"Father’s conspiracy?" Orleans still couldn’t believe it, isn’t it said that even brutal tigers don’t eat their cubs?
"He plans to drive you mad with the bear hunting matter and then use your poor mental state as a reason to lock you up in the madhouse," Wen Maixue extended her hand, gently caressing Orleans’ face. The most update n0vels are published on 𝓷𝓸𝓿𝓮𝓵·𝓯𝓲𝓻𝓮·𝓷𝓮𝓽
Orleans shivered. Indeed, he had been sleeping terribly these past few days, relying solely on the medicine Xuexue gave him. But it seemed the medicine no longer worked, and he felt groggy during the day. Olson’s reproaches felt like countless knives continuously stirring in his mind. At night, he would constantly have nightmares, sometimes dreaming of Olson embracing Wen Maixue, calling him useless, sometimes hearing Olson give him a shotgun without bullets, urging him to go bear hunting.
"Orleans, I can’t stand watching you being driven mad by him, so that’s why I came to notify you secretly after Olson fell asleep tonight. If he finds out, my life will be over," Wen Maixue looked at Orleans desperately, her gaze causing Orleans heart-wrenching pain.
With a bang, Wen Maixue screamed, her beautiful eyes fearfully looking towards the other end of the bonfire.
An angry roar erupted, waking all the hunters in the camp. For a moment, no one dared to react as they all silently listened, trying to figure out what was happening outside.
"Wen Maixue, you wench, I hit the bear, look, I am the real man, forcing you to be with that worthless loser," Olson shouted as he began firing towards the direction of the beast’s roar.
With every gunshot, Orleans’ body jerked, his hands trembling nonstop, as if all the bullets were striking him.
"Xuexue, I won’t let any of this happen, no one can take away my inheritance, and no one can snatch you away from me," Orleans shouted loudly, then turned and rushed into his tent.
"Orleans, don’t go," Wen Maixue’s voice was frail in the blizzard, growing weaker until it vanished completely.
Olson’s magazine was quickly emptied. After the volley of bullets, he felt a sense of relief. The bear that had dared to enter his line of sight was probably riddled with holes now, such a pity for a bear skin that could have been boasted about. Olson sighed, the chain of gunfire must have scared that pair of dogs to death; it was likely time to descend the mountain, this year’s hunt had taken too long.
Olson picked up his gun, turned around, ready to walk back to his tent like a victor, believing that once he returned, Wen Maixue would be waiting like a submissive slave, ready for the return of her king.
As he turned his face, he noticed that dawn was breaking, a morning star rising on the horizon. Only a flickering flame remained on the bonfire that had burnt intermittently for many days, exposing the brown soil where the snow had melted.
In front of the bonfire stood a man, someone Olson believed should be shivering in the tent at that moment, his son Orleans, standing right before him.
"What are you doing? Orleans," Olson still used his stern tone, even though Orleans stood before him aiming a brand-new shotgun that seemed never to have been fired.
"I am hunting, you said to raise the gun when facing prey," Orleans now sounded like an obedient good son.
"Your prey has already run away, you should have reacted when the bear appeared outside the tent, but you only knew to lie on top of that woman," Olson glanced at the gun; in his eyes, both the gun and the Orleans holding it were like something shaped from mud, hardly worthy of attention.
The shotgun in Orleans’ hand wavered slightly, his forehead breaking out in cold sweat. Xuexue hadn’t lied to him, Olson had found out about their affair. The gunfire just before was a warning; if he didn’t comply with Olson’s will, he would definitely do something more threatening than gunfire.
"Dad," Orleans’ voice softened, his knees knocking together like two pieces of wax softened by heat, "Just promise me to return Xuexue to me, and I will obediently listen to you and manage the family affairs."