Leon pause as his father interrupted him. Duchess Julia becomes anxious as she begins to realize this talk direction.

“why for now???? why you say we could live as a family only for now?? what do you mean… isn’t it’s enough if you live iso—”

“darling you…”

Gasp*

Duke Carl quickly closes his mouth with his right hand as he suddenly realized that he almost agrees with his son's suggestion.

‘shit… this talk is following Leo's direction...’

Duke Carl curse inside of him. Duchess Julia becomes restless, she knows if she didn’t stop her husband just now… this talk will surely agree with her son. Then, she will lose her son.

“for now, because… though we won’t fight… the one who already lose from the start… won’t have a place in this mansion…”

Bam*

Leon shoved both of his parents with the truth that they don’t want to admit.

Yes… in a noble’s family, if one loses position as an heir or does not become the lord, they don’t have any qualification to stay in the mansion, they will be sent away somewhere.

If you are a woman, you will be married to another noble’s family. If you are a man then, you might need to work in a government position or anywhere else doesn’t matter, but if you’re a man, then you can’t afford to live in the mansion, you need to live somewhere else.

“that’s why… I will live here in silence, and when the time comes where Luis becomes the main heir of this family… that’s will be my cue to pack my things and leave this mansion…”

‘then… this suffocating feeling will be ended too… I would be able to escape from it and be free…'

Smirk*

Leon smiled as he thought that he would be free. He felt excited and satisfied as he would be able to live a true life when the time comes later on.

He didn’t realize that his satisfied smile seems forcing and sad in the eyes of both his parents. His parent who's only watching him in silence had a looked of sadness and pity in their gaze towards him.

“Leo I…. sigh*”

Duke Carl sigh as he brushed his face with both of his hands. He knows exactly what Leon trying to do. He knows that’s why it’s so sad.

It’s so sad but… he can’t disagree. Leon’s plan was amazing… and it’s beneficial for this family, he can’t help but become speechless. He doesn’t know what to say anymore. 

‘Leo has grown up’

Duke Carl thought as he processing Leo’s plan. 

‘I can only agree… I’m defeated…’

As he thought that, Duchess Julia interrupted.

“Leo you can’t!!!!!”

“ermm!!!”

Leon shocked as he feels both his shoulder was grabbed by a certain force that made him groan a little bit.

Duchess Julia was in front of him, kneeling and grabbing his shoulder. Leon's eyes opened wide as he saw how messes his mother's face right now.

His mother's body was trembling and tears didn’t stop flowing from her eyes. She was biting her lips after the shout that she makes. Her lips were slightly bleeding as she biting hard to stop herself from crying out loud. 

‘ah… I mess up… my mother…is’.

“mother… I—”

“yo…you…you can’t do that Leo!!!!”

His mother stutter as she trying to mutter her words to him. He realized that time, how hard this was for his mother.

His eyes were onto now messes face of his mother. He too focuses on the matter that he forgets to take a proper look at his mother, so he looked at her with painful eyes.

He knows that his mother was hurting because of him but, he can’t do anything regarding it.

“mother…. Sorry… I can’t—”

“I say you can’t Leo!!!!! Hic*”

Duchess Julia shouts as she cries and pulls Leo to her embrace. Leon could feel his mother’s trembling embrace. 

Hic*

He could hear clearly his mother's cries. He patted slightly his mother back to calm her down. Duke Carl watch this scene in silence, he couldn’t find any words for this situation. His mouth feels dry at this moment.

“mother… calm down please…. Stop crying...”

“yes, honey… stop crying… this—”

“you can’t agree Carl!!! You can’t!!!! hic*”

Duchess Julia still denying this situation. She can’t accept this. She can’t lose her son. Though this child is not her true son, she loves him with all her heart. Leon could also feel this but, he needs to do this. 

‘I don’t want anyone to touch our family… I will protect it with this way mother… though I feel suffocated all this time in this mansion… my love for this family is real… I realized it as time pass by… I miss old days together… I miss it so much but… if I back to the way it was before… this happy family might be in danger… those bastard nobles will strangle this family with their nasty agenda… I won’t let them do as they please... I will persist even if I suffered and afterward, I'll be free..’

 Of course, those words only carved in his mind and heart instead of saying out loud.

He doesn’t want anyone to know his thought. His gaze becomes fierce and vicious as he thought about anyone that could harm his family. This vicious gaze was cover by his mother's embrace, so no one could see it.

“Mother won’t let you do it Leo…hic… I won’t let you… hic… I don’t want you to go!!! Hic… please don’t do this Leo… please… I’m begging you….”

Leon could hear his mother plead, but he remains silent. He loses his word as he keeps hearing her cry. 

“honey…. I know how you felt but…. You know he won’t stop right??”

Stiffened*

His mother stops cries abruptly. Her tears still fall but she stops making sounds. Leon trying to let go of his mother's embrace and looked at her. He could feel his mother's embrace lose its power.

He looked at his mother's face and he saw how his mother biting her lips till it’s bleed.

“mother stop biting your lips...it’s bleeding!!!!”

**********************************

To be continued...

Well.. I'm not sure whether Duchess Julia's feeling was truly being able to express in my writing... It's hard to play with emotion...