Chapter 44: The long talk:

This chapter is written from Lexi's POV:

"Please have a seat," I asked politely gesturing for my father to sit down. "Are you ok?" he asked in concern. I nodded politely and asked straightforwardly "do you hate me?". His face was shocked, maybe because he might not have believed I would have asked him this question. When Camilla asked the maids to call my father my mind was in a tumble. I didn't know what to say. Hence, I just straightforwardly asked him this question. "What makes you think that?" he finally uttered. Is he so clueless that he doesn't understand why?

"Oh, I don't know. Maybe because you always ignore me. You never called for me nor acknowledged me. Yet the first thing you do after not coming home for 2 months is announced that guy (who so looks like my mother) as your successor. Let me ask you, Father. What do you think I'll think about this situation?" I screamed letting out all of my frustration and anger. Father looked so shocked at my outburst that I had completely forgotten that he was the cold and strict Grand Duke. I quickly shifted my eyes and muttered "sorry,". The grand duke busted out laughing and I felt more embarrassed than ever. He gently calmed down and admitted that he never guessed I would think like this.

"You really are Kathleen's daughter. She was exactly like you when she was a teen," chuckled my father. "What do you mean?" I asked. Father looked at me and r"Your mother was known for having a gentle and kind personality. However, that wasn't always true. Your mother would always start shouting at me and his majesty whether she found out about something we did. She was pretty, courageous yet feisty at the same time. Kathleen was like a doubled-face human. In front of adults and seniors, she was always the kind polite girl from the church. One of the main reasons people wanted his majesty to marry her was that they wanted to have the church fraction on their side. However, both were unwilling so the engagement broke off and in the end, we both found our happy ending,".

Father had a face as if he was remembering something really sweet and important. They truly did love each other, but why did he treat me like this? Shouldn't he love me because I was the child of his favourite woman? My mother tried to give birth to me, even when it cost her, her life. I gazed at him confusingly and he sighed as if he understood what I meant.

"I never hated you. I love you so much, because you're my daughter. Lexi I want you to remember that. Your mother chose the name Lexi. Do you know what that means? Lexi means man's defender. She gave you this name in hope that you'll protect your country's people. I gave you your middle name, Olivia in hope that you would always live in peace. Your name holds so much meaning to it, that me and your mother debated so much on what to name our child. Ahh good times.

The real reason why I never look for you was because I was still mourning. You might not believe it after so many years, I still miss your mother, hence I still haven't married another wife even when everyone wishes me to. I drown my sorrow and guilt in my work in hope of never having time to think about it. To think about my incompetence. I really shouldn't have accepted that mission. I might still be able to see my wife's last face and hear her last wishes. You would never understand how I felt when I had to hear my wife's dying wishes from the butler.

When I accepted the mission it was because of some selfish reason. I wanted to go and see my mother again. His Majesty knew this so he pretended to ask me to help the refugees but also allowed me to see my mother. Your grandmother divorced your grandfather and moved to a nunnery to pray for me. Your mother also understood my wishes so she didn't say anything when I told her I was leaving. That was the my worst decision. I should've stayed at home, I knew she was already 8 months pregnant," explained father.