Chapter 36: Chapter 36

When Lauren reached the place where Rhys asked her. She found it dark and an isolated place. She looked here and there but there was no one around.

"Rhys!" She called him and suddenly a flash of light fell on her eyes making her cover her eyes with her palm. But when she witnessed the light making its way further, she saw a tunnel of light, and the path was made by rose petals. She followed the tunnel and rose-petal alley and found Rhys standing at the end of the tunnel holding a bouquet of red roses in his hand.

"Happy birthday, my beautiful Queen." Lauren was stunned. She almost forgot that today was her birthday. Rhys forwarded the bouquet to her and she gladly accepted the flower with a wide smile. Her face was glowing like a 440-volt bulb.

"Thank you. But how do you know that today is my birthday?" She asked in amazement.

"In your file. It was me who had collected your details on Mr. Knight's order. That time I saw your birth date." He said smiling ear to ear. He was happy to bring a smile to her face. He succeeded in becoming the reason for her smile.

"You are looking gorgeous and hot." saying that he leaned and kissed her cheek.

"Thank you." She flashed her beautiful smile at him. And he forwarded his hand to her. She held his hand and Rhys assisted her to the pandal which was decorated with flowers, curtains, and lights. There was a big bouquet placed on the table with 100 roses but 10 were yellow in the middle and the other was red. Lauren covered her mouth in surprise and giggled holding the bouquet. Because it was the first time someone gave her a big and beautiful bouquet.

"Do you like it?" Rhys asked her and she nodded her head.

"I loved it." She exclaimed with delight and Rhys felt happy seeing her happy.

"But why are these ten roses yellow? Is there any specific reason behind it?" Lauren asked him curiously.

"I can't tell you this now. But very soon you will know." Rhys flicked her nose slightly.

"Hmm, sounds mysterious." Lauren narrowed her eyes at him with a hint of mischievousness.

"There is a surprise for you. Close your eyes first. No cheating." Lauren giggled at his words as she felt like a child at that moment.

"Happy birthday, Mommy." Lauren heard Alex's voice followed by Myra and Lily. She was shocked to see them there. She felt overwhelmed and her eyes welled up in happy tears.

"Thank you." Saying that she bent on her knees on Alex's level and engulfed him in a warm and firm hug.

"Thanks for such a pleasant surprise," Lauren said looking at Rhys and he just smiled at her.

"It was nothing. I can do anything for you to bring a smile to your face."

"Aww!" Myra and Lily squealed seeing their lovey-dovey scene.

"Come, let's cut the cake." Rhys gestured for someone to bring the cake and a boy brought a strawberry cake which was the Mommy and Son's favorite.

Lauren looked at her friends and son who shrugged their shoulders implying that they didn't tell him. "They didn't tell me anything. I have my ways, darling." saying that he wrapped his arm around her shoulder and pulled her into his chest.

At night Lauren often went to the kitchen to have cakes and Rhys had noticed she always picked strawberry cake for her. From that, he came to know that she loves strawberry cake. Rhys lit the candle which was placed in the middle of the cake.

"Make a wish now," Rhys told her happily. And Lauren felt like everything was a dream. If it was a dream then she didn't want it to end soon. And if it was real then she wanted to live in that happy moment forever. It was the best birthday of her life.

"God, I wish to lead a happy life ahead. And give my son a happy and healthy life." After wishing that she had blown out the candle and then cut the cake with Alex. Everyone sang the happy birthday song for her.

She fed the first piece to her son and then was about to offer it to Myra but she eyed her to feed Rhys first as he had put so much effort to make her happy. Lauren was feeling shy all of a sudden while eating the cake from her hand he licked her finger in that process. Lauren's heart spiked up at that tiny romantic gesture and felt heat rush to her cheek. She blushed hard while looking away from him. And Rhys grinned scratching the back of his neck.

Rhys pulled the chair for her and she settled there. Then he did the same for Alex and walked over to his chair and settled down on his chair.

Soft music was played by violinists. And there was a pianist who was playing a soft tune that Lauren liked very much. She was feeling special.

They started to have their meal together. The environment was beautiful and the food was delicious. Lauren enjoyed her food a lot while drinking juice from a glass.

"Thank you so much, Rhys, for making this night so memorable for me. I have never enjoyed my birthday like this ever. And you did so much for me to make me happy. You made my day, man." Lauren was over the moon. Because of the way he was treating her, she felt like a Queen. No one has treated her like this ever. No one had put effort into making her happy. He was the first man to do so much for her which made her heart flutter.

