Six - Broken crown

Paris, France

"Grandpa!" Francesca shouted in the middle of their tea. Devonne glanced at his back. An intimidating old man was standing proudly while looking at them.

"Francesca!" The man answered after he managed to shoot Devonne a curious stare.

"I want you to meet my friend," And dragged her old man to join them.

Devonne instantly stood, giving courtesy to his host. The old man appreciated the gesture. An impeccable upbringing. Devonne offered his hand.

"Devonne, sir. A pleasure to meet you." He said in his posh British accent.

The old man's forehead crest in curiosity. The young man has a familiar resemblance. A person from a distant past he can't seems to point.

"Devonne?" He inquired more.

"Grandpa!" Francesca quickly intervened noticing the indulging tone but he shot her a warning look. Devonne smiled at Francesca pertaining that everything's okay.

"Devonne Samira, sir." He proudly answered.

"Samira." The old man sounded a bit disappointed.

"Why is everyone reacting like that? Apologies, sir. But every time I told them I'm a Samira, they have these uncomfortable and hostile expressions on their faces." Curious but insulted sentiments of the young man.

"Pardon, Devonne. Grandpa is always like that." The young lady said apologetically and dropped a look to her amused old man.

The wealthy old man laughed at his outburst. He can see the resemblance now. A composure of Samira but the temper of Drax. A deadly combination.

"Everyone is having those expressions, son, because your family is quite, famous, in some aspects." He responded to Devonne with a grin.

"Wait, you are a Samira? Does it mean that you are Catherine's son?" Francesca connected the dots.

"Indeed. The princess of hell." Iñigo muttered.

Having been subtly judged, the young man decided to exit. He respectfully took his jacket out off the couch and smiled at his inviter.

"I think I have overstayed my welcome. Nice meeting you, sir, my lady."

Francesca Constantine immediately panic and took one step closer to the young man. It alarmed her grandfather. Iñigo stood guard, watching his granddaughter becoming a lady. How he dreaded this day would come.

"Wait, I'm very sorry, Devonne. We've been intrusive to your personal life. Can you at least stay for supper?" The young lady warmly apologized. Offered something to withdraw the bad impression they have made.

Devonne heaved a defeated sigh and convinced himself that these are some normal conversations that need to get used to. The smile on Francesca widens when he returned his jacket to the couch. They both went to the dining area followed by a frowning gentleman behind them. The Constantine patriarch rolled his eyes. How history has brought this day to play with them again. Dodge a huge bullet but hit with a larger one.

Another familiar gentleman arrived. The man from earlier, riding a luxurious car. Francesca kissed the newly arrived man on the cheeks and from how she called him, he is her father. Devonne stood and make their acquaintance.

"You are Catherine's son?" The man uttered in disbelief. It's like seeing a ghost of Catherine herself. The young man nodded hesitantly.

After he recovered from his shock, he sat next to his daughter. He then placed his napkin on his lap and looked at the young gentleman again. A smile plastered on his face. Generic but genuine. It's all he could offer to the one person that reminds him of his defeat.

"How rude of me. I'm Francis Constantine." He introduced himself, forgetting his manners earlier. He nodded to the young man.

"Nice meeting you, sir," Devonne answered.

The staff saved them from a dreadful silence, bringing them their food. Everyone's at safe distance avoiding any touchy matters being discussed. Francis couldn't help but glance at Devonne, who has a striking resemblance to his late mother.

"By the way, how's your father?" Francis suddenly asked, curiosity won him over.

"He's doing fine. Consume by his business papers." Devonne bitterly answered, stopping his cuts on his steak.

"Just like father! He spends most of his time at the office." Francesca relates then rolled her eyes that amused Devonne but worry Iñigo.

"Did your father remarry after, that, unfortunate event? If you don't mind me asking." Francis asked.

"Yes, sir. I have two siblings, actually. Mother's been keeping us together." He suddenly misses his mother. They may not be of the same blood but she treats him like her own.

"Really? That's wonderful." Francis responded. Hiding his envy through his neutral tone.

After he accepted his defeat on Catherine, he tried dating another but failed miserably since he dated a gold digger. The only good thing that came out of their relationship was Francesca. The woman gave up their daughter to him without hesitation.

"What about your mother's fortune? There seems to be a lot. Did she leave you even a percentage?" Iñigo decided to join the informative conversation. Francis shot his father a warning look. They don't want to venture into dangerous waters, yet.

