The Devil's Betrothed novel Chapter 443

Chapter 443: Who Is My Father?

The Queen empathetically sensed Oriana’s emotions and granted her the space she needed.

Once Oriana had regained her composure, the Queen began to speak. "She was a beautiful woman, and you have clearly inherited her beauty."

Oriana returned her gaze to the Queen and inquired, "And my father?"

The Queen fell silent, unsure of how to convey the truth.

"What happened, Your Majesty?" Oriana pressed.

"I’m not certain about the identity of your father," the Queen responded with hesitation.

"What does that mean?" Oriana’s voice trembled with anxiety.

"I don’t know what to say or whether the information I possess is accurate," the Queen admitted.

"Please, Your Majesty, tell me whatever you know. I implore you," Oriana pleaded.

The Queen let out a helpless sigh and reluctantly began, "Your mother was the only child of your grandfather, Philip Verner, and he loved her deeply. There were numerous marriage proposals for Amaya, but she never accepted any, and your grandfather respected her wishes and never pressured her. There were rumors that she loved a man, but no one knew his identity, or whether she married him. However, she was pregnant with a child, and it is believed that this man was the child’s father."

"My grandfather doesn’t know either?" Oriana inquired.

"I’m not certain of it. Only your grandfather can provide that answer. But due to the uniqueness of your bloodline and for Arlan’s sake, your mother had to give birth to her child," the Queen reassured Oriana, gently squeezing her hand in a comforting gesture. "And that child is you."

Oriana couldn’t help but feel that everything was incredibly complex, with so many secrets concealed from everyone. Even the Queen was not privy to all the information. She understood that Philip was her maternal grandfather, and given that her mother wasn’t a witch, she drew her own conclusion.

’My father was a warlock,’ Oriana surmised, but it left her with a multitude of questions. ’Did he deceive my mother and abandon her? How is it that no one knows about him? Was he callous, impregnating a woman and then leaving her to fend for herself?’

The Queen shook her head. "I am not aware of those details. At that time, I was a new mother who had just returned with her child from her parents home. I was mostly occupied with tending to young Lenard in my chamber. That night we all were shocked with the news of Queen’s assassination. About Arlan?" Queens face painted with a sad expressions, "He was still a child who happened to witness his mother being assassinated."

"He saw it?" Oriana sought to clarify. "The man who killed the Queen?"

"Arlan was a witness to that horrifying event. He lost consciousness after the ordeal, and the entire palace was thrown into chaos. That night marked a profound change, not only for Arlan but for the entire royal family," the queen said with pain gripping her heart.

"That night?" Oriana spoke to conclude further what the Queen exactly meant, "That witch’s evil act towards the Prince began from that night when his mother was assassinated?"

Julien nodded with sorrow in her eyes. "That was indeed the night when I first got to know that woman was a witch, her true nature and intentions. She was a heartless woman... I wish I had the power to defeat her at that time... I wish I could shield Arlan. I yearn to erase that night and return everything to the way it once was." the Queen lamented, her tears flowing freely. "But I was utterly powerless and could only watch Arlan endure his suffering."

With a heavy heart, Oriana continued to press for more information. "What exactly happened to him? What did that witch do to him?"

She couldn’t help but be overwhelmed by sympathy for the young boy who had not only witnessed his mother’s tragic death but had also fallen into the clutches of an evil witch the same night. How could such a small child endure so much pain?