Chapter 15: Mr. Windsor's Illegitimate Child
Frederick felt like he might, maybe, kind of, possibly know why.
Why Rebecca had been terrified of him until yesterday, but suddenly wasn't today.
Why she had looked so awkward before they left, feeling guilty for deceiving the old folks, but could laugh and cheer up Elizabeth at dinner, even serving him food.
So, after discovering there was a child at the Windsor Mansion, did she suddenly feel their marriage wasn't so inexplicable, that it started to make sense?
Or maybe she thought the child was his.
He didn't want to wrong himself or the child, so he found a woman like her, who he could easily control because he held something over her.
And she, who had felt uneasy about becoming Mrs. Windsor because of the billion-dollar debt, suddenly discovered he had a child, and her status shifted from someone taking advantage to someone being taken advantage of.
So, with this change in mindset, she could face him without feeling guilty?
A flicker of humor passed through Frederick's eyes.
When he looked down, he saw Rebecca rubbing her forehead, fuming, "Frederick, are you made of iron?"
Rebecca's forehead was red.
Her eyes shone brightly under the hallway light.
Frederick reached out and rubbed her head, "Walking without looking where you're going and then blaming me?"
Well, he wasn't exactly wrong, was he?
Rebecca shifted her gaze guiltily, staring at the buttons on his coat without saying anything.
In the next moment, Frederick took her hand.
"Since you are now Mrs. Windsor, there's no reason to keep family matters from you. Come on..."
Frederick led Rebecca toward the study, "I'll take you to see him."
See... see who?
Her eyes widened in surprise, Rebecca opened her mouth but said nothing, following Frederick to the small courtyard where the study was located.
As they stepped through the gate, the large house directly ahead was dark.
Only the side rooms on either side were lit.
Frederick led Rebecca toward the east side, speaking in a low voice as they walked, "Alex was brought home when he was two. We later found out he’s much quieter than other kids. He doesn't like interacting with people or talking. Every day, he's either playing with puzzles and Legos or finding books to read in the study."
"We hired teachers for him, and he can solve problems kids his age can't. But no matter how we try to encourage him, he won't speak."
"When he was little, he got lost a few times. The old butler and his team searched the entire estate and found him in some hidden corner. After that, Elizabeth said to let nature take its course, and no one has forced him to speak since."
"Rebecca..."
They were just turning the corner to Alex's room.
Frederick stopped and looked at Rebecca, "For the past few years, Alex has been cared for by Elizabeth and me. As you can see, my grandmother is getting older and her health is declining, so Alex will definitely be staying with me in the future. If you can accept him, we'll find a suitable time to bring him to Pinewood Mansion. If you can't, just tell me directly. But I don't want..."
"You don't want me to be two-faced, pretending to like him while secretly being a wicked stepmother when you're not around, right?"
Rebecca interrupted him, smiling and nodding, "Don't worry, I'm not that kind of person."
Rebecca's smile was bright, her eyes clear.
For a moment, Frederick couldn't tell if she genuinely didn't mind Alex, or if it was because she thought Alex was his "illegitimate child," making her feel less at a disadvantage in this marriage.
The door opened with a creak.
Rebecca instinctively turned around, seeing a small boy standing in the doorway.
Frederick felt like he might, maybe, kind of, possibly know why.
Why Rebecca had been terrified of him until yesterday, but suddenly wasn't today.
Why she had looked so awkward before they left, feeling guilty for deceiving the old folks, but could laugh and cheer up Elizabeth at dinner, even serving him food.
So, after discovering there was a child at the Windsor Mansion, did she suddenly feel their marriage wasn't so inexplicable, that it started to make sense?
Or maybe she thought the child was his.
He didn't want to wrong himself or the child, so he found a woman like her, who he could easily control because he held something over her.
And she, who had felt uneasy about becoming Mrs. Windsor because of the billion-dollar debt, suddenly discovered he had a child, and her status shifted from someone taking advantage to someone being taken advantage of.
So, with this change in mindset, she could face him without feeling guilty?
A flicker of humor passed through Frederick's eyes.
When he looked down, he saw Rebecca rubbing her forehead, fuming, "Frederick, are you made of iron?"
Rebecca's forehead was red.
Her eyes shone brightly under the hallway light.
Frederick reached out and rubbed her head, "Walking without looking where you're going and then blaming me?"
Well, he wasn't exactly wrong, was he?
Rebecca shifted her gaze guiltily, staring at the buttons on his coat without saying anything.
In the next moment, Frederick took her hand.
"Since you are now Mrs. Windsor, there's no reason to keep family matters from you. Come on..."
Frederick led Rebecca toward the study, "I'll take you to see him."
See... see who?
Her eyes widened in surprise, Rebecca opened her mouth but said nothing, following Frederick to the small courtyard where the study was located.
As they stepped through the gate, the large house directly ahead was dark.
Only the side rooms on either side were lit.
Frederick led Rebecca toward the east side, speaking in a low voice as they walked, "Alex was brought home when he was two. We later found out he’s much quieter than other kids. He doesn't like interacting with people or talking. Every day, he's either playing with puzzles and Legos or finding books to read in the study."
"We hired teachers for him, and he can solve problems kids his age can't. But no matter how we try to encourage him, he won't speak."
"When he was little, he got lost a few times. The old butler and his team searched the entire estate and found him in some hidden corner. After that, Elizabeth said to let nature take its course, and no one has forced him to speak since."
"Rebecca..."
They were just turning the corner to Alex's room.
Frederick stopped and looked at Rebecca, "For the past few years, Alex has been cared for by Elizabeth and me. As you can see, my grandmother is getting older and her health is declining, so Alex will definitely be staying with me in the future. If you can accept him, we'll find a suitable time to bring him to Pinewood Mansion. If you can't, just tell me directly. But I don't want..."
"You don't want me to be two-faced, pretending to like him while secretly being a wicked stepmother when you're not around, right?"
Rebecca interrupted him, smiling and nodding, "Don't worry, I'm not that kind of person."
Rebecca's smile was bright, her eyes clear.
For a moment, Frederick couldn't tell if she genuinely didn't mind Alex, or if it was because she thought Alex was his "illegitimate child," making her feel less at a disadvantage in this marriage.
The door opened with a creak.
Rebecca instinctively turned around, seeing a small boy standing in the doorway.