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Ignorance is not a crime
Terakhir Diperbarui:
2025-03-06 19:05:58
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Bab terkait
Second chance at happiness Where are we running off to?
As Cornelius sat mulling over the past, reeling in guilt, the carriage reached the gates of Southamberston. Aglaya accompanied him silently, she was the keeper of his soul. She knew that this was the greatest regret and pain in his life. She gently patted his hand in a comforting manner as she heard Winkle announcing their identity at the gates, trying to pull him out of despair. She waited for him to nod acknowledging that he was fine before she lifted the curtains to look outside.To her surprise, well not surprise, she should have expected this, this was her wildflower, unlike the other duke and duchess who along with their household would be waiting at the entrance of the manor/castle to greet them, what greeted her eyes was Mira, who was running over to greet them even before their carriage reached the front entrance of the castle. It was not hard to guess, where Mira was, Jack wouldn’t be far behind.“Ha…ha… ha…” Aglaya couldn’t help laughing, shaking her head, peaking Cornelius’
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-03-06Second chance at happiness You are mine for all eternity.
The long journey had worn everyone out and they decided to rest early as Martin was yet to return; Jack had promised Martin that they wouldn't start before he came back.“I made a fool of myself.” Mira pouted unhappily once Mira and Jack were alone in their room.“Nonsense… who said my wife’s a fool?” Jack feigned disbelief as he looked around;he didn't even blush as he spoke, he wasn't lying; his wife could do whatever she wanted.Who would dare to say anything?Mira hmphed as she sat with an unhappy expression for a few seconds before she got distracted with her thoughts, she turned around, her expression still wrinkled in a pout “What are we going to do about Martha and Seirra? I don’t think that we can get to them as we previously planned now that everyone is here.”She leaned forward and whispered, “They don’t seem to have any plans for leaving any time soon.”Jack chuckled as he stared dotingly at his wife’s innocent face that was filled with a gossipy aura.Her eyes widened with
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-03-07Second chance at happiness Where do we start?
The next morning, everyone gathered around the dining table for breakfast, filled with renewed energy and full of fighting spirit as they all knew the agenda for the day; even young Anne-Marie’s eyes were filled with excitement. “Good morning, everyone.” Cornelius and Aglaya were the last to join the table; Jack nodded towards Harrison, in a gesture that conveyed ‘Get everyone away from this area.’ Harrison nodded in acknowledgement before he started to retract the maids and manservants who were serving towards the back of the house. “Keep an eye on the front so that no one interrupts the Lord’s business.” Harrison called on Lazarus before withdrawing to the back himself “I will keep the household engaged at the back.” “It would be better if you could get your men to watch around the room, close enough to guard and yet far enough to not intrude on the Lord’s privacy.” Harrison added as an afterthought. Although he didn’t know what they were going to discuss, he knew Jack didn’t wan
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-03-08Second chance at happiness Isn’t that the fact?
“So, are you saying that your highness didn’t know that this was Jack’s when he announced the prize?” Almera exclaimed in awe.“So, are you saying that this was originally cousin’s property?” Martin exclaimed at the same time as Almera and continued patting his chest in comfort “So, we don’t have to find the heir and hand it over making all of cousin sister-in-law’s hard work mount up to nothing…. this is good…very good…. hur…hur… ”“Wow… so the property found its own owner without anyone doing anything…” Martin continued his mindless chatter, his eyes widening in wonder.“How is it that no one did anything?” Beth slapped the back of Martin’s head as she chided “Isn’t it all because of the sleepless nights your sister-in-law spend, working tirelessly for the competition?”Cornelius chuckled seeing Martin’s innocence and opened his mouth to clarify at the same time as Beth “I truly didn’t know who he was, until Mira announced her fifth request.”Martin rubbed the back of his head with a
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-03-09Second chance at happiness He promised to come back soon.
