✧THE LOOK OF JEALOUSY✧

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Germany had been a beautiful affair, progress had been spent all across the board. And to say Alphard was proud of Rhea, is a clear understatement.

His days filled with discussing work was something he could only dream with a significant other. Course he knew Orion spoke with Walburga on occasion about their wealth or where to invest, but it wasn't on the level he and Rhea were on.

Not to mention that he was planning with Lori a surprise party for Rhea in the following few weeks.

It made him look back in the last year, seeing that the anniversary of their first meeting and speaking with her had already passed.
It just made Alphard all the more grateful at being able to call her his wife.

"Rhea's always been fond of birds, and blue of course...It's a wonder that her parents didn't realize her true officiation sooner." Evelyn spoke, and Alphard hummed along, compiling a list for Lori with the help of Evelyn.

Who had snuck in just as Rhea had left, but his mind was so preoccupied in other news that he hardly heard Evelyn's questionable comments.

If only Rhea was a Slytherin like me, she'd have found greatness.

It's not a wonder that her parents hid her away.

Rhea would look prettier if she just tried harder to impress you.

Alphard paid no mind to these side remarks because half the time he was too deep in thought—And only a Ravenclaw knew that they had to be waved down and made sure that they were listening before speaking.

Rhea had nailed it down-pat while his own brothers were still having a bit of trouble getting the idea of it.

"Alphard, could I ask you a personal question?" He turned upwards from his papers, having planned on responding to a parcel and nodded. "Depends how personal you decide to get?"

"Not that bad, I promise. I was just wondering what it's like in a marriage when a husband has a mistress...I'm not sure that Theo has one, but I don't doubt he will in the future..." For how much Evelyn tries to be different, her interests and fears are mirrored with his own wife's.

"Ah, well I doubt he has one considering where his loyalties lie. But if he does stray away in the future, I'm sorry to say there is only so much you could do."

"Is that what you told Rhea about your mistresses?... I have to say, I was a bit curious when you planned on going to Germany with Rhea instead of without." Alphard frowned, wondering where this woman is getting her ideas from.

"I haven't had a mistress in quite some time, nor do I plan to get one."

"That's a shame, you are truly on everyone's list is wanting your attention. Are you sure that won't change in the near future?" He blinked once more, seeing how far the young witch had leaned in or pushed in her breasts to make them more appealing.

"No. I love my wife."

"Funny, now say that like you actually mean it, Alphard." She said, pushing further into his personal space with a smile. But Alphard, having been such the odd fellow out for quite some time had nearly scrambled back into the loveseat as he put his hand up to stop her advances.

"I don't know what you're getting at, Ms.Rookwood, but that is highly inappropriate and I suggest you leave at once." Her eyes widened, not having been prepared to get kicked out entirely.

His frown had remained, and while she did try to apologize, he didn't bother responding as she continued to clean up her supplies and ducked out. Her tears did not gather much sympathy from his end.

Instead, he rubbed his hands down the likes of her face.

This had led him in a terrible mood for the rest of the day, again and again, had he chained smoked his thoughts away—Drowning into his cup of endless fire whiskey, only until he smelled how sour he truly was.

Before Rhea could return home, he attempted to sober up, brushing out the taste of ash. Washing out the tobacco smell that imprinted on his hair and skin, he was evidently thankful that Rhea was so actively involved.

There was nothing wrong with their relationship, but it left things to be desired, that they took their time with one another when they had it.

"Alfie?" Rhea called out, and the man chuckled as her voice managed to soothe him quicker than the warm shower. "Come join me, love!" With that invitation, Rhea hardly thought twice before stripping down—Something Alpha very much enjoyed watching.

"Could you help me with my pins?" She asked, her hands fiddling with the tight bun she's been wearing the entire day. And of course, her husband didn't hesitate in aiding her, though he had a habit of dropping things on the floor while she collected them in her hand.

"Who do I have to fire for taking up your time today?" He groaned, pushing his lips to the crook her neck. And Rhea didn't hold back her laughter. "Well I spent a good portion of it with Otto, and I've met his younger brother and sister who are staying in London...And I've got the perfect date planned for us on Friday." She grinned, and his thoughts betrayed him.

