The Second Life Liliana
Chapter 44. A late regret

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Pov duke Geraldine's

#Flashback

10 Years ago..

At the Geraldine mansion, Duke Geraldine is seen with Jackson in his study. They talked about work as usual. Shortly after, little Adaire came to her father's room with her guard knights.

"Good day father," said Adaire with a friendly smile on her lips, she carried a teddy bear in her hand.

"Daire? Why are you here?" duke Geraldine asked without looking at his daughter. He's busy with the files on his desk.

"Dad, let's play! I have a new toy, well," Adaire approached her father and asked him to play.

"Cedric, how do you look after my daughter? Don't you see what I'm doing?" duke Geraldine asked with a sharp glance at Cedric, the kstaria of Adaire's bodyguard.

"I'm sorry, Your Highness Duke, ladies-"

"Dad, don't be angry with Mr. Cedric, I asked him to bring me here. If you don't want to play with me, it's okay. I'll just go, I'm sorry I interrupted my busy dad" Adaire said with a sad face and teary eyes.

"Miss, but you're..." Cedric felt sorry for Adaire, who had not been left by her mother for long and was not cared for by her busy father.

"It's okay, let's go Mr. Cedric!" Adaire returned a smile, a forced smile.

Did you refuse to play with me because you didn't like me? thought there was a little Adaire in his heart.

"Yes, I and Daisy will accompany you" said Cedric with a bitter smile, holding Adaire's hand and exiting the Duke's room.

~Since my wife's death, I've been busy and unknowingly neglected my son. To the extent that Jackson, who is usually silent, commented with my behavior to Adaire.~

"Your Highness Duke, you can leave your work to me. You have to play with Miss Adaire," Jackson looks heartless to see the look on his nona face that always gets rejection from the father.

"Why should I play with him? My job is more important than play,"

"Your Highness Duke, forgive me for my sassness. But childhood is a precious golden time for parents and children to spend time together. That golden period can't be repeated, if your majesty misses Miss Adaire's childhood like this. I'm sure it will always remain in his heart until he grows up, becoming an unpleasant memory." Jackson to Duke Geraldine.

~At that time I listened to Jackson's advice, I didn't want to miss my son's growth and development. Adaire has not lost her mother for long. I took the time to play with my son, on the sidelines of my busy life as the King's noble right hand. Adaire and I enjoyed our time together every day, even if it was only 1-2 hours, Adaire also looked happy. This time he did not smile fakely as usual.~

Until one day a man came with a beautiful daughter with blonde hair.

"Sorry, who are you?" duke Geraldine asked the man, looking at the blond girl beside him.

"Your Highness Duke, please forgive me. She is your daughter," explained the man briefly, introducing Adara as his son.

"What do you mean?" duke Geraldine asked dumbfoundedly at hearing that.

"You remember the war on the border of Istvan and Valhala? There you meet a woman named Shelly, she's your waitress who-"

"Enough!" Duke Geraldine stopped the man's words. He knows what the story goes. One night he got drunk and slept with the waiter, but he did not know that he could have children with him.

"The servant named Shelly has now died of human slavery, he asked me to deliver this child to his father because he has no family other than you," the man told Duke Geraldine that he was in shock.

Duke Geraldine looked at the girl, she felt pity. Duke Geraldine looked at Adara's eyes which were similar to the color of her eyes, her hair was also blond just like her.

"Let's be a good brother huh," Adaire invited her sister to play along.

"Yes come. I'm also happy to be Adaire's sister," Adara smiled gently at her brother. There was a look of disdain in Adara's eyes for Adaire, yes because of the tompel on her face.

Adara and Adaire always play together, Duke Geraldine has also verified the fact that Adara is indeed his son. These two children who lost their mother looked very sad for her. But he thought it was more sad to live Adara who had been living in a prostitution place.

One day when Duke Geraldine returns home from a long journey, he brings a new pink teddy bear to Adaire. And bring a teddy bear also for Adara, the doll is red. Adara and Adaire greet her father in front of the mansion.

"Dad, have you come?" welcome Adaire kindly to her father. Duke Geraldine hugged Adaire.

"Dad! I also want to hug my father," Adara spread her arms, smiling sweetly at Duke Geraldine's arrival.

Duke Geraldine hugged her two daughters together, without them noticing Adara putting a cynical face on Adaire. "Dear dear both of you. This father brought by for you. This is for Adaire and this is for Adara" Duke Geraldine said with a smile, giving Adaire a pink doll and a red one.

"Thank you dad, I didn't ask for it. But you gave it to me, thank you dad.." Adaire smiled and hugged the pink teddy bear.

"Sama-sama, do you like the gift? Adara, do you like it?" duke Geraldine asked his youngest daughter.

"Yes dad, I like.hiks.." Adara suddenly cried, she looked at the teddy bear sadly.

"Why are you crying my sister?" adaire asked worriedly at her sister.

"What's Adara?" Duke Geraldine sat squatting in front of her daughter, wiping Adara's tears anxiously.

"I'm sorry, but I like pink." said Adara, crying.

"But don't you like red?" tanya Adaire who remembers correctly that Adara once told her, that she likes red.

~If I had not been picky and watched Adaire too. Had I not asked for Adaire's teddy bear, would our relationship have been any different?~

"I love the color pink!" Adara ran into the house crying. Duke Geraldine felt sorry for Adara who had been through a lot of suffering so far, she asked Adaire to give up her doll and exchange the doll for Adara's doll.

"Adaire, I'll buy you another good doll. Now, can you give your doll to your sister? You love your sister, don't you?" Duke Geraldine tried to persuade Adaire.

With teary eyes, Adaire handed the doll to her father. "Yes dad, it's okay. Just take the doll for my sister" Adaire said with a bitter smile.

"You are a good boy, son" Duke Geraldine said with a smile touching Adaire's shoulder. He catches up with Adara and gives Adaire's doll to the little girl.

Adaire smiled while holding back her cries. From then on Adaire used to give to Adara and Duke Geraldine also never noticed her again. She pays more attention to Adara because she thinks Adara needs her attention more than Adaire.

Duke Geraldine also put forward Adara's wishes more than Adaire, unknowingly his affection was one-sided for his two daughters.

~Why? Why was it that I didn't realize that I was being so unfair! Adaire my son you must have suffered so much.I'm sorry your father is son..If I had found your diary sooner, I would have apologized to you earlier. I've never hated you, because you're fat or ugly! I love you son, want to be whatever you look like ~

#End flashback

"You want to talk, especially Adara? What didn't I do for you? You always get whatever you want? But why would you do something like this to your own brother?" duke Geraldine asked in tears full of emotion after telling her everything.

"Hahaha..so I just realized now, if you've been unfair to brother Adaire? It's a pity for you, but unfortunately it's too late for you. Brother Adaire is gone," Adara smiled mocking the father, laughing sarcastically with tears streaming down her cheeks. "And don't blame me. Dad, because you're the most guilty here, the one who ignored Adaire's sister!" yelled Adara while crying.

Duke Geraldine was stunned to hear Adara's words, now all the original nature of Adara has been revealed in front of the father. Duke Geraldine is devastated by Adara's remarks to her about Adaire.

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