“Jack is the long-lost Leander.” Bernard continued with the known facts, picking up on Orseus’s intention. Lazarus dutifully jotted it down although he was visibly shaken by what he just heard; it took him a great deal of willpower to keep his calm even though his hands trembled and if one looked carefully, they would notice the slight curves in the otherwise elegant cursive.The room quieted down and sank into a gloomy silence.“That’s it???” Harry was the first to break silence; the frustration in voice and expression was not hidden.“That’s what we know for sure.” Thomas shrugged, his frustration no less than that of Harry as he had been working on this ever since he became capable, an obsession passed onto him by his father.“Then let’s start re-telling the stories we know.” Mira suggested innocently adding as she saw her father hooking his eyebrows “Well, if it not a fact, then it is fiction, in other words story,” She shrugged.“Father always said that stories are like a puzzle w
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-03-10Second chance at happiness If a lion doesn’t show it’s might, it is no less than a kitten, unworthy of his lineage
“If the Zumerongs were involved, then it makes perfect sense for Jerome to pass their token and heirloom for safekeeping to me.” Matthew nodded thinking back to Jerome’s caution about not handing it to anyone other than the bearer of the heirloom.“But isn’t there someone already in charge of the Duchy?”“Dad didn’t you say that the Zumerongs were exiled with the charge of high treason?”Both Almera and Mira asked in unison.Matthew pursued his lips unable to answer as that was the last piece of information he had; But he didn’t have to think long as Cornelius spoke “I cleared their name as soon as I took the throne and re-instated them but……” He paused and then continued with a depressed expression “But the direct family, the old duke’s brother and sister who were exiled, along with their family refused to come back. The current owners are the old duke’s cousins.”“If there is already an owner, then why are people still pursing the heirloom?” Mira asked out loud, knitting her brows.“
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-03-11Second chance at happiness I will not betray you.
Everyone slowly relaxed as Jack turned his attention back to Harrison. He thought for a moment before saying “Accept his visit.” Jack paused narrowing his eyes before adding “Don’t let them know that the royal sovereign, his highness and the others are here. Notify the household that any slip ups, intentional or not, will not be tolerated.”“My Lord, the staff that we have left…” Harrison sighed with a heavy heart “are all the loyal ones… who stayed back out of loyalty.”“But their loyalty is not towards me.” Jack retorted with a childish grin, he seemed to have found a new hobby, he enjoyed taunting the otherwise stiff upper lip, flawless Butler.“My Lord…” Harrison sighed helplessly “They will not betray you, but they may decide to quit once the original masters return.” He knew Jack knew…. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have said that… there was no point in talking in circles or feigning ignorance.“What about you?”Mira pinched Jack’s waist as she noticed Harrison becoming visibly uncomfor
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-03-12Second chance at happiness Kingdom of Hal
“Why did the previous king resent the Zumerongs?” Martin asked with a puzzled expression out of the blue.“I don’t resent them.” Cornelius’s face darkened as he spat out resentfully.Martin: “”. He turned his head looking at the faces around him with his naïve comical expression that had ‘Did I say that?’ written all over.“Orseus is the current sovereign.” Thomas chuckled looking at Martin’s colorful expression. Martin smiled sheepishly as he scratched the back of his head and corrected “I meant the one before the previous king.”“Nothing in particular other than greed and jealousy.” Cornelius opened his mouth uncomfortably. He sighed seeing Jack and Mira’s blank and curious gaze “To know the reason, you have to know the history of our kingdom’s establishment.”He started his narration looking at the eager faces around him-“When the kingdom of Hal was established my great ancestor, Cornelius, the righteous, was chosen as the ruler at the end of a duel with the six founding dukes, who
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-03-13
Bab terbaru
Second chance at happiness To keep you on a leash till it is time for us to return.
