Midnight Affair

36 : The kids' meeting

Riftan sat on the grumpy chair and looked around the inner house with his side eyes. Anita who sat before him looked at her foot before she opened her lips.

"I found out about my pregnancy a few days after your wife recovered from the incident with the princesses."

Riftan closed his eyes tight. So that means Damian is older than Luciano, basically an older brother.
"Why did you suddenly disappear?"

"Because your in-laws sent assassins to kill me."
Anita lifted her face up while Riftan opened his mouth in disbelief. She continued.
"But I survived. That must make you disappointed."

"What do you—"

"I mean it like that. Even though it wasn't you who sent them to kill me, still you may do the same. You'd kill me if it's what it takes to make your wife happy again. I know you too well."

She smirked as if to ridiculous herself then continued.

"I survived because I pretended to die after I was cut."

"..."

"Is this enough now, Grand Duke?"

"Stop treating me like some bastards who came to threaten you!"

"Then what do you come here for? Did you not come here to behead me so you could please your wife?"

"Anita Volver. I never knew you had such a bitter mouth."

"Please do whatever you want and leave… just don't kill me… my child needs me."

"Call my son out."

"I apologized, your grace the Grand Duke. He's not your child, please don't address him as such."

"Really? Should we go to the temple and do a blood test to see if he's mine or not? I'd like to."

Anita took a breath hearing so. Riftan looked at her in mockery when she couldn't respond back to him.

"You got quite an attitude when you're supposed to be at my mercy, Anita. Now, call my son out."

She clenched her fist tight.
"Damian. Can you come out please?"

Riftan gazed at the small woman who used a firm tone with him then went gentle as hell calling her son. Little boy came out while making eye contact with his father who he didn't know of.

"Come here."

"I don't want to." Damian held his mother's skirt tight.

"Come here. I'm your father."

"What do you mean… I don't have a dad…"

"Do you see my eyes and hair colour? You got the same colour as mine."

Riftan got up from his seat and lifted the little boy up. Anita wanted to hold her son but she couldn't. Damian, too, looked not so happy about hugging a stranger who grabbed his mother a moment ago. He took the child to a broken mirror on the wall then proceeded to point out the same features they have. Anita bit her lips tight and looked away.

"See? Your hair is brown… your eyes are deep yellow just like mine. The slight difference between you and dad is you got your mom's skin, peach-white… and I got darker skin tone."

"I don't like it. You're not my father. Why would my father let mom do everything alone? She works so hard every day! Put me down! I don't like it!"

Riftan held him tighter so he wouldn't fall down while the child tried to break free. He turned to look at the woman who cried silently while looking away.