Chapter 585: Loyal Maid Or Assassin?

Hearing Carmela suddenly call Maria ’Mama’ caught all three of them completely off guard.

After all, it made no sense.

Even if Carmela had called her ’sister,’ that might’ve been understandable; Maria was a Sister of the Church, after all.

But Mother?

That was something entirely different—deep, intimate, personal.

Aqua, of course, was the first to react.

"Oh. My. God!" She cried dramatically, pointing at Maria in shock. "Auntie Maria! Don’t tell me Carmela is actually your secret daughter you’ve been hiding all these years?!"

Maria’s eyes widened. "Aqua!"

But Aqua was already spiraling, hands flailing in theatrical disbelief.

"No, wait—it actually makes sense!"

She said, turning between Joy and Carmela as though comparing their faces.

"Look at them! They both have that same icy, cold beauty. That sharp, piercing stare that could turn anyone into stone. The only difference is that Joy looks like she’s silently judging humanity from above, while Carmela looks like she’s angry at the world!"

She clasped her hands together dramatically as she said,

"Twins! They’re definitely long-lost twins separated at birth!"

Maria’s mouth fell open.

"Aqua, stop!" She said sharply, her cheeks coloring slightly in embarrassment. "Joy is my only daughter and so are you! I-I don’t have any other children."

Joy, meanwhile, pinched the bridge of her nose.

"Aqua, please stop talking before I remove your ability to."

But before Joy could turn to Carmela and demand an explanation, she froze.

Because Carmela wasn’t glaring.

Or scoffing. Or even saying anything at all.

She was crying.

Tears slipped quietly down her cheeks, one after another, as she stared at Maria like she was seeing a ghost.

All three women immediately fell silent.

Even Aqua, who had been ready to blurt out another wild theory, covered her mouth.

Maria’s expression on their other hand softened in an instant. That motherly instinct, one that overpowered reason or hesitation took over.

She hurried to Carmela’s side, leaning down slightly as she reached out.

"Carmela dear...What’s wrong?" She asked gently. "Why are you crying?"

Her tone was tender, concerned.

"Did I say something to offend you? I’m sorry if I did. I didn’t mean to hurt you, or...go against any of your customs as a vampire."

But Carmela didn’t answer. She just stared back at Maria, trembling, lost in some distant memory while the tears kept falling silently.

Seeing this strange sight, even Joy didn’t comment about it.

For once, she understood this wasn’t the time.

Whatever this was, it was raw, too real to interrupt.

Finally, after several moments, Carmela blinked, realizing all three were watching her in confusion.

The weight of her display hit her all at once.

Embarrassed, she quickly wiped her tears away with the back of her hand—the first she’d shed in decades and took a step back, lowering her head.

"I...I’m sorry." She murmured, voice hoarse. "I didn’t mean to show such a display. Especially not during a first meeting."

She bowed her head low.

"It won’t happen again."

Maria shook her head immediately.

"Don’t apologize for crying." She said firmly, placing a comforting hand on Carmela’s shoulder. "I’m not upset at all. I’m just worried about you and confused."

"Confused as to why did you call me ’mother’?"

"I mean, I don’t really mind it, truly, since I am a mother after all."

"But it felt...like there was something behind it."

Carmela hesitated. Her lips parted, then closed again.

The truth pressed painfully against her chest.

It wasn’t something she spoke about, not to anyone.

It was too private. Too buried.

But Maria’s eyes—so gentle, so patient reminded her too much of someone she once knew.

Someone she’d never stopped missing.

She took a slow breath.

"...You resemble someone." She said finally, voice quiet and trembling. "Someone I lost. Someone...who passed away long ago."

Maria’s expression softened even more. "You mean...?"

Carmela nodded faintly.

"My mother." She whispered. "You look...so much like her. The same eyes. The same warmth when you speak. Even your smile."

She swallowed hard.

"When I saw you from afar, I didn’t notice it. But when you stood before me...I couldn’t help it. I thought for a moment that she had come back."

"And I just...lost control."

The garden went still again.

Maria’s heart ached as she listened.

When she’d first seen Carmela, she’d thought the woman carried the same cold, distant aura her own daughter often did—stoic, unreadable.

But now, she realised beneath all that scariness was simply a girl who had lost everything, and who, for a brief, aching instant, thought she’d found her mother again.

Maria felt her own chest tighten painfully. She reached forward, brushing a strand of white hair from Carmela’s face.

"You must have loved her very much." She said softly.

Carmela nodded, her eyes glistening again.

"...She was the only person I ever loved." She said quietly.

"The only one. And after she died...I stopped feeling anything. Completely."

Her words were heavy—so honest it made even Aqua feel something.

Maria smiled faintly, though her eyes were misty.

"You poor thing." She said in a trembling voice. Then, after a small pause, she added, "This might seem strange, but...would you mind if I gave you a hug?"

Carmela blinked, caught off guard.

"I’m not trying to replace her." Maria continued, her voice soft and warm. "But if it’s true that I resemble your mother...maybe, just maybe, if I hold you, you can feel her warmth again. Even for a moment."

"Would you...like that?"

Carmela froze.

Her instinct screamed to refuse. It wasn’t who she was. She wasn’t supposed to need affection.

She was supposed to be strong, vengeful, a weapon forged by hatred and loss.

But Maria’s eyes...

They weren’t pitying. They were kind. Genuine.

The same kind of eyes her mother used to have when she tucked her in during those fleeting years of peace.

And before she could stop herself, Carmela’s body moved on its own.

She stepped forward and wrapped her arms around Maria—tight, desperate, trembling.

And the moment she did, the dam broke.

Her voice cracked as she buried her face in Maria’s shoulder, whispering between sobs.

"M-Mama...I miss you. I miss you so much!"

