Chapter 21

After talking to her daughter-in-law, Axel's mother felt she had to take firm action against her son. If Charlotte had dared to ask such a personal question, then it was a sign that something was wrong. Axel's mother doesn't want Charlotte to feel uncomfortable and go home to her parents, which means the Nirvana Royal family can't make other people happy. If that happened, surely the news would spread quickly and would make things worse.

Axel, who was in the king's room, was surprised when he saw his mother approaching him with a personal aide and maid. The mother's face also looks unusual, which is always smiling kindly. Axel felt that something was wrong with his mother's attitude, but he still smiled to welcome his mother.

"It's an honor for you to visit this room," said Axel.

"Mom wants to talk to you. Very important," replied the mother with a grave face.

Axel, who had been smiling, finally turned so tense, he ordered the people in the room to get out, including his mother's aide and lady-in-waiting. No one should know about family matters, especially since this is a grave royal household matter.

After everyone left the room, Axel, with a shallow voice and a shallow tone, asked the mother, what happened? Axel feels that so far, he has not done anything that harms the kingdom or the family.

"Is something bothering you?" asked Axel.

"Of course there is, and it deeply troubles my heart and my mind too. Who is the woman of your past that you still think about, that you no longer think about the future of your household with Charlotte? do you want to embarrass this kingdom because of your bad attitude towards your wife?"

Axel was shocked by his mother's words; he didn't expect his mother to know what was going on in his household. His mind immediately went to Charlotte, who had reported all this to her mother. Confusion immediately overtook him; he didn't know how to answer.

"I-I don't understand what you mean." Axel tried to dodge.

"Alright!" Axel's mother was getting more and more annoyed and finally let out a high note.

Axel lowered his head, his heart beating fast enough when he faced his mother. Although he was fearless with his father, he could not do anything else if his mother had spoken.

Axel's mother warned her son, and if Charlotte came back to the Kingdom of Florin, the royal family would not hesitate to depose and exile Axel to a place somewhere.

*

Mid-afternoon, the weather was perfect, with the sun starting to return to its resting place. Axel decided to go away from the palace for a while to calm himself after the incident his mother warned him about his current household relationship with Charlotte. he doesn't want to find trouble with anyone, let alone having to ask his wife about all this, it's the same as building a new problem.

Axel sat back on the lake's edge with clear water to see into the pond and the fish in it. Don't forget, Axel also issued a love sign pendant that Axel always carried.

Then, Axel's eyes fell on a small turtle that had come from nowhere. The turtle was on a tree branch that fell into the lake. Axel, who is lonely, also makes the turtle a friend to talk to.

"Hey you, are you lost? I've never seen you before," Axel said. He looked like someone who had lost his mind. The warning his mother gave also weighed heavily on him because he had not been able to be nice to his wife at all.

"But it's okay, we can be friends. I'm always alone here," continued Axel.

While holding his beloved pendant, Axel continued to act like a child who had just seen an animal he had never seen before. At least, acting like that makes Axel look very comfortable and can forget the problems that are weighing on his mind. He can smile and laugh when mingling with the little turtle.

However, from a distance, someone was watching Axel with a very sharp gaze. That, someone, followed Axel when he came out of the palace with a sorrowful face. He also saw Axel's mother coming out of the royal room with an angry face. He also didn't expect Axel to act so silly when he was alone in a place like this, and he waited for the right time to approach Axel.

As the person shifted to be more comfortable watching Axel, he stepped on a branch. The sound of the twig being stepped on made the turtle go back into the water, and Axel turned to the sound source. He did not expect someone to follow him to this lake.

*

"You're here again," Charlotte said, walking towards Axel.

Charlotte deliberately followed Axel to have a serious talk with him outside the palace. She didn't want her chatter or the actions she was about to make known to anyone. If anyone found out, it would most likely reach Charlotte's mother-in-law straight away.

When Charlotte walked up to Axel with such a beautiful dress, Axel only glanced at it and averted his eyes. From the look on his face; it is evident that he was still distraught with his wife, who talked about the condition of their stairwell to her mother, and made her have to accept a stern warning that weighed on her mind.

"Why did you follow me?" asked Axel.

"I just wanted to know where you were," Charlotte replied.

Then, Charlotte's gaze shifted to Axel's right hand holding the pendant. Charlotte immediately took the locket and looked at it. She also commented harshly on the charm in front of his husband.

"This pendant is always your concern. Who exactly is she? Even your mother doesn't know it, how deep are you hiding your past love story? No wonder you don't want to tell me, because you're afraid I'll tell your mother everything."

"I would have guessed it, if you were the one who told mother about our household. I told you, you don't need to know about my past affairs, isn't it enough with your status as Queen?" said Axel.

"If not your mother, who else should I talk to? you want me to talk to my parents? If that's what you want, you too must be prepared to bear the shame of the Nirvana Kingdom. Status? If you treated me fairly, I wouldn't be like this!" said Charlotte.

This argument was so unexpected; Charlotte couldn't hide her feelings anymore and let it all out. Axel, who was carried away by emotions, also spoke as he pleased without thinking anymore. Both maintain each other's selfishness because everything is done with compulsion. Charlotte, who had peaked, finally threatened Axel with the pendant she was still holding; she was still trying to find an answer, who exactly was the woman in Axel's past that made her husband unable to turn to another heart.

"Answer me, Axel, who is that woman?!" Charlotte's tone was getting out of control again.

"What's in it for you to know everything?! My past has nothing to do with you either, right?!" Axel replied.

"There is! She makes your heart freeze and your eyes go blind, until you can't see me who is in front of you now. Answer me, or this pendant will become fish food!" threatened Charlotte while pointing her hand towards the lake.

Axel was perplexed; he didn't want to talk about his past because it was against royal law. If he told everything, Charlotte would know it, and most likely, the whole kingdom would know too. He does not want to make the person he likes and loves terrible in the eyes of many people, not only that person but also his family.

*