Chapter 221
Sebastian's POV
We walked down the hallway toward the sitting room where Chris and his family waited. I had no idea what to say to him. He was the son of the woman who had broken my mother's marriage. He could have taken my birthright. By all accounts, I should hate him.
But none of this was his fault. His existence wasn't his fault. His mother being a bitch and our father being a asshole wasn't his fault.
I wished my parents, especially my mother, had handled things differently. If they had taken care of Chris, kept him close, Helena would never have been able to do what she did.
As we approached the sitting room door, I took a deep breath. Berry squeezed my hand, her touch calming my nerves. I steeled myself, maintaining the strong facade expected, and walked in.
The moment I saw Chris, my chest tightened painfully. He was the spitting image of my father, but with softer features, likely from his mother. His wife, Olivia, was blonde with blue eyes. Their children were beautiful. All of them stood as I entered, a sign of respect. I could see the fear and worry in Chris's eyes.
I opened my mouth to speak, but Berry broke the silence first. She moved forward and embraced Olivia, taking the woman by surprise.
"Welcome to Levenston Manor," Berry said warmly. "I'm Eleanor Warden, Sebastian's fiancée. It's a pleasure to meet you."
Olivia relaxed slightly, returning the hug. "Olivia Sinclair. These are our children, Alice and Jeffrey."
I watched as Chris visibly calmed at Berry's friendly greeting. I stepped forward and extended my hand to him.
"Chris. Welcome."
He looked surprised as he took my hand, his grip firm despite his obvious nervousness. "Thank you for having us."
We all sat down, the tension in the room noticeably lighter. Evanth hadn't arrived yet.
"My brother Evanth will be joining us shortly," I explained. "He was eager to meet you as well."
Chris nodded. "Thank you for inviting us. I never thought I'd be allowed in this place."
"Why wouldn't you be?" I asked, genuinely curious.
Chris hesitated, glancing at his wife before answering. "Helena told me you were hunting me. She said your mother had ordered my assassination because your father wanted to make me the King instead of you."
I kept my expression neutral, though inwardly I was seething at Helena's manipulations.
"I wanted to come here," Chris continued, "to explain to your mother that I didn't want to be King. But Helena made me afraid. She told me to hide, to stay away."
"You've been hiding all this time?" Berry asked gently.
Chris shrugged. "In a way. Helena would give me money and ask me to disappear. She even had me sign papers relinquishing any rights to anything Levenston-related." He smiled wryly. "It was easy for me to sign. I didn't want any of it anyway."
I exchanged a glance with Berry, understanding dawning on both of us. Helena had manipulated Chris just as she had manipulated so many others.
"Chris," I said, leaning forward. "Helena was a traitor. She's dead now. I never hunted you. I didn't even know you existed until recently, when my mother told Berry about you."
Chris's eyes widened in shock. Olivia squeezed his hand, giving him a look that clearly said "I told you so."
"I... I don't understand," Chris stammered.
Olivia cleared her throat. "May I speak?"
I shook my head. "Please, we're family. Call me Sebastian."
She smiled gratefully. "I tried to convince Chris to come here and explain everything to you. But he refused."
"I understand," I said, and I truly did. "My family has a reputation. We're the 'evil ones.' No one wants to try to reason with us."
"So you're not going to kill me?" Chris asked, half-joking, though I could sense the genuine fear behind his words.
"No, Chris. In fact, I want to offer you and your family protection. There are people who want to eliminate our family for their own gain. Helena was one of them, but there are others. I believe you'll be safer here at the manor."
Chris's expression turned serious. "I know about the threat. Five months ago, someone tried to kill me. That's why we moved to Fireland. I thought it was you, but now I see it might have been these people you're talking about."
"You believe me so easily?" I asked, surprised.
Chris smiled slightly. "If you wanted me dead, you wouldn't bother bringing me to the manor. You'd just kill me."
I couldn't help but return his smile. "You're smarter than I gave you credit for."
The conversation continued, but I found myself suddenly overwhelmed. I stood abruptly, not yet ready for an extended family reunion.
"My wife will show you to your quarters," I said. "Please make yourselves comfortable. If you need anything, just ask."
As I left the room, I caught Berry's questioning glance but shook my head slightly. Seeing Chris was more difficult than I had anticipated. It was like looking at a younger version of my father, and I suspected that resemblance was what had driven my father to betray my mother in the first place.
He had paid the price for that betrayal. I didn't mourn him, but I was glad Chris wouldn't suffer for it anymore.
I made my way back to the meeting room, my mind still processing the encounter with Chris and his family. Berry had done an excellent job making them feel welcome, but I knew the hardest part was yet to come, integrating Chris into the family properly.
As I pushed open the door, I found Evanth already there, lounging in one of the plush chairs with a glass of amber liquid in his hand. He looked up as I entered, his expression guarded.
"Done playing happy families?" he asked, his tone caustic.
I felt a flash of irritation burn through me. "You should have been there to welcome Chris," I said, not bothering to hide my disapproval. "He's our brother, whether you like it or not."
Evanth scoffed, taking a long sip from his glass. "I have no interest in getting acquainted with that bastard."
"Don't call him that," I snapped, "Chris is not a bastard. Father recognized his mother, which makes him legitimate. And if you'd bothered to meet him, you'd see he's nothing like what you imagine."
"Oh? And what is he like, then?" Evanth asked, voice dripping with sarcasm.
I leaned against the table, crossing my arms. "He looks remarkably like Father. But his personality couldn't be more different. He's kind, uninterested in politics or power. Has a mate and twin children. All he wants is to live in peace with his family."
Something shifted in Evanth's expression, a flicker of shame, perhaps, or curiosity. The harsh lines around his mouth softened slightly.
"You don't need to carry on Mother's vendetta," I continued, my voice gentler now. "Our parents made their own choices and mistakes. We don't have to perpetuate them."
Evanth stared into his glass, his knuckles white around it. "Where is he now?" he asked after a long pause.
"Berry is helping them settle in. They've traveled a long way and the children are tired."
Evanth nodded slowly. "I'll... I'll meet him later. Maybe."
It wasn't much, but it was progress. I decided not to push further for now.
Once the tension had lifted, Killian started giving his report.