Maria’s heart broke at the sound. She hugged her back just as tightly, resting a gentle hand on the back of her head.

"It’s all right, dear." She murmured, her voice tender. "It’s all right. Your mother’s watching over you, I promise."

"From heaven, she’s smiling right now, seeing her baby safe and alive."

That was all it took.

"Mama!"

Carmela cried harder, years of pain finally given space to breathe, while Maria gently soothed just like she was her own daughter.

Meanwhile, Aqua and Joy stood silent for a while, both watching as Maria held Carmela close, the vampire’s quiet sobs echoing faintly through the garden.

Then, finally, Aqua exhaled loudly, breaking the silence.

"Okay...wow." She said, blinking rapidly. "I did not expect that at all."

She folded her arms, shaking her head in disbelief.

"Here I was thinking she was just like you." She said, turning to Joy. "You know—cold, emotionless, impossible to read. The kind of person who makes people feel like they’re standing in a blizzard just by being next to her."

Joy gave her a flat look but said nothing.

"But seeing this now..." Aqua continued, her voice softening slightly as she looked back at Carmela. "...there’s nothing cold about that. That’s not frost."

She smiled faintly.

"That’s someone who’s been through way too much...and is just waiting for a moment like this to finally let it all out."

Then, grinning, she added,

"Still, it’s adorable, though. A moment ago I was sure she’d snap my head off if I said something wrong, but look at her now. Crying in her mother’s arms. It’s so cute it’s killing me."

She sighed dramatically.

"I almost want to hug her too—but fine, fine, I’ll let them have their moment."

She then realised something strange and turned to Joy with a suspicious look on her face.

"But what really confuses me is you."

She said, narrowing her gaze like something was off.

"I mean, why are you not saying anything about her crying? Every time anyone shows tears, you always lecture them about how useless emotions are, how they achieve nothing, how we should ’act instead of wallowing.’"

Joy didn’t even flinch. "Because it is useless." She said matter-of-factly. "And I stand by that."

Aqua raised an eyebrow. "Then why aren’t you scolding her?"

Joy’s tone softened, just a fraction as she looked toward Carmela and Maria.

"Because." She said quietly. "She’s crying for her mother."

For a fleeting moment, something tender passed through Joy’s usually stoic eyes.

"And as someone who has fought for her own mother’s life..." She continued. "...and who loves her more than anyone in the world, I can understand that."

"Crying for your mother isn’t weakness. It’s just a part of being human...or vampire in her case."

Aqua blinked, genuinely surprised by the warmth in her tone. Then she smirked.

"Well, well...Guess you do have emotions buried in there somewhere." She teased. "Or it’s simply to excuse all the times you used to cry when I stole your holy book and hid it somewhere when we were kids."

Joy shot her a deadpan glance. "Say another word and I’ll bury you somewhere."

Aqua chuckled. "There she is."

But before the teasing could continue, a new voice cut through the garden.

"Am I interrupting something here?"

Both turned around sharply.

Standing by the garden entrance was Isabelle—Cassius’s most loyal maid, and one of his wives.

Her soft blonde hair shimmered faintly under the light, and her expression was polite but curious.

"Young Master had told me to come over and meet you ladies, but I wasn’t expecting this scene." She said carefully.

"Is something the matter? Do you need any assistance?"

But Aqua didn’t answer and instead brightened before waving enthusiastically.

"Isabelle! Oh, it’s so nice to see you again!"

She then dashed forward and threw her arms around her before anyone could stop her like she did with everyone.

Isabelle blinked in mild surprise but quickly smiled and returned the hug.

"It’s nice to see you as well, Aqua." She said warmly. "Though...we literally saw each other last night. So, such a greeting seems a little excessive, doesn’t it?"

Aqua let out a mischievous laugh, sounding almost like a cheeky nobleman caught misbehaving.

"Ha! You got me." She admitted. "I just wanted an excuse to hug you and feel how soft you are."

Isabelle blinked. "Excuse me?"

Aqua smirked, unabashed. "I mean, really, Cassius sure knows how to pick them! A wife this beautiful, this loyal, and with a body this perfect? He’s living the dream."

She pressed her own chest playfully against Isabelle’s with a teasing grin.

"He’s got taste, I’ll give him that."

Isabelle’s cheeks pinked, but she didn’t pull away—only smiled indulgently.

But even as she teased, Aqua’s gaze softened when she looked at Isabelle again.

There was genuine fondness there.

After all, she did like Isabelle.

Not just because she was kind and beautiful, but because of how deeply she loved and served Cassius.

Aqua had seen it firsthand the night before—how Isabelle spoke of her husband, not as a master, but as someone she was willing to dedicate her entire life to.

That kind of love, that quiet loyalty—it was something Aqua found both admirable and a little enviable.

And beyond that...Isabelle had helped her.

Helped her get into bed with her brother last night.

And even though it ended up in the worst case scenario, Isabelle had nothing to do with that and she was just happy to have such a cute and caring sister-in-law.

But just then—Joy stepped forward.

A small sharp smile curled the corner of her lips.

"Well, well..." She said, voice calm but laced with something dangerous beneath the surface. "Look who it is."

She tilted her head toward Isabelle.

"Isabelle. The ever-so-loyal maid of Cassius. The one who would do whatever he says, no matter what."

She paused for emphasis, letting the words hang in the air before finally saying,

"And also the very same maid...who tried to poison him and turn him into a corpse."

"It’s very nice to meet you."

The garden went dead silent.

Aqua’s playful expression vanished in an instant, replaced by stunned disbelief.

She slowly released Isabelle, stepping back, eyes wide.

Isabelle herself froze—face pale, but she didn’t flinch or deny it.

And Joy herself had a really satisfied look on her face, as if she had purposefully said so to invoke such a reaction.