Victoria tried to say something but no words came out. She had expected the rumors to have spread, but that fast! How would she even answer that question? She lifted her face to look at Alexander but quickly averted it when she saw the probing look on his face. Her stupidity had led her to this and she would face the consequences of the law, alone! No, not alone. Together with Lord Richard, they would face a public execution. But luck was on her side and her title as a queen would have her life spared.

"You can’t answer that," Alexander said before he sighed softly. What was even the point of asking her when the expression on her face alone answered everything? He was just wasting his time here and she would probably not disclose it to him. As they say, time will tell. What was he even expecting from someone who had concealed his birth secret for a whole twenty five years since he was born, no existed. That was what she had said. Still, Alexander found it hard to believe.

Alexander turned around to leave. This time, he vowed to stop at nothing. She could keep the answer to herself though. Not that he wanted to know anyways. It was in everyone’s mouth so he assumed it was true as well. But anyone who could bad talk would face the same execution just he would do to those two maids.

"Alex?" Victoria called him again, even before he could take a step away. Alexander clenched his fists so tight that his knuckles turned white. Why... why would she want to tell him now? Not that he was pressing her on this particular topic anyways. He turned around letting his probing gaze settle on her wet face. Patience was not a virtue in him and his mother was just damn good at testing his patience.

"What?" He asked when Victoria said nothing after a while. He raised a brow at her this time. She was really testing his patient and he didn’t like it at all. Why wouldn’t she just spit the damn words and let go of him. There was so much that was going through his mind right now and he wasn’t prepared to add more on his young shoulders. It would be too much to bear the weight.

"I... " Victoria began searching for the words. She had initially planned on letting the cat out of the bag but after weighing the consequences of her actions in her mind, she chose to keep quiet. Alexander wouldn’t hesitate to skin the life out of Lord Richard would he know that he was the father of the bastard child.

"I’m sorry Alex," she blurted out. The sincerity in her voice could not go unnoticed by Alexander. But was this what he had asked her? His nose flared in anger and he felt like punching on something but he ended up clenching his fists instead.

"Please find a place in your heart to forgive your mother," Victoria said in a pleading tone. Seeing Alexander being mad at her was the last thing she wanted. But the expression on his face answered it all. And what did she expect after all? That he would just forget a twenty five years old lie and forgive her. He had not even healed from the ordeal and she was asking for forgiveness. Maybe she should take it slow. Time heals!

"I understand that what I did was a brave mistake, son. But I would like you to know that everything I did was for your best," she added. Little did she know she was adding gasoline to hell flames! Alexander was trying to keep it altogether and she was just trying to bring out his bad side. At this point, he was clearly losing his self restraint. He clenched his fists tighter. Raising his hand at his mother was the last thing on his wishlist. But she deserved a punch or two.

"Do you understand the pain I’m going through right now? All those years, I grew up believing that you were my biological mother to only find this. As much as I want to forgive you, it’s still hard. Do you even know what I’m going through right now?" He asked. He had decided to let it out on her. This was far much better than punching her. 𝗳𝚛𝚎𝚎𝘄𝕖𝕓𝕟𝕠𝚟𝚎𝕝.𝗰𝕠𝐦

"No, you don’t!" He sneered. His face that time was the perfect definition of the devil. Victoria shook her head in regret. She had just kept asking for forgiveness without knowing that it really hurt him. How selfish she was! She didn’t even deserve to be his mother!

"Yes I don’t! I’m the worst mother there ever is in the world, and a liar at that. I don’t deserve you Alexander. You deserve better than this. I deserve to die!" She said that part in almost a whisper.

It was now the turn of Alexander to be surprised. What the hell was his mother talking about? If there was someone who deserved to die, then it was him. He had cheated death twice in a row. Still, he couldn’t understand why he came back to live, feeling, even more, stronger than before. His powers even scared him nowadays. He had saved his mother in what could be termed a blur. How that happened, even he couldn’t tell. He just thought about saving her and the next thing he knew, he was holding her waist. What the hell was happening to his body? Did it have to do with the fact that his purpose for existing was not accomplished yet?

"I hate myself for having hidden this from you Alex. But please try to understand. I was looking for the perfect opportunity to tell you about it but every time I wanted to, it became hard."

Victoria looked at Alexander as she contemplated on whether to tell him what she was about to say. No more secrets! She didn’t want to hide anything else from him, not anymore.

"Your father," she began. "He had written a letter before he died. A letter addressed to you."

"What was it about? Where is the letter?" Alexander asked all of a sudden making Victoria swallow nervously. Yet another time to testify her mistakes.

"The letter was about your existence, everything that I have told you about. And about where the letter is," she paused and looked at Alexander nervously. The same curious expression was planted on his face.

"I burnt it!"