Chapter 88: Burden Situation

I felt disheartened when Alucard left. As much as I didn't feel like entertaining Simone right now, I had to since my pups were already with him. It was good that they were there, so I still had ample time to recollect myself while thinking about how to coax Alucard.

"Yay! I have more books!" Liutrich exclaimed, his eyes glistening excitedly as he looked up at me. "Mommy, I will start reading them today!"

Smiling, I caressed his hair as I nodded. "Summon our butlers to help you display your new books." Then, I turned to Luciana and Lumiere, who were busy with the presents they received from Simone. "You are spoiling them again, Simone..." I heaved out a sigh when he chuckled.

"I don't see them often, Faustina," he said, looking brightly at how they liked their presents. "Thank you, though, for inviting me to their birthday party. My apologies if my arrival is all of a sudden. I also have a business to attend here in the Sowinski Kingdom."

"I see. I understand." Smiling, I turned to my maidservants, who were now serving us tea and snacks. "I hope you will enjoy your stay here in the capital. I wish to be your companion to tour you around, but I am busy nowadays."

I wanted to add that I wanted to be with Alucard since he was going to leave. I would miss my pudding.

"It's alright. I understand. And you are glowing more beautiful, Faustina. I didn't know that Alucard is your mate. You didn't tell me."

There was a hint of accusation in his tone. But he was looking at me amusingly.

"Um..." I chuckled nervously. I turned at the maidservants and nodded at them.

"Young masters, young mistress, come. We will arrange your toys."

I watched my triplets being ushered outside. It didn't seem like they were confused, and they tagged along with them happily.

I sighed in relief when they didn't exaggerate the situation. Once I was certain we were alone, I turned to Simone, who was awaiting my response. "I apologize for not informing you that Alucard is their father, Simone."

I never told Simone who the father of my triplets was before. I wasn't mentioning Alucard because I was full of hatred that mentioning his name seemed taboo. Simone knew that whenever he was asked about where the father of my triplets was, my mood changed as it became a sensitive topic.

Since then, he never asked for him again.

As I looked at Simone, he nodded before sipping his tea. "I should have known... They looked like him, after all." I opened my mouth to add more explanation, but he chimed in. "I knew their faces looked like someone, and I couldn't grasp it properly. Now that I have seen Alucard again, it's like eureka!" His fist landed on his other palm, looking like he had managed to piece the clues together.

I only pursed my lips into a thin line, wanting to be buried six feet below the ground from his reaction. I thought he would be offended, but it seemed like his hunch had come to light now.

"Anyway, I am glad that in your situation right now, Faustina."

I gawked up when Simone stood up and bowed his head a little. "Are you... going to leave now?" I wondered.

He nodded. "Yes, I am a little tired from the trip. Don't worry. I will revisit you and the triplets." He winked, which earned a small smile on my lips.

"I see then. You are welcome to visit us, Simone." The moment he handed out his hand, I let him take my hand and kissed the back of it. He looked up at me with that flirty gaze before I awkwardly withdrew my hand and gestured my hand. "I shall see you off."

Even though we hadn't caught up with each other, I was at ease that we had a short conversation together. Simone bid farewell with a flying kiss at me. I just laughed it to brush it off, not wanting to entertain it since Alucard wouldn't like it if he saw this.

I went to check on my children, who were still feeling enthusiastic about their gifts. Simone had already bid his farewell to Mother and to them. Unfortunately, they didn't get to talk because Mother was taking a nap at that time.

"You seemed down, Faya. Is there something wrong?"

It was already in the middle of the night, gazing at the stars when Mother surprised me with her presence on the balcony. My back was leaning on the railings with a shawl wrapping around my shoulders.

"Nothing, Mother. I am just contemplating," I replied with a smile, but I knew that smile didn't reach my eyes.

And Mother easily caught on to that. Sighing, she also leaned in the railings and looked at the sky.

"Do I have to guess it, or would you like to tell me what is going on right now?"

Her soft, lullaby voice swayed my whole being, and my troubled heart was looking for a safe space at this moment. I was hesitant about whether I should tell Mother what was bothering me right now.

In the end, I told her because it was futile since I thought she knew what was happening.

"I didn't know Alucard would handle his jealousy like this by shunning me away, Mother. I made a mistake in the letter at first, but Alucard isn't buying it... How am I supposed to make amends with him, Mother?"

I couldn't hide my frustration anymore. It hadn't been a day yet; I would have to think about Alucard and how he felt threatened by Simone's presence.

Mother began to chuckle. "Oh, Faya... I can already tell that this is your first time seeing his jealous side, isn't it?"

"Not the first time..." I sighed and frowned. "I mean, how he showed his jealous side before is different now."

"How so, darling?"

I clasped my hands together, recalling how my Alucard acted whenever he was jealous. "He was never like that before. He is more cocky when he faces them... Unlike today, I felt the insecurity raging from him... He never blocked his feelings, Mother. What should I do?"

I thought that I could be able to handle this, but I couldn't believe that I would ask my mother for help. Perhaps because my wolf and I had been restless since yesterday, we got frustrated, and I could not handle my emotions very well.

"I feel like we were immature right now... Neither of us is talking about this situation properly," I added. "Whenever I am explaining it to Alucard, he is dismissing me... I had never seen him down like that, Mother."

I glanced at Mother, who was stroking her chin. "Perchance, he thought that Simone witnessed how my grandchildren grew and how he was with you while he was here, unbeknownst to him that you were still alive at that time," Mother concluded, nodding.

"But... Simone was already in the past. Why would Alucard act like that? We had already marked each other. There was nothing for him to worry about anymore."

Mother smiled, a kind of smile that she understood my situation. "You need to speak with him again, Faya. I understand that you are frustrated, but being in a relationship, you need to communicate your feelings to him. If his action is hurting you, you need to be honest." She cupped my cheek and gently caressed it. "It seems like both of you lack of communication. You both need to work it out, hmm?"

My lips pouted. "If you have worries, do you talk it out to Father?"

She nodded. "Your father is aware of every fear and concern, even from the time I was devastated when you were lost. We've never kept secrets from each other. However, when it comes to worries about you, he doesn't share them with me. I can sense that he doesn't want to burden me further," she explained. "He expresses his concerns through actions... by searching for you throughout these years." Her expression softened, and a hint of nostalgia sparkled in her eyes.

Her words dug deeper into my heart. And that part had bestowed me an idea that I might be able to do the same thing as what my father did.

I must show it in action after I speak to Alucard!