The Count sat quietly at a table in one of the most expensive restaurants in Paris and slowly sipped his wine. He was waiting for Albert, who for some reason was late. Sweet, naive boy. The Count promised himself not to be distracted from his work, but it was so hard to deny himself a little entertainment. The way Albert looked at him with his puppy dog eyes, hanging on his every word, couldn’t help but make Edmond laugh. Albert was just a way to achieve his goals, nothing more, but sometimes he really wanted to play with the young and easy-to-know youth. When the boy was nearby, chatting with him about everything in the world, Edmond seemed to be returning back to the past, where he also listened to Mercedes. This made his heart, which he thought was dead, beat like crazy, but he tried to ignore it. Nonsense. The boy is just a toy, nothing more. Very soon he will destroy Albert's small world and will not regret it... Right?

Finally, Albert sits down next to him, dispelling his thoughts. The Count smiles reservedly.

Where have you been?