“…”
Mentioning the Folsom family’s deep-seated hatred made Jasper’s hands tremble.
“Since birth, every member of the Folsom family has known the responsibility they bear-to make those who slaughtered the Folsom family pay the price, and to bring the whole family back to Country A. We’ve all been working toward this! Ugh…”
Beinice coughed up a mouthful of blood from the beating, raising a hand to point at the woman sitting beside Jasper, and said emotionally, “For the Folsom family, Big Sister married into the Gustin family’s villa without hesitation. She used to be so brilliant, called the smartest woman of her time. And now? She lost to Enrico’s mother and ended up like this!”
“Heh, heh…”
Brangelina sat there giggling foolishly.
“And our Third Sister, over twenty years ago, she went to Country A to expand our influence on your orders. But in her rush to carry out the task, when she came back, her child was gone. Her husband divorced her because of it, and for over twenty years they haven’t seen each other. No one knows if the child is alive or dead. Has Third Sister ever blamed you? She’s still working for the Folsom family even now!”
Beinice lay on the ground, speaking through clenched, bloodied teeth, his eyes filled with tears.
“…”
The room was silent as everyone stared at Beinice’s pitiful state.
“…”
Jasper sat there, his fists clenched tightly.
“Everyone reveres you, no one dares speak out, but I have to say something. For the past century, how many of our people have we sacrificed for the sake of the Folsom family’s grand cause? Who among us isn’t eager for revenge? But now, you want to save Paige and Enrico? They are not on the same path as the Folsom family!”
Beinice lay on the floor, his shirt stained with blood, his voice growing weaker as he said, “If you insist on saving them, then kill me first.”
“…”
Jasper looked at Beinice on the ground, then turned his gaze to his eldest daughter Brangelina. Once a sharp and intelligent woman, she had been reduced to a child-like state by her despair.
It was all for the Folsom family.
Jasper looked around at the family members sitting in a circle. They all looked at him, careful not to show resentment, but their eyes conveyed the same message: He was making a foolish decision.
Yes, he had been confused.
His children had sacrificed themselves, one after another, for the Folsom family’s cause. And yet, he had selfishly considered saving Paige, someone not aligned with the Folsom family.
She was merely his apprentice, a girl who served him tea and company for a few days, who researched a remedy to help him sleep, who shared his passion for rearing creatures of all kinds…
Suddenly clear-headed, Jasper waved his hand and said, “Stop.”
The servants immediately stopped.
Seeing this, everyone breathed a sigh of relief. Even Beinice, through the pain, smiled as he crawled to Jasper’s feet and looked up at him. “Father…”
“I take back what I said today,” Jasper declared. It was the first time he had ever gone back on his word.
“Father, there are many children in the Folsom family’s younger generation who can serve at your side, all of them closer to you than that girl Paige,” Beinice said, trying to console his father despite his pain.
Jasper glanced at Beinice’s bloodied mouth and spoke heavily, “Go get your injuries treated.”
“Father,” Beinice struggled to raise his hand to rest it on Jasper’s knee, “since you’ve made up your mind, why not destroy that forbidden book too?”
Jasper’s feelings toward Paige weren’t ordinary; he was too prone to changing his mind.
This time, they had talked sense into him, but what about next time?
Normally, Beinice’s boldness would have earned him another punishment, but Jasper suddenly felt drained of all strength. He looked at Beinice and then at the rest of the family. He understood that unless the book was destroyed, no one would be at ease.
If even the head of the Folsom family couldn’t wholeheartedly sacrifice for the family’s grand cause, how could the others continue to carry on?
Jasper reached for an old string hanging around his neck, pulling out a key. He handed it to a servant beside him. “Fetch it.”
“Yes, sir.” The servant took the key and hurried upstairs.
Seeing that Jasper had finally come to his senses, everyone in the room breathed a sigh of relief.
A short while later, the servant returned with an old, worn book. This was the Folsom family’s most treasured heirloom from the Medicine Curse Sect, a book containing knowledge of the rarest substances on Earth, meant to be passed down to the next generation’s leader.
Jasper had intended to give it to Paige someday.
But now, it wasn’t necessary.
Jasper waved his hand, signaling for the servant to destroy the book.
The servant brought over a fire brazier and placed the book inside, lighting it with a match in front of everyone.
Jasper watched as the flames caught the edge of the book, flickering and dancing before his aging eyes. He stared at the fire as though he was watching Paige herself burn.
“Teacher, I won’t bother you. I’ll just read quietly.”
“Teacher, if you don’t sleep, I’ll burn all your creatures.”
“Teacher, I’m leaving. I brewed some wine for you, but don’t drink too much. I’ve planted vegetables in the garden, and I’ll send someone to deliver meat regularly, but you shouldn’t eat too much.”
“Teacher, I’m stubborn…”
“As for what happens after I die, I don’t care. Perhaps the Folsom family will still prevail in the end.”
Life in River Town had been lonely. Though his children were dutiful, none of them were around. In truth, during those six months… he had been quite happy.
As Jasper watched the flames consume the book, Paige’s face grew blurrier in his mind, until he could no longer recall what she looked like. A rush of blood surged to his throat.
Jasper spat out a mouthful of blood, and the world went black as he collapsed onto the sofa.
“Old Master!”
Everyone panicked, rushing to his side.
…
Paige had no idea that her words had thrown the Folsom family into chaos. She sat quietly in her study.
After her conversation with Jasper, she had confirmed it: Medicine Curse Sect’s treatment not only couldn’t cure the AS schizophrenia gene, but it would also accelerate death.
For a brief moment, she had felt despair.
Then, in the next moment, she came to terms with it.
Just as she had told Jasper, what would happen in the future could wait. Enrico’s test results were so healthy that she had no idea how to treat him.
At worst, she only had a month left. She should use that time to accomplish everything she needed to, without leaving too many regrets.
Thinking this, she realized that she had truly tied her life to Enrico’s.
It turned out she loved him even more than she thought.
Without him, she didn’t want anything.
She chuckled bitterly to herself.
Her phone suddenly vibrated.
Paige glanced at it-it was a call from Butler Beau. She answered, and he spoke in a hushed tone, “Madam, the young master has returned.”
Paige had instructed Butler Beau to keep an eye out for Enrico’s return, fearing he would show up while she was rummaging through the warehouse. Beau had taken the task as if it were a spy mission.
“I see,” Paige responded coolly, putting away her phone and heading out.
Was there even any need to hide it anymore?