Sorry but the ML's mother is trash, too, as well as a b****. She clearly treated her son like trash too. And she had more say than the father did in their marriage by your own words. So there's obviously less reason for her to feel trapped than the father did. So clearly the bigger b**** is her. I hope she gets tortured before she dies.
Did she attack her son? Yes, she was a cold bitch but the real POS was the father who abused his son who tried to give him a birthday present because he was upset his lover died.
The ML's father is and was a parasite loathed the Kedreys yet still lived off them and even accepted a title as part of his palimony after the divorce.
The reason the father became a "violent alcoholic" is that loser-hanger-on father of the ML (it's the mother who is the Duchess and head of the household) was fucking the late Empress and was upset when she got killed. He fell into despair (boooohooo! hope you join that whore soon in hell). Also, the ML father has an inferiority complex that is why he hates anything related to the Kedrey bloodline. He was angry that he felt "trapped" in his marriage with the Duchess as her consort and couldn't be with his lover (the dead empress).
Note the Emperor killed her by using her allergy to nuts as a means. He knew she was cheating on him and had produced a bastard son - Rezef.
That is why he loathes and distrusts Rezef. After she died he pretended that Rezef was his "son" to cover the shame that the Empress had an affair with a married man producing a child. But made sure to present him as an illegitimate son as revenge against the dead Empress.
It's why he doesn't outwardly say although it's clearly implied that he wants anyone but Rezef to be his heir.
Although, he isn't that favorable to Kayena either since she looks exactly like her mother who cheated on him. He has some sympathy for Kayena (very little) but it's obvious the only child he truly cares for Ethel, his son with his mistress. Btw he began that relationship after the Empress died.
Rezef is both the FL's and ML's brother.
The reason the ML's parents are divorcing is because of that affair. I think the Duchess purposely waited until the ML was an adult to proceed with chucking the lowlife husband.
When the father finds out he has another son he smuggly approaches the ML and tells him to help him find his "real son". After an altercation, he curses the ML's family all while he has gladly accepted a title from them as part of the divorce alimony.
Seriously, fuck him and the Empress. I stan the Emperor for killing that wench pity he didn't kill the lover too.
Fun fact: His "real son" will end up killing him when he discovers who his real father is after being manipualted by the Emperor to do so.