The celebration had ended, and Claudion and his family were bidding farewell to the guests.
It was late; everyone was about to head to their rooms after a long night, when Claudion's voice suddenly thundered behind them—loud and firm:
"Wait. No one is leaving. There is something that must be discussed now."
Uneasy glances were exchanged. His wife, Margaret, stepped forward, but before she could speak Claudion called the guard:
"Bring him in… bring him at once."
The doors opened, and two guards dragged in a young man whose face was covered in blood and bruises. Gasps of shock filled the hall.
Rosaline covered her mouth.
"My God… Eric?!"
Amber trembled as if her soul had left her body. She hid behind Kate, clutching her chest, shaking uncontrollably, tears falling without her control.
Margaret cried out in horror:
"What is this…?! Claudion, what happened to him?!"
Claudion raised his hand sharply, and Margaret froze at once.
He stepped toward Eric, his powerful voice striking the walls of the hall with fury:
"This is something I never expected in my life… that this wretch, this low man, would cross every boundary… in my house, among my family, with my daughter!"
His eyes swept over everyone, then locked sharply onto Amber, who hid her face behind her hair, trying to hold back her sobs.
Claudion pointed at her angrily:
"You… you!! Do you know what you've done?! Do you know the shame you have brought?! You betrayed your mother's trust—and mine! Is this how I raised you?!"
He moved closer, pointing toward Margaret as he shouted:
"This is the result of spoiling! All girls marry at fifteen or sixteen—except your daughters! You wanted them to live! 'To enjoy life first,' you said! And this is the result!"
Margaret spoke softly:
"Claudion… please…"
He cut her off harshly:
"Silence, Margaret! This time you will not interfere. This is all because of your foolish upbringing! Freedom? Life? What life? You do not know how palaces are ruled, nor how honor is protected!"
Then he turned back to Eric, his voice turning into a cruel growl:
"And you… you piece of trash… I raised you. I pulled you out of poverty! I brought you into my family. Your clothes were torn, and today you stab me in the back? You betray my trust? You meet my daughter in secret?!"
Eric spoke in a broken voice, barely standing:
"I… I didn't mean to… sir. I truly love her."
The words struck the hall like a lightning bolt.
"You love her?! How shameless! Do you think love excuses disgrace? I will show you punishment… I will cleanse my house of you, and remove you like filth!"
Amber cried loudly from behind Kate:
"Please… don't hurt him… it's my fault… please…"
Claudion pointed at her:
"Silence! Do not speak another word! Your tears will not save you—and they will not save him."
Claudion walked toward one of the guards, his eyes burning with restrained rage. He held out his hand, and the guard placed a black leather whip into it without a word.
He turned slowly, eyes glowing like embers, and approached Eric, who could barely stand.
Claudion said in a low but razor-sharp voice:
"I will teach you what it means to touch the honor of my house."
He raised the whip, and the first strike fell like a blow from hell.
(Snap)
Eric groaned and fell to his knees, but Claudion did not stop.
(Second strike… third…)
At that moment, Amber screamed from the depths of her soul:
"Father, no! Please!!"
She ran toward him and fell at his feet, grabbing his clothes and crying desperately:
"Please… stop! Please… enough!! It's my fault, not his! Don't hurt him!"
Margaret rushed forward, trying to pull her away, her voice broken with tears:
"Enough, stop this, William… this is enough…"
But before she could reach them, Kate suddenly stepped in front of her father. Her body trembled, but she stood firm and looked him straight in the eyes.
She spoke with restrained anger:
"Stop! This isn't fair, Father! Amber… loves him."
A heavy silence fell. The whip strikes stopped.
Kate continued, her voice stronger:
"You taught us that love is something great… you told us that life without love is not worth living!"
Claudion stared at her with a hard look, breathing heavily from rage, then spoke in his deep voice:
"Love, Kate… does not come through betrayal."
He turned to her slowly, his gaze sharp:
"I am doing what every man responsible for his house must do. What your cousin did is shameful."
"But Father… Amber is not shame! She is human—she loves and is loved! What is wrong with that?"
Claudion interrupted angrily:
"What's wrong? Sneaking out at night? Hiding her relationship from her family? And with whom? A servant? Someone I placed in this house? Someone I opened the doors for?!"
His voice dropped, but became even sharper:
"True love, Kate, does not hide in shadows. Love does not steal moments in secret. Love is respect before it is feeling. And your sister respected nothing."
She spoke in pain:
"She loves him, Father… with all her heart. Isn't that enough?"
Claudion laughed coldly:
"Enough? And what about our reputation? Our name? Or have you forgotten who we are? We are the House of Claudion—not a foolish romantic story from cheap books!"
Her voice broke—this was not her father:
"Father… please… don't do this to her… don't do this to yourself."
A heavy silence followed. Claudion stared at her for a long moment… then narrowed his eyes and spoke coldly:
"Malakite Claudion, go to your room. Now."
She whispered, trembling:
"Father…"
Claudion said more firmly:
"Malakite, I said go."
She looked at him, trying to say something, but the rage in his eyes had changed his face so much that she barely recognized him. Fear—she had never felt fear like this before. She clutched her dress, turned away with heavy steps, tears flooding her eyes. She left the hall, while the echo of his harsh words continued to ring in her mind.