บท 240: Cassius Story: Useless Father

"I'm not going to ruin Amane's life, or mine, just to build a stupid relation to another group. All my life, I've done what you wanted, followed your rules, but this time, I'm choosing for myself. And I choose Amane."

His father, who had remained silent, finally spoke, his tone icy. "You're making a mistake, Cassius. You're throwing away your future for a girl. Think of the consequences."

Cassius turned to him, his eyes blazing. "The only mistake would be listening to you. You've never cared about me, only about the image you want me to uphold."

"But I'm done being your puppet. You can keep your wealth, your status—I don't need any of it. I'm cutting ties with this family, with all of you."

His mother gasped, her face pale with shock. "Cassius, you don't mean that. You can't just walk away from everything."

"I can, and I will," Cassius said, his voice steady now, filled with a resolve he hadn't known he had.