Chapter 42: Look at it in a different light:

As soon as we entered the room Lexi immediately made all her maids exit the room after they brought us some tea. "So..." began Lexi as I smiled "You don't have to feel like you've to tell me. I understand if you didn't want to," I interrupted her as she gently sipped her tea. "No, I feel like I wish to tell someone I trust," she replied whilst I gestured for her to begin. This feels like a little tea party but talking about quite a solemn matter instead.

"So, it all began on the day I was born. Mother had gone into labour when father was still in another village dealing with bandits. I heard all this from my uncle, Count Griffin when I was older. Mother was having a difficult labour and she had to waste a lot of energy to give birth to me finally. Yet right after she began to bleed internally, and she died an hour after my birth. In the end, Father did not even make it back home in time to hear his wife's last words. I thank my father for this. He could have asked the king to give the job to someone else, but he didn't. The king even offered to do so knowing that Mother's labour was soon. However, the father didn't reject doing the job. If he had rejected the job maybe my mother wouldn't have died. Maybe I wouldn't have grown up without a mother. Maybe I wouldn't be bullied for not having a mother. To be honest I can understand that father wouldn't be in a good position if he had decided to reject the job. But that's not the biggest reason I hate him. Throughout my whole life, my so-called father of mine has ignored me my whole life. Some of the people around my age suggested the idea that he hates the living sight of me because it reminds me of my mother. But that wouldn't work because I look nothing like my mother. I resemble him more. So, I don't understand why he hates the living sight of me," she explained.

I gently sipped my tea and said "Thank you for sharing your story with me. Would you like to hear what I've to say about it?". Lexi nodded and I placed my teacup down and began explaining, "To be honest a lot of rumours surround the grand duke's relationship with you. Even I heard it in the orphanage. However, I would not know what was true. But I think you should look at it in a different light. Your father loved your mother. Everyone knows that. Perhaps you might not know but your mother was engaged to my father at a young age. However, nothing happened between those two. It was a platonic love*(1). Uncle Robert is my father's best friend, and he was always pushed together with your mother with your father. Because my father wanted to chase after my mother. Your parents both knew that your father didn't love your mother, so they fell in love. Your mother's engagement was broken off as soon as your mother officially told my father that she liked Uncle Robert. Your father probably feels guilty he wasn't there when your mother was in labour leading to her death. He can't bear to talk to you because it might remind him of how useless he was when your mother died. As for why he brought back Damian was probably because he physically resembles your mother a bit. Maybe they might have been distant relatives. Anyway it's probably because he misses your mother. Right now, I can only suggest you go and talk to your father. Have a good long talk with him without arguing," I explained whilst grabbing the cup of tea.

That was quite a long speech. I feel like I can be a therapist in this world. After all, I know absolutely what's going to happen in the future. The main events shouldn't change even if I alter some small events. Hopefully, everything will still go in order.

Glossary:

1. Platonic love is a type of love in which sexual desire or romantic features are non-existent or have been suppressed or sublimated, but it means more than simple friendship