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Chapter – 10
Radius’s father, Kevin, married the woman he had an affair with right after divorcing Thalassa.
The woman claimed she was pregnant with Kevin’s child, and Kevin said he had to take responsibility for her, so he would get a divorce.
Thalassa was dumbfounded, but because she had many naval operations at the time, she had to return to sea before she could even think the matter through properly.
As time went on, she decided to end things cleanly with Kevin and find herself a young, handsome new man, so she pushed for the divorce.
Radius’s custody went to Thalassa, and Kevin said he didn’t need alimony — they parted on mutually agreeable terms.
But later, when the child was born and turned out to look nothing like Kevin — the skin color was different, for one — Kevin and that woman divorced again.
After all that, Kevin eventually remarried another woman and had a daughter with her. He seemed to be doing well… until suddenly, the word “fraud” came up.
“Father.”
“Radius!”
Radius embraced the pale-faced Kevin tightly.
“Are you all right?”
“My son…”
Kevin broke down, crying in his son’s arms.
Radius sighed inwardly.
Ah, so he really did get conned.
Kevin had always been soft-hearted, and unlike his emotional father, Radius took after Thalassa’s steadier temperament.
After Kevin’s tears subsided, his reddened eyes lifted.
“That day, things just went wrong. I came home early.”
Ah, damn.
Radius didn’t need to hear the rest to know what had happened.
“I wanted to kill them both. While the blood in my head cooled, that bastard jumped out the window and escaped. And Ribor — she had the nerve to say it was a misunderstanding.”
“……”
“I guess I trusted Ribor too much. Hahaha…”
Ribor Ventura.
Kevin’s current wife — a common-born woman from Italia. She had been a maid who comforted Kevin when he was tormented by the child that didn’t resemble him at all.
She won his trust, married him, and bore a daughter — Alea Ventura — Radius’s half-sister, about thirteen years old now.
Their marriage had lasted for quite some time, and Radius thought they were doing fine.
“Who was the other man?” Radius asked, his voice cold.
“An actor.”
“An actor?”
“Apparently, theater that combines music and acting is fashionable among the new nobility these days. She said she wanted to sponsor it and started going often.”
“……”
“One of the leading male actors at the Ornamentum Theater, where Anima performs. It all began when Ramus gave her those theater tickets. Now I can’t even look at Anima without bitterness.”
It seemed that Uncle Ramus had given Kevin tickets to help promote Anima’s performances — understandable, since Kevin’s wife was Ramus’s brother-in-law’s sister.
But still… what a mess.
“Do you think Anima really didn’t know? About Ribor and that man?”
“Anima probably didn’t even know who Ribor was. Aunt Sophia always disapproved of your remarriage.”
“Ribor used my money to feed and dress herself up — and to buy gifts for that man!”
Radius bit back the words You’re hardly one to talk, Father.
“Are you going to divorce her?”
Kevin clenched his fist, eyes burning.
“Of course!”
“I understand why you’re angry. But what does Ribor say? Does she agree to divorce?”
“She said it was a mistake and begged me to forgive her. She must be insane. Never!”
Radius studied his furious father silently.
“And what about Alea? Your daughter. Do you have anyone to care for her? Surely not Aunt Sophia?”
“……”
“You can’t rely on nannies forever. Is Aunt Sophia willing to take her in?”
Kevin didn’t answer.
After Kevin and Thalassa’s divorce, Sophia had stayed in touch with him, checking in occasionally — but she’d never shown much interest in Alea.
“Father. I’ve never said this before…”
Kevin looked up.
“I didn’t like it when you and Mother divorced.”
“Radius… that divorce was my fault, yes, but not only my fault.”
Radius’s expression twisted.
“I’m not talking about whose fault it was. I was just too young back then — too young to know what to say or do. I couldn’t tell either of you how I really felt.”
He crossed his legs, voice calm.
“…What are you trying to say?”
“Don’t hurt Alea.”
“What?”
“Just… make sure something like this doesn’t happen again. Promise her that. Put someone to keep an eye on Ribor if you must — but don’t get divorced.”
“After what I told you, that’s what you have to say?”
“I’m worried about Alea.”
“What?”
“She’s your daughter — but she’s also my sister.”
Truth be told, he had barely seen Alea in person. If they passed each other on the street, he might not even recognize her.
But still — she was his sister.
“You think I don’t know who Alea is?”
“I had Aunt Sophia, at least. If you divorce Ribor, what happens to Alea? You’re too busy with work to raise her yourself. You couldn’t even answer me earlier. Or will you make Ribor take her?”
“Don’t be absurd! I’ll raise Alea myself! I wanted to raise you, too, but your mother got custody — I couldn’t do anything about that!”
“You also had to consider the mistress who claimed to be carrying your child back then.”
Radius spoke evenly.
“That’s not true!”
“You never even tried to fight for custody. You didn’t even pretend to ask me to come with you. I grew up fine thanks to Mother, Uncle, and Aunt — but still.”
“You have no idea how painful it is not to live with your own child!”
“Yes, which is why I’m asking you — don’t separate Ribor and Alea. Ribor at least said she was sorry. You, on the other hand, told Mother you wanted a divorce before you ever said sorry.”
Radius sighed.
“At least Ribor has a conscience. You should try to endure it for Alea’s sake.”
“Whose side are you on? Can’t you see how much I’m suffering?”
“Father.”
Radius smiled faintly — not because anything was funny.
“When I was little, I didn’t really understand what divorce was. I thought I was fine because I didn’t see you or Mother often anyway. But as I grew up… I realized I wasn’t fine.”
“What?”
“I told you I was fine because I could tell that’s what you wanted to hear. I really loved you back then, you know.”
“…And now you don’t?”
“No, I still love you. But maybe it’s age — I can see your selfishness more clearly now. Maybe it’s cruel to say this when you’re hurting, but…”
“Cruel? You’re throwing stones at your father when I’m already in agony!”
Kevin glared at him, eyes bloodshot.
“Now do you understand, even a little, how Mother must have felt back then?”
“What?”
Radius’s eyes were cold.
Kevin Ventura — always selfish. Always blaming someone else.
What had happened to him now was indeed pitiful, tragic even — but why, after all these times, did he never once stop to reflect on his own part in it?
“I’ll be going.”
Radius rose to his feet. Being in the same room any longer was unbearable.
“Radius!”
“My heart’s too heavy to listen anymore.”
Kevin called after him again and again, but Radius left the mansion without looking back.
As soon as he got in the carriage, he said:
“To the Ornamentum Theater.”
The Ornamentum Theater — where Anima and Mina performed, the very place Kevin’s wife Ribor had fallen for the actor she sponsored and adored.
