Chapter 26…
In the separate room they were shown into, there was the officer in charge — and, for some reason, His Highness the Crown Prince himself.
“Former Count Carmine, Kevin — it’s been a while.”
Addressed by the Crown Prince, they both bowed their heads.
Because he had been the same age as Kevin’s late brother, Lucio, the prince had once spoken kindly to them after hearing the news of Lucio’s death.
“You don’t need to mind my presence here — I just happened to be around. But Kevin, you wish to proceed with the formalities to inherit the title of Count?”
“Yes, that’s correct.”
“The former Count himself isn’t present because of your father, I take it?”
“Yes. We’ve had enough of that man, Desant, our so-called son-in-law. He intends to pass over Kevin and make Marianna — the daughter born to Lucio’s wife — the heir.
But that Marianna isn’t even Lucio’s child. She’s Desant’s daughter.
Your Highness, could Desant be arrested for the crimes of usurpation and deceit, and his daughter-in-law, Catherine, for adultery and cuckolding?”
Grandfather blurted it all out directly to the Crown Prince.
The prince’s eyes widened in astonishment.
“That’s… a lot to take in. Kevin, you married Lucio’s widow, didn’t you? And that wife was your father’s mistress?”
“That’s right. Neither my brother nor I ever shared a bed with Catherine.”
“Now that you mention it, I’ve heard rumors that your marriage to her was only in name. That she still pines for Lucio even now.
But to think she was actually your father’s lover — what a shameless woman.”
So even the Crown Prince had heard the rumors.
He probably knew about Julia, too.
“But Lucio’s been dead for years. Why bring all this up only now?”
A fair question.
“I didn’t know my brother never consummated his marriage with Catherine. Recently, while speaking with his former valet in our territory, I learned that Marianna was likely not his child but my father’s.”
“Likely? So it’s not certain?”
“My brother was told by Father to raise her as his own. And I also heard from my mother that Father is still involved with Catherine, so I’m fairly sure Marianna is his child.”
“Unless she’s been with yet another man, that sounds right.
In any case, she clearly isn’t of the Count’s bloodline.
Still… she prefers an older man over Lucio or Kevin, does she? That woman.”
The Crown Prince tilted his head in puzzlement.
People’s tastes vary, but one couldn’t help wondering what Catherine ever saw in Father.
“Usurpation and adultery, hmm. The adultery could be proven through a parentage test, but as for the usurpation, Desant might claim he believed Marianna was Lucio’s child. That’d be his escape route.”
There was no solid proof that Lucio and Catherine had never shared a wedding night.
Father could insist he truly thought the child was Lucio’s — and then simply discard Catherine if convenient.
Sleeping with one’s son’s wife might be scandalous, but it isn’t technically a crime.
However, usurpation is a serious offense.
So Father would never admit to it.
