Fabian resembled Werner’s character perfectly among his siblings. Unlike what you’d expect from the youngest, he was composed and cautious. Despite his young age, he was competitive and self-sufficient.

That’s why he had begged to study abroad alone in a distant foreign country, where he now maintained top rankings.

His letters home were filled with disappointment about not achieving first place like Daphne had.

Would Christine really give up such a child?

No one knew if he would bare his hidden teeth and enter the competition for family head.

Finally, there was Daphne.

Strictly speaking, she also qualified as a candidate for family head. However, they had never considered her a competitor.

Ludwig had thoroughly intimidated her since childhood, and even her parents didn’t treat her as their child, so no one viewed her as competition.

Daphne would quietly live her life and then be married off—end of story.

Therefore, most people were certain that Ludwig and Stephanie would soon become the Marquis and Marchioness.

But their thinking was different. Not pursuing money and power simply meant you hadn’t tasted them yet. Or it was the excuse of the weak who didn’t dare pursue them.

They couldn’t feel secure until Ludwig became Marquis. Moreover, he wasn’t yet called “Young Marquis.”

Thus, they expected their position would become more secure once the child was born.

Ludwig whispered to Stephanie’s belly.

“Baby, you need to be healthy, cunning, and greedy. Your father expects it.”

Stephanie cackled and tousled his hair. Ludwig laughed playfully before neatly fixing his hair and asking:

“By the way, what’s happening with Daphne?”

Stephanie’s expression immediately turned fierce.

“I don’t know. Christine won’t let me near the house. Anton is so strict with surveillance that I couldn’t even approach her.”

Ludwig frowned. It wasn’t because she casually called her mother-in-law by name. He wanted to reproach her for not finding a way despite the obstacles, but seeing her belly, he held his tongue.

Stephanie glanced at him cautiously before adding:

“But Kartun frequently visits that house.”

“The Grand Duke?”

“Yes, even his mother too. They even held a dinner there.”

Ludwig’s mouth fell open without him realizing it.

Things were moving rapidly, and he’d been completely unaware while stuck at the port. He felt like slapping himself.

“I should visit the main house.”

Stephanie nodded in agreement, facing him.

Just then, Werner’s aide entered and summoned Ludwig. When Stephanie tried to follow, the aide blocked her way. Stephanie immediately hardened her previously smiling face and said:

“I haven’t yet greeted Father since his return from his voyage. I just want to pay my respects briefly. What is this behavior?”

“His Grace has summoned only Ludwig.”

Both husband and wife’s faces turned grim at the aide’s response.

Ludwig wasn’t yet the Young Marquis. That’s why he was especially careful in front of Werner and worked until his body broke. Seeing his father’s aide blocking his wife made his anger surge.

But this wasn’t just any subordinate—he was the aide to the Marquis who still hadn’t confirmed his successor. The perceptive Stephanie stroked Ludwig’s arm and said:

“It must be important. I can see him later. I’ll wait for you. Come back safely.”

Ludwig kissed her forehead and followed the aide.

He was concerned by the aide’s unusually stiff manner, and when he saw Werner’s expression sitting at his desk, he knew something was wrong.

“Father, you called for me?”

Werner didn’t invite him to sit but strode directly toward him. Then he immediately slapped Ludwig’s face.

Though long retired, he was still a legendary commander whose name made pirates grind their teeth. It was just a slap, but Ludwig’s head spun as he fell and crashed into the wall.

Ludwig collapsed immediately, but Werner’s anger showed no signs of cooling.

He slapped his son’s other cheek as Ludwig staggered to his feet. Ludwig fell again.

His lip was split and bleeding, and his cheek was developing a dark red bruise in the shape of a handprint.

When Werner raised his hand again, the aide, unable to watch anymore, intervened.

“Your Grace, please control yourself. Ludwig is a civilian.”

Indeed, only soldiers who had fought alongside Werner on battlefields could withstand his full blows.

Werner barely contained his boiling rage as he asked Ludwig:

“Did you intercept the letters?”

The blow had been so severe that Ludwig’s eyes were bloodshot as he looked at his father.

Sensing real trouble brewing, the aide quickly signaled. A guard then dragged in something that looked like a rag.

Upon closer inspection, Ludwig realized it was one of his own aides—the very one tasked with intercepting Daphne’s letters to Werner.

Fear overwhelmed him as he realized he would have ended up in the same state if he had denied it.

Fighting through the ringing in his ears, he knelt before Werner.

“I…I did it out of jealousy.”

“What?”

“I didn’t want to lose your love too, Father.”

When Werner’s expression remained hard, Ludwig pushed out the blood pooling in his mouth with his tongue and continued:

“The father I remember was never affectionate toward my birth mother.”

Only then did Werner hesitate. Ludwig caught his breath and continued:

“But when I saw how you treated my stepmother, I realized you had fallen into real love. So I felt insecure.”

“You committed such acts because you felt insecure?”

When Werner asked sternly, Ludwig deliberately hesitated before answering:

“It was childish jealousy when I was young. But I had to continue to cover up my initial mistake. I wanted to confess honestly. I agonized over it hundreds of times, but couldn’t find the courage.”

“How cowardly indeed… To think my son would stoop to intercepting his sister’s letters…”

“I am a coward, that’s true. But I did it because I was anxious. I was afraid of losing you, Father.”

Werner’s strength drained away as he looked at his son hanging his head.

This was the result of all his time sailing seas and living such a busy life.

‘I’ve truly gone wrong. How foolish I’ve been.’

After watching his son trembling, he simply turned away.

The thought that he had no right to strike his son brought on another bout of land sickness.

⁕⁕⁕

Ludwig received basic first aid before going to Stephanie.

Most husbands would hate showing such a state to their pregnant wives. But Ludwig couldn’t miss this opportunity.

It was a perfect chance to bind his wife more tightly to him as a fellow conspirator.

Sure enough, Stephanie ran out, her face pale.

“W-what happened to you? Who did this!”

Ludwig stared at her as if to say, “Do you really need to ask?”

“If you don’t tell me now, I’ll go confront Father myself.”

Only then did Ludwig reluctantly confess. After hearing his story, Stephanie remained silent for a moment, trying to suppress her anger.

Having successfully provoked her, Ludwig smiled inwardly.

She opened her eyes, which she had kept narrowed, and said:

“We can’t let this stand.”

“Right?”

“Yes. The sooner the better.”

Stephanie muttered while staring into space:

“Such a trivial thing is causing so much trouble.”

⁕⁕⁕

Christine felt anxious every day. It was because Werner had been avoiding her since his return.

First, he hadn’t come to their bedroom. When she later asked Anton, he said Werner had slept in the bedroom attached to his office.

That wasn’t all. At every meal, his seat at the dining table was empty. When she brought tea and snacks to his office, he had already gone out.

He had never left without informing Christine before.

Christine ordered that she be notified immediately when he returned, regardless of the hour. And to show that she had been waiting without sleep, she wore indoor clothes instead of nightwear.

Werner came home close to dawn, well past midnight. Christine expected him to be sufficiently moved just by the fact that she had waited until this hour.

Seeing her hurrying down the stairs, Werner frowned. Christine stopped abruptly, unable to descend further.

“Welcome home.”

“Ahem.”

He merely cleared his throat and headed to his office. Christine bit her lip before resolutely following him.

“You must be very busy? You should take better care of yourself at times like this… How was your dinner?”

“I’ll manage on my own. Don’t worry about it.”

Finally losing patience, Christine demanded:

“Don’t worry about it? Taking care of my husband is a wife’s role.”