"Aren’t they adorable?" Mario exclaid with a warm smile as he placed a cup of tea and a sandwich on the table. "Sir Alexander and Sir William were often mistaken for twins even when they were growing up. Though William is a bit younger—two years younger, to be exact."
Rain nodded, her eyes still wandering over the various family photos that lined the walls. Mario approached her, pointing out the nuances in the brothers’ appearances. "They both have a mix of their mother’s and father’s features, except for their eyes and hair colours."
She nodded again, noting the differences herself. Alexander had inherited their father’s black hair but their mother’s striking grey eyes. William, on the other hand, had their mother’s brown hair and their father’s blue eyes.
Her gaze settled on a particular photograph, the last family picture with their mother. She was holding a baby William while a toddler-aged Alexander stood close by, a wide smile on his face. "When did she die?" Rain asked, almost to herself, unable to tear her eyes away from the image.
Mario’s expression softened. "She passed away a year after giving birth to William. In that photo, the young master is just one year old, and Sir Alexander was three."
Rain’s curiosity deepened. "How did it happen? Why did she die?"
Mario sighed, his tone respectful as he explained. "Madam Alexa had a heart disease. She underwent surgery and had a pacemaker implanted after her marriage to Sir Rock. Everything seed fine at first—they even had two sons. But after William’s birth, complications arose. I don’t know all the details, but she suffered heart failure just a month after William’s first birthday."
Rain felt a pang of sorrow as she imagined the family’s loss. Mario continued, his voice filled with admiration. "Mr. Rock took on the roles of both father and mother after that. He never remarried, despite the attention he received from won over the years. His entire focus was on raising his sons the way their mother wanted to raise them. He’s always been very hands-on with them."
Rain could sense the deep respect Mario held for her father-in-law. It was clear that Mr. Rock had been the pillar of strength for the family, guiding his sons through the difficult years after losing their mother.
"Mr. Rock is so aweso," Rain comnted with a wide smile.
"Yes, that’s very true! He’s the best!" Mario burst out enthusiastically, making Rain chuckle. But as her eyes wandered over the photos again, her smile slowly faded into a frown. One small fra, in particular, caught her attention—a teenage Alexander with a girl hugging him from behind, playfully stretching his cheeks. They looked so cute together that she couldn’t help but get curious.
"They look so familiar," Rain muttered to herself, staring at the teenage version of Alexander and the girl, who seed to be around nine or ten years old. The image stirred sothing in her mory, but she couldn’t quite place a finger at where she had seen them before.
"That’s Miss Carla with Sir Alexander," Mario said, noticing her interest. "The two of them were childhood sweethearts. Miss Carla’s family also has a villa in this estate."
Rain’s heart sank a little at the revelation. "Childhood sweethearts," she repeated, trying to keep her voice steady. The words hung in the air, tinged with a strange bitterness in her heart that she couldn’t quite shake.
"Her family and the Lancasters must be very close," she comnted, trying to sound nonchalant.
Mario continued, unaware of the effect his words were having on her. "Yes, their families were very close. Miss Carla’s father is the Field Marshal Arlan Cartier, and her mother is Madam Sumr Cartier, the President’s daughter."
Rain gulped hard. The Cartiers’ were one of the most powerful and influential families in the country. This Carla was certainly soone significant—a match made in heaven for Alexander, at least in terms of family background.
"They were inseparable as kids, especially after the incident at Miss Sumr’s orphanage in the Capital City," Mario continued.
"The Haven’s Orphanage," Rain mumbled to herself, recognition dawning. She knew Miss Sumr Cartier very well; she often used to spend ti at the orphanage, helping out whenever she could. Rain had always respected and adored Miss Sumr—a humble and kind person despite her high status. Back when she was young, Miss Sumr’s father was still the Mayor of the Capital City, not yet the President of their country.
"They both were in a relationship for two years before they broke up five years ago," Mario added, breaking Rain’s train of thought. "But so people say that Sir Alexander is just waiting for her to co back. I have heard she might be returning this year during winter."
Rain felt a sudden chill run down her spine. The timing of Carla’s potential return, coupled with the ti fra of ending her strange marriage to Alexander, this coinciding of incidents made her feel uneasy. Was that why Alexander was so eager to annul their marriage? Was he waiting for Carla to return?
The realization hit her like a cold wave, and for a mont, she felt as though the ground beneath her was slipping away. No wonder Alexander didn’t want to keep his marriage to her for long. He was clearly waiting for Carla Cartier to return, and Rain suddenly understood why he was so eager to end things as soon as possible.
Trying to regain her composure, Rain forced a smile and moved her eyes away from the photo fra.
"Co and have so snacks first, Attorney Clayton," Mario gestured to the table. She nodded and took a seat.
"Sir Ben called to say that Sir Alexander is on his way back to pick you up. He’ll be here in a few minutes," Mario inford her.
Rain nodded, then reached for her mobile phone as Mario excused himself. She quickly dialled Sanya’s number.
"Hello," Sanya answered quickly.
"Did you know that Alexander’s brother looks almost exactly like him?" Rain asked, her voice tinged with suspicion.
"Oh, that... N-no! I w-wasn’t aware. Why?"
"I saw a photo of William, Alexander’s younger brother. I have a strong feeling that he’s the one in the photo on our marriage certificate. Talk to the investigator Brandon has assigned and have him look into William Lancaster. He’s our main lead now in this whole ss with the marriage certificate," Rain said, frowning as she considered the implications.
A strange silence followed Rain’s instructions, and she frowned. "Sanya, are you still there? Are you alright?"
"Yeah, I’m fine, Rain. Don’t worry, I’ll look into it and update you soon... But Rain, are you sure you want to pursue this? Even if this marriage turns out to be more beneficial for you?" Sanya asked, her voice hesitant.
Rain’s frown deepened. "Even if it is beneficial, that doesn’t excuse whoever is responsible for forging this marriage without my consent! This isn’t just about the benefits; it’s about my autonomy and my right to choose. I won’t let this slide easily."
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