Chapter 108
“… What?”
Lionel asked back as if he hadn’t heard properly.
No, you heard it right, but you probably don’t believe it.
Even though Evelia knew that, she repeated step by step what she said a moment ago.
“We don’t plan on telling Ruth about his birth…”
Lionel raised his right hand to interrupt her. Evelia kept her mouth shut because she knew very well how he felt.
After a while, he asked in a cold voice.
“Are you going to break the law?”
It was a fully expected reaction, so Evelia answered calmly.
“I think one day Ruth should know the whole truth.”
There are no secrets that last forever. Ruth will find out the truth someday. About his parents and about Cassis.
Before the child found out the truth too late and got hurt, Evelia planned to tell him directly.
But now was not the time. The child, who firmly believed that Cassis was his father, needed time.
Evelia continued speaking with a stern expression, unlike usual.
“But now is not the time. It would be better for the child if we wait until everything is settled and Ruth is older.”
“Ha.”
Lionel buried his face in his hands. Evelia silently waited for his answer.
‘It must be painful.’
The child he thought was dead is actually alive. That alone would have made Lionel blame himself for not having noticed it sooner.
Perhaps, until he appeared in front of Ruth, he had planned to do everything for the child that he had not been able to do before.
But you can’t even reveal your identity. I understood that feeling and couldn’t add anything.
After a while, Lionel raised his head.
“I get it. For the time being, we will do as the Duchess wishes.”
“Thank you.”
“In return, will you allow Ruth to spend time with me while he is in the kingdom?”
“Of course. I have no right to stop it.”
“Thank you.”
Lionel took a deep breath and bowed.
“Thank you for taking good care of my child all this time. Ruth has grown up really well.”
“Ruth….”
Evelia predicted what Cassis would say and poked his side. Cassis looked at her. When Evelia shook her head slightly, he sighed and corrected himself.
“I just did what I had to do, so I don’t need any thanks.”
“Thank you, though. Thank you for naming the child Lucius.”
“That was Julia’s will. There is no need for you to be grateful for that either.”
“Yeah, I see.”
Lionel hesitated for a moment and then asked again.
“Julia… How was she?”
Cassis closed his eyes tightly and opened them, as if just hearing that name was difficult.
“ She just kept waiting.”
“…….”
“If Ruth’s biological father returns…”
His voice trembled slightly.
“She asked me to tell you that she was happy to meet you and that she was happy to have a child.”
“… I see.”
Lionel’s answering voice was more subdued than Cassis’s.
He didn’t cry. However, Evelia could tell that he was suffering more than when he shed tears when he saw Ruth.
*****
“Are you Aunt Julia’s friend?”
Ruth, who was playing with Celsion and Trika on the other side, opened his eyes and asked back.
Evelia lowered to the child’s eye level and spoke again.
“Yes. He was Aunt Julia’s favorite friend.”
“Wow.”
Lionel, who had been standing stiffly behind Evelia until then, asked cautiously.
“Do you know Julia?”
“Yes!”
Ruth answered loudly and chattered like a sparrow.
“I saw a portrait of Aunt Julia a while ago! She was so pretty! She looks like an angel!”
“I know.”
Lionel knelt down on one knee in front of Ruth and gently touched the child’s plump cheek.
“She was a very pretty person.”
“Yes!”
“You look a lot like Julia.”
“Me? But….”
Ruth tilted his head.
“Everyone said I look like my father.”
“That’s true, but if you look closely, you look a lot like Julia. So is your personality.”
Lionel hugged Ruth carefully. Ruth waved his hands in confusion and then hugged him.
“You know what?”
“…….”
“Can I call you Uncle Lionel?”
“…….”
When there was no answer from him, Ruth muttered.
“Can’t I?”
“Of course not. You can call me whatever you want.”
“Really?”
“Yeah.”
“Wow.”
The child smiled brightly. Ruth was very shy. That child was approaching Lionel without hesitation.
Perhaps Ruth is also instinctively drawn to blood relations.
Evelia smiled bitterly as she looked at the father and son. I just hoped that the day when everyone could be happy would come as soon as possible.
*****
“Why don’t you try this too?”
Lionel placed Cesia’s traditional dessert on Ruth’s plate. Ruth looked at the dessert with a surprised expression.
“I’m full now…”
She had a point. Ruth had already taken a bunch of food from Lionel, who was anxious to give him just one more. He had just eaten more than usual.
Lionel muttered, slightly depressed.
“It was Julia’s favorite.”
Ruth’s eyes lit up.
“Did Aunt Julia like it?”
“Yes. There were times when she would only eat this for dessert all week.”
A soft smile appeared on Lionel’s lips as he remembered it. Ruth, who was watching this, picked up the dessert with a determined look on his face.
“I want to try it.”
The moment he put the dessert in his mouth, Ruth’s eyes sparkled.
“It’s delicious!”
“I know, I knew you’d love it if you looked like Julia.”
“Do I look so much like Aunt Julia?”
“Yes. Why don’t you like it?”
The child shook his head.
“No, it’s fine.”
“Thank god.”
Lionel gently stroked the child’s head. Evelia, who was eating dessert with Cassis across from him, leaned her head on his shoulder and whispered quietly.
“Do you want to leave them alone?”
“……”
“Don’t do that.”
Cassis, who had been glaring at Lionel throughout the meal, put down his fork and stood up. Evelia followed and spoke to Ruth.
“Ruth, Mom and Dad have something to talk about for a moment, so we’ll go up first. You can have fun with uncle, okay?”
“Yes!”
“Okay.”
Lionel nodded his head in gratitude. Evelia mouthed the answer, ‘It’s nothing.’ and then followed Cassis, who went up first.
When I entered the room, I saw Cassis sitting on a chair next to the window. Evelia slowly approached him.
‘Cassis must also have complicated feelings.’
Meanwhile, Cassis has been resenting and hating Ruth’s biological father, whose name he doesn’t know. However, after learning that Lionel also had a similar reason, his hatred went nowhere.
However, that frustrating feeling did not completely disappear. Those negative emotions were deeply rooted in Cassis’ mind.
Just as Ruth and Lionel needed time, Cassis needed time. Time to acknowledge and accept everything.
Evelia hesitated for a moment and then sat down on Cassis’ lap. I smiled at the person who looked down in surprise and hugged the back of his neck.
Evelia buried her face in his neck and murmured.
“Are you mad at me?”
“Why am I angry at you, wife?”
“I told you to make room for them.”
“There’s no way I’d be angry about something like that, right?”
Evelia gently stroked his back.
“Don’t worry too much.”
“……”
“Even if Ruth finds out about everything in the future, he won’t blame you.”
In the now distant original story, Ruth resented Cassis for not telling him the truth earlier. However, it was a feeling that came from respect and love for Cassis.
Because he admired Cassis, he could not bear the assumption that he might have hated him.
But it’s different now. The relationship between Cassis and Ruth has improved a lot. Evelia worked diligently to make it happen.
Evelia knew that even if Ruth knew the whole truth, the child would still respect and love Cassis.
But Cassis didn’t seem to be like that. He hugged Evelia’s waist tightly and whispered.
“If Ruth chooses his biological father when he knows everything….”
He let out a deep sigh.
“… If he chooses the Kingdom of Cesia, I don’t know what to do.”
As emoções de todos devem ser muito complicadas mesmo, é uma situação um pouco triste