Ironically, it was Rihannan who reaped the benefits of the marriage contract even after her demise.
“In the past, you had a choice. You could have refused to marry Mother… forsaken fame and riches to be with your true love. Perhaps then, you and Mother could have found happiness, and I would never have come into existence.”
For the first time, Rihannan gave voice to her inner thoughts.
Her father was a selfish man, presented with a fair choice—to forsake his old flame for the allure of fame and wealth that would forever elude him. The duty of a man was to cherish and love his wife and daughter, even if his heart still yearned for another. It should have been an easy decision.
But he chose otherwise. He engaged in an affair and fathered a child with another woman.
Perhaps it was for the best that Rihannan’s mother passed away before uncovering the truth.
“Your mother was a fearsome woman who drove her away without my knowledge! If not for her, this child would not have suffered so greatly!” The Count bellowed, his gaze fixed upon Leticia, the girl clinging to him.
“Mother knew about the existence of the child already?” Rihannan inquired, her gaze cold as ice, directed at Leticia.
“Yes. She paid Emily a handsome sum. Emily was pregnant at the time, and by the time I discovered her, she had already passed away. Leticia grew up in a wretched orphanage. It is all because of your mother!”
Rihannan pursed her lips, suddenly recalling her mother’s words to her.
She had cradled Rihannan in her lap, caressing her silver tresses, and spoke to herself, saying, “It is better to be unhappy by his side than to be apart and never know him. I do not regret loving your father…”
Rihannan bit her lip. “If you feel sorry for her, then provide for her needs—food, clothing, and shelter—with your own money, not Mother’s money!”
“How dare you speak to your father in such a manner…”
“No, you have never been a father to me. At least not in my memory…”
Grief consumed Rihannan, remembering the past.
“Rihannan, I implore you, ask the Queen to permit Leticia’s entry into the palace.”
And so she did.
After years of marriage between Rihannan and the King, court gossip spread, whispering of the absence of a royal heir and the strained relationship between the King and Queen. Rumors swirled, suggesting that the King had fallen in love at first sight with Leticia’s exquisite beauty, witnessed at a royal ball where she had attended as Rihannan’s guest.
Then, one day, Rihannan’s father approached her, beseeching a favor.
“You are the Queen of this kingdom, yet you have not borne the King a child. Wouldn’t it be beneficial if your sister fulfilled that duty in your stead? Moreover, considering Leticia’s status, it would be arduous for her to assume your position. You need not worry. If you cooperate with Leticia, all shall improve, and your position as Queen will be further cemented,” he had said.
“You have never been a father to me…”
She longed for love, yearned for his affection. She yearned for him to walk beside her, holding her tiny hand, teaching her, shielding her from the frightful world, providing guidance—a father’s role. But all he ever left were scars and lingering questions that haunted her in the depths of night.
Rihannan sought that love from him, struggling relentlessly to obtain even a fraction of his affection. Yet, it only led to her downfall…
And so, she resolved not to love any longer. She would no longer be a daughter begging for a relationship with her father. She deserved better. If the love she sought would forever remain out of reach, she would cast away the remnants of longing.
“I will say it once more—remove her from this house immediately. Or I shall have the servants drag her out.”
“How dare you…” At Rihannan’s warning, the Count became frenzied. He shouted at the old butler beside him. “Jeffrey! Seize that child and lock her in her room this instant! I cannot bear to see her address me in such a manner. I cannot fathom how I raised such a child! She deserves a thorough whipping.”
But his orders were met with silence. The butler offered no response, his gaze fixed upon the Count, devoid of expression.
“Jeffrey, what are you doing? Did you not hear me?”
The aged butler shook his head ever so slightly. “But, Count, according to the documents, it is quite evident that the Lady is the rightful owner of this mansion.”
“What?” The Count stood dumbfounded, his mind grappling with the unexpected turn of events.
“Once you compose yourself and engage in a calm and civilized conversation with Lady Rihannan…” the old butler began, his voice laced with a tone of reason.
“You wretch!” Count Alessin’s teeth clenched in anger, his fury mounting.
The aged butler, despite being a know-it-all nuisance, had earned his place by the Count’s side through unwavering loyalty. He excelled at his duties, and his wife and daughter held him dear.
“So, you dare to betray me and take her side?” The Count sneered, his disdain palpable. “Very well, then. I shall cast both you and Rihannan out!”
