Chapter 428
“If it wasn’t for you, would I be humiliated in public? I lost my face because an orphan got the right to point a finger at me. And it was all because you keep whoring around my son.
“Who knows if it belongs to my son. It could be some other man’s offspring. Well, it’s a bastard either way.”
Vincent’s mother scoffed and looked away.
No one saw Betty’s eyes flash with hatred for a second.
She lowered her head and controlled her emotions.
‘No, I shouldn’t get too emotional. I have to take care of Arthur and my child. I have to make sure my son will be born healthy,’ she said in her mind.
.....
“I’ll talk to her,” Vincent said. “I’ll apologize to her and we’ll hold our wedding on the date we’ve arranged it. I’ll show my sincerity.”
“I don’t care what you do but you cannot tarnish the family name or you will have to deal with me,” his father warned him.
“To you, reputation is more important than your son’s happiness?” Vincent’s mother scowled at her husband.
His father sternly responded, “I haven’t spent my life working and being honest just to be destroyed by your brainless son. If it wasn’t for you, he wouldn’t turn into a womanizer like that. He’s supposed to get married to one girl and get another girl pregnant. How shameful!”
“Oh? Now everything is my fault?!” his wife shouted.
“Your teaching is wrong and that’s why you are being named as ‘whore’s mother’. Still deny it?!”
“It’s because this woman seduced my son.”
“Hah... just because a girl seduces him, he reacts like that? I’ve been seduced many times because of my property. When did I cheat on you? Don’t push your son’s inability into a woman. He needs to manage his cock, not another person’s action.”
“How vulgar!”
“That son of yours is more vulgar.”
“So, he is only my son and not yours?”
“I won’t acknowledge him as my son if he has anything to do with harming our family and name. We have a business to run to fill our stomachs. Don’t forget that.”
The husband and wife kept bickering. Vincent rubbed his forehead,
‘Why did my life turn out that way? Why did Catherine have to come at that time? Everything was going just fine. Could she not understand a man’s body? She wouldn’t let me touch her and won’t let me touch another woman. Why is she so unfair?!’
‘Betty and I were doing fine for the past month. No one got to know back then. If mother knew anything, she would have done something that would prevent Catherine from noticing us.’
‘My luck is surely bad. My parents organized a grand wedding and we invited so many people. The wedding is supposed to increase our family business and our reputation. If the wedding is suddenly canceled, customers will think badly of us. I can’t let that happen.’
Thinking of all that, he clenched his fists.
Betty noticed the change in his expression. She didn’t feel good about the determination she was seeing in his eyes.
She tugged his sleeve and pitifully said, “Vincent, don’t forget our child, the fruit of our love.” Then, she rubbed her stomach.
Vincent looked at her stomach and narrowed his eyes.
‘If only this child didn’t exist...’
He regretted it deeply but there was no turning back.
The child was already in the world.
—————-
The next day, Veronica went to the Imperial Library to collect some books about Louses.
Merlin had given her a list of book names before he left for Louses. He wanted her to know more about Louses.
Veronica didn’t come alone. She brought Catherine with her, thinking it might change the mood of the heartbroken girl.
Catherine’s mood indeed lifted after seeing a luxurious palace up close. It was her first time seeing an actual castle.
Although she didn’t laugh a lot, she was looking around with great interest. Moreover, she couldn’t hide the glowing light in her curious eyes.
Veronica borrowed the books and checked out from the library.
“This place is huge. This is no way worse than the Magic Tower,” Catherine said in amazement. “And here I thought our temple in Utahill is the best building out there.”
“Our temple is luxurious. However, this place is magnificent,” Veronica replied.
“You are so lucky to be able to come here to read books often. I want a membership card too,” Catherine whined.
“You can ask Merlin for the membership card. He has influence here. As for me being lucky... I’m not sure if I’m lucky or not. But it’s my third or fourth time coming here. I hardly had the time to read any storybooks. Everyday lessons are killing me.”
Veronica was depressed when she thought of her fight with Urulas. The way he criticized her, she felt like her everyday hard work was for nothing.
She talked to Ironin about this. She said, “I’ve lost a fight against a good friend. He said I’m not good enough. I didn’t improve at all. What should I do? I don’t feel like practicing anymore if I don’t improve at all.”
Ironin thought for a second before replying, “You need to fight against trainee soldiers first if you want to get better. If you always pick up your opponent who is out of your league, you will never improve.”
“So, practicing isn’t the issue, my opponent is?” Veronica caught on quickly.
Ironin gave a slight nod.
Veronica couldn’t understand his point. “But if I don’t practice with good warriors, how am I supposed to get better?”
“First, you fight. Then, I’ll explain,” he said.
“I’ll be counting on you-” that’s what Veronica said in reply. She decided to fight with lower-level warriors after Catherine left.
Before Catherine left, it was their last time going out. That’s why Veronica wanted to lift her mood before she left.
“Want to go to the garden? I heard the Royal Palace’s gardens are extraordinary.” She looked at Catherine.
“Can we go?” Catherine’s eyes brightened up. “I want to go but are we allowed?”
“We should be allowed since I have the pass,” Veronica thoughtfully responded. “If it’s about yours then we might face some problems.”
Catherine’s eyes dimmed. “Is that so...”
Veronica hurriedly said, “We don’t know for sure whether we will be caught or not. We won’t know if we don’t try. Let’s go.”
She pulled her depressed friend with her. Fortunately, no guard bothered them.
Just looking at their appearances and clothes the guards thought they were aristocrats. No one dared to stop them.
They spent a quality of time staying in the garden before deciding to head back.
As they got closer to the castle’s main gate, they saw a familiar person. The person was talking to the guards politely.
Veronica recognized the man right away. She quickly shot a glance at her friend.
Catherine’s face was rigid. She wasn’t expecting to meet him at a moment like this.
“Let’s get out of here.” Veronica grabbed her friend’s hand and pulled her friend along with her.
Vincent was talking to the guards when two ladies approached them. At first, he was stunned that Catherine and Veronica were there together.
‘Could they be working at the same place?’ he wondered.
He hurriedly strode forward and caught on to them.
“Catherine, I’m so sorry I hurt you. I was wrong. I have nothing left to face you. I didn’t know how to contact you but I remembered that you work at the Royal Palace and so I came here to meet you. I had no way to contact you since you wouldn’t read them.
“If you could just give me some time to think this through, I would tell you how it ended up like that.”
Upon hearing the unwanted voice, Catherine stopped in her track. She turned to face him and sneered, “You mean how you were going to justify your action?”
“...Yes...” Vincent muttered while his eyes were lowered.
Catherine crossed her arms. “Say it. I’m all ears.”
“I’ll be close.” Veronica patted her back before walking to a normal distance
“Catherine...” Vincent stared at her. He was nervous. For a second, he forgot what he wanted to tell her.
However, in front of her strong presence, he lost his voice.
She was a gorgeous woman. A blonde at that.
Her hair and appearance wear something unique in Tybu.
‘How did I mess up like that? She was right there for me and we were about to get married. Why did I sleep with Betty and got her pregnant?’ he sighed in lamentation.
“If you have nothing to say, I’ll leave...” Catherine turned around to leave
“No, no, please.” Vincent caught her wrist.
“I know you are suffering. It’s all because of me, I know that. If you want to blame, then blame me. Please don’t cancel the wedding.”
.....