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Chapter 376 - Soul Searching

The hurt in Yvonne's eyes was apparent for the men in the Office room to observe.

She was happy these last few months as even if her brother had visited them only a few times, their relationship was much better than it ever was.

She could feel that he cared for her through his words and his actions whenever he returned.

'But I suppose those were all just my wishful thinking.' She pursed her lips at this thought.

Noticing her drooping spirits, they clamored to make things clear to her and the first to speak up was Howard St. Claire.

"You offered to help me because you wanted me to become a knight and fulfill my dreams." He repeated the same words that she had used at that time which had won his heart.

A smile appeared on his lips when he thought of the warmth that spread in his heart when she had said so.

However, that smile turned to a straight line when he recalled the conversation he had with his father that same evening.

"But did you ever think about how I could let my little sister struggle in this society filled with men who think that women are lesser than men?" He disclosed his reasoning and placed it before her.

Yvonne was waiting to hear some kind of obnoxious accusations coming from him once again but what she heard surprised her thoroughly.

The elder brother was not done yet so she could only sit in silence and listen to everything that he was now pouring out.

"You care about me enough to do this for me so why can I not make a small sacrifice for my sister's safety?" He questioned her and now a bitter smile formed on his lips.

For someone who rarely cried, Yvonne felt her eyes sting after hearing his words.

'Why the hell are you so dumb!?' She sneered at him though her heart warmed at the care and love he had just displayed towards her.

After sharing her initial plans with Marquess Samed, she had learned about just how treacherous these neatly dressed, well-groomed men from the noble families could be.

She was also well aware of the dangers that she would face if she were to go down this path.

But she had chosen to do so not only for his dream but also for hers which was to build a business empire of her own.

"If you are doing this to keep me safe then you don't have to worry about it. I can take care of my own safety." She argued in an attempt to change his mind.

Howard however, did not take her words seriously as the person speaking those words was a mere five-year-old child.

Thinking of something else, she turned her head towards the other person in this room whose existence had been ignored until now.

"You will keep me safe, won't you?" She questioned him in all seriousness.

The trust that she had formed with this man which kept building up from the day they had met was a great solace for the little girl.

Therefore, in her moment of anxiety, she looked towards him for help.

Howard looked down to avoid watching her spirits being crushed once again as it was their father who had spoken to him about this matter and opened his eyes to the dangers that came with the heir's responsibilities.

As he waited for his father to drop the hammer on this matter, he clenched his fists as this would surely dishearten her further.

'Are you going to agree with him?' The little girl had eyes fixed on her father with a hint of anger and even annoyance.

Angry at the world that she was in, where she was not even considered worthy of being the stand-in heir until her brother could fulfill his dreams.

And annoyed that she was too young right now and could only depend on her family for support in this moment of desperation.

"I will protect you." Rutherford's calm voice echoed in the room which surprised the two siblings alike.

They looked at him with wide eyes and dropped jaws at what their father had just said.

Rutherford smiled at his daughter then turned towards his son.

"I will protect both of my children from all harm." He declared once again, making his stance clear to them.

Yvonne was pondering on what he meant by this while Howard was frowning as this was not what they had decided on earlier.

"But Father…" Howard's plan to clarify their misunderstanding came to a halt when he saw his father's knowing nod.

"I spent the last three months thinking… Thinking of many things…" Rutherford spoke while alternating his sights between the two children.

They in return, remained silent this time to let him speak.

After his conversation with his son, the Earl had done a lot of soul searching and this was what he had learned from it.

"My son was facing the same despair that I once went through and my daughter was willing to risk her safety to help him achieve his dreams." He smiled bitterly as he recounted his thoughts.

Every month, he received reports from the Royal Academy about his son's progress in the subjects being taught in class.

These reports stated how Howard St. Claire had improved tremendously in his classes and was even able to clinch the top spot in his grade for the monthly assessment.

The time he spent practicing his swords skills was being apportioned to his other classes each day to keep up these good scores.

This was how he had realized that his son was firm in his decision of becoming the heir to keep Yvonne safe.

The father's heart hurt when he thought of this.

'At least I was able to live out my dreams of practicing and learning with the Knight squadrons before I had to give up everything to take up the heir's responsibilities.' He recalled his past days.

The same past was now coinciding with his son's present with the only difference that Howard would never get to experience the joys of camaraderie that he had in the Knight squadron.

This thought pricked his conscience as he remembered one particularly heated conversation he had with his father in the past.

__

"Our family needs an heir and I only have you as my son. So accept your responsibilities and live up to the potential that I know you possess!" Old man St. Claire had yelled at his son after he was caught during his second attempt to escape from his room.

The then young boy Rutherford was standing with his head bowed but his trembling shoulders displayed his reluctance to do as he was being told.

This sight softened the father's heart along with his frowning face.

"Ford, you will understand one day when you have children that whatever I am doing is for your own good and for that of your future generation." He tried to coax the young boy who refused to lift his head.

This statement sparked a fury in the young lad's heart as he finally looked up at his father.

"I would never want my children to go through the same pain that I am going through right now!" Rutherford scoffed at his father which turned his softened expressions back to that of anger.

The Patriarch rose from his seat and walked towards the door but he spoke a single sentence before he left the room.

"The future of our family rests on your shoulders whether you like it or not." He uttered before leaving without looking back.

After this followed Rutherford's despairing days of being locked inside his room until his willpower broke down and he gave in to his father's wishes.

___

The bitter smile on his face was evident as he recalled the immense hatred he had in his heart for his father at that given point in his life.

However, with time, all wounds healed and he had accepted his fate along with forgiving his father for forcing him to give up his dreams.

Now, as he looked at the young boy sitting before him, he could sense the familiarities in both their appearances, their hobbies, and also their fates.

But Rutherford shook his head, shaking away the idea that his son would have to face the same fate as he once did.

"I will stand behind you and protect you two. Papa promises you this." He placed his right hand on his chest as he solemnly gave them his vow.