I Became a Slave to the Man I Abandoned Novel (Completed) - Chapter 6

Nox asked, already knowing the answer.

“Khalid did it?”

“He’s not the kind of kid who would…”

Maeta’s voice trailed off in disbelief. Nox let out a bitter smile inwardly. Right, Khalid wasn’t that kind of kid. But Nox was about to turn him into exactly *that* kind of kid.

“And why do you get to decide that?”

“What?”

Maeta looked startled. She knew full well how fond Nox was of Khalid. Slowly, Nox descended the stairs. A crowd of servants had gathered, murmuring anxiously, all facing the center of the hall.

“Young master is here…!”

With someone’s hushed shout, the servants quickly parted to clear a path. At the end of that path, Nox saw Khalid on his knees at the center of the hall. One of his mother’s maids stood nearby, pointing and yelling in a voice so shrill and loud it rang throughout the room.

“I saw that child steal madam’s brooch!”

His mother stood straight for the first time in what felt like ages, having emerged from her chambers. Though her face bore signs of illness, her hair was perfectly pinned. Beside her, Nox’s father looked uneasy and fidgety of course. Nox scoffed. His father had never been able to stand up to her, even now.

“I-I didn’t do it! I didn’t steal anything!”

Khalid cried out. The servants held him down on his knees. His eyes locked with Nox’s for a moment pleading, desperate. Nox looked away. He couldn’t meet that gaze.

“I snatched the brooch from the child myself! He’s lying!”

The maid raised a blue brooch high in the air. A deep sapphire stone encased in gold is clearly something of great value. Khalid kept looking at Nox, hoping for support. But Nox refused to meet his eyes. Sensing something was wrong, Khalid’s voice began to shake.

“Y-Young master…?”

“……”

“Young master, y-you sent me, remember? You asked me to bring you madam’s brooch. Didn’t you?”

“……”

Nox said nothing. No *couldn’t* say anything. His throat had tightened. Regret clouded his mind *was it really okay to do this to the boy?* Was this really the only way to send him away from the mansion? To protect him?

He moved his lips several times, struggling, then finally forced the words out.

“…I never asked you… to do anything like that.”

The words came out in broken fragments. After speaking, Nox instinctively clenched his teeth. Khalid’s eyes widened in disbelief. He fought to free himself from the servants holding him.

“Young master… young young master…!”

Nox turned away. *Once the boy is thrown out,* he thought, *I’ll make arrangements for another household to take him in. Somewhere safe.* The young Nox truly believed everything would go according to plan.

But Nox had overlooked something: the sharp eyes of Olga, who had been observing everything. The woman, already frail and unstable from illness, looked down at Khalid with a face twisted in contempt.

“To lay hands on your master’s possession… and then to blame another master.”

Nox tensed at the cold, sharp voice of his mother. Something was going terribly wrong.

“For such insolence, he shall receive a hundred lashes with the thorned whip and be cast out of this house.”

“Mother!”

Nox immediately called out. His eyes were unsteady, trembling.

“That punishment is far too harsh!”

“Too harsh?”

Olga’s eyes glinted with fury and madness.

“He dared steal from his master and lied to cover it. And you say it’s too harsh?”

“He’s just a child! Being cast out is punishment enough…”

“My son.”

Her voice calmed as she interrupted him.

“I know the boy is your servant. But you cannot make such ambiguous judgments out of personal affection.”

“But !”

Nox protested, despite himself. Olga’s gaze hardened.

“Silence!”

Her command brooked no argument.

“Deliver the lashes. Now!”

“Yes, madam!”

Nox began to tremble. This wasn’t how he had wanted things to unfold. His plan had been simple: Olga would banish the boy, and his father, ever the coward, wouldn’t dare go against her. At that time, Nox would place the boy in another house. Safe. Protected. But that was the fantasy of a child and reality had veered far from the plan.

“Madam!”

Khalid suddenly broke free and scrambled to Olga’s feet, bowing low with tears streaming down his face.

“Please, madam. I’m sorry. I repent. Please… please, don’t cast me out…”

“You haven’t learned your place. Head maid! What are you waiting for?”

“Y-yes, madam!”

Maeta took the thorned whip brought by another servant. It wasn’t a tool meant for delivering a hundred lashes. Nox opened his mouth, trying to confess *I sent him. Punish me instead.* But before he could speak, Olga’s piercing green eyes silenced him.

“Keep your mouth shut.”

She stepped closer, placing a hand on his shoulder and whispered in his ear.

“Did you think I didn’t know you sent him?”

Nox’s eyes widened.

“You’re just like your filthy father. Don’t think I haven’t noticed how you feel about that boy.”

In that moment, Nox realized his mother stood far above him. He had been too blind, too proud, too praised for his brilliance to notice the towering shadow she cast.

“I’ll remove that boy from my sight. I can no longer bear to see both you and your father disgrace yourselves.”

Maeta raised the whip high.

*Crack!*

The thin fabric did nothing to shield Khalid. A scream tore through the air the voice of a boy just entering adolescence. Nox flinched.

Olga pressed down on his shoulder, angling him to see the punishment. Then she whispered again.

“Look closely. This is the result of your foolishness. You’re filthy, half-blooded. But I will make you a man.”

Her grip tightened, nails digging into his skin.

*Crack!*

Khalid screamed again. Nox bit down hard on his tongue. Blood began to pool in his mouth, metallic and warm. Yet no tears came. Only the bloodshot whites of his eyes, veins bursting with pressure.

His whole body shook. He wanted to run. He wanted to save Khalid. But whenever he tried to take a step, his mother’s iron grip held him in place.

“Watch this. This is your crime. Your mistake.”

“M-Mother… Mother…”

Nox mumbled, barely audible. Khalid’s screams continued, echoing endlessly through the hall. Nox didn’t look at his mother. He looked only at Khalid, broken, bleeding, collapsing under the lashes.

“I’m sorry… Please… please stop…”

“My son.”

Olga’s nails finally tore through his skin. A sharp sting bloomed under his clothes.

“You started this. You will see it through.”

Her voice was like a shard of ice cold, sharp, and cruel.

“That poor boy… how pitiful.”

She finally removed her hand from Nox’s shoulder and gave her last command, eyes still on the crumpled boy.

“Make sure I never see him again.”

That order was for Nox. But also for the father, who still stood bowed and silent. Once Olga left the hall, the man scurried off to his study without a word. Only Nox remained, frozen in place. Khalid had fallen unconscious, limp and unmoving.

Nox rushed to Maeta, his voice trembling.

“Stop, please please, no more!”

“Y-Young master…”

“…Maeta. Please. Just this once. Listen to me.”

“……”

Maeta knew how much Nox cared for Khalid. She began shouting to the others.

“What are you all staring at? Back to your posts!”

“Yes, ma’am!”

The crowd quickly dispersed. Now only Nox, Maeta, and the unconscious boy remained in the hall. Nox looked down with eyes red from burst vessels.

Khalid’s back, always so straight and proud beside him, was now soaked in blood. Clenching his fists, Nox stared down at the ruined boy. He remembered Olga’s words *You started this. You’ll see it through.*