NovelEnglish“My second uncle was only 18 when he died. It was a sudden death. The car brakes failed, and he fell off the cliff,” Alexander calmly spoke as if relating the news.
“Later on, when my third uncle was around 25, he drowned while diving because the oxygen tank malfunctioned. Then my youngest uncle...” He turned to look at Lily and paused.
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇtHe cocked his head, thought for a moment, and continued, “I meant my real youngest uncle. He fell sick and died due to congenital disabilities shortly after birth. | heard he died in Grandpa's arms.” Hearing this, Lily suddenly caught on. “So your grandpa switched him with Ralph?” Alexander nodded. “Grandma was devastated by the deaths of my second and third uncles. She didn’t like my mom but didn’t get involved too much because even though my dad survived, he was not in good health.
“She would be unable to cope with her youngest son’s death. He was born three years before me, and as you can imagine, grandma wasn’t young anymore and risked her life to give birth to a son.
“Grandpa worried that she couldn't handle the blow, so he switched my youngest uncle with someone at the sage, who is none other than Ralph.” “Wouldn't she be able to recognize her son?” Lily caressed her tummy but could not understand this as she had never given birth.
‘Won't a mother recognize her child?’ “It's not easy to tell newborn babies apart. Besides the fact that my grandpa made an effort to find someone who looked like my youngest uncle, Grandma was in bad shape after giving birth, and my uncle was so weak that he was kept in an infant incubator.
“As a result, she barely noticed him and didn't notice the difference." He paused briefly and continued, “You could imagine how much she has doted on Ralph since.” ‘Well, there's no need to imagine anything because anyone can see it.” Margaret was so good to Ralph that Hugo disapproved of her behavior. However, as she was suffering from the deaths of her sons, he refrained from saying much, let alone telling her the truth.
Lily sighed and pitied Margaret. ‘With her sons dying young, she might've killed herself if she could not cope with their deaths.
Follow on Novᴇl-Onlinᴇ.cᴏmRalph's arrival gave her hope and strength to hang on.” Now, at an old age, Margaret had to take such a blow and face the brutal truth she had exposed herself. Considering how heartbroken she must be, it was only natural she fainted.
“I'm quite surprised Grandma would choose to tell the truth,” Lily said softly.
Being unconditionally partial to Ralph, Margaret could have lied for him and helped him inherit the Russell family while getting rid of Alexander. However, she did not—instead, she chose to tell the truth, even if it devastated her.
“Grandma did it for the family.” Alexander was surprised too, but he could understand Margaret's motivation.
No matter how partial Margaret was to Ralph and how much they might love each other, they worked for the family's good. The Russell family had remained strong for a hundred years because they had always worked together.
Lily cocked her head as she looked at Alexander. “You...you always knew Ralph was not Grandma's real son, didn't you?” Seeing that he had reacted so calmly, she knew Alexander was aware of it. Besides, Margaret must have decided at the last minute and did not communicate it with Ralph beforehand since it surprised Ralph.
That was how Lily concluded that he knew all along. Even if Margaret did not tell the truth, he would not be defeated by Ralph anyway.
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