House Master kept watching his roaring, furious wife. Then, suddenly, his hand moved upward with gentle movement. His fingers grazed the side of her head near her ear, creating a feather-light touch that stopped her mid-sentence.
"KYYAAA!!"
His wife's voice pitched high in surprise. She tried to back away as instinct took over her body, but she couldn't escape his firm grasp holding her in place. Her face flushed bright red, the color spreading rapidly across her cheeks. The sudden action stopped her mid-shout, cutting off her words. Her expression twisted in confusion, her brain struggling desperately to keep up with his sudden, unexpected movement.
House Master didn't stop what he was doing.
Gently, tenderly, he used his fingers to tuck some loose strands of her hair behind her ear. The gesture was so intimate, so caring, that it felt transported from another lifetime entirely.
"Aah!" The sound escaped her lips involuntarily, beyond her control. Her face grew redder with each passing second, heat spreading from her burning cheeks down her neck.
Husband gently cupped the side of her face with his palm, tilting her chin up slightly to meet his gaze. Then, in one swift movement, he pulled her closer and kissed her directly on the lips.
He released her hand only to bring his other hand up to cup the other side of her face. He kissed her lovingly, deeply, as if he were melting into her very being. He poured years of regret and rediscovered love into that single moment, giving her everything he'd held back for so long.
"MMMFFF... UMMM... MMM... AAAMMMM..."
Wife's mind couldn't keep up with what was happening. This kiss... she hadn't felt a kiss from him in so long. At least not this way. Not a kiss that filled her entire body with warmth, that made her heart race wildly and her knees weak beneath her.
Suddenly, her eyes fluttered closed on their own. She let herself surrender to the sensation completely. She let her husband kiss her the way he used to, the way she'd almost forgotten existed.
"MMMMM... AAAAHH... MUUFF... OOMMM..."
Her back arched slightly in pleasure as the kiss deepened, becoming more passionate. Finally, he pulled away just enough to breathe, their faces still close. But he didn't let go of her. Instead, he wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her into his embrace, holding her close against his chest.
"Sorry, my wife. For all this time, your husband was unfaithful to you…... I'm sorry I neglected you for so many years. I'm sorry I took you for granted every single day. I'm sorry that because of me, you lived a lonely life. I'm sorry for not loving you the way you deserved. I LOVE YOU!!! I truly love you with all my heart. I'm sorry I... our daughter, our house... I'm sorry for not realizing this sooner. My wife, I'm sorry I…"
"Shhhh!!"
Wife pressed her palm firmly over his mouth, silencing him before he could continue. "Don't speak anymore. My mind isn't keeping up with everything you're saying."
Her face was completely red now, flushed with overwhelming emotion, surprise, and something she'd thought long dead inside her chest. She simply hid her face against his chest as they stood there in the middle of the courtyard, feeling the wind brush gently against their bodies.
After some time passed in comfortable silence, she slowly removed her hand from his lips. Her fingers drifted to touch his beard gently and tenderly, as if her fingers were rediscovering something precious. Only one sentence managed to escape her trembling lips.
"THANK YOU FOR COMING BACK TO ME."
Her voice cracked as tears spilled from her eyes, flowing freely down her cheeks.
Husband's own tears fell freely now, no longer held back. He hugged her tighter and spoke with urgency. Words tumbled out in a rush, years of unspoken apologies and confessions pouring forth from his soul. His wife gently patted his back, listening carefully and absorbing every word he spoke.
Slowly, gradually, her face softened. The hard lines of stress and pressure that had been carved into her features over the years began to vanish. Her body, which was always held uptight and tense with many worriers, now relaxed completely for the first time in decades. Her entire personality shifted before everyone's eyes, transforming from the strict, all-knowing woman she'd forced herself to become back into just a normal, beautiful woman in love.
Her eyes kept shedding tears as she listened to her husband's voice, feeling his warmth enveloping her and accepting his love completely.
.
"FATHER! MOTHER!!!!"
Eldest daughter started bawling hard, unable to hold back her emotions any longer. Tears streamed down her face endlessly in hot rivers. Her hands covered her mouth as if trying not to disturb them, trying desperately to contain the overwhelming emotion surging through her chest.
She glanced behind and saw subordinate woman also standing there with tears streaming down her shocked face.
Both sisters looked at each other across the distance separating them. They watched their parents in the middle of the courtyard, feeling something neither of them had ever felt before. Something warm. Something whole. Something right.
They nodded to each other slowly and smiled beautifully, genuinely, for the first time in years.
.
The parents finally calmed down and stood hand in hand. Together, they turned and looked at their eldest daughter, beckoning her forward with open arms.
"FATHER! MOTHER!"
Eldest daughter ran toward them at full speed, practically throwing herself into their embrace with abandon. She cried hard, her body shaking violently with sobs that had been held back for too long.
