She's My Sleeping Pill

Seven months later...

The triplets just turned nine months old but Stefan already compiled two photo albums of them. Of course, Cayenne was also included in most of the pictures.

There were photos of them crawling, eating, and doing other things, that Stefan found special. Yet, he still treated them as his rivals.

There was one time when Cayenne woke up in the middle of the night because of the children's cries. Stefan was quick on his feet and ran out of their room to get to their babies. She knew he'd take care of them but she still decided to follow him after a little while.

It's been a while since the last time he sang a song to her and to her surprise, he was really singing for their kids.

*** I never dreamed

Cause I always thought that dreaming was for kids

Just a childish thing

And I could swear

Love was just a game that children play

And no more than a game

Till I met you

I never knew what love was

Till I met you

This feeling seems to grow more every day

I love you more each day

I believe you

I believe in every word when you say:

"I love you all the way"

Now I can swear

Love is not a game that children play

So tell me that you'll stay

Till I met you

I never knew what love was

Till I met you

This feeling seems to grow more every day

I love you more each day ***

Cayenne stood at the door, covering her mouth to stop her voice from leaking. She was so touched by his song and the love she could see from his gaze then, Stefan said something that almost made her slip on the floor.

"I'm not singing the song for you. Hmph! It's for your mommy. I only love you because she loves you. I won't ever forget that we're rivals."

Cayenne didn't know whether to laugh or cry at her childish husband. He just wouldn't admit that he loves his kids.

"Shall I sing something else?" He asked with no answer from them. "Oh. I'll hum a song that Ayen used to sing me to sleep. No, never mind. It's exclusively mine."

Cayenne could only stifle her laughter as she went back to their room. She didn't want to disturb his time with the kids.

Things have been great so far until...

"Explain what is happening to me," Magnus angrily slammed the stack of papers on the table in front of Stefan.

Cayenne didn't expect this kind of event to happen first thing in the morning. Magnus was fuming in anger but there was a look of embarrassment on his face as well. She wasn't quite sure what her father-in-law was exactly feeling at this moment or maybe he felt both.

"When did you conduct this?" Stefan questioned in return without really checking the whole content of the document. The first few paragraphs were more than enough to tell him what irked his father. "I believe I said not to bother them."

"I didn't bother. I came to find you first, ain't I?"

Cayenne stole a glance at the documents and realized that this was a personal matter between Stefan and his father.

"I'll go upstairs to check the kids. Please talk and don't get physical. No shouting either," she reminded them and gave Stefan a kiss on his head before leaving.

Stefan watched his wife walk away from them while Magnus kept staring outside the house as if he could see Latticia through the bushes and trees. There's no way!

"I learned the truth after my wedding though, I have been meeting them way before that," Stefan said nonchalantly. "She suffered at the hands of your wife, and up until recently, she couldn't even talk because of facial paralysis."

"Did she lose her memories?"

"No."

"Then, why is she staying with that bastard?"

"Because he saved her when your wife wanted to kill her. He had to use another dead body to help her escape death. Something you couldn't do for her."

Magnus was stumped for words. He wanted to deny his son's accusation, to refute him but he also knew that Stefan was right.

"Dad, she's happy with him. During the time she was gone, presumed dead, weren't you happy with your wife as well? If you could live a happy life, why can't she?"

"I still love her all this time."

"No, dad. It's only your ego saying that. You cannot accept that Clara bested you, that she was able to hurt my mom without you knowing the truth until a few years ago. It's guilt, not love."

Magnus sat there unmoving. For the first time in a while now, he hated his son for judging him. Yet, he couldn't utter a single word against him. He just couldn't understand why he would allow his mother to stay with Jean Albert when the man was one of the people who made her suffer so much.

"Some people would rather keep the truth to make the people they care about live happily. I didn't tell you because you will only feel remorse toward her. I don't want you to keep living in regrets dad."

"Aside from you and Yen, who else knew of her real identity?"

"Uncle Stan."

Magnus nodded his head and leaned back on the couch to rest his head. "Is she married to Jean Albert? Is it true that they're together?"

"Yes."

"She loves him?"

"I can't answer that. I just knew that she's relaxed and happy when she's with him."

Magnus sighed, closed his eyes, and spoke, "I wish I didn't investigate the truth. Son, I can't just pretend that I don't know."

Stefan didn't know what to tell his father either. They can't turn back time and stop his investigation, and surely, it would be difficult to pretend ignorance of the truth with Latticia around as well.

"I don't know if talking to her would bring closure to your relationship," he said and stood up. "Dad, what you and mom had is now in the past,"

As soon as Stefan turned his back, Magnus broke down and cried silently. He really loved her. In all those times that he was with Clara, he had been constantly thinking of his first love.

Only Magnus knew what were his true feelings for the woman. No one should judge him for it or weigh the value of his emotions for her.

Stefan felt sad for his father but he would never ever suggest to them to get back together.