"Édouard, I have no desire to engage in conversation," Christian asserted, his back turned to his son, his hands firmly clasped behind him.
Édouard, however, was persistent. "Father, keeping it inside your heart won't help either," he advised.
Christian turned to face Édouard, his face filled with questions. "What have I done to make Mathieu feel so insecure? I granted him the title of Duke, treating him as an equal to you. Why would he align himself with the very man who ultimately led to his downfall?" His mind was weighed down by a multitude of unanswered queries.
Christian couldn't help but berate himself for making Mathieu feel unfair. As a father, he was at fault because he never tried to know what was going on in Mathieu's mind. He couldn't find out that his own son was trapped and knew he would die soon. His heart ached with that thought and he brought his hand to his chest.
