Gregoria’s gaze became firm. “We cannot let anyone know about this,” she said. Regina nodded in agreement.
“Yes, mother,” she replied, her voice barely a whisper as she understood the gravity of the situation.
Gregoria’s thoughts spiraled as a shiver ran down her spine. How does he even dare to try that with his own mother? She could hardly process the disturbing possibility, but it ate at her—does that mean… he even looks at me, his grandmother, in such a way?
The thought lingered, heavy and unsettling. She felt a sense of unease wash over her as she tried to push it away, but the mere idea made her question everything she thought she knew about Julian.
If he looks at his own mother that way, she thought then why wouldn’t he dare look at Eva, Eleanor, and even me the same way?
Gregoria considered telling her husband, but the idea quickly dissolved as soon as it formed. What would I say? She thought. That his grandson is…
The words felt impossible to speak. She couldn’t bring herself to utter such a thing about Julian, not even to her husband.
Regina with her trembling voice said, “Mother…I feel an unexplainable pull towards him.”
Gregoria looked at Regina with widened eyes, the weight of her daughter-in-law’s words hanging in the air. “What do you mean?” she asked softly.
Regina’s eyes fluttered shut for a moment as she gathered her thoughts, the pull she felt toward Julian still strong in her chest. She hesitated before speaking again, her voice barely above a whisper.
“It’s like… something I can’t control. A force drawing me toward him, and no matter how hard I try to push it away, it keeps coming back.”
Gregoria was at a loss for words. “This… this is wrong, Regina,” Gregoria said, her voice trembling with worry. “He is your son, your flesh and blood. You cannot give in to this temptation.”
Regina nodded slowly, though doubt clouded her eyes. “I know, mother. I know it’s wrong. But I can’t help how I feel. It’s like something inside me is awakening, something I never thought could be there.”
Gregoria reached out, placing a firm hand on Regina’s shoulder. “You must fight it, Regina. You must find a way to regain control. For your own sake… and for his. This cannot continue.”
Gregoria’s mind spiraled as she thought of the consequences if Regina truly gave in to the pull she felt toward Julian. The idea sent a cold shiver down her spine. If she gives in, it would destroy everything—the family, the power, the honor…
If anyone were to find out, it wouldn’t just be a scandal; it would be a catastrophe. The nobles, the court, their allies—they would all turn against them. It would ruin Julian’s future, tarnish his name forever.
Regina’s voice was shaky, and her eyes filled with an inner conflict she couldn’t hide. “I don’t know what is happening with me… My mind tells me to reject it, but my body says otherwise. I’m so conflicted.
Regina’s voice was barely a whisper as she continued “I think of him in such a way… that I can’t even say to you,” she confessed, her hands trembling as she gripped the fabric of her gown.
Gregoria’s eyes widened, her breath catching in shock as the full implication of Regina’s words sank in. For a moment, she was at a loss for words, her mind racing to process what she had just heard.
“Regina,” she finally whispered, her voice trembling slightly, “are you saying that… you’re starting to feel something for him? In that way?”
Regina simply nodded, her face etched with shame and guilt.
How deep have you been consumed by this… Gregoria wondered. She could feel her own heart rate increasing, and a rising heat that she struggled to suppress.
Her thoughts clouded, and she felt confused—was it concern for Regina, or was there something else stirring within her? She quickly shook her head, trying to clear the thoughts from her mind, focusing back on the conversation.
“Regina… we cannot let this go any further. You need to be strong. For yourself. For this family,” she said.
Gregoria’s mind betrayed her, flashing an image of Julian and Regina together. Her heart skipped a beat as the image lingered before she forced herself to push it away.
No, I must not think of that, she told herself, her hands trembling slightly as she tried to focus on the present. The image of her grandson and daughter-in-law, their bodies entangled in forbidden passion.
She immediately shut it down, her breath quickening as she cursed herself for letting her mind wander down such a path. “I must remain calm,” she whispered under her breath.
However, the thought kept gnawing at the edges of Gregoria’s mind, no matter how hard she tried to shake it off.
Gregoria quickly shook her head, clearing her thoughts. “Regina, you must control yourself,” she said firmly, “Try to suppress your desire. You are a mother, a noblewoman. This cannot happen.”
She paused, taking a deep breath before adding, “I will leave now. You need time to reflect on all this.” With that, she turned to leave, her heart heavy with the burden of the conversation.
Gregoria closed the door behind her softly, her mind swirling with the weight of the conversation she had just had with Regina. She moved slowly down the hallway toward her chamber.
Her heart raced, the image of Regina’s words and the troubling implications about Julian replaying over and over in her mind.
As she entered her chamber, she closed the door gently behind her and leaned against it for support. Her breath was shallow as a sudden heat surged through her. Her body reacted in a way she couldn’t understand, a tension building within her that she hadn’t felt in years.
A shiver ran down her spine as she sank onto her bed, her hands instinctively moving to her breast. The thought of Julian and Regina together kept invading her mind, making her heart race even faster.
“What is happening?” she whispered, unable to push away the wave of conflicting emotions.
She clutched the blankets tightly, trying to regain control, but the temptation lingered. She had to make sense of all of this, but the more she tried to push it away, the more the thoughts of Julian and Regina seemed to consume her.