With a frenzy in his steps, the Count ascended the staircase. In one swift motion, he aimed a dismissive gesture at Rihannan, and she, bracing herself, closed her eyes. She knew this moment would arrive, but it mattered little. His assault would only hasten his own expulsion.
Boom!
However, instead of the searing sting she anticipated, the sound of someone tumbling to the floor resonated through the air. When Rihannan opened her eyes, she beheld Mary lying on the ground.
“Mary!” she cried out in alarm.
The Count cursed himself, realizing he had struck the maid instead of Rihannan. Mary had intervened at the last moment, becoming the unintended victim. Letting out a sigh, he raised his hand once more, but this time, the old butler stepped in, preventing him from inflicting further harm.
“Count Alessin, cease this madness!”
Meanwhile, Rihannan rushed to tend to Mary, who was bleeding profusely. If Mary, an adult, had suffered such injuries, what more would have befallen Rihannan herself? Retrieving a handkerchief, Rihannan gently wiped away the blood from Mary’s cheek before casting a cold gaze upon the Count.
Count Alessin had never been a violent man. True, he possessed his flaws, but he was never one to resort to such actions. After all, he held a position of great importance and was revered by the people as a man of culture and decency. It was expected of a nobleman. Whenever he accompanied Rihannan’s mother in public, he maintained the utmost decorum. Those unfamiliar with their true story would have believed they were an ideal couple.
In reality, the Count harbored an insatiable obsession with wealth and the estate he believed was rightfully his. Rihannan’s mother, oblivious to his avarice and hunger for riches, only saw his charming facade. When the opportunity of a lifetime presented itself, he, a son of modest nobility, seized it, amassing greater wealth and renown than he could have ever imagined.
Now, with the threat of losing what he considered his own, he had succumbed to irrationality.
“Count Alessin, why do you act this way?” Jeffrey rebuked, and in that moment, the Count realized he had momentarily abandoned his composure and dignity. He felt the sting of shame, for he had besmirched the honor of a nobleman.
Taking a step back, the Count found himself faced with Jeffrey, who had swiftly positioned himself as a barrier between Rihannan and the Count.
“If you find fault with anything, let us address the matter civilly in court, guided by truth and honor. Count, this is the virtue and pride of an Arundell nobleman. Furthermore, you have resorted to violence against a woman, and a young one at that, without just cause. What would the people think if they were to discover this?” Jeffrey’s words struck deep, his gaze unwavering.
The Count’s face reddened as he observed the shocked expressions of the servants below. Respecting a lady and his own wife was a fundamental aspect of the culture expected from an Arundell nobleman. The Count’s mortification was evident to those who witnessed the scene.
“Count, I implore you to step away from Lady Rihannan. Do not forsake the bearing and dignity befitting a man of your rank.”
“Jeffrey…” The Count gritted his teeth, perceiving the old man as a perpetual thorn in his side, forever righteous and obstinate. “It appears you are eager to be expelled. Yet, you gravely err if you believe I shall turn a blind eye. There is no need for dogs in my service who refuse to heed my commands.”
Rihannan’s ears caught the echo of her father’s similar words.
When Leticia’s tyranny had reached its peak, Jeffrey had advised the Count not to allow her to run rampant. The Count had responded with threats, employing similar words.
And Jeffrey, steadfast in his principles, had replied with unwavering resolve. “I shall depart. I have lived long enough to face death. Yes, I am afraid, but I refuse to live with my eyes closed.”
Rihannan offered a faint smile at his resolute response, so reminiscent of their past encounters. And shortly thereafter, Jeffrey had been cast out. None dared to challenge the Count’s authority, and the majority of the servants had been replaced with the Count’s chosen lackeys.
However, circumstances had shifted entirely. Merely a day had passed since the passing of her mother. Many of the maids and servants were employees brought in by her mother when she wed Count Alessin, while others had been recruited due to their unfortunate circumstances.
Now, with the Countess gone, their master was Rihannan, not the Count.
Yet, the Count, unable to grasp the gravity of the situation, bellowed, “Why do you all stare at me like fools? Remove him from here immediately!”
Some winced at his words, but the majority remained silent and unmoving.
As the realization dawned upon the Count, his face transformed, reflecting a mix of anger, bewilderment, and mounting desperation.