"Sorry, my cute little girl. Your father was blind for so many years. I couldn't see anyone's suffering around me, only my own negative thoughts consuming me. You both have done so much for me. I will be eternally grateful for having you in my life." Father kept speaking, his voice thick with emotion as both women cried in his arms.
After a while, he looked up and saw his daughter's husband approaching them, fuming with anger written across his face.
House Master spoke firmly to his eldest daughter, his voice carrying new strength. "You don't have to suffer anymore. This house, whether it stands or gets destroyed, it doesn't matter to me. Come back to us, my daughter. We don't need you to do anything for us. You've been the greatest daughter in the whole world. THANK YOU!!!."
As soon as the words hit her ears, eldest daughter's eyes flooded with fresh tears. But this time they weren't tears of relief alone. They were genuine, happy tears filled with pure joy.
She felt a hand roughly pulling her away from her family. She turned around, still smiling radiantly...
BOOOMMMM! TAAAKKK! CRRACCKKK!
...and launched a perfect roundhouse kick. The motion was clean and vicious perfectly aim at his crotch. Her foot smashed directly into her ex-husband's groin with devastating accuracy, crushing his testicles in one brutal, irreversible instant. The air left him in a choked, animal wheeze.
She didn't pause to enjoy the moment. Her hands shot to his throat, fingers clamping down with iron strength. Then came the slaps.
SLAP! SLAP! SLAAAP! SLLLAAAPPP! SLAP! SLAP! SLAAAPPP!
Open-handed. Relentless. Each strike louder than the last, turning his cheeks into raw, swollen meat. His face quickly became something unrecognizable, bloated and split from several places, streaked with red palm marks. Even after his sorry state, she still she didn't stop her attack.
She drove her knee into his groin again, folding him in half. Then she seized his hair with both hands, yanked his head down with force, and dragged his ruined face across the bare, sun-baked patch of earth where no grass dared to grow. Sharp dirt and gravel raked across his torn skin. She pressed his face into the soil, grinding it in with her full weight, forcing dirt between his broken lips, into his mouth, up his nose. He coughed. Choked. Sputtered. Eating the ground she made him eat.
Her own face stayed impossibly calm throughout the violence. A wide, almost serene smile never left her lips.
She flipped him onto his back as if he weighed nothing. Then she began to kick his face.
THUD. THUD. THUUMM. THUUMM. THUUMM.
Each impact was brutally heavy. The sound was getting wet as she beat him more and more. Bone gave way somewhere around the fourth kick. She didn't flinch. She didn't blink.
When she finally stepped back, her chest was rising and falling rapidly, she let out a long, guttural roar that tore from deep inside her soul. Through it all, that bright unbroken smile remained showing everyone that she is very happy right now!!
"FUCK OFF, USELESS MAN! I'M NOT YOUR WIFE ANYMORE! I AM THIS HOUSE'S DAUGHTER!" she roared triumphantly, her voice echoing across the courtyard. "GO TELL YOUR WHOLE FAMILY THAT FROM TODAY ONWARDS, YOU'RE FUCKING SINGLE! I'LL SEND MY SIGNED DOCUMENTS TO YOUR HOUSE SOON ENOUGH!"
Eldest daughter didn't even look back at him writhing on the ground. She simply turned and hugged her parents again, laughing with pure happiness that bubbled up from her chest.
.
After a while, the trio of family members came forward together. Father, stepmother, and eldest daughter walked as one unit and bowed deeply to Subordinate woman, who had been watching them all this time with happiness shining brightly in her eyes.
Seeing them bow so respectfully to her, she suddenly felt a warm happy feeling bloom in her heart. She looked at Zack, her fingers that had been clutching his clothes now gripping his arm more firmly.
"Go on. I'll wait for you here." Zack smiled warmly and gently patted her back with encouragement.
Subordinate woman nodded, her eyes bright with unshed tears. She ran forward in happiness, lifting the heads of her family members so they didn't have to bow anymore.
No words needed to be spoken.
Stepmother hugged her tightly first, whispering apologies into her ear in a broken voice. Then her big sister embraced her, tears streaming down both their faces. Finally, her father wrapped his arms around her, holding her close as he apologized for everything he'd done and failed to do over the years.
Zack stood calmly, watching them with warmth filling his eyes.
.
After a while, Father spoke again. His voice was gentle but serious. "I don't have any right to stop you now, but I hope one day you'll come to this house. Not from the back door as you did before, but proudly as a daughter of this house, through the front entrance."
He gently patted her head, and she nodded with tears in her eyes, her eyes slowly getting filled with a bright future where she is not alone anymore.
