MARCO:
I don't know how long I had been hitting him. My knuckles ached and were bleeding for hitting so much. Although I couldn't tell the difference between his blood and mine.
Was he still alive? No idea. I saw his chest swell and contract.
«He is still alive»
When we discovered Bachué's escape with one of our horses, I ordered to take the groom to the basement of the mansion, where my servants tied him to a column and I began to beat him for hours. And so on, for a couple more days.
I wasn't going to let him go free anytime soon. I wanted to punish him until I quenched my thirst for revenge. And there was no sign of that soon.
I rested. I drank water and wonder "was I still angry?" Yes, I still was, so I resumed the beating.
It was enough to remember that I was the mockery of the entire capital and I felt my muscles ignite like fire.
Among high society, I, Marco Derderíán, was a buffoon.
PUNCH! Hit to the groom's face.
«I am a mockery.»
PUNCH! Stronger hit.
«I'm a shame.»
PUNCH!
«What was I thinking?»
PUFF!
«Propose a dark-skin?»
PUNCH! PUNCH! PUNCH! PUNCH!!!!
«AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!»
***
"Well, you are a disgrace," Lord Derderián growled.
Those words made my heart hollow. No matter how many times I heard them, my father's comments hurt me.
He called me to his office at the mansion, to reprimand me in private.
The smell of old books always made me nervous, because it reminded me of the times I was summoned there as a child, to be reprimanded, punished, or worse… beaten.
"We have to restore the image of our family, do you hear me, boy?"
I nodded.
"The first thing is to find that whore and bring her to the Duke's justice."
I nodded.
"And you…"
Me too?
"You too should have exemplary punishment."
"Father?"
"This transgression of our family cannot go unpunished. "
"Isn't the shame I must endure from now on punishment enough, father?"
"NO!" He screamed, slamming his fist to his desk. "Of course it is not enough!"
"And what punishment will be, father?"
Lord Derderián's countenance darkened.
"Disinherit you."
I blinked several times. A chill ran down my spine.
"Dad? Did I listen well?"
"I hope so because being deaf is the only thing you lack to be completely useless."
"Father, please think things over ..."
"I've thought about it enough!" He roared like a caged lion. "You will never grow up! I cannot allow the legacy of the Derderián house to fall into the hands of a spoiled child with no idea of what it is to lead a family like ours! "
That hole in my heart ...
"Did you hear me, boy?"
That feeling of being empty inside ...
"Boy?"
Lord Derderián rose from the chair behind his desk and walked so close to me that I could feel his stinky breath.
"Do you hear me, boy? I'd rather die under torture, have my limbs ripped from my body, and bleed out on a floor full of my own shit and pee, before leaving this family and this mansion under your command. "
Everything went dark. I swear it was so.
It was as if the light of the world had gone out.
I don't know what happened next. I lost control of my body and my consciousness.
All I know is that I was on top of my father's stiff and cold body, with my hands clutching his neck.
I came to myself.
"Dad?"
His eyes didn't have that gleam of life. They were off.
"Father?"
He didn't respond.
I realized that he wasn't breathing either.
"Dad!" I shook him waiting for him to react.
He didn't.
Had I murdered him?
Nock, nock, nock! They called the door. My heart raced so much that I thought it was going to jump out of my chest.
"Marco? Everything alright?" I heard my mother's voice on the other side.