Chapter 52: No Father Should Have to Execute his Own Child (1/2)
Berengar stood in a room alone with his mother, Gisela. The Baronness had quite enough of Berengar's fling with Linde and was currently confronting her eldest son about his misdeeds. She stared up at her son with a look of scorn on her regal face. He was quite a bit taller than her however, this did not prevent her from leering into his gemstone-like sapphire eyes. There was a degree of arrogance in her baby boy's gaze which caught the mature beauty off guard as she lectured him.
”Until now, I have put up with your little escapades with that vile woman because I thought you would grow sick of her company, and I could use it as an excuse to be rid of the vixen once and for all. Now I can see she has dug her claws into both of you two brothers.”
Berengar could not help but chuckle at his mother's wording; she made it appear as if he was being manipulated by Linde when she was actually quite the obedient slave. This laughter did not ease his mother's fury as she continued to glare at her own errant son.
”What is so funny?”
Berengar knew that his mother was furious with his behavior, but he would never allow her to get rid of his favorite toy. As such, a wicked grin spread across his lips as he sneered at his mother's ferocious display.
”Linde does not have her claws dug into me, as you proclaim. In fact, the situation is quite the opposite. She obeys my every will and whim like an obedient little girl. It was true that she was the one to approach me, but I am the one who dominates in this relationship. I have no plans to get rid of her anytime soon, as she has proven to be quite the excellent concubine. Plus, as I am sure you have suspected, the child within her is my own.”
He had no problems revealing this information to his mother, the woman had long since suspected this to be the truth, and he knew the woman would never betray him. Blood is thicker than water, and despite her opinion of Linde, she would not disgrace her family's reputation by making such information public.
However, Gisela's reaction was out of his expectation; she slapped Berengar across his cheek and chastised him for his behavior.
”Do you have any idea how scandalous your actions are! You have cuckolded your own brother and impregnated his fiancee! He would never forgive you if he were aware of this fact.”
Berengar held his cheek, which had reddened upon impact; he felt humiliated by the strike but could contain his rising anger. After all, he would never harm his own mother. After calming himself down, he exhaled deeply before revealing the truth of Lambert's schemes to his doting mother.
”It is a punishment well deserved for the crimes of my seemingly pious little brother...”
Gisela looked at Berengar strangely; by the tone of his voice Lambert had done something unforgivable to him, but she would never imagine that the two brothers were so estranged that they were plotting against one another's lives.