Lauren's hand was resting on the table and Jordan held them in his. "I want to fill your life with happiness. I want to make every moment of ours memorable. I want to make you feel special. I want to give some of the best moments of my life. You are the best thing that happened in my life. I'm glad that I met you. After turning eighteen I didn't find my mate. I stopped waiting for my mate when I turned thirty."

"I thought my life would be alone forever. But you changed everything in my life. You brought color to my black-and-white life and bloomed my life again. Even if you leave me I will live my life hugging the memory of us. In true love, it is not just about being with your loved one. Sometimes being happy in the love of your love is called true love." His words were so sincere that they touched Lauren's heart.

"Rhys, you know everything about me. I don't think I can give you the love you want. Even if I decided to stay with you, you can't be happy with me because I don't love you. It's not that I don't like you. I like you as a friend. You are a very nice person. I'm blessed to have you in my life. You are the best thing that ever happened to me. I like the way you make me feel. I like the way you treat me."

"I know how much you love me. I can understand your feelings because there was a time when I was crazily in love with someone like you. When we love someone we can go to any extent for that person. We can do anything for that person's happiness." Tears gathered in her eyes making her vision blur she looked down and two fat tears slipped down from her eyes while kissing her cheeks.

Alex was watching everything with confusion on his face. He could not understand what they were talking about. But he could not see tears in his Mom's eyes. So he was about to scold Rhys for making his Mom cry but stopped hearing his mother's words.

"I honestly want to tell you that you shouldn't make an effort to impress me. At the end of this surrogacy, I will leave this city no matter what. I don't want to hurt you. You are very special to me. The mere thought of you being hurt because of me makes me feel sick. I can't bear to see you sad. I can't bear to see hatred for me in your eyes. I want the best for you. I want to see you happy. But I can't give you the happiness you want from me. I'm sorry."

She cleared her throat but a sob escaped her mouth, she was suppressing it till then.

Rhys quickly stood up from his chair and rushed to her to calm her. He pressed her head on his body, rubbed her back, and stroked her head to calm her down.

"Sshh, don't push yourself so much. I can understand your situation. And I will never force you to love me back. And I don't want you to sacrifice yourself for me. If you can't love me it's okay. You don't have to love me. You just stay with me, it's enough and let me love you the way I want. In the love life, sex is not the main thing. In love, your partner's happiness is the most important thing that matters. Your presence in my life gives me peace in my life. I just want you beside me. I'll do everything to change your decision. But at the end of the month if you still want to leave me I won't stop you. And it's my promise. And remember one thing if you need my help just ask me, I will gladly sacrifice my life for you if need be." Lauren looked up with her tear-filled eyes with mixed emotions. She was happy, sad, confused, hurt, and guilty.

"Why didn't you meet me earlier? If you had come earlier in my life then my life would not have been like this. If my situation wouldn't be like this then I would definitely fall for you. And we would live a happy and healthy life. But it's too late." She closed her eyes and tears slipped from her eyes.

"Dad, why are you making Mom cry?" Alex could not help and yelled at Rhys. His eyes were glistening with tears. Everyone forgot that there was a little boy with them all the time. And he took everything the wrong way.

"No, monkey. Your Dad didn't make me cry. I'm so happy that I could not hold back my tears." Lauren hugged her son and tried to make him understand. But that poor little boy was not ready to listen to anything.

"No, Dad made you cry. I don't like when people make my Mom cry. I will protect you." saying that he rushed to Rhys and started to hit Rhys's leg. And everyone kept looking at him helplessly.

"Champ, I can never make your Mom cry. I love her more than my life. Then you tell me how I can hurt her?" Rhys kneeled at his level and asked Alex who stared at him with tear-filled eyes.

"Then promise me that you will never Mommy cry." He held out his palm to Rhys asking for a promise from him. Rhys looked at Lauren and then at Alex.

"I promise you." Alex smiled at him and threw his arms around his neck.

"Sorry for beating you. I was just worried for Mommy." Alex whispered into his ear.

"Let me tell you a secret, I did this because I wanted Mommy not to leave you. I want to live with both if you like a happy family like other families do. That's why I pulled this trick." Rhys was shocked to discover the little trick of that little boy. But then he smiled too.

"Naughty boy. You scared me. You have to help Daddy to win Mommy back, okay?" Rhys asked Alex who nodded his head happily.

"Deal." They both shake their hands.

"What are you both whispering about?" Lauren asked them, squinting her eyes at them suspiciously.

"Nothing, it's Daddy and Son's secret. We can't tell you." Rhys told Lauren who shook her head in disbelief. A while ago her son was beating him. Now they both are planning behind her. They are unbelievable.

Rhys winked at Alex and he giggled happily.