章 31: Happy Mother's Day

A long time ago

A young Terrence who was still a child was running through the halls of the castle to his younger brother's room.

"Ricky!" The beautiful little boy entered the room without knocking and jumped on his brother.

"Brother… Why are you here again? I'm busy"

The small and pale child with big and dark circles around his eyes, the youngest son of Dahlia's lack was clearly a mess compared to his older brother who was bright and beautiful.

"Ricky, I need your help to surprise Mom!"

Terrence always knew that his "mother" was, in reality, his stepmother, however, he never cared about that because for him that beautiful woman who always hugged him with love was his mother.

Unfortunately for Terrence Erick who was the real son, the woman always gave him the cold shoulder.

If he wanted to be loved by his mother he had to put a lot of effort into making her proud while his older brother only needed to exist.

"I can't help you… I told you I'm busy"

Terrence pouted disappointed, he never understood why his little brother was always studying and locked in his room. He never wanted to play with him.

"But today it's a special day…"

Terrence's constant insistence made Erick mad. The boy shouted really high saying he didn't care and made his brother leave his room.

Terrence was sad by his brother's actions, Erick always showed his hatred toward him but Terrence was determined to be a great older brother.

Without any help from his brother, his only option was his father but… he seemed extremely busy even talking to him was so chaotic that morning.

A strong, young, and tall "alpha" with beautiful chocolate skin silver hair, and eyes like the moon saw the small child thinking so seriously in the middle of the hallway.

"Young master ~ "

Terrence jumped completely freaked out, and the man started to laugh at the minor's reaction.

"DORHAN! Don't laugh!

"I'm sorry young master but you're just too cute Jajajaj"

Terrence blushed like a strawberry and pouted again. Dorhan saw his sulking even more adorable but he didn't say anything related and changed the topic.

"Why are you so worried, young master?"

"Eh? How did you know I'm worried? Are you able to see the future?" the innocent child asked with amazement in his eyes.

Dorhan avoided laughing but it was difficult, Terrence's cuteness always amazed him, even when his young master was old enough to stop believing in things like magic and so on he was still so innocent.

He knew that the correct thing to do was to explain how he figured out he had problems, however, the alpha decided to trick his young master a little bit more.

"No, I'm not able to see the future but I have another superpower that allows me to know something that others don't"

With every word, Terrence was more intrigued and amazed, after that Dorhan asked him to keep it a secret because if many people knew it he said he would lose his power.

Terrence was surprised but he assured him that he would definitely keep it to himself.

After that Terrence asked for his help because he wanted to prepare something special for his mother.

Dorhan who was aware of the circumstances felt happy to see that he was treated with love. He used to be in a similar position but he didn't have the same luck. His stepmother was a cruel woman, she was the reason he abandoned his home when he was still a teenager.

Dorhan agreed to help him with the surprise gift for the duchess.

They spent all morning making the duchess' favorite cake, with chocolate and strawberries. Obviously, Dorhan was the one who did most of the work but Terrence also helped him with everything he could do.

After they finished the big one and the small one Dorhan asked him with curiosity.

"Why two cakes, young master?"

"This one is for my other mom, I don't want her to be lonely on a day like this"

The small boy pointed out the small one while he was talking about the woman who gave him birth. Dorhan was amazed at how someone so small could have that noble heart.

Dorhan helped him to go to the cemetery to leave the cake and some flowers for his deceased mom. He also talks to her for about thirty minutes before saying goodbye. Terrence didn't remember her at all but his father always spoke of her so brightly that the boy always wanted to hear more of her.

Even his stepmother loves to talk about his biological mother. They were best friends when she was alive and the one that suffered the most after Caius was his stepmother.

Nobody knew it but the new duchess and the previous were like sisters more than friends that's why she didn't want to accept Caius at first but her circumstances made her marry him and then eventually both fell in love.

…

Dorhan placed the last balloon on the wall of the dining room while he waited for the young master Terrence.

The boy went for his dad and his mom as well as his little brother before they headed up to the place where the gift was prepared.

Terrence was happy and even his mom was confused about his actions but when they entered the room and the maids threw confetti at them everything began to make sense.

"Happy day Mom! I made the cake but the chef helped me coking all your favorite food"

Terrence hugged her and took the hand of his little brother to join that moment.

"Erick helped me a lot too"

The innocent child said that to make her mother happier, however, Erick started to panic. He knew that she would hate anything coming from him but, despite his belief, the woman kneeled and hugged both of them with some tears in her eyes.

Caius also approached them and hugged his two sons and his beautiful wife. The duke was delighted to see his old child loving his stepmother. Terrence was his precious treasure his first love left for him so when he saw the three people he now loved the most get on well like that was the best gift.

For the first time, everyone had a happy time together. They celebrate that moment with a big smile and even Erick feels the warmth of his mother's hand.

He was surprised but he also felt bad because he didn't really help his brother…

When the night came and everyone went to sleep, the young Erick came to his brother's room and knocked three times.

He didn't hear anything from it but soon he was brought into the bedroom and hugged by his brother.

"Brother!! What are you doing?"

"Jajajaja I'm hugging you silly!" answered Terrence with a big laugh.

"I know that! But why are you being like this?"

Of course, Erick knew what his brother was doing but he didn't understand why he was so good to him when he always treated him badly.

"Because I'm happy! You've never come to my room"

Terrence looked so happy that the big smile made Erick feel he was a bad child. He hugged his brother back making Terrence more confused but happy.

"Thanks brother…"

"Jajajaja, why are you thanking me? You were so cheered up today so that was enough"

Erick hugged him more and they laughed together. That night they sleep together like real brothers.

Meanwhile

In their parent's room, Caius was giving his wife a massage to relax her.

"Your eyes are swollen"

"Ugh… don't mention it Caius, I feel like a frog already"

The alpha laughed and took advantage of her closed eyes to give her a small kiss on her lips. The duchess looked at him in silence and then pouted.

"I didn't feel that… give it another try"

Caius laughed a little and gave her another kiss that lasted longer. They were married for a long time but she never tried to get intimate with him after Erick was born.

"You looked happy today"

Caius caressed her cheek and she laughed with some tears in her eyes.

"They caught me off guard"

"Jajajaja I think it was Terrence's idea, that child is a little hurricane"

"Yeah, I know… but my poor child… even when I'm like this to him…"

She started crying even though she knew It was dangerous for his beautiful son to feel her love.

"That's not your fault… it's mine... I will find a way to break the curse I promise…"

She looked at Caius with a big smile, she trusted him, and they hugged each other for some time, however, neither of them knew what the future held for them…

…

Three months after that beautiful party the Duchess died, and Terrence got blinded by that mysterious curse.