Father continued, his gaze shifting to Zack standing nearby. "It's thanks to him that I realized what I was doing wrong all these years. I can see he cares for you deeply. You've loved a great man."
He straightened his posture, brushing off his attire with care. His back went straight, shoulders squared, eyes filled with clear passion and purpose.
"What do you think? Can he succeed in the meeting?"
Subordinate woman didn't know exactly what meeting her father was talking about, but she didn't hesitate for even a second. Her answer came from the heart, without any doubt about him.
"YES! HE WILL FOR SURE!"
"Hmm, good then."
House Master's voice rang out loud and clear, echoing across the courtyard with newfound strength.
"I, HOUSE MASTER OF HOUSE GAFFNEY, SWEAR MY ALLEGIANCE TO THE QUEEN AND TO MASTER ZACK! NO MATTER WHAT THE FUTURE HOLDS, I PLEDGE THAT AS HOUSE MASTER, I SHALL REMAIN FAITHFUL TO OUR QUEEN, NOW AND FOREVER!"
House Master lowered himself onto one knee, bowing deeply with reverence. One hand rested upon his opposite leg in the ancient gesture of fealty. His posture was resolute, his intent unmistakable as he offered the full loyalty of his house to the Queen and to Zack.
Following his example, stepmother and eldest daughter stepped forward and performed a proper genuflection. Their movements were also filled with sincerity and the determination to follow the promise.
Zack felt a flicker of awkwardness at the sight of them kneeling before him, but he stepped forward nonetheless. He straightened his posture and met the moment with dignity.
"THANK YOU, SIR, MADAM, AND BIG SISTER, FOR YOUR ALLEGIANCE TO THE QUEEN. I, ZACK CARNEY, ACTING ON HER BEHALF, FORMALLY ACCEPT THE LOYALTY OF HOUSE GAFFNEY. TOGETHER, WE WILL WORK TO MAKE THIS CITY A BETTER PLACE FOR EVERYONE. THANK YOU."
His voice was steady, carrying confidence without arrogance. A genuine smile crossed his face as he spoke.
Behind her family, Subordinate woman watched him with warmth filling her eyes. She clapped her hands softly, unable to contain her happiness. Her smile was bright with pride.
After a while, Zack remained standing, but they didn't rise. His eyes found the happily smiling Subordinate woman. Their gazes met, and he gestured subtly toward her family.
"Oh!" She smiled brightly and ran over to him. "Geez, you guys can stop making Boss feel awkward! Stand up already!" She pouted adorably as she spoke.
Her family stood up, smiling at her tone.
"Take care of our daughter," Father and stepmother said together, bowing slightly to Zack.
"Hmm, don't worry, she is under my care and I will make sure she lives comfortably," Zack nodded with certainty.
He turned and began walking toward his carriage, where Miss Expert Sister had been waiting patiently the entire time. Her eyes were already shining with happiness at everything she'd witnessed.
Subordinate woman looked back one last time. She waved sweetly at her family, clutching her blanket tightly around her shoulders. Then she bent down to pick up the bag she'd dropped earlier and ran to catch up with Zack.
She walked beside him, just slightly one step behind, her heart lighter than it had been in years.
.
After Zack's carriage flew away into the distance, disappearing from view, Father looked at his eldest daughter. He gently patted her head and spoke with complete seriousness.
"Congratulations, daughter. Now you are this house's Madam. I will guide you from the sides, so do your best." He paused, then added with a mischievous glint appearing in his eye. "And your first task is to not let anyone come close to our room. And don't forget to remind me of the meeting time at the Queen's palace. Now, adios!"
Previous House Master saluted dramatically. Then he grabbed his wife's shocked face between his hands and ran inside, pulling her along.
"HUH? WHAT THE FUCK?! HUH, WHAT, WHAT, WHATTTTTTTT????!!!!!!!!"
Eldest daughter's mind went blank as she slowly realized what her father had just done. He'd dumped all the household responsibilities on her and was now running off with his wife to make up for lost time.
"GAAHH!! STUPID FATHEEERRR!!!" she roared after them with mock anger.
But her heart was warm. She smiled genuinely as they disappeared into the house, laughing together in a way that reminded her of young lovers.
She shook her head fondly and turned to gather the maids and butlers who had witnessed everything from afar.
"Greetings, everyone. From today onward, my father has appointed me as Madam of this house."
Her voice was firm with being too cold, she has seen and have enough experience to overtake this huge role and lead the charge, so she was perfect in her execution, if any one from her contacts saw her right now, they would have found a completely different woman!!! Right now, she was looking really beautiful and charming that was making both men and women stare at her with shock!!
"I know there have been many... questionable things associated with us in the past. But we are trying to change, starting now. You have stood by this house through both good times and bad, and for that, I am grateful. I want to give you all a fair choice."
