Chapter 104 Chapter 104
Chapter 104 Chapter 104
"Excuse me, who are you looking for?" the maid asked as she opened the door.
"I’m looking for Adele. Is she home?"
Without waiting for an answer, Tony brushed past the maid and stormed into the main hall. He shouted, his voice cracking. "Adele. I’m here for you. Please, come out."
Heavy footsteps echoed from the wooden staircase. Adele’s father descended, his face as cold as a stone statue. The maid reported tremulously, "Sir, this young man is here for the young mistress."
"I see. Go back to your work," he said, waving her off. He glared at the young man standing before him, exhausted yet defiant.
He crossed his arms, radiating an intimidating pressure. "I don't recall inviting you here. We aren't exactly close, so why have you come? Leave this instant."
Tony stood tall, facing the man he had once feared. "I came here for a reason. I will leave only if Adele comes out to meet me and leaves with me."
The man let out a mocking sneer. "Are you mocking me, boy?"
Tony didn't flinch, looking him right in the eye. "I haven't forgotten that you told me to evaluate myself. So, I’m here to prove that worth."
"Arrogant brat," the man growled, stepping closer to Tony, his presence thick with authority.
But Tony stood as firm as a small mountain. "I know exactly what I’m doing. I might have nothing to lose, but I have everything to protect. I want to tell Adele that my feelings for her will never change, whether it’s today, tomorrow, or when she’s on the other side of the ocean."
The two men, one old and one young, stared each other down like two gladiators. One was defending the dignity of a dictatorial father; the other was defending the only reason his heart still beat.
—
Hearing Tony’s voice, Adele rushed down from her room and stood between the two men. Before she could utter a word, Tony spoke up. "Adele, I want us to be together. I don't want you staying here, and I don't want you moving abroad. Come with me."
Adele’s father let out a cold, mocking laugh. "On what grounds do you expect my daughter to follow you? You are a penniless student who hasn't even graduated. You have nothing. To think you could just take my daughter away... isn't that a bit ridiculous?"
Tony took a step forward, meeting the former fighter’s intimidating presence head-on. "It isn't that I have nothing, sir. Like you, I love Adele and want only the best for her. Love isn't measured by the thickness of a wallet, but by the breadth of the shoulders that protect the one you love."
He turned to Adele and asked softly, "Adele, do you have faith in me?"
Adele gripped his hand, her eyes shimmering with tears. "Of course. I have every bit of faith in you, and in our love."
Her father roared, "I will not let you take her. Absolutely not."
"Then I want to challenge you," Tony said firmly. "I will prove to you, in my own way, that you can entrust your daughter to me."
Adele pulled at his arm in a panic. "Tony, don't. You can't beat my father. He’s a professional fighter."
Tony gently squeezed her hand. "I know your father is a fighter, but if he believes that only physical strength can protect you, then he is mistaken. I am willing to protect you with my own strength, even if I am not a fighter like him."
Adele’s father sat down on the sofa, seemingly unbothered. "Young man, empty words only fool girls like Adele. Do you want to know how this ends for you? Fine. If you want a fight, I’ll give you one. But don't blame me for whatever happens. Don't say I didn't warn you."
A wooden sword match began right there in the spacious courtyard. Adele stood on the sidelines, her heart racing. "Tony, have you ever studied swordsmanship?"
"No."
"Have you ever even tried it?"
"Not really."
"Not even once?"
"Never."
Adele covered her face in despair. "It’s over. My father is going to kill you." She ran over to plead with her father. "Dad, this isn't fair to Tony."
He replied coldly, "This was his choice. It has nothing to do with me."
He raised his sword, standing with an imposing posture. "I will attack you in any way I see fit. If that wooden sword you’re holding touches any part of my body, you win."
Tony repeated to confirm, "You attack however you want, and if I touch you, I win."
"Exactly. I will only attack three times. If you are hit but can still stand, I lose."
Adele sobbed. "Tony, you don't understand. If he hits you the first time, your ribs might break. The second time, your head could be split open. And the third... no, it’s impossible."
Tony looked at her, offering a reassuring smile. "My love for you will turn the impossible into reality."
The battle commenced. The first strike was a lightning-fast blur. Tony collapsed, the pain bone-deep, but he gritted his teeth and stood back up. The second strike: the wooden sword slammed into his shoulder. He went down again, his breath coming in ragged gasps, but he clung to the hilt of his sword to pull himself up even though he had no strength left.
Adele screamed, "Tony, stop this. We never stood a chance. You’re going to get yourself killed."
Tony looked at her through the haze of pain. "I once gave up basketball for you, and now, for you, I will not give up. There are only two ways this match ends: I stay standing, or I stay down. It will be either me or your father fighting to love you until the very end. Only one more time."
The third strike: as Adele’s father swung his sword, the sheer psychological weight of Adele’s scream caused him to hesitate for a split second. Tony gathered every ounce of his remaining strength, dodged, and lightly tapped the tip of his sword against the man’s shoulder.
"I won. From now on, Adele officially belongs with me." Tony collapsed, his body wracked with pain, yet he wore a radiant smile.
Adele rushed over to embrace him. "Dad, we won. We’re leaving."
Adele’s joy marked a milestone of freedom, a victory paid for with sweat and bruises. Tony’s chest felt light, as if a long-held shackle had finally been broken. They walked away hand-in-hand, never looking back at the father who stood there dazed, unable to comprehend how he had lost.