"You're taking me out on date, are you now?" He said, amused by the thought that Rhea found something that he would be interested in. "Yes, and it might be a bit childish and very muggle. But I thought it would be fun and exciting!" Now that certainly caught his interest, and after what transpired today, he certainly needed something to look forward to.

"That's for Friday, love. For right now I have the urge of keeping you in the shower with me until—" Alphard was hardly able to manage to get another word in to catch her attention, but she hardly needed to be caught. Not when her eager lips met his and pressed her bare body against his.

Urging him to continue with whatever it is he planned.

Upon leaving the shower, Rhea was wrapped tightly in her fluffy robe while her husband teased her with his towel hanging lowly on his hips. "I was thinking about heading to another Quidditch game, but I have to admit—I'm curious as to what you're planning." He said, brushing out his long locks and she grinned once more.

"It's not something we're very familiar with, that's your clue."

"Clues?... Do I get clues the days following? I rather like that game." She rolled her eyes, of course her husband couldn't manage the idea of a surprise when it was him on the receiving end.

"I was inspired when I was speaking with Otto, it's nothing too much. Don't stress, isn't that what you always tell me?" She claimed, and it earned her a rather low grumble—Though his thoughts continued to linger back to that faithful afternoon.

The fact that Evelyn's touch was still burning his thigh made him consider another shower.

"Are you planning on being gone for the month?... I haven't had to mention it to parents in Merlin knows how long. But I'm sure your mother would appreciate knowing." He offered, and Rhea sighed.

"I'm not speaking with my mother at the moment." She honestly mentioned, and that had taken him by surprise.

"You're not? How come?"

"She invited me for tea, but halfway through it turns into a gathering of her friends. They're wondering why I'm not pregnant yet, why I'm working, why I'm heading to Germany with you. She's peeved I left when I escaped to the bathroom." It wasn't all that supportive, but Alphard couldn't hold back his laughter.

"I'd say leaving without telling anyone is the perfect response to those noisy women. You realize they've all dried up of actual gossip that your mother supplied the perfect fuel."
"Did you just call me fuel?" She questioned over her shoulder, bewildered at the analogy. And he shrugged. "Would you rather be called tinder?"

"No. But it's an odd saying. I still have trouble realizing that I'm important."

"Important doesn't cover it. If anything, Walburga is terrified of you."

"What?! Of me?"
"Of course. You've outranked her, our children will outrank our nieces and nephews and they have my entire Gringotts vault behind them. Even now it's written in my will that all my assets are under your name." Rhea had suddenly turned pale at the mention of said placement and thus she rose to her feet.

"The last thing I want to talk about is a will, Alphard."

"I apologize, but it's the truth. Even if it sits there at your command, she cannot do anything. Hell, if we wanted—We could boot them from Grimmauld Place."

"You're right, we can turn it into a walk-in gallery for your treasures." Now that had turned up the spirits as they shared their laughter and the energy had sparked tenfold.

Though Rhea had unfortunately missed her bracelet's flashing lights underneath her fallen clothes. But as a nightly routine, she was blessed to see Sterling growing protective over the small pink beans—As Rhea referred to them as.

After taking the time to clean up the afterbirth and all, she made sure the enclosure was perfectly safe, secure and warm. Even offering Mama Sterling enough to give her energy to continue to care for the small Niglets.

Right now she didn't have the time to look up the proper term, and so she combined the term from Hoglets.

"Sleep well, little mummy. I'll check on you in the morning. Alright?" Sterling returned the gentle coos with her own, and Rhea had taken it as a sign of appreciation—It had to be.

She was smart enough to know that creatures know when they're being help, and Niffles weren't short on the intelligent ladder, it was just their affinity for shining things got in the way of their everyday life.

Upon returning backstairs, she nearly gave herself away in being shocked that Alphard was already in bed with a book in hand. "I was wondering where you headed off to, love. Everything alright?" Shit.

The guilt trickled in on not having found the courage in telling him about the Niffler and her family residing in an empty room.

"Of course, just looking over my schedule for tomorrow—And I've found I don't have to get up too early, so here I am, hoping for you to say the same." Rhea said, a smile growing on her face as she found the courage for something else.

And Alphard didn't hesitate to pull back the comforter for her to join in on his side, he hummed along at the sight of his beautiful wife wrapping her thighs around him he groaned at the first contact.