"I got more than that." The young man responded in boredom. A fortune that lacks his interest.

"That must be hard. I heard the Drax bloodline has a huge asset." Francesca said with full of concern.

"Indeed they have, and I got almost 70 percent of it, given that I'm the only legitimate heir left." He sadly said.

The two gentlemen exchanged glances. The man in front of them is richer than most people. Combining his inheritance from Samira to Drax will make him richer than his mother could ever be. Iñigo may still hold the beacon of wealth but power resides in the young man's blood. The Constantine family is indeed powerful and rich but the two other families have merged.

"I'm even part of that underground company, Morningstar. Father was very furious about it." Devonne stated in confusion, still have no idea how to understand the situation.

"My goodness," Iñigo muttered. Utter horror draw upon the faces of Iñigo and Francis. A young Lucifer is inside their very own house.

"But I'm thankful because I have a distant cousin somewhere in Asia. I do hope he's the one they will pressure to continue the bloody legacy." Devonne boldly stated and apologizes for that.

"So you knew about your family's darkest secret?" Iñigo was amazed how Renard took the courage to remove his son from the shelters of lies.

"Unfortunately, yes. The Drax legal counsel visited our house to tell me about my inheritance but father and mother already explained to me how complicated the Drax family was." His tone sounded like his complaining.

The old man nodded, deciding not to pry anymore. They felt sympathetic to the young man. At a young age, he will inherit a fortune, a cursed fortune to be exact for it was accumulated through their wicked reign. But it was neither the vast asset nor the young Devonne that made the two legendary gentlemen rendered speechless, it was what Devonne said next.

"We heard rumors also that Uncle Hector is still alive," Devonne said and continue cutting his steak. Iñigo instantly stopped chewing and looked at his son who also froze at what he heard.

"Pardon?" Francis clarified.

"Our legal counsel warned me before I left London that I'm not yet really entitled to replace someone who is still on his reign. Uncle Hector was the head of the family, so he's still is, if the rumors are indeed true." Devonne explained.

"But you haven't seen him lately, did you?" Iñigo asked.

"Not yet, and even if there's a chance. Father wouldn't let me associate with such an awful person like uncle Hector. I can't face the man who murdered my mother." The young man angrily stated.

Francis was completely dumbfounded. He glanced at his father. All this time, he believed Catherine, the love of his life, died in a crash with his uncle. A lie that kept him asleep.

"I thought, Catherine, died in the crash?" He managed to ask despite his denial.

Devonne shook his head and sipped his juice. He wiped his mouth then straightened up.

"Father did not tell me the whole story so I asked around. People who had the knowledge and the honesty to tell me what I needed to know," With his clenched jaw, he swallowed. "He shot my mother to death in front of my father."

Overwhelmed by the information, Francis started to pale. With shaking hands he lifted his glass of wine and sipped. The truth slapped him, really hard.

"That bloody son of a bitch!" Francis muttered under his breath.

"Do you know my parents? I saw a picture of you with my mother, sir." Devonne diverted the topic. Interested in the reaction he got from the gentleman. He was wise enough to observe the man's visible rage to Hector.

"Closer than you think. They were childhood sweethearts, Francis and Catherine." Iñigo answered in disgust. "They were a match until the money was no longer an issue but power. Your father was her family's ambitious match. I was thankful though, I will not have a parasite in my family."

Though he never met his mother, Devonne was insulted and humiliated by Iñigo's choice of words. He is still Catherine's blood and flesh. Devonne was matured enough to understand the undying hostility towards his kind.

"Papa! You are making the young man uncomfortable," Francis intervened. He looked at Devonne with concern. "You will not condemn a child because of his mother's lifetime of wickedness."

Francesca was not able to defend her valuable visitor knowing full well her grandfather. The very moment she will step out of the line, she will be put in her place. She may be spoiled but certain circumstances remind her of her little control. Unlike the young man in front of her.

"You have to forgive us for this, hostility." Iñigo realized his mistake. "For the record, there's no one left in your family to receive such judgment."

"Papa!" Francis reprimanded, but the old powerful Constantine could not be undone.

"From now on, as long as you're a Samira," Iñigo held Devonne's hand. "Our friends, yours. Your enemies, ours. Stay away from the other side and we'll hold the line together."