Chapter 757: Chapter 757 Status
"Dad, I don’t want that Witch Jane to teach me, she’ll torture me to death, I don’t want her, Dad!" Norman’s whole world felt like it was collapsing when he heard his teacher was going to be replaced by Jane. He immediately put on a pitiful face and pleaded with his father, using the charm that had always worked for him before.
The other illegitimate sons and daughters at the dinner table, who were allowed to sit there, watched Norman like they were watching a joke. They felt vindicated inside, as Norman had recently been infringing on their interests by relying on their father’s favor, causing them a lot of trouble and offending nearly everyone present. Seeing Norman now run into a wall, they weren’t going to remind him; just not adding fuel to the fire was already very restrained.
Marian looked at Norman with a satisfied expression. After all, before Norman appeared, she had been the most favored child by their father, and everyone had to watch out for her. Yet because of Norman’s arrival, she quickly fell out of favor and suffered a lot in the process. Seeing the person responsible for her fall getting disciplined by Claude, she could barely contain her joy, feeling like popping a champagne tower to celebrate.
"I think your brother is right; there’s nothing to discuss about this. Everything will be done according to your brother’s wishes, so just get ready for your lessons." Bart said to his most cherished son, Norman, as he looked at him.
Most of the excessive demands Norman had previously made were agreed upon by Bart. He never expected such a minor request to be refused by Bart; it felt like a dream.
He stood there blankly, looking like a fool.
"Norman, we’re having dinner. Standing there like that is against the rules; you’d better sit down," Nancy said gently to Norman.
Though it seemed like she was reminding Norman to sit down, in reality, she was subtly stirring trouble for him with Bart. Marian typically couldn’t stand Nancy and tended to oppose whatever Nancy did, but in the matter of dealing with Norman, she didn’t interfere and just rolled her eyes at Nancy, silently mouthing "bitch."
Nancy pretended not to see.
Norman being called out by Nancy caught Bart’s attention once more, causing Claude to also look over.
"Dad, allowing someone who doesn’t learn the rules to sit at the table is really off-putting. I think he should eat in the kitchen and come back when he has learned some manners." Claude said, looking Norman up and down with a slightly cold voice.
"What? You’re sending me to the kitchen, sending a proper Calvin family young master to eat with a bunch of servants?" Norman’s tone suddenly rose in response to Claude’s words, pointing at Claude and shouting out loud, with his eyes filled with unabashed jealousy.
"It seems you haven’t learned table etiquette well, nor have you learned how to speak to others properly," Claude said indifferently.
"Etiquette this, etiquette that; you’re just jealous of me, jealous of the affection I receive from father. You’re afraid I’m going to threaten your position as the heir, so you came here specifically to pick on me to make father hate me, right? Otherwise, why would you, who barely come home to dine a few times a year, return today? Dad, please don’t fall for his tricks." Norman barged over to Bart, squatting beside him, clinging onto Bart’s arm as he whined, accusing Claude.
Bart patted Norman’s head, looking at him as if he were a fool for the first time, "Fall for what trick? Back in the day, I, Bart, was smart enough to single-handedly rescue this nearly bankrupt family. How could I have such a foolish child like you?"
"Dad." Norman had not expected Bart to say such things, nor had he expected the cold look in Bart’s eyes, making him instinctively overwhelmed with fear, as if something bad was about to happen.
"Me, jealous of you? Ha, that’s the funniest joke I’ve ever heard. Even if I didn’t live through today, and the position of heir were to become vacant, do you think Dad would hand the Calvin family over to you? To a useless person who understands nothing? Having dreams is good, but you should distinguish between dreams and delusions."
Claude looked at Norman with eyes void of warmth, as if he were looking at something lifeless.
Claude’s words plunged the dining table into a deathly silence. Those swept by his gaze hurriedly avoided eye contact, not daring to meet the sharpness in Claude’s eyes.
"I know all of you here have thoughts just like this fool. You all think as long as I’m not around, if you could pull me down or get rid of me, you could become the future heir of the Calvin family. Ha, stop dreaming." Claude took out his silverware and elegantly cut the medium-rare steak on his plate.
Blood trickled out with each slice, and the marbling texture of the meat could be seen where it was cut, appearing both gruesome and exquisite.
"Even assuming you could kill me, would you really succeed in taking my place? Don’t kid yourselves. A bunch of parasites raised by the Calvin family dreaming to become predators to support this family? If the Calvin family fell into your hands, it would descend into Hell without external forces, wouldn’t it? Dad, am I right?"
Claude paused in his cutting, looking at Bart for a response. The emotions and complexities in their eyes exchanged in the air, unreadable and unfathomable to others.
Bart looked at Claude for a moment, as the atmosphere at the dining table grew more oppressive. Just as everyone felt suppressed to the point of wanting to flee, and Norman thought Bart despised Claude and that he might escape punishment, Bart once again indulged Claude’s behavior and even spoke to back him.
"I suggest you all abandon any thoughts you shouldn’t have. The Calvin family’s heir will only ever be Claude. While I’m alive, just enjoy your luxurious life. Any other thoughts should best be erased from your mind."
Claude showed no expression upon hearing Bart’s words, continuing to slice his steak gracefully, though there was a touch of mockery in his eyes.
His beloved father never missed a chance to create enemies for him. Without needing to look up, Claude knew that now their gazes filled with envy and hatred must be directed at him, wishing that this stumbling block would die right before their eyes, but he simply wouldn’t yield to their resentment.
Norman was dragged out by the butler and his men, losing even the chance to eat in the kitchen.
The dishes used by Norman were swiftly removed from the table, and in just a moment, it was as if Norman had never appeared at the dining table.
"Come find me in the study after dinner. It’s been a while since we, father and son, had a good chat. Oh, and Butler, remember to have the young master’s room prepared." Bart instructed the butler, then said to Claude, "Don’t leave tonight; stay and sleep here."