Yvonne had been paying attention to everything being said and grasped what had happened in the past.

From what she had learned from Jax, Rutherford had been kept in the dark even after the Old Master had died due to his illness.

The son had become the next Earl and had done a stellar job with taking the fief to new heights all while being ignorant of his father's sickness.

However, she now knew that it all changed on one fine day as her father had somehow managed to learn the truth.

Mr. Toone had started serving the St. Claire's family after the Old Master had died but he knew the events of the past.

To him, Rutherford was his Master and when his Master asked him about something, he did not hesitate to reveal everything to him.

Mr. Toone had heard from the previous physician serving the Old Master that the chronic disease he had was only becoming severe with each year.

Every servant in the Mansion was trying hard to keep things under wraps so that no one would hear about his ill health.

After all, the head of the family falling ill while the heir was too young would be disastrous for everyone in that household so they obeyed the Old Master's orders.

When their young master, Rutherford, had brought a servant to become his Butler and be taught the right way of serving the heir of the St. Claire's family, things had become difficult.

They not only had to keep Master Rutherford in the dark, but they also had to do the same with Limo, the young servant who was loyal to him.

For this reason, the villa next to the greenhouse was built and while Limo was being burdened with the training in the mansion, the Old Master had shifted to stay here temporarily.

Medicinal plants needed for his treatment were grown here and he with a selected few servants and the physician resided in the villa to help him recuperate.

"Not once did I notice that my father was sick or in pain." A bitter smile formed on Rutherford's lips as he uttered those words, breaking Yvonne's train of thought.

The medicines he took dulled the pain but also his consciousness.

Therefore, thinking of the days he spent with his father, training and learning the heir responsibilities made Rutherford grit his teeth.

Not once did he recall his father being in a daze or disoriented during their classes.

After he graduated from the Royal Academy, he had to stay close to his father to learn everything from him.

This meant that he was the closest person to the old man so he should have noticed if he was dull or dazed.

But thinking back to how he had never seen that happening even once, there could only be one reason for this.

"Grandpa did not take the numbing medicines?" Yvonne questioned with incredulity.

Everything she had heard until now, she could guess that her grandfather was suffering due to this illness and needed this medicine which dulled his senses.

But hearing that he was not disoriented only had one explanation.

"He stopped taking the medicine when he was with me so that he could stay sharp and teach me well." Rutherford confirmed her speculation with his nod.

To the Old Master, the future safety of his son and the fief was more important than his own health and the pain radiating through his body.

"He suffered in silence while I pushed all my dissatisfactions and resentment towards him." He added as at that time, Young Rutherford was a hot-head who made sure to let his father know that he abhorred him and what he had done to him.

Yvonne bit her lip as she knew this part well.

Rutherford blamed his father for destroying his dream and forcing him to stay in the fief to become the heir, not letting him train to be a knight.

Even after he resigned to his fate of becoming the next Earl, he stopped conversing with his father and only spoke when spoken to.

The Old Master knew of his crimes so he too never tried to initiate the conversation if it wasn't absolutely necessary to not worsen his son's mood.

"We traveled for business and even stayed in the same places but never once did I notice anything strange." He chuckled in self-deprecation as he had never found anything wrong all along.

He had stopped caring for his father and only concentrated on the heir training which had led to this result.

"But he never complained…" A sigh left the pitiful Earl's lips as his father had endured everything in silence.

His dissatisfaction with his father faded a little when he met Raylene as he never would have met that beautiful woman if he had not followed his father to the Valente fief.

Later, after their marriage, he reconnected with his father when he found that the Old Master had accepted and protected Raylene by speaking up for her in the presence of the other nobles.

However, this did not last long as the Old Master died soon after their marriage.

At that time, Raylene and Rutherford were newlyweds and were staying in the Capital while the Old Master was in the fief.

Raylene had cried her eyes out while Rutherford only comforted her, feeling guilty that he had not spent much time with his old father.

"But now I know that my sin is greater than just that…" He confessed while bowing his head.

Yvonne's eyes were brimming with tears threatening to spill over after hearing his recollection of the past.

Only years after his father's death did he hear about the sufferings he had endured in silence and it was all for his sake.

The sacrifice made by the Old Master was much greater compared to the sacrifice that Rutherford had made of giving up his sword.

The same sword which the Old Master had gifted him in the past.

Thinking back now, Rutherford realized that it was his father who had encouraged him to train harder and become the best at what he desired.

However, after knowing that he did not have long to live, Old Master acted the role of the villain perfectly and snatched that dream away.

While enduring the hatred of his remaining kin, his only son, he worked to secure his and his family's future.

"I only I had known…" Rutherford grit his teeth for the stupid decisions he had made in the past.

He would not have shown such indifference to his father if he had known the truth but now, all he could do was blame himself and live in guilt.

Yvonne hopped off her seat and sat next to her father, patting his shoulder to comfort him.

Turning towards his child, he smiled at her kind gesture and nodded to show that he was fine.

"I always thought that the heir of the St. Claire family should start learning his responsibilities as soon as he graduates from the Academy." He mentioned because that was what had happened to him.

Without becoming a knight, he was forced to learn his responsibilities and that was what he had planned to do to Howard as well.

"But later, I understood why my father had done that." He added as the truth had been uncovered thanks to Mr. Toone who had disclosed the things of the past.

Rutherford was only following what had been done to him but after this revelation, he realized that there was no need to rush.

His father knew that his body could not last for long and hence had taken those drastic steps.

However, he was hale and hearty so there was no urgency for Howard to give up his dreams and start learning his responsibilities immediately after graduating.

"My father would have done the same if he had more time." He whispered the last part of his thoughts.

He was aware that the Old Master had always been a strict but a good father.

He encouraged his son always which had been the reason for Rutherford to train as a knight while in the Academy but in the last years of his academy life, his father's health had worsened which had led for everything to go awry.

If that had not taken place, then he could have fulfilled his dream with his father's support.

However, nothing could be done about that right now but there was still a chance for Howard to live his life the way he wanted to.

Therefore, after learning the entire truth, Rutherford instructed Mr. Toone to remain silent about this conversation and pretend that it never happened.

His father did not want him to know of this and for wish's sake, he will act as though he was still in the dark about this matter.

After that incident, he returned to Amarthea and the first thing he had done was call his children to his office and make a big announcement regarding their future.

Yvonne was aware of which incident he was talking about as that was also the day she had revealed her desire to become a businesswoman.

This brought a smile to her face as her father had allowed them to do as they pleased and even promised to support them in their endeavors and protect them from all harm.

"As for the matter of hating him…" Rutherford shook his head at that very thought.

"How can I hate the man who endured everything for my sake and for yours?" He patted her head while disclosing the truest of his feelings regarding his father.

Instead, he should be asking for forgiveness for hating his father and not trying to understand why he had taken that step in the past.

Yvonne smiled before she pouted and shook her head as well.

"I still blame grandpa!" She mumbled her dissatisfactions with the old man who was no longer alive.

"If he had not kept everything a secret then you never would have misunderstood him." She spoke up in her father's favor as this decision of her grandpa had changed the course of their lives.

Rutherford chuckled while tapping her little nose in response.

"He never would have let anyone pity him so I understand why he did that." He responded before carrying his daughter in his arms.

"Remember, we need to respect his decisions and never let anyone else know about this." He whispered while walking to the door.

Yvonne sighed as she knew of another man just like him who had made similar decisions in the past so she nodded to agree with her father's instruction.

Soon, the father and daughter left the office and headed in the direction of the dining hall as it would soon be lunchtime.