She paused, her gaze sweeping across the gathered faces, making sure she had their full attention.
"Take today off. Think carefully about whether you wish to continue working here. It wouldn't be right to force you to stay when the way this house is run will be very different from now on. If you choose to resign, you may do so freely, and this house will compensate you for any inconvenience or hardship we have caused."
Her tone softened slightly, but her resolve did not waver.
"Come back tomorrow only if you are certain."
Then her eyes shifted briefly to her ex-husband, still groaning on the ground.
"And take that bastard away."
No one hesitated. The servants bowed respectfully before dispersing. A few of them hauled the sobbing man to his feet and dragged him out of sight.
.
Suddenly, the mansion felt empty.
And yet, eldest daughter smiled because her heart was full.
She lifted her gaze to the open sky and slowly untied her white hair. It spilled down her back, not as thick or long as her younger sister, but it was smooth…glossy…. and sharp in its elegance. A stark contrast to subordinate woman's soft, fluffy hair. Different, yet just as striking in its own way.
She drew in a deep breath of fresh air, filling her lungs until her chest ached pleasantly. Then she kicked her shoes aside and let her bare feet sink into the artificial grown grass. The carefully maintained lawn had been placed there by the hands of countless servants. She felt her body suddenly alive as if the whole Rock energy was going inside of her from her feet.
A sharp tingle raced up from her soles.
She stretched her arms high, reaching as if she could touch the sky itself. One by one, she undid the top buttons of her collar, freeing herself to breathe properly. She ran her fingers through her hair, deliberately messing it, and began to walk through the courtyard. She was unconcerned with stains on her dress, her skin, or her hair.
She walked.
Then she ran.
Then she dropped into the grass and rolled across it in joy, laughter spilling from her without restraint.
She touched everything slowly, reverently. The cold stone of the walls. The solid wooden beams. The soft petals of the flower beds. She stepped inside the mansion, moving through the halls with light, skipping steps. Her fingers brushed along every surface.
Every wall. Every corner.
Feeling her house.
Her home.
The place where she truly belonged.
Slowly, her happy wandering brought her near her parents' room. Loud noises echoed from inside. Moans. Laughter. The unmistakable sounds of passionate reunion.
Her cheeks turned bright red. She quickly turned away. "Maybe afterwards... hehe." She laughed cutely to herself and moved elsewhere, giving them their privacy.
Suddenly, her feet stopped in front of a run-down door she hadn't opened in years.
She gently placed her hand on the weathered wood. "It's been a long time," she whispered softly.
She pushed the door open.
CREEAAKKK!
A sound emerged from the hinges as if something from long ago was awakening. A smell wafted out from inside, not bad, but nostalgic. A smell filled with various textures in the air, memories suddenly getting a physical form in front of her eyes.
She stepped inside carefully.
The room was filled with tall paper boards standing upright, each one covered gently with cloth. Sunlight streamed through the windows, illuminating thousands of dust particles dancing erratically in the golden rays, as if they were happily celebrating her return.
She moved forward and reached the first board standing directly in front of her. Her fingers gently touched the cloth and then she lifted it and threw it in the air.
RUFFLE WHOOSHH!!
Beneath it was a beautiful drawing on the paper board, something she'd created, though she couldn't remember exactly when. It was a gorgeous picture of a house, rendered in careful detail.
She gently grazed the paper with her fingertips, feeling the texture of the canvas and the layers of beautiful color she'd painted so long ago.
She smiled.
Then suddenly, with newfound energy, she lifted another cloth. Then another. Then another.
Her whole big room filled with movement as she danced in the middle, throwing the protective cloths high into the air. They floated down around her slowly, drifting through the dusty sunbeams as she spun and laughed, creating a beautiful, magical scene.
After a while, she slowly stopped, breathing hard but she was truly happy. She looked around at all the revealed drawings.
Every single one was a house. Each different from the others. Each with a completely different vibe. Some clean and sleek. Some monochrome and cozy. Some vibrant and colorful. Some filled with nature and greenery.
She muttered softly to herself, "Back then, none of these drawings could satisfy me. But now, seeing them, I feel every home is beautiful."
"Hehe..." Eldest daughter smiled genuinely, looking around at her forgotten art with fresh eyes.
Suddenly, her gaze landed on a box in the corner, something she'd forgotten for years.
"Hmm, this..."
She opened it carefully and saw something inside that made her smile even wider.
"I guess I never gave her this. I think she needs it now. Hehe."
Her mind drifted to the past as happy memories resurfaced. Memories of two little girls playing together, drawing together, dreaming together before life had pulled them apart.
She got lost in those warm memories, finally at peace with her past and hopeful for her future.
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END OF CHAPTER
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Author Blabbering
If you want to find peace then you have to get away from noise
-- A Stupid Author
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