Ironically, it was Rihannan who reaped the benefits of the marriage contract even after her demise.
“In the past, you had a choice. You could have refused to marry Mother… forsaken fame and riches to be with your true love. Perhaps then, you and Mother could have found happiness, and I would never have come into existence.”
For the first time, Rihannan gave voice to her inner thoughts.
Her father was a selfish man, presented with a fair choice—to forsake his old flame for the allure of fame and wealth that would forever elude him. The duty of a man was to cherish and love his wife and daughter, even if his heart still yearned for another. It should have been an easy decision.
But he chose otherwise. He engaged in an affair and fathered a child with another woman.
Perhaps it was for the best that Rihannan’s mother passed away before uncovering the truth.
“Your mother was a fearsome woman who drove her away without my knowledge! If not for her, this child would not have suffered so greatly!” The Count bellowed, his gaze fixed upon Leticia, the girl clinging to him.
“Mother knew about the existence of the child already?” Rihannan inquired, her gaze cold as ice, directed at Leticia.
“Yes. She paid Emily a handsome sum. Emily was pregnant at the time, and by the time I discovered her, she had already passed away. Leticia grew up in a wretched orphanage. It is all because of your mother!”
Rihannan pursed her lips, suddenly recalling her mother’s words to her.
She had cradled Rihannan in her lap, caressing her silver tresses, and spoke to herself, saying, “It is better to be unhappy by his side than to be apart and never know him. I do not regret loving your father…”
Rihannan bit her lip. “If you feel sorry for her, then provide for her needs—food, clothing, and shelter—with your own money, not Mother’s money!”
“How dare you speak to your father in such a manner…”
“No, you have never been a father to me. At least not in my memory…”
Grief consumed Rihannan, remembering the past.
“Rihannan, I implore you, ask the Queen to permit Leticia’s entry into the palace.”
And so she did.
After years of marriage between Rihannan and the King, court gossip spread, whispering of the absence of a royal heir and the strained relationship between the King and Queen. Rumors swirled, suggesting that the King had fallen in love at first sight with Leticia’s exquisite beauty, witnessed at a royal ball where she had attended as Rihannan’s guest.
Then, one day, Rihannan’s father approached her, beseeching a favor.
“You are the Queen of this kingdom, yet you have not borne the King a child. Wouldn’t it be beneficial if your sister fulfilled that duty in your stead? Moreover, considering Leticia’s status, it would be arduous for her to assume your position. You need not worry. If you cooperate with Leticia, all shall improve, and your position as Queen will be further cemented,” he had said.
“You have never been a father to me…”
She longed for love, yearned for his affection. She yearned for him to walk beside her, holding her tiny hand, teaching her, shielding her from the frightful world, providing guidance—a father’s role. But all he ever left were scars and lingering questions that haunted her in the depths of night.
Rihannan sought that love from him, struggling relentlessly to obtain even a fraction of his affection. Yet, it only led to her downfall…
And so, she resolved not to love any longer. She would no longer be a daughter begging for a relationship with her father. She deserved better. If the love she sought would forever remain out of reach, she would cast away the remnants of longing.
“I will say it once more—remove her from this house immediately. Or I shall have the servants drag her out.”
“How dare you…” At Rihannan’s warning, the Count became frenzied. He shouted at the old butler beside him. “Jeffrey! Seize that child and lock her in her room this instant! I cannot bear to see her address me in such a manner. I cannot fathom how I raised such a child! She deserves a thorough whipping.”
But his orders were met with silence. The butler offered no response, his gaze fixed upon the Count, devoid of expression.
“Jeffrey, what are you doing? Did you not hear me?”
The aged butler shook his head ever so slightly. “But, Count, according to the documents, it is quite evident that the Lady is the rightful owner of this mansion.”
“What?” The Count stood dumbfounded, his mind grappling with the unexpected turn of events.
“Once you compose yourself and engage in a calm and civilized conversation with Lady Rihannan…” the old butler began, his voice laced with a tone of reason.
“You wretch!” Count Alessin’s teeth clenched in anger, his fury mounting.
The aged butler, despite being a know-it-all nuisance, had earned his place by the Count’s side through unwavering loyalty. He excelled at his duties, and his wife and daughter held him dear.
“So, you dare to betray me and take her side?” The Count sneered, his disdain palpable. “Very well, then. I shall cast both you and Rihannan out!”