Cornelius turned to Uzi and asked raising the scroll “Can I keep this?”“That is a letter from my brother to me…” Uzi snatched the scroll and kept it back in the secret compartment without giving Cornelius a chance to react. He slyly took another scroll from the secret compartment and extended it towards Cornelius “But I have transcribed a copy for you.”“Dishonest ghost” Cornelius cursed in good humour as he took the scroll.“Lord Zumerong, let us all have lunch here and disperse.” Uzi looked at Linus as he made the invitation. It was not uncommon for the two families to have impromptu gatherings followed by lunches and suppers.Baldwin pulled Elias back as Uzi tactfully steered Linus and the elders’ attention towards the banquet hall with topics of mutual interest.“For your eyes.” Baldwin extended the scroll towards Elias once the elders were out of ear shot. “Don’t burden Uncle and Aunt with the details for now.”Elias nodded as he took the scroll with knitted brows and read throug
Second chance at happiness I will not make things difficult for you.
Uzi didn’t struggle nor feign ignorance when he was questioned by Baldwin as he knew this day would come and he had Alex’s permission to disclose when they came looking for him.It was quite a sight to see the large group following Uzi, back to his residence, the curiosity on their faces couldn’t be hidden. Although Uzi had only invited Cornelius and Baldwin, the others followed without giving social etiquette a second thought.Inside, Uzi’s study, he walked over to a secret compartment and took out a scroll and handed it over to Baldwin feigning an unhappy expression, spouting nonsense, “I will lend you the letter my best friend wrote to me, just so that you won’t be jealous and accuse his sincerity towards you.”Baldwin pulled his lips lopsidedly and ignoring the childish banter, anxiously opened the scroll with trembling hands. Cornelius leaned over his shoulders impatiently.Inside, the scroll was an amulet with the Zumerong seal in the form of pendant. Uzi stretched his hand and p
Second chance at happiness How can there be an accusation when there never ever a crime to be convicted?
The next morning, Cornelius and the rest were ready to leave when the Bellevue palace had another visitor, the duke of Warringal.“Brother in arms.” Cornelius greeted Uzi with their customary elbow handshake.“It has been a lifetime.” Uzi nodded in acknowledgement.The two men looked at each other, the past and their loss reflected in the depths of their eyes. And yet, they were helpless to do anything but smile remorsefully.Uzi shook hands with Baldwin as always, but his gaze suddenly stopped at a face that seemed to have come back from the past. He rushed forward but came to an abrupt halt before Jack, frightening Mira who had involuntarily pulled Jack back a few steps with her.“That was very impolite…. My sincere apologies…” Uzi bowed deeply towards the youngsters before straightening but he still couldn't stop staring at Jack without blinking.“This is my husband.” Mira puffed her cheeks and even though she was trembling in fear, took a step forward to stand in front of Jack, loo
Second chance at happiness At least let me enjoy the glory while there is no one to challenge my claim.
Baldwin knitted his brows as he too had thought of the incident, but he didn’t look at Mira, instead he looked at Linus and asked somewhat awkwardly “Uncle, what do you think of dreams?” He didn’t have his father around anymore to ask, the only person he was close enough to ask and still breathing was Linus.“Dreams???” Linus arched his eyebrows, however Elias and the rest started making a ruckus teasing him if he wanted to share the details.“Our forefathers thought of them as forewarnings passed by our ancestors from the beyond...” Linus answered seriously once the ruckus quieted down “passed on to the purest of heart….”“Divination?” Humphrey’s son, Derek who had been a silent listener all along slowly asked hooking his eyebrows.“Not quite…” Linus shook his head “Divination is the ability to see into the future at will and it is a skill that some are born with while others can cultivate.”“Dreams are different.” Linus paused before saying “While most of them can just be wishful thi
Second chance at happiness We will avenge all the grievance our brother has suffered
“Hymph!” Mira humped unhappily “Looks like this trip left us with more questions and no answers.”“Not entirely true.” Edith spoke in a gentle tone, an affectionate gaze stopping on Jack’s face “We got to reunite with our Leander, and you got to know the culprits behind your grandfather and grandmother’s accident.”“We had guessed.” Mira pouted “You still don’t have proof for that….it is still a guess at best.”“Would us releasing the news that all of you are returning to regain your rightful positions make them act hastily?” Jack slowly opened his mouth “Would that give them room for error and give us the opportunity that we need?”“We cannot just release news….” Cornelius shook his head as he narrowed his eyes “It has to be believable to those receiving the news…”“How about saying that you have reconciled your decade long differences and that they have agreed to come back since you have promised them a huge compensation for their grievance?” Mira asked smiling like a sly fox before
Second chance at happiness Big brother never leaves room for error.
