Stand By Me Darling
Chapter 428: Birthday Celebration

Chapter 428: Birthday Celebration

"You’re very excited today," Arthur rubbed Talia’s back as she was lying on his chest, staring at his face with a wide grin.

She was happy after hearing what Sandy said. Apparently, it was an open secret in the billionaires’ circle that Arthur was asexual. The way Arthur acted with women and men made others think that way.

He’s had his heart open only for me!

"I love you, Fred." She placed a kiss on his chin and he dropped the document he was holding on the floor and flipped her.

The tip of his nose touched hers and his lips grazed on her lips.

"I’m here trying to hold myself back from ravaging you considering your condition, but you are provoking me, dear."

He spoke with clenched jaws as he held a bunch of her hair and Talia could feel his steel-hard member pressing on her abdomen.

"I just said ’I love you’ and kissed you on the chin. And that is provoking? Fred, are you that deprived?" Talia squinted her eyes and looked at him mockingly.

"Deprived?"

Arthur kissed her neck and started to suck and nibble on it, leaving a hickey. Hearing her moan, he looked at her. With her eyes closed, she was biting the back of her hand as her fingers clutched on his shoulders.

"Pretty obvious you’re deprived too. You’re like this JUST by a kiss on the neck."

"Get lost, you meanie!"

Talia pushed him away and rolled to the edge of the bed. She was too embarrassed to look at him.

She talked to her doctors to give her a check-up of her abdomen since she got a sudden scare that Ralph might have given her some drugs that might have affected her fertility.

It’s been a week and she still had slight bleeding and she never had periods that lasted this long and it gave her a scare. So she talked to her doctors and they advised her to be careful in the coming months not to get pregnant for at least three months.

She was already planning on maintaining abstinence since she feared Ralph might have done "something" to her. She got her periods and she took plan-B medications just in case, but still, she was fearful. So she wanted to wait it out until she gets her next periods to be sure she wasn’t r@ped by Ralph.

She knew she is bordering on paranoia, but still, she wanted to be sure.

Arthur rolled near her and hugged her back. She is fine one moment and would get paranoid the other moment.

She brought him with her as she consulted the doctors and he was pained in his heart because of her unnecessary fears. She thinks she might be pregnant and she might be infertile at the same time.

Iris... You can’t be pregnant because you were already pregnant with our child. You are having longer periods because of your miscarriage and not because you’re hurt.

He wanted to tell her that, but then he held himself back. Once again he had fallen into the trap of lying to her and he is suffering alone. But her paranoia can be cleared in a month with a test result and he decided to push through.

-----

Talia was surprised by the warm welcome she received from the Esterian media as they returned to Esteria.

She met with her grandpa and was relieved to see him holding up well.

"Grandpa, I am planning on announcing my engagement with Fred soon. What do you think?" she asked him for advice.

After a series of sufferings, she wanted to have celebrations.

"It is a good plan. Maybe you should arrange it with the Palace to announce it on your birthday."

Jerome Brunton was excited by Talia’s decision. He felt like it is time for her to start living happily too. She needs to stop thinking of her birthday as the day Cyrus died and replace it with more happy thoughts.

"My birthday?" Talia felt like her grandpa’s suggestion is not bad. But still, she felt like her birthday won’t be a good day to announce it.

"I’ll talk to Fred first before deciding," she said after being silent for a while.

Jerome Brunton patted her head. He could see her unwillingness to get out of the bad memories on her birthday still.

Be happy, my child. That’s all I want for you.

Talia although was not sure about announcing the engagement on her birthday, still informed the Palace of the announcement around her birthday.

Everyone was pleased with her decision since they all felt like they need a celebration in their family.

-----

Talia wanted to laugh when they said Vivian’s bachelorette party was arranged in the Lockhart Mansion.

She had attended Cordelia’s party and it was more of a bridal shower than a party. The only other bachelorette party she attended was Rebecca’s and they visited a "club". The bartenders were all men in their birthday suits, and they danced very provocatively.

Rebecca said that naked men are a staple for a bachelorette party. Talia threw up on one of those guys as he got closer to her and they were thrown out of the "Club" and they were banned for life which made Rebecca very hurt.

With such vivid memories of bachelorette parties, Talia wondered how Vivian’s Party will be. She was relieved when it was arranged in the Lockhart Mansion that there won’t be naked men there.

Arthur dropped her in the Mansion and he went to a Hotel where the Bachelor party was arranged. Talia was curious if there will be naked women in their party and almost joined Arthur.

"I’d be pleased to watch naked women than naked men," she told Arthur and he was not pleased to hear that. After giving her kisses until she begged him to stop, he dropped her here.

Talia was welcomed by Lord Lockhart and with her usual smile, Talia followed him to the hall the Bridal shower was arranged.

Talia was surprised seeing the glow in Vivian’s face. Her usually flawless porcelain skin looked more supple and fresh. Her smile was very alluring and even her hair looked very healthy.

So this is the bridal glow!

After having tea and snacks there were some games arranged in the garden and Talia noticed Lord Lockhart staring at her from the distance. She wanted to visit Cyrus’ grave to tell him they got Ralph who is responsible for his death and so she excused herself and gathering her courage, she walked up to Lord Lockhart.

"Don’t talk to me about anything if you’re still not planning to celebrate your birthday!" Lord Lockhart said bluntly and turned his face making Talia stunned.