With a frenzy in his steps, the Count ascended the staircase. In one swift motion, he aimed a dismissive gesture at Rihannan, and she, bracing herself, closed her eyes. She knew this moment would arrive, but it mattered little. His assault would only hasten his own expulsion.
Boom!
However, instead of the searing sting she anticipated, the sound of someone tumbling to the floor resonated through the air. When Rihannan opened her eyes, she beheld Mary lying on the ground.
“Mary!” she cried out in alarm.
The Count cursed himself, realizing he had struck the maid instead of Rihannan. Mary had intervened at the last moment, becoming the unintended victim. Letting out a sigh, he raised his hand once more, but this time, the old butler stepped in, preventing him from inflicting further harm.
“Count Alessin, cease this madness!”
Meanwhile, Rihannan rushed to tend to Mary, who was bleeding profusely. If Mary, an adult, had suffered such injuries, what more would have befallen Rihannan herself? Retrieving a handkerchief, Rihannan gently wiped away the blood from Mary’s cheek before casting a cold gaze upon the Count.
Count Alessin had never been a violent man. True, he possessed his flaws, but he was never one to resort to such actions. After all, he held a position of great importance and was revered by the people as a man of culture and decency. It was expected of a nobleman. Whenever he accompanied Rihannan’s mother in public, he maintained the utmost decorum. Those unfamiliar with their true story would have believed they were an ideal couple.
In reality, the Count harbored an insatiable obsession with wealth and the estate he believed was rightfully his. Rihannan’s mother, oblivious to his avarice and hunger for riches, only saw his charming facade. When the opportunity of a lifetime presented itself, he, a son of modest nobility, seized it, amassing greater wealth and renown than he could have ever imagined.
Now, with the threat of losing what he considered his own, he had succumbed to irrationality.
“Count Alessin, why do you act this way?” Jeffrey rebuked, and in that moment, the Count realized he had momentarily abandoned his composure and dignity. He felt the sting of shame, for he had besmirched the honor of a nobleman.
Taking a step back, the Count found himself faced with Jeffrey, who had swiftly positioned himself as a barrier between Rihannan and the Count.
“If you find fault with anything, let us address the matter civilly in court, guided by truth and honor. Count, this is the virtue and pride of an Arundell nobleman. Furthermore, you have resorted to violence against a woman, and a young one at that, without just cause. What would the people think if they were to discover this?” Jeffrey’s words struck deep, his gaze unwavering.
The Count’s face reddened as he observed the shocked expressions of the servants below. Respecting a lady and his own wife was a fundamental aspect of the culture expected from an Arundell nobleman. The Count’s mortification was evident to those who witnessed the scene.
“Count, I implore you to step away from Lady Rihannan. Do not forsake the bearing and dignity befitting a man of your rank.”
“Jeffrey…” The Count gritted his teeth, perceiving the old man as a perpetual thorn in his side, forever righteous and obstinate. “It appears you are eager to be expelled. Yet, you gravely err if you believe I shall turn a blind eye. There is no need for dogs in my service who refuse to heed my commands.”
Rihannan’s ears caught the echo of her father’s similar words.
When Leticia’s tyranny had reached its peak, Jeffrey had advised the Count not to allow her to run rampant. The Count had responded with threats, employing similar words.
And Jeffrey, steadfast in his principles, had replied with unwavering resolve. “I shall depart. I have lived long enough to face death. Yes, I am afraid, but I refuse to live with my eyes closed.”
Rihannan offered a faint smile at his resolute response, so reminiscent of their past encounters. And shortly thereafter, Jeffrey had been cast out. None dared to challenge the Count’s authority, and the majority of the servants had been replaced with the Count’s chosen lackeys.
However, circumstances had shifted entirely. Merely a day had passed since the passing of her mother. Many of the maids and servants were employees brought in by her mother when she wed Count Alessin, while others had been recruited due to their unfortunate circumstances.
Now, with the Countess gone, their master was Rihannan, not the Count.
Yet, the Count, unable to grasp the gravity of the situation, bellowed, “Why do you all stare at me like fools? Remove him from here immediately!”
Some winced at his words, but the majority remained silent and unmoving.
As the realization dawned upon the Count, his face transformed, reflecting a mix of anger, bewilderment, and mounting desperation.
