Chapter 254 - Celebration

Half an hour before dinner time.

Laura was folding the freshly laundered clothes in the bed when Graven suddenly appeared in the middle of the master's bedroom.​​

Laura looked at him and smiled brightly. "Husband! I have good news for you!" she said in an enthusiastic voice.

"What is it?" he asked and went to her side. He planted a kiss on her forehead lovingly.

"Guess what is it!" she said playfully.

"The baby kicked your abdomen again?" he asked.

Laura shook her head. "Not that! Try again!" she said.

Graven sat on the bed and stared at the ceiling, pondering what is her wife's good news this time. "Your plant is blooming with flowers?" he asked.

Laura shook her head. "No!"

Graven scratches his head. "Wife, I give up! I can't think of anything right now. You have to tell me the good news," he said with a grin. He pinched her nose fondly.

Laura pinched his side. "My sister Sofia is back!" she said.

Graven's eyes widened in shock. "Really-? That's good news indeed! When did she come back? Is she alright?" he asked curiously.

"Yes, of course. I found no wound or injury in her body. She looks healthy!" Laura elaborated.

"That's good! Our mind can finally rest in peace!" Graven enthused. "Did you ask her what happened to her? And where she stayed during those days that she went missing?"

"Yes! She said that a good couple gave her a free ride to the next town, and they were kind to allow her to stay in their house until she finally decided to return home," Laura explained her sister's ordeal in a short sentence.

"That's great! We're just thankful that she meet good people on the road, 'coz if it's bad people, we can't expect a good ending to this problem," he said.

"Yeah, that's what I'm also afraid of when Sofia ran away. I was afraid of who's she's going to meet along the way. Thank God she met good people, not bad people!" Laura said happily.

"Where is she right now?" he asked.

"Back in her room," Laura replied. "Will you be staying for dinner? Will you sleep here tonight?" she inquired.

"Yes, I'll stay for dinner, and I'll sleep here tonight," he answered and stood up. "I'm going to have a quick shower," he said.

Graven walked towards the bathroom and disappeared inside.

Laura continues folding her clothes and arranged them properly on the cabinet. She prepared a pair of clothes for her husband.

Fifteen minutes later.

Graven exited the bathroom wearing a bathrobe. Laura handed him his clothes.

A few minutes later.

The couple was cuddling on the bed.

"Does our baby behave today? Not kicking much?" he asked and placed his hands above her tummy. He caresses his wife's baby bump lovingly and pressed his face on her stomach. "Baby...don't kick mother's tummy too hard. She will get hurt and cry, okay?" he said, trying to talk to his unborn offspring inside his wife's stomach.

Laura giggled happily and ran her fingers on her husband's shoulder-length messy hair that looks incredibly sexy in the eyes of women.

A minute later, Graven's face was hit by a kick from the inside of Laura's tummy. "Ouch! Why did you hit me, baby!" he said, chuckling.

Laura giggled. "The baby is happy that his father is home!" she said.

"So, he is going to be a he?" Graven looked at his wife.

Laura shrugged. "Boy or girl, it doesn't matter, right?"

"Yeah! Gender doesn't matter. We will give our child all the love that he or she needs. We will always be a loving parent to our offspring!" Graven said and planted a loving kiss on Laura's lips.

A few minutes later.

There was knocking on the door.

"My lady, dinner is ready!" a servant's voice said.

The couple smiled at each other.

Graven stood up and reached for his wife's hand. "Let's go downstairs in the dining room and eat dinner. I'm starving!" he said and entwined his hands with Laura.

The couple exited the bedroom and went downstairs.

When they entered the living room, the rest of the family is already there, including the runaway girl, Sofia.

The coupled took their seats beside each other.

Graven looked at Sofia and smiled. "Welcome home, sister-in-law! It's nice to see you again! I'm happy that you're finally back home safe and sound!" he said cheerfully.

"Thank you!" Sofia said, feeling ashamed of what she did.

"Everything okay?" he asked her.

"Yes!" Sofia replied quickly.

"Good!" Graven looked at everyone at the table. "Alright, this night is a very special night for all of us because Sofia is finally back in our midst! Let's eat these delicious feasts in front of us