Chapter 46

WHEN his father returned home from the cruise, he was with his cousins, together with the majority of the Whitewood family elders. It wasn’t a surprise for Chase. He had somehow expected that since his father had told them about his return. Now they were all inside the study, having a meeting.
“We are glad that you are finally back, Chase,” said his great-uncle, Charles. “However, we are not interested to hear about your journey back home.”
He knew his great-uncle would likely act nonchalant about what happened. In fact, everyone would because they were all interested in the family’s affair and nothing more. Chase was just a pawn, a catalyst to every plan they had laid out.
“There is no need for any further talks here. Chase is back. Julian has to step down.” His great uncle Theodore glanced in Julian’s direction. “You don’t mind, right, Julian?”
Chase saw how his brother’s fist clenched and unclenched above the table, but it seemed that others who noticed that didn’t bother. Julian let out a sigh and leaned against his seat. He looked around, and soon, his gaze rested on him.
“I don’t mind, of course.” He smiled wryly. “This is my fate, after all….”
There was sadness in his voice, and it was laced with disappointment, which made it hard for Chase to digest everything that was going on around him.
“Everything is settled then.” His great-uncle Charles gave him a nod.
“No, we are not yet done here,” his father chimed in.
Chase straightened his back. Suddenly, he was feeling tense. He already had an idea of what his father meant by that. He would surely call him out for bringing Sybil home in front of the elders.
“Is there something we need to know, Francis?” His great-uncle Theodore asked in a low tone.
He caught his breath when his father slammed his hands hard on the table. After a few moments, he rose from his seat with his fiery gaze fixed on him.
“I want you all to know that Chase has brought home trouble,” his father declared.
He shut his eyes tightly, and everyone looked at him when he opened them again.
“Come on, Papa,” said Julian. “What could a woman like her could possibly do to harm us—”
“A woman?” the elders said in unison.
“Yes!” His father gestured in his direction. “Chase brought home this unknown woman, telling his family that she is his girlfriend!”
Chase didn’t like the reaction he saw on their faces. They were displeased and disgusted at the same time.
“How could you do this, Chase?” Great-uncle Charles rose from his seat as well. He even picked up his cane and pointed its end in his direction. “I thought we raised you well—”
“That woman isn’t a nobody! She has a name—”
“We are not talking about that woman’s name, Chase,” Great-uncle Theodore said in a cold tone. “We are talking about her family, their social connections, their reputation—”
“Well, fuck all those things!” Chase snapped as he rose from his seat. “I love her, and she is the woman I want to marry—”
“That is not going to happen,” his father countered. “Not on our watch!”
“What?” he said through gritted teeth.
“The best thing you can do right now is to send that woman to where she belongs. Reclaiming your place in this family also means that you and Prudence have to be engaged again—”
Chase scoffed and shook his head out of disbelief.
“Is this some kind of sick joke?”
His father’s eyes narrowed.
“You should watch your words, Chase,” his father warned. “My patience isn’t that long right now.”
“And so do mine,” he said firmly. Chase’s hands clenched hard. “Since I was a kid, I followed this family’s order. You treated me like a tamed dog. And I remember quite well how you used to punish me whenever I would do something that displeased you. Have you ever treated my brother and me as your children? I bet not. Because you only see us as your puppets that you can pull the strings anytime you—”
“I wasn’t informed that this is what amnesia could do to a person,” his father said, cutting him off. “You suddenly forgot about everything that we have thought you—”
“Don’t blame the amnesia!” Chase countered. “While I was away, I realized that everything—”
“This is your fate, Chase!” His father’s voice roared inside the study room.
“But this isn’t the life i—”
“You can only change the course of your life if you die, and you know that from the start!”
A deafening silence ensued between them. Even the elders didn’t dare to speak a word.

SYBIL moved away from the study room’s door when she saw a butler approaching. She immediately ran to the end of the hallway and hid in a corner beside a human-sized jade vase.
She was on her way to the drawing-room when she suddenly heard the commotion inside the study. Sybil could’ve just walked past the door if she hadn’t heard Chase’s announcement about his intention to marry her. However, the news wasn’t as good as it should be. His family opposed the idea. Not only that, but she also learned that Chase was already betrothed to someone else even before they met.
Biting her lip, she headed to the drawing room. Perhaps she would stay there all day and paint in solitude. However, it didn’t last long before Chase joined her there.
“Just as I thought,” he said, beaming.
“W-what are you doing here?”
“I live here, Sybil.” He chuckled.
“No. I mean… Are you done talking with them?”
“I left the meeting because I don’t want to talk anymore—”
“Chase, what if we just go on separate ways—”
“What?” He briskly crossed their distance and held her arms. “No. I won’t let that happen.”
“I… I’m worried about you. Your family doesn’t like me, and you’re already betrothed with someone—”
“How did you know about Prudence?” he asked in a low tone.
Sybil bit her lower lip.
“Believe me. I didn’t mean to eavesdrop, Chase. I was walking outside, and I overheard—”
“Forget about everything you heard.” He pulled her for a hug. “No matter what they say, I will fight for this love… Only death will make us apart, Sybil.”
Chase moved away a bit and framed her face with his hands. He looked at her with mixed emotions in his eyes that she couldn’t even name and kissed her afterward.