Reborn in another world as a Hermaphrodite-Chapter 146: Past Traumas and Secrets

Covering his face, he just couldn't understand why Katherine wouldn't poke through his lies earlier and stop him.

"Alex... Can I tell you something?"

Despite Alex remaining silent, Katherine continued.

"I feel really lonely sometimes... Even though I have you and your sisters, I don't have any friends I can talk to."

Katherine paused for a second as Alex lowered his hand, still looking away as if he was waiting for him to continue first.

"There's no one I can be friends with... All the friends I had in school had always ended up using me and my connection to Regina for their benefit."

"How about Auntie and Miss Emily?" Alex pointed out quietly.

"They are always busy with their own stuff... And now I'm the duchess. I can't just make friends either."

Alex fell into silence again, his heart feeling a little bad as he imagined himself in her situation.

Thinking back to Katherine purposely letting him and his sisters avoid mentioning their status, it was clear she didn't want to repeat the tragedy.

His mind had already imagined Katherine being isolated in class because she was the daughter of a Duke, a statue way above others to approach.

Especially in this almost feudal-like society, where nobility ranks equate to high status in this world.

"Alex, I know what happened between you and me is wrong. But I just feel so relaxed being with you..."

As Katherine's voice started to crackle a little, Alex finally turned around to look over at her face.

She was almost on the verge of tears, almost as if she was about to cry.

"Mom..."

"You know how much stress you relieve off my shoulder every time we get into a dream together?"

"I..."

"I love being able to spoil you, Alex... You know, sometimes, I really hate how independent you three are at home."

Alex waited, letting her finish as his mind was caught off guard by Katherine's sudden comment.

"Both of your sisters had always copied your behavior growing up, trying to be as independent and self-reliant rather than asking me for help.

All I see are the other kids throwing fits when they are just in the most minor inconvenience. But you guys never do that..."

As Katherine fell into silence, Alex couldn't help but raise his voice.

"We just want to make you less stressed——"

"Why? Is it because I'm a single mother?"

Katherine's answer landed right on the money, as it was the exact reason why he had always encouraged his sisters to be more independent.

"I'm still a mom. I don't want my son and daughter to be so independent when they are still so young."

After a long silence, Alex finally spoke up again.

"Sorry——"

"I should be the one saying sorry for bringing my problem onto you, Alex. I had relied on you much more than you had relied on me."

As a single drop of tear fell from Katherine's face, every negative thought of her disappeared in Alex's mind.

Even though she had lied to him from the beginning, he was starting to realize he had a shared responsibility for causing it to go this far.

"Mom, can you spoil me?"

Alex's sudden question caught Katherine a little off-guard, but she quickly nodded in agreement as she gently moved him onto her lap.

"Of course... Mommy is always here for you."

As Katherine gently brushed his hair with her hands, the teary face was quickly replaced by a smile.

"Mommy, I want a hug."

"Of course!"

After a short hug, she slowly lowered Alex back into her lap, letting him lean his head onto her soft chest.

"Alex, do you forgive Mom for lying to you?"

The question made Alex flinch for a second, but he eventually spoke up again.

"I-I should ask forgiveness from you too... I wasn't being honest when we first met."

"We forgive each other?" Katherine softly asked.

"Deal.... Let's make a picky promise."

As Alex turned around to have his pinky connected with hers, his attention was instantly caught by Katherine's upper cleavage.

"Alex... do you want to touch it?" Katherine offered, noticing his gaze on her chest.

"N-No, w-we can't do this anymore. I-I'm too old for that." Alex replied, his face blushing red as he tried to push her back.

"Why not? You said you want me to spoil you, right?" Katherine asked as she looked back at Alex with an innocent face.

"But you and me——"

Seeing Katherine's face seemingly turning towards the verge of tearing up, Alex started to realize he might have fallen right into a trap.

"I thought we forgave each other already. Are you going to go back to your word as a man?"

Just as Alex was about to accept his fate, Katherine's face suddenly changed back to normal before moving him back to the sofa.

"I'm just kidding, you silly. Did you really think I was going to let you do that?"

Realizing he had been fooled around twice, Alex's face started to turn red from embarrassment.

This chapt𝓮r is updat𝒆d by ƒreeωebnovel.ƈom.

"Mom!"

"Yes?" Katherine asked, her voice hinting at anger as a frown appeared on her face.

"N-Nothing."

Seeing Alex's emotion changing again, Katherine couldn't help but lift him before hugging him again.

"Alex! You're so cute!"

"Mom, stop calling me cute. I'm going to be mad for real this time."

"Hehe, sorry."

As Katherine puts him back down on the sofa again, the atmosphere returns to an awkward silence.

"Alex, can you keep everything that happened between me and you a secret?"

"What do you think? Do I look like the type of person who's going to go out and say that kind of stuff out loud?"

Noticing Alex looking back at her smugly as if he were looking at an idiot, Katherine quickly grabbed him closer before putting him into a chokehold.

"How dare you make fun of your mom? Huh? You think this is funny?' Katherine questioned as she knocked her knuckle onto his head.

"Ouch! Ouch! Sorry! I wasn't trying to make fun of you. I swear!" Alex apologized as he raised both of his hands.

"Hmph! You better."

As she releases Alex back down onto the sofa, he quickly takes a few steps back away from her on the sofa.

"Mom... Do you like me or Dad more?"

The question caught Katherine a little off guard, but she quickly answered back without any hesitation.

"Of course, I love you more. What kind of question is that? You're better off asking if I like you or your sisters more."

"Who do you like more, then?" Alex curiously asked.

"Your sisters," Katherine answered with a smirk on her face.

"Hmph!"

"Okay, okay, I'm just joking. I like you more. Are you happy, Alex?"

Seeing Alex still looking a little unhappy, Katherine suddenly grabbed his hand before moving it onto his chest.

"Here, you happy?"

"Mom, you..."

Alex's face was in complete disbelief as Katherine had crossed the line despite the two knowing each other's identity.

"Shush. This is our little secret, okay? Mommy is only doing this for you."

As Katherine whispered her answer into Alex's right ear, his mind was immediately put into overdrive.

He couldn't understand what she had just said. Or his mind just didn't want to process the thought of what she's implying.

"Alex?"

"Y-Yes?"

"Mommy is always going to spoil you no matter what, okay?"

"Even when I grow older?" Alex nervously asked as the question popped up in his mind.

After a short silence, Katherine spoke up again.

"Always... But that's assuming you don't want Mommy anymore——"

"I-I would never do that," Alex answered back before she could finish responding.

"But how about your future wife? Are you really going to give that up to choose me?"

"W-What? W-Why are you talking about that?" Alex nervously asked, his face looking more nervous than ever.

"Come on, don't act silly... Even though mommy can't give you my body, I still can relieve you in other ways."

"What?

"Don't what me. You know what I mean..."

Seeing Alex's face shyly looking to the side, Katherine gently moved his chin with her finger, forcing him to look at her eyes directly.

"Mommy is still a woman, okay? I have my own needs... So, can you take care of Mommy's needs?"

The sad, innocent face immediately triggered something in Alex's head. A sense of duty to protect her at all costs.

But just before he could give out his answer, he noticed a little grin on the edge of her lips slowly getting wider and wider.

"Mom! This isn't funny! Stop making fun of me."

Alex yelled back with a slight hint of anger as he tried to elbow her right in the stomach, only to be blocked by her hands.

"Hehe, you got me this time."