novelraw Chapter 349: The old man forces a marriage, pushing away all relatives
Chapter 349: The old man forces a marriage, pushing away all relatives
Morning light streamed through the gap in the curtains. The man extended his elegant, long fingers from under the blanket, propped himself up, and pressed against his aching head.
Fragments of last night’s drunken madness gradually came back to him. Ignatius Leclair seemed slightly regretful as he looked at the disheveled bed and Delphine curled up under the blanket.
Seeing her swollen, red eyes—her brows furrowed even in sleep—and the marks he’d left on her porcelain skin, his striking phoenix-shaped eyes flickered. He had only been mildly intoxicated last night. His actions were rooted less in drunkenness and more in his own dissatisfaction and momentary tumult—a mix of truth and pretense.
The old man’s pressure to marry had escalated to the point of disregarding family bonds. His strategy of stalling wasn’t a long-term solution.
Ignatius furrowed his brows, got up, and headed for the shower.
Delphine awoke the next day feeling as though her entire body couldn’t move—she felt pain wherever she was touched. Her face darkened instantly.
In past years, she herself had been a bit of a drunkard and knew how unreasonable people could become when intoxicated. There was no use trying to reason in such situations.
After showering, changing, and tidying up, it was nearly midday.
Upon going downstairs, she learned that not only Ignatius but even the old man had been drunk last night and hadn’t gotten up yet—the latter was still lying in bed groaning.
Bessie Leclair, who had risen early, sat on the sofa selecting jewelry for her wedding. When she saw Delphine come down, she rolled her eyes and scoffed mockingly, "Some people think they’re destined to be phoenixes, but in reality, they’re just chicken-feed hens from the grassland. It’s downright hilarious."
Delphine glanced at her, noting how even while pregnant, Bessie continued to wear makeup, dye her nails, and strut around in high heels. Her tongue was even sharper and more acerbic than before. Delphine nodded slightly and retorted blandly, "Still better than using the child in your belly to force a marriage."
"Who are you talking about?" Bessie snapped, her discomfort exposed as she shot to her feet and shouted, "Don’t think for a second my brother genuinely likes you! And as for your shameless mother, don’t expect her to have many pleasant days ahead either."
Bessie stopped abruptly, her expression shifting. She clamped her mouth shut as if she’d said too much.
Delphine felt a chill in her heart. Her gaze tightened as she asked coldly, "What do you mean by that?"
"Just what it sounds like." Bessie grew flustered, dodging the question with evasive gestures and calling out, "Alright, stop bothering me. I’m busy."
With that, she turned her back to Delphine and continued flipping through the latest jewelry catalog sent to her.
Delphine narrowed her eyes slightly. Bessie was not the type to tolerate losing ground—her words always carried some hidden meaning. Yet Delphine couldn’t figure out her exact intentions for now and resolved to be cautious and alert.
Over the next few days, Delphine observed intently, but the Leclair residence was peaceful, enveloped in the festive atmosphere of the New Year.
For the Leclair Family, honoring ancestors was the highlight of every New Year. Only Leclair descendants could enter the Ancestral Temple Hall for the annual ceremony. This year, Isaac Leclair was formally recognized and allowed to participate in the ritual for the first time, marking his official integration into the Leclair lineage, with similar inheritance rights to Ignatius.
Ms. Gu was overjoyed upon learning Isaac could attend the ritual this year. Though her name had yet to be added to the family tree, she was always self-aware and didn’t dare push too hard. She instead meticulously prepared for young Isaac’s participation in the ceremony.
On the twenty-fourth day of the lunar calendar, Stone Leclair specifically returned, and the old man led the children who remained overseas back to the ancestral hall for the ritual.
Ignatius had been so busy in recent days that he barely had time to catch his breath—leaving early and returning late every day.
Since his drunken episode, Delphine had been cold toward him, which Ignatius hardly minded. He retained his usual aloof silence and composed, dignified demeanor. Their relationship remained distantly cordial—neither argumentative nor intimate, but oddly, serenely indifferent.
When the family left for the ritual, only Delphine and Ms. Gu were left at home. Watching the servants hang intricately crafted red lanterns, Delphine felt an inexplicable lonely chill rise within her. It wasn’t until Griffith Squire called that she learned Leah had been hospitalized and was undergoing emergency treatment.