𝗪𝗵𝗶𝘁𝗲 𝗧𝗶𝗴𝗲𝗿 [ʀᴡʙʏ x ᴍᴀʟᴇ ᴏᴄ]

Chapter 40

Weiss POV

I sat on my bed, head bowed, hands folded neatly in my lap, trying to steady my breathing. Father paced back and forth across the room, his polished shoes clicking sharply against the floor with every step. Each click felt heavier than the last.

Jacques: "Unbelievable. Absolutely unbelievable."

He suddenly stopped, turning to point a finger at me.

Jacques: "Do you have any idea what your little stunt cost us?"

I opened my mouth, but before I could say a word—

Jacques: (cutting me off) "And don't think I'm just talking about Lien here! Our reputation! Our... our—"

He flung his hands into the air, as though the weight of his frustration was too much even for him to bear.

Jacques: "Our legacy!"

His voice cracked, and for a brief moment, the room fell silent. I could hear the faint hum of the central air system, the only sound punctuating the tension. My chest tightened.

Weiss: "I—"

Jacques: (interrupting again) "Don't. Just—don't."

He sighed angrily, pinching the bridge of his nose, as though even the sight of me exhausted him.

I waited, counting the seconds, letting his words settle like ash. My hands gripped the fabric of my dress tightly before I finally spoke.

Weiss: "I want to leave."

The words slipped out, clear and unwavering, but even I could feel the crack beneath my calm tone.

Father froze, his eyes narrowing as he slowly turned to face me.

Jacques: (mocking) "Leave? And go where, Weiss? Hmm? Back to Vale? Oh, wait—you can't. It's in ruins. Or perhaps you mean Atlas Academy?"

I met his gaze, my heart pounding against my ribs, but I refused to look away.

Weiss: "I said I want to leave. I don't want to stay here anymore. I don't want to stay in Atlas anymore!"

Jacques: "Young lady, I don't give a damn about what you want! This isn't about you. This is about the Schnee family name and your apparent insistence on dragging it through the mud!"

Weiss: (Stands up from the bed) "I have done nothing but fight to uphold the honor of my family name, a name that you married into!"

Father's' hand moved swiftly, faster than I anticipated, and the crack of his palm against my cheek echoed through the room like a thunderclap. The force of the slap sent my head snapping to the side, and for a moment, the world around me seemed to blur. A sharp, stinging pain spread across my left cheek, burning hot and raw.

Jacques: "You will watch your tone when speaking to me, young lady. You forget your place."

I stared at him, my cheek stinging and my breath caught somewhere between shock and anger. His words hung in the air, cold and suffocating, as though daring me to respond.