With things starting to wind down before the hellfire that would bring them all across the continent, he knew that this would return soon after.

But it was safe to assume that either Alphard and Rhea had gone to bed that evening with secrets weighing down on their hearts, the only difference is that his was much more unnerving than hers.

In an unfortunate turn of events, as Rhea had proclaimed it to be, both she and her husband had to rush a bag that following morning to arrive in the great city of Berlin—It was a last minute convention to secure a following and advertise to countless spenders that wish to join in on this term's projects.

It meant flirting, charming, and dancing around with some of the riches venues. And realistically, it meant that others were coming to pitches and tempting both Alphard and his young wife.

Which had nearly caused Rhea to lose her mind over learning all these new tips and tricks.

"If there weren't so many takers, I wouldn't have bothered, love. This is the downside of all this." Rhea turned from the bathroom's vanity with only a portion of her face finished. "After the last party we attended, anything will considered better. Even if it's filled with the rich German population—I always thought our country was wealthier." Alphard chuckled, "Not at all, France is up there as well. But we certainly up the percentage."

"You say 'we' so casually, maybe after this term I can feel more connected to the name."
"You'll have earned more than Walburga, Durella, and the rest of the women in our family." Rhea grinned.
"And we're nearly a year away from trying for a child!" Alphard choked on his small glass of fire whiskey, and he rushed to grab his napkin deep in his pocket in an attempt to clean up his face.

"Warning, love. I need a warning."

"For which?"

"I would hope you'll inform me on whether or not we're trying for a lil babe, but no—Warning about switching our conversation towards children." Rhea grinned, pushing this as a sort of punishment in having nearly forgotten their need of being in Germany.

"Well, since we are speaking about children..."

"Cheeky, when the time comes you'll be living every day pampered and well taken care of." She leaned forward to call him for a kiss, and he came forward to pull her chin up into a better angle. "That's a promise."

"Hm, I've heard that it's a very important time between a mother and child. Is it selfish I'm excited about it?"
"Not in the slightest. We'll leave the selfishness in waiting to see my sister's face when we announce out." A sly grin had shown through the mirror as Rhea continued to fix the rest of her face.

And within the next ten minutes, they were already off and away—Their carriage ride having crossed over their property line to be transported directly to the festivities.

"Now, we'll spend a decent bit of the night here. But if you're feeling the need to leave, we will. Alright? Even if we don't acquire one person or accept an offer. We're here for appearances more than anything." Rhea had taken his words into consideration, but realistically it would be better to get the numbers stacked behind them.

Sure their attendance would already be considered important, but Rhea was going in with determination to make a name for herself.

To put aside her name and make Otto's life change drastically with his creative mindset, already he was starting to conjure up new products. And Rhea was getting excited at the future, especially after her twenty-first.

Upon arriving at the festivities, Rhea noted a few things. There weren't many single witches throughout the room, and those with wives were sticking very closer to their beloved.

"I take it all back, we're leaving as soon as we can." Rhea turned to face her husband but his eyes were locked to a general group of what Rhea could only assume are bachelors.

"We're only here for appearances, though I could play the flashy wife—" He was feeling a bit naughty all things considering, but he knew that their media specialist would throw a fit if they ruined this opportunity.

"Perhaps...Or perhaps with just one bloke." Rhea knew that face all too well.
The look of jealousy.

"Should I ask or would it be better to leave well enough alone?
"I'm torn between telling you the full story, but to give a quick summary...Let's just say he likes to take claim to what I have." Rhea blinked in shock, is that what men do?

They take just because one has something that they hold interest in?

"And who is he?"

"Swiss bastard. Living off of the work of his father, and has been failing the build upon name. It's rather sad, his father was a good man." Rhea nodded along, but soon enough the women had departed into the other room for a bit of wine tasting and dozens of platters to shift around the room.

It left the men to know for certain their dates weren't being spoken with while business was taking place, though Rhea felt rather taken back—She had thought that she would be making rounds as well.

Thankfully she made acquaintance with a few kind witches, and it was hilarious to take into the fact that there were indeed some businesswomen among the crowd. But they too wanted to be undetected.

So Rhea would follow in suit the same way, and upon returning back to the large room, she lingered amongst the witches and allowed those that wanted to approach her, to let them recite their pitch and she'd throw a few words of encouragement and sound interested to push her way to her husband.

