11

Elias was driven off the mansion by the sullen Arthur.

Xie exchanged phone numbers with Elias before the man got ruthlessly kicked out by the furious Arthur. He threw a contempt look at the slag husband before ascending to his room on the second floor.

"You, wait! We still need to talk!" Arthur grabbed his arm, stopping him at the stairs.

Xie glared at him and motioned with his eyes, asking him to let go of his hand.

Arthur, who sensed the dangerous atmosphere between them, immediately released Xie's arm. His fingers, however, still grasped the end of his cufflink.

"What else?"

"The letter from the previous night, what you demand, is it true?"

"What letter? Oh, the crumpled letter resembled the clump of shit? That one?"

"Yes. That one."

Xie leaned his body on the handrail.

"I want a divorce. Either do it willingly, or I make a scene to force you to agree. Choose."

"Why?"

"Why what?" Xue raised his eyebrows and tilted his head. He didn't seem to understand the underlying meaning of his question.

"Why would you want a divorce? Aren't you the one who crazily demanded us to get married in the first place?"

"What else?" Xie scoffed. "I'm tired, and also, I don't love you anymore, Sir Arthur. I wanted to be free from this shackle called toxic marriage. Coincidentally, you never loved me. What is the reason for prolonging the imminent separation between us?"

Arthur was rendered speechless by Xie's answer. He cannot refute it since everything Xie said was the truth. Wasn't it also his long-forgotten wish to escape from this loveless marriage that burdened him for almost three years? Why would he hesitate at the end and want to disagree?

"I'll make another divorce letter later. Please take a look and don't forget to sign it. I expected to see that piece of letter intact with your signature and stamp on it." Xie added, and this time, without waiting for Arthur's response, he pulled away from his clutch and ran off to his room.

From a distance, Arthur could hear the slamming of Xie's bedroom door.

Arthur stared at the Xie's retreating back. He felt lost and had an inexplicable sense of hollowness deep inside his heart.

Those emerald eyes which always gazed at him with affection were no longer there. Instead, that pair of pupils shrouded with resentment and contempt.

Arthur suddenly felt exhausted. He feebly sat down on the step of the stairs, both of his hands covered his face. He exhaled a heavy sigh.

---------

Xie excitedly wrote the divorce letter as soon as he reached his room.

Alaric stood beside his table, fiddling with his fingers. He was anxious about something.

"What's wrong, Alaric?" Xie lifted his face from the piece of paper on the table, giving his overall attention to the young boy.

Alaric heard the commotion below. The fight between the master and the madam and the issue of divorce, which he never thought would come out from madam's mouth. After all, madam loved master so much that he was willing to sacrifice anything. He only hopes for his feeling to be accepted by his husband.

"Alaric?"

"Are you going to leave the mansion after the divorce?"

Xie was shocked when he saw Alaric's eyes brimmed with tears.

"What's wrong with you, Alaric? Why are you crying?" He was flustered. In a flurry of panic, he searched for a handkerchief from the drawer before gently wiping his tears away.

"Didn't you love the master, madam? Why the sudden decision for this separation?" Alaric asked in between his sobs.

Xie sighed.

"That love was no longer here. I'm tired of my life. This marriage brought more harm than happiness to me, Alaric. After mulling it for several days, I finally decided to end this absurdity. I wished to be free."

"What about me?" Alaric blinked his eyes, unshed tears still conspicuously hanging on his eyelashes. "Would you also leave me behind?"

Xie's mouth shaped into an 'O'.

The real reason for Alaric's crying was this. He was afraid Xie would leave him behind, abandon him in this mansion. All his life here was to serve madam and only him. He wouldn't care less about his other master.

Xie chuckled. He stroked Alaric's soft hair and patted his cheek. They were still full of baby fat. Really smooth like a dumpling skin.

"How silly of you, Alaric. Of course, I would bring you along with me. We're inseparable. That time, when I picked you up from the dumpster, I decided to be your family. I wanted to be your brother, not your employer. How could I abandon you, child?"

Alaric's eyes lit up like a Christmas tree.

"Really, madam?"

"On the second thought, I would not." Xie pursed his lips, pretending to have a second thought for this matter.

"W...why?!" Alaric wilted. His legs wobbled like jelly, and his red-rimmed eyes became wet again.

"If you still called me madam, I might as well leave you inside this house and serve the next madam instead."

"No!" Alaric clutched on the hem of his shirt, giving him a wronged look, full of grievance. "I promised to call you brother when we leave this house, madam! Please believe me!"

" Really?" Alaric's panicked face tickled his sadistic side, so Xie decided to tease him. "I don't believe you, though."

Alaric immediately knelt beside him, desperately clinging to one of his legs. He sobbed while repeating his promise again and again. He looked pitiful and miserable, and Xie felt bad for teasing him. He reluctantly stopped.

"Alright. Alright. Get up, silly. I will believe you this time."

"Thank you, madam!"

Xie clicked his tongue.

Realizing his slip of the tongue, Alaric immediately covered his mouth.

"Opps?" He then added innocently. "I said I called you brother after we left this house, madam."

"Ugh. Whatever."