Duke Garcia probably didn't expect that something from ten years ago would suddenly come back to haunt him. His expression was quite unpleasant, but given Ruan Qing'an's status, he couldn't refuse.

Seeing that Nguyen Thanh An's smile remained unchanged as he stared at him, Duke Garcia felt a cold sweat break out on his forehead, and the pressure gradually increased.

The 'da, da, da' sound is extremely rhythmic.

Ruan Qing'an rested his cheek on one hand, curled his fingers with the other, and half-closed his eyes, seemingly without any urgency, but—

"Lady Dolores, why do you want to know this?"

Upon hearing Duke Garcia's words, Ruan Qing'an finally stopped tapping her fingers on the table. She knew that Duke Garcia had backed down, but he just wanted to know if it would affect her.

Thinking of this, Ruan Qing'an raised his glass to Duke Garcia, his tone suddenly softening: "I was only asked by an old friend to learn about this old story. Why should Your Grace worry so much? After all, you are also a pitiful man who lost your wife."

Duke Garcia quickly replied, "Yes, yes, it also deeply saddened me to announce the news of my wife's death to the public."

Seeing his sorrowful appearance, Ruan Qing'an simply smiled.

Seeing that she didn't respond to his question, Duke Garcia didn't continue the conversation and changed the subject.

"Lady Dolores, let's not beat around the bush. Since you've managed to find your way here, it means you already know the answer. You've just come to verify it with me, so why don't you... ask me your questions?"

Duke Garcia paused for a moment: "I will try my best to tell you the truth about what happened ten years ago, is that alright with you?"

"Of course, thank you for your cooperation, Your Grace."

Ruan Qing'an chuckled, raised a slender finger, and said, "First, do you know the truth about the death of the first wife?"

Duke Garcia lowered his head, somewhat dejected, and said, "I don't know. It's just that so much time has passed. She's been missing for so long, the only possibility is that she's passed away..."

"Does Lady Dolores know?"

Ruan Qingan nodded slightly and briefly described what happened to Aldrich's mother. Duke Garcia was a shrewd man, and given that the West Shah Empire had a well-developed slave industry, he understood what had happened after hearing only part of the story.

Duke Garcia's mood also soured, and he took a few sips of wine, sighing repeatedly with a face full of sorrow.

Faced with his feigned sorrow, Ruan Qing'an merely watched coldly and continued, "Second question, Your Grace, what were your reasons for abandoning your first wife and children?"

"...Lady Dolores"

Duke Garcia gave a wry smile: "So this is your real purpose for coming here, isn't it? To inquire about the reasons from back then."

"Actually, my first wife was attacked by monsters when she was pregnant, as if she was born to attract these strange things. And after the child was born, things started to get increasingly strange..."

"It seems that it is not my wife who is naturally attracted to strange things, but the child I have with her. This child is born constantly attracting these things, which swarm to him."

"He was known as a born jinx, and in order not to drag the entire Garcia family down with me, I had no choice but to abandon him..."

As Duke Garcia spoke, he clutched his head in anguish, looking both pained and regretful about what happened back then, yet also filled with an overwhelming sadness.

But seeing his appearance, Ruan Qing'an, who had remained silent until now, finally sneered: "Stop acting, Your Grace."

"Your sorrow is too shallow, like a reflection in water, so false and ridiculous. Ten years have passed, why bother pretending in front of me?"

"I only have one question left to ask you."

Ruan Qing'an paused, ignoring Duke Garcia's unpleasant expression, she stood up abruptly, placed her hands on the table, and looked at Duke Garcia coldly: "Did you recognize him?"

"Wh-what?"

Duke Garcia was stunned: "Who?"

Upon hearing this, Ruan Qing'an's sneer intensified. She raised her hand and snapped her fingers crisply, and then—after the simple, insignificant disguise magic disappeared, Duke Garcia looked up in confusion, but when his gaze fell on Aldrich—

Those hidden, overly conspicuous dark brown hair strands seemed as intense as the ink of an abyss.

Upon seeing this, Duke Garcia froze. He stared stiffly at Aldrich's face, and when their eyes met, the resemblance between their brows was magnified infinitely.

Garcia was completely dumbfounded: "You, you are..."

Aldridge stood there, staring blankly at Duke Garcia, as if he were looking at a stranger, not his father.

Then Ruan Qing'an straightened up and, under Duke Garcia's incredulous gaze, cruelly delivered his "verdict": "It was indeed him, Your Grace, you didn't expect that, did you?"

"You've said so much and performed so much, yet you didn't even recognize your own child standing right in front of you."

"That's Aldrich Garcia."

Upon hearing that familiar name, Duke Garcia seemed to lose all his strength, slumping into his chair, tears welling in his aged and cloudy eyes as he looked at Aldridge.

He reached out his hand tremblingly: "Child, you...you've grown so big already? I never knew you—"

"I don't know you."

Just then, Aldrich interrupted Duke Garcia: "I only have one mother. Who are you?"

Upon hearing this, Duke Garcia couldn't help but sigh again. He wanted to say something more, but he met Aldrich's cold eyes, which were even beginning to radiate murderous intent.

A sense of crisis and chill ran up his spine, almost freezing Duke Garcia completely...

He swallowed hard, abandoning any further communication with Aldrich, and turned to look at Nguyen Thanh An: "Your Excellency Dolores, does this mean Aldrich is now with you?"

"Yes, he is my slave."

Duke Garcia's expression froze for a moment, as if he wanted to say something, but when he saw Aldrich ignoring him and looking at Ruan Qing'an with the eyes of a big dog wanting to stick close to him, he could only swallow back what he wanted to say.

After a long silence, Duke Garcia sighed, "Alright, I also believe that Lady Dolores will treat him well."

“What’s missed is missed. I think you brought him here, Lady Dolores, just to learn about what happened back then, not to acknowledge your ancestors and return to the Garcia family. Aldrich… doesn’t seem willing either, so let’s leave it at that.”

"It is getting late. Please rest at my manor for the night and set off again tomorrow. I am not feeling well and cannot accompany you. I hope you will understand, Lady Dolores."

After saying this, Duke Garcia stood up, bowed, and then turned to leave. When he passed Aldrich, he paused for a moment, but then quickly walked away without lingering.

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