36. Truth of the Scandal

Hudson didn't report back to his master as quickly as Carlo had hoped.

His call didn’t come until the evening. Though gathering the information took some time, it wasn’t beyond Hudson's capabilities. The real delay came from the sheer weight of the revelation. He had to carefully consider how to deliver the news to his young master.

When Hudson finally called, Carlo was in a secluded spot on campus, in a small grove of trees. Empty beer cans littered the ground near a paper bag, and in his hand, he held a belt, repeatedly lashing it against a tree trunk to vent his pent-up rage.

He had been doing this for who knows how long. The thick tree trunk was scarred, with a large section almost entirely stripped of bark, exposing pale wood beneath. His unbandaged hand had long since reopened the wound from earlier, the jagged tear in his knuckles dripping dark, congealed blood.

Carlo didn’t stop his frenzied assault until the Hermès belt in his hand finally gave way, snapping under the pressur