“Uncle, if old Drew is still alive, where do you think he is most likely to stay?”“Uncle, do you know who plotted against the grand duke and duchess?”Both Cornelius and Baldwin asked in unison.Linus sighed, frustration and unreconciled anger evident in his every breath. He turned to Baldwin, as though to answer his question but the guilt in his heart made it impossible for him to hold gaze with the righteous indignation in the eyes of the man in front of him; he lowered his gaze as he spoke in a low voice “I don’t, although I do not have evidence, I have a hunch.”His guilt stemming from the fact that while he had given up, lost hope, it was an outsider who had never given up, never stopped looking.“We are all ears.” This time, it wasn’t Baldwin or Cornelius who spoke but rather Elias. He had been asking this same question for the last decade and yet he couldn’t get a single word out of his father.“Our cousin…. It is a no brainer.” Linus shrugged before he gritted his teeth “But w
Second chance at happiness The only variable in his plan.....
“Sit down you two…” Linus sighed helplessly “No one is going to crucify you. We just want to know what happened?”“Why Leander never came home even though you knew we were here?” Elias added through gritted teeth although he quickly lowered his head after being glared at by his father.“Is this also part of big brother’s plan?” Wilkin asked curiously; he was Alex’s most obedient little follower, from diapers to pants, that never changed.“Perhaps, this was the only variable in his plan that he had not anticipated.” Corenlius sighed as he sat down with a dejected expression and recounted the past, of how they finally met Jack.“How is John and Beth?” Elias asked once everyone had digested what they just heard.“Uncle and Aunt are well.” Jack responded politely; there was no fluctuation in his tone, no sign of closeness nor alienation.“I still cannot believe that John was able to hold off…” Humphrey shook his head; of all the Zumerong siblings, other than Alex, he was the one who was mo
Second chance at happiness We were meant to be the last line of defence that big brother left behind ….
“That bitch… I always thought that she had organized the whole event with her brother, just for the sake of making her son the rightful heir. But there was no proof.” Edith cursed at first but then her eyes became blurry “He was the only one worthy of his ancestor’s legacy, but he withered like a pitiful bud without ever having the chance to bloom to his full potential.”After reminiscing, Edith raised her head curiously as she couldn't remember hearing about anyone talking about this event nor did she hear about the poor boy being avenged, “But how come no one heard about it?”“Alex’s favourite one liner…” Baldwin shrugged “As long as justice is served who cares about the ballads?”“You three…..” Edgar shook his head “I can never understand your madness.” Although his words seemed disapproving there was only affection in them.“My lord, the food is ready to be served.” The butler announced, his grace directed at Linus awaiting his orders.“Good…. good….good…” Linus repeated in quick s
Second chance at happiness Who said he wasn’t avenged?
“We were happy to see that your bond only grew stronger with time and have always been proud that it didn’t get tainted with the murk of the world around you.” Edith sighed “This is also why we never questioned his decision when he decided not to retaliate and hold the fort together till you got back.”“Do you think your father could have sat steadily in that throne if not for Alex single-mindedly protecting him?” Linus’s eyes were sharp, there was the undeniable Zumerong arrogance, that was filled with righteousness indignation “With just a snap of his finger, everything around you, including your father, the Asters and Basvecs would have perished without a burial ground.”Cornelius had his head lowered, he knew, even from the beyond, his good brother was looking out for him and yet his foolish father…. He couldn’t think further.“And you didn’t disappoint.” Linus smiled although his eyes misted at his loss; None of the brothers raised their heads, their eyes were filled with resentme
