A Stay-at-home Dad’s Restaurant In An Alternate World

Moreton Manor was located in the northwestern corner of Chaos City. It was large, with luxurious yet somehow grim gray-and-white buildings.

The lamps had just been lit. Servants were coming and going with soft footfalls expressionlessly, never as much as exchanging glances.

In a grand hall, a dozen well-dressed people sat at a large rosewood table. There were a plate of steak and a plate of caviar in front of them each. They kept their hands on their laps. No one spoke; the atmosphere was oppressive.

A crystal oil lamp lit up the whole hall. Several servants were standing grimly there, awaiting orders.

Jeffree was sitting at the head of the table. He looked past his wife, Dennes Marquis, and at his second son, Cyril, whose head was a little lowered. Then he looked past Cyril’s wife, and at his first son, Lance, who was sitting straight.

Even his willful firstborn didn’t dare to meet his eyes. Jeffree frowned. He looked past his grandson, Mickey, and at the girl sitting far from him in a veil. “Take that off. We Moretons are no cowards.”

They all looked to the girl.

“Maybe she doesn’t like us staring at her pretty face,” Herty said derisively. She was a pretty girl of around 16, wearing heavy make-up.

“Yeah. She’s so beautiful,” agreed Herty’s twin sister, Hernie, staring at Gloria. They looked almost identical.

“I heard she would become one of the most beautiful girls in the city,” Aurora said, her mouth twisting in a disdainful smile. Her red lipstick made her thickly powdered face even paler. She had too many wrinkles for a woman of 30.

Gloria curled her hands into fists wordlessly.

The benign-looking woman sitting next to her looked anxious. Her mouth opened, and then closed slowly.

“Father, you should let her do as she wants,” Lance said defiantly, raising his eyes to Jeffree.

“Let her do as she wants?” Jeffree snorted. He leaned forward and raised his voice. “I let you do as you wanted, and look how that turned out! A f*cking teacher! You brought disgrace on our family!” He paused a moment. “Women should always do as men want. They’re men’s accessories. If they can find someone to marry, that is.”

Cyril took a look at Lance, sneered, and bowed his head again like a biddable child.

Aurora, Herty, and Hernie looked at Gloria gloatingly as if she were the only woman in the room.

Lance rose to his feet. “There’s nothing disgraceful about my job. I love teaching. I chose to become a teacher of my own accord.” Then he took a glance at Gloria, and raised his voice. “Women are not men’s accessories. They can do what we can do. I may be a fool to you, but it is fools like me that will change the world!”

Gloria looked up at her father, who had renounced his title as the heir of Jeffree, and suddenly found him admirable.

Jeffree laughed. “You must be out of your mind.” He leaned back in his chair, staring at his firstborn, whom he had once put all his faith in, in disappointment. “You couldn’t have changed the state of your daughter’s illness if you hadn’t been born into Moreton Family.”

“You’re making Father mad, Lance,” Cyril said disapprovingly.

“I…” Lance gritted his teeth, and bit back his words. He stood there for a moment, and then sat back down weakly.

Gloria’s hands were shaking. She looked as if she would stand up any minute now.

Mickey held her hand and shook his head. Although aged just 10, he could tell his grandpa was very angry. He didn’t want to see Gloria scolded.

Jeffree dropped his gaze to his food, and picked up the knife and fork. “The world will never change. The wealthy will stay wealthy, and women will stay useless,” he said, his voice low but filled with certainty.

The others’ faces lightened with relief; they picked up their knife and fork as well.

Suddenly, Gloria rose to her feet. “I agree with Father, Grandpa. Women are not useless. I’ll prove it to you someday,” she said in a determined voice.

The others froze, shocked. They had never thought such a meek girl would dare to stand up to Jeffree.

Lance turned to look at Gloria as if he were seeing her for the first time.

“If you’ll excuse me. I’m not hungry,” Gloria said, and left quickly.