Chapter 170: The Break
Yesterday, Dominic left the Beaumont household.
A fierce argument had broken out and neither side would listen.
That stubbornness was something Dominic and Gabrant shared.
Neither of them would give an inch.
As usual, the trouble started with Dominic’s marriage proposal.
This match could not be better.
The rank was high, the other side held the heavy post of Prime Minister—everything was perfect—and on top of that they were desperate to take Dominic as their son-in-law.
There was no reason to refuse.
But Dominic flew into a rage.
He attacked Gabrant, asking why things had been pushed forward without even telling him a single word.
"I’ve told you before. My partner is only Shiao Yi. I will have no one else by my side. If the law allowed it, I would marry him at once and make him my wife openly. So I will not marry anyone else, no matter who they are!"
"You must be out of your mind! Do you think that will fly? You’ll only become a laughingstock!"
"I don’t care. The world means nothing to me. It must be Shiao Yi. I cannot live as a person without him. Why can’t you understand that?"
"Even if I accept your wish a hundred paces back, you are the Beaumont heir! You have a duty to leave descendants. Men cannot bear children! Make Shiao Yi a mistress. Take the Prime minister’s daughter as your lawful wife and sire an heir."
"How dare you speak of heirs and succession now? Aren’t I the child you cast away long ago?"
"I never abandoned you!"
Usually calm, as if his feelings were left somewhere else, Gabrant grew furious.
His words were harsh and the tone hateful.
That anger fed Gabrant’s own temper; he could not stop the blood from rushing to his head.
"Don’t show up only when it suits you! I’ve never thought of you as my father! I don’t care what happens to the Beaumont house!"
"But this arrangement is already accepted! You will attend the banquet!"
"I refuse! I will not make Shiao Yi a mistress. Refuse that proposal at once."
"It’s a formal invitation. You can’t just tear it up now!"
"That’s not my concern. You handle it."
"Are you trying to disgrace me?"
"You brought it on yourself."
It was the first time Dominic had openly defied Gabrant like this.
Gabrant felt his mind go dizzy with anger.
And because he blamed all of this on that brat Shiao Yi, his hatred welled up inside him.
"Cut that unknown brat off at once! Throw him away!"
"If you insult Shiao Yi, even if you are my father, I will never forgive you! It seems you truly cannot understand. I will not allow you to keep acting on your own. From this moment, our ties are over. I sever all connection as parent and child. I should have done this much earlier. From the beginning, I never had a parent at all."
To be spoken to with such cold words by Dominic made Gabrant lose his temper as well.
"Then I don’t need such an ungrateful son! Get out!"
Yes, those were his words. But they were spoken in the heat of anger. He never thought Dominic would actually leave.
"Fine, I will leave. I am no longer a member of the Beaumont house. From now on, we are neither parent nor child. Don’t forget it!"
Dominic’s eyes were filled with cold anger as he declared those words proudly.
"Good! Don’t come crawling back in regret!"
It was nothing but a trade of harsh words.
Even then, Gabrant never believed Dominic would truly carry it out.
Somewhere deep down inside him, he still thought the bond between parent and child could never be cut.
But Dominic left that very moment. He cast everything aside cleanly and walked away, taking only Shiao Yi with him.
That ungrateful child!
Gabrant was furious.
Of course he was.
He feels he had been betrayed.
That night, he could not sleep from the anger burning in him.
Even in the morning, the bitter rage had not cooled.
He could not even remember what he ate for breakfast.
Whatever it was, it tasted like sand in his mouth.
He sank onto the sofa in his chamber, seething with irritation.
He had no will to go to the royal palace. He simply decided for himself that today, he would not go.
At that moment, the butler, Jude, entered the room and quietly held out a single sheet of paper.
"What is this?" Gabrant asked.
"For many years I have been honored to serve you, my lord, and I have received great kindness. I am grateful. But I am growing older now, and so I wish to step down from my position. This is my letter of resignation."
"Is this not sudden?"
Gabrant was shocked. Until now, there had never been any sign of this. For decades Jude had supported this household, more of a master than Gabrant himself. And at sixty-two, he was still strong and healthy. By all rights, he should have been able to serve many more years.
"There is Gekkai, whom I have trained as my assistant. He will take my place."
Jude’s resolve was firm. Behind him, the assistant butler Gekkai looked on the verge of tears.
At that moment, a flurry of loud footsteps rushed into the room. Eline, the head housekeeper, and Lambard, the guard and attendant, appeared. From behind the door, Gabrant could see the maids peeking in with worried faces.
Eline and Lambard pushed papers onto the table, almost fighting each other to place them first.
"My lord! I am deeply grateful for all your kindness! But from today, I will resign from my duties!"
"Lord Gabrant, it pains me greatly, but I have already resigned as of today!"
Lambard even spoke in the past tense. Without waiting for Gabrant’s permission, the two of them bolted from the room.
"Eline! Don’t abandon us!!"
The desperate voices of the maids echoed.