My Novel Antagonist is My Husband
Chapters 20. Alissa

"You all gathered here?" ask Dad. He looks very happy, finally able to enjoy dinner with his family.

Duchess Rinia got up from her seat. He took over Dad's wheelchair handle from Veil's doctor, then pushed him into the position where Dad used to eat. His face was so crisp, when he saw that his two sons had been sitting at the dining table. So surprised Dad when he found me also sitting together with everyone.

"Alissa, are you here?"

"Yes, Dad, I-I-"

"I asked him to join us tonight." Duchess Rinia spoke this time.

"Rinja ... Is it okay .. You can accept Alissa's existence?"

Duchess Rinia did not answer Dad's question at all, even though I had anticipated anything the Duchess might say about me. But he remained silent in a thousand languages.

My guess is, actually Duchrss Rinia has not fully accepted my presence. However, for the sake of her husband's recovery, she was willing to hide her current emotions.

I saw, Dad looked at his wife for a long time, before finally smiling. Did you think the same thing about the Duchess?

Dad smiled, then said, “After dinner tonight, I want to show you all something.”

“What's Dad?” ask Cass. But Dad did not answer that question. “Later will Dad tell you. For now, let's have dinner.”

***

After dinner, Dad invited us all to go to a room on the first floor. Father moved his wheelchair skillfully, although he had to be a little helped when he went down the stairs. Several times, we passed by the servants, who immediately lowered their heads as soon as they saw Father pass by. The light of the room has been replaced by more dim candles. At last, we arrived at a room.

This is Dad's office. Rarely does anyone enter here, even if it's the Duchess, his wife. His current job is to lead the city of Valcke as the domain of this family, as well as several smaller towns around it. Like a duke, Dad managed the expenses and income from taxes, the welfare of the social community, infrastructure and facilities.

The dukedom is like a governor in my home world, only with a slight difference. The duke has the right to govern the land of his territory and the cities under his control by his own rules, such as special regions.

Dad invited us into the room. There were several sofas and coffee tables near the large bookshelf. The books are neatly lined up and each title has a complete series. His book collection is more than Uncle Krish and Aunt Edma had in the village. There were two writing desks, where Father and his secretary, Baron Bishon, worked. The two writing desks turned their backs to the large window that directly faced the Duchess' garden.

Cass immediately ran towards the sofa and felt the softness of the object coated by velvet. Theo approached the bookshelf and browsed through Dad's collection. The duchess pushed Dad's wheelchair towards her writing desk, while I followed Theo to look through whatever books were there.

Dad asked a waiter to close the door and told the guards to look after him from outside. Right now, there's only Dad, Duchess, Theo, Cass, and I left in the room.

Dad sighed, then looked at us one by one. Then, she ended up looking at Duchess Rinia and said, “There's something I wanted to tell you, which I should have told you a long time ago, when Alissa just arrived at this house.”

“What's my husband? Why is your face so serious like that?” ask the hostess.

Dad ran his wheelchair behind his desk. He pulled a drawer, like he was looking for something there. Before long, that Duke Valcke took out a few sheets of brown-looking linen paper. He handed the papers to his wife.

“Read this letter. All these sheets will explain who Alissa really is.”

This is ... the world of novels I wrote myself, right?

Duchess Rinia read the sheets. I wonder whose letter that was? Who is Alissa's real identity?

It seemed, Theo was also curious. He waited for his mother to finish reading impatiently, while Cass was more fun playing alone on the sofa.

Before long, Duchess Rinia shed tears. Belaiu stared intently at her husband and shouted, “Why did you never tell me!”

“You never gave me a chance to explain. Though I told you clearly in the beginning, if I never cheated.” Duke Valcke tried to explain.

“Dad, what's the matter? Mom, I want to read it too!” Theo tried to get the letter from his mother's hand. The duchess handed it to Theo, then she ran towards me and hugged me tightly.

“Sorry .. I'm sorry, all this time I've misunderstood you. Sorry .”

I clearly don't understand what they all mean. I was obviously the one who wrote this story? Or ... actually this world is only similar to the setting of "Knight Lucius", but is actually a completely different world?

I saw Theo read the papers from Dad quickly. His breath was hunting. Cass was long curious, he approached Theo and whined to read what the letter contained.

“Dad, what's the matter exactly?” I finally asked out of curiosity. Dad looks to be breathing. Then, he approached me.

“I ... father's son, right?” many doubt. “Atau is not actually ..?”

“Alissa, you are my son,” said Dad with a smile. “You are my adopted son now.”

“Lift child ..?”

“True, Son. Actually, you're my nephew. Cousin of Theo and Cass.” says Father again. “Your father left you to me, right before he died.”

Then, Dad told me about the past. In the past, Theo and Cass' grandparents were hard people at educating their children. To them, Alfred Valcke was a man to be proud of for being intelligent in every way, like his current son Theo. In contrast, a second son named Simon Valcke was a man who always wanted to have fun.

Simon never took any school lessons seriously. However, he had many friends and often hung out with ordinary people. One day, Simon falls in love with a village girl named Eloise.

They both love. The news was heard by Mr. Valcke at the time. Simon did a reckless thing, he eloped with Eloise to the ends of the land. The irony is, a year after they were married without blessing, Simon died of a terminal illness, without himself knowing that his wife was pregnant.

Simon and Eloise live in a cabin in the woods, in order to avoid the pursuit of Valcke's men. After Simon dies, Eloise struggles to make ends meet by herself, until she meets a fellow villager from the nearby village of Edma. The two of them eventually become close friends and live one roof, until Eloise breathes her last while giving birth to her baby.

“I'm always looking for my brother, Simon. Although we were always compared from childhood by our parents, we never hated each other. I've always admired Simon who's easy to get along with. A year after Simon left, a letter came to me from my sister.”

Dad pointed to a letter from Simon, which is in Theo's hands now. Theo gave me the letter the age he read it. This letter is from Simon, my father, to Alfred Valcke, who is actually my uncle.

***