But nobody knew who she is, and it felt wonderfully brilliant to go undetected!

Even better, as she caught her husband's permanent frown as he was stuck in the center of his mortal enemy and then a few more. She couldn't even begin to guess what they were speaking about.

And Alphard nearly gagged in his throat a fifth time at the thought of these men having any power in the world. Their money held a ticking bomb attached to the end recite, and he's it happen far too many times.

Though he didn't know how Barret continues to surpass his expiration date, clearly, there is a bit of a funny place going on, and Alphard was determined to get him to slip.

"Oh, beauty—one o'clock." The group of men directed their attention kindly to the poor witch of the moment, and Alphard huffed into his glass as their eyes connected to his wife—Out of the dozens of witches around.

"Fuck, who did she come here with?"
"Don't know, say, you think she'd be interested in witches' products? The market is high and I'd love a test subject."
But of course, Alphard hadn't been the luckiest of the few. "I'll do us a favor, gents. Be back in a moment." Barret hurried across the ways and greeted Rhea with a somber smile, and of course, Rhea was blessed with a placid face and managed to hide her thoughts.

"It's actually my first year in attendance, my husband was very pressing that he wanted my opinion on things." Of course, Barret hadn't taken into any consideration that her English accent would align with Alphard's, but the amused grin nearly caused Rhea to crack.

"Gentlemen, can you believe this beautiful witch was left by her lonesome...?" Yes, what a tragedy that I cannot be left alone by a horny crowd. Rhea's thoughts were filled with feminist ideals that weren't meant for this crowd, but she moved away from Barret's pressing touch on her waist.

Something that was only meant for her husband, one who was about to curse the entire lot of them for ogling.

After a quick introduction, Rhea made quick work in making the men jealous. As her attention always seemed to return back to him.

"Can I get you another glass of wine, Rhea?" Alphard asked, and she grinned at the offer. Making nearly all of them groan at not taking that into consideration to provide for her.

And Alphard hadn't taken too long before returning with said glass. "Thank you." But of course, another male scoffed.

"Say, how is your wife these days, Alphard? Newlywed and already back in the country. I'm surprised that you've traveled back and forth so often." One of the businessmen said, and Rhea turned up to gaze at Alphard, but made no move to not stand by his side.

"You correct, but my wife is with me this evening. Scouting out her own possible friendships for this year's term." The men were baffled, but as Alphard turned away, Rhea began to follow—Only when Barret's hand took hold of her wrist did Alphard lose his final sense of sanity.

"Don't you bloody dare touch—" Rhea had offered a small grip to his hand and began rubbing her thumb in a therapeutic swirl, but she was thankful nothing transpired.

"Going so soon, Rhea? I was hoping we could discuss business?"
"No. I should be circling about, and I need to speak with my husband." Alphard never knew the bloke to be desperate, but here he was—Offering Rhea to go in search for her husband with her, as if that made any remote sense.

Had that been the case now, Alphard would've thrown him to the ground and—

"O-Oh...I'm sorry, I thought you and Alphard were familiar with one another. This is my husband." She said, motioning up to the wizard beside her, and it felt like both his heart and chest rose in pride in being able to call his sweet little goddess his wife.

Especially when she made such a statement to these ungodly men.

"What?!"

"Yes, we've been married for a few months. Isn't that right, darling...?" Rhea couldn't categorize the smile her husband flashed both her and the crowd of shocked men, but it was surely between a shite-eating grin and a smug smirk. And that is how the two trailed away from the crowd.

Even better is when the compliment flew by them about Rhea's appearance.

"Well, I've never felt more like an escort in my life than I do now. Is it always going to be like that?"

"Marrying to a different generation is always going to steam questions, love. But these men are greedy, they want the best and I can't say that I don't disagree. Though they don't know you as I do."

"Of course not, and they wouldn't care for cuddles or a late afternoon read." Alphard leaned down to give her a small kiss before turning back towards a few acquaintances Rhea had made, and when it was all said and done, Rhea felt lighter as this event gave her the small bit of courage to undertake and understand the rest of this world.

If only it was so easy to smile and act polite.

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Date Posted: 03/26/2022

Time: 12:43

Words:3644