front of me.

“I’m Haley Mertes. Can I ask why you’re looking for me?”

The child, who was staring at my face, took my hand and I brought my face closer to her.

“Please help my mistress!”

I frowned when I heard what she said after randomly barging into my office out of the blue. She immediately explained her reason for coming here.

“I’m a servant at Baron Stefan’s family, and the future baroness has became miserable in her room for several days without eating anything. However, our master doesn’t really care about her situation. I was worried that the mistress would collapse before the wedding. Since you are the mistress’ only friend, I came here to see you without asking for permission. I apologize for that.”

I bit my lip when hearing the news. There was no news from Gloria until now. I thought she was doing well at Baron Stephen’s mansion. Even when I went there to take her photos, she really looked well.

‘After taking such a young bride, it’s not proper to treat her this way. How dare you ignore her?’

I wanted to meet the Baron and grind his head right away.

As I have thought last time, Baron Stephen was a scheming man who was very selfish without having consideration towards others. The local newspaper was delivered to the Baron’s house by Philip’s friend, so I haven’t heard anything about Gloria ever since then. If If I knew this was going to happen, I would have personally delivered it.

“Okay. I’m going to meet Gloria now. Just, wait a moment.”

The child stopped and stared at the newspaper office with curiosity while waiting for me and began to read the newspaper.

In the meantime, I asked Mary to write down the address of the printing office and pick up the edited newspaper for tomorrow. I also wrote a short message to Philip.

‘Ah! There’s no better medicine than this when you’re in trouble.’

There was something Philip had left for me in my drawer. I put it in my bag and headed for Baron Stephen’s mansion.

“Hey. I’m sorry, but ….”

The boy wriggled his fingers and lowered his head as if he had something to say to me. I grinned and attempted to comfort him.

“Don’t worry. I will say that I came on my own because I was worried about my friend. I won’t mention your name carelessly.”

The image of Baron Stephen and the talkative butler I met last time came to my mind. I could have assumed that if they heard that this child was the one who told me, he would be beaten or tortured. The child seemed to be concerned about that.

I thought my assumption was right. The child listened to me and gave me a relieved look.

“Then I’ll trust you, Ms. President. I’m on an errand, so I’ll go my separate way after doing errands.”

As soon as I parted ways with the child, I saw a carriage passing by on the street.

“Please take me to Baron Stephen’s mansion.”

I lowered my voice and spoke as calmly as I could. However, I internally felt different. I couldn’t endure it because I was upset at the thought of my friend struggling on her own. I felt ashamed that I must have looked like a hypocrite.

After having a big accident that made me kiss Claude, whom I already regarded as my younger brother and someone who I didn’t see as a man in the first place not long ago. I felt guilty to Gloria at first. It was because we were swept away by the atmosphere of the night and alcohol influence. However, thinking of my friend who had confessed about having a crush on Claude, it made me being in a complicated situation.

Actually, I wanted Gloria to have a relationship with my brother, Claude. Then, once Gloria decided to marry another man, I had an unexpected accident with a man whom my own friend had a crush on as if I’d been waiting to do it with him for a long time.

‘I also think I was very wrong.’

I felt sorry for Gloria as the writer of this novel. I reflected on myself many times because I felt that I had betrayed her because of this. Moreover, the next day after we kissed, Claude left the house without talking to me. I haven’t heard from him since then.

‘Maybe Claude never thought this would happen either.’

I lost Claude and Gloria at the same time. Of course, Gloria didn’t know yet that I had betrayed her.

I swear it would not happen again. It’s about dating someone the main character likes or stealing her lover.

The horse-drawn carriage sped through the bustling city square towards the western part of the capital, which was more quiet. After passing Platanus Street and headed further into the district, the carriage finally arrived at Stephen’s residence. I took a deep breath in front of the mansion before decided to knock on the door. The butler looked at me with a sorrowful expression. When I insisted on seeing Gloria, he led me to her.

Outside Gloria’s room, the servants were waiting with plates of food on the trays in their hands. They spoke while standing in front of their mistress’ room, who did not open the door.

“Your Lady, you need to eat before the food gets cold. The chef specifically cooked it for you today.”

“Wow, it looks really delicious, isn’t it? I heard that the dessert cake has a lot of honey and jam. “

“Your Lady, please open the door.”

When I smelled the delicious aroma of roasted beef on the plate, my mouth watered almost immediately. After checking the food in the waiter’s hands, I stood in front of the door.

“Gloria. It’s me, Haley. I’m here to see you. Why don’t you show your face to me for a moment?”

My voice was followed by rustling and movement from inside the room. Gloria opened the door slightly and showed her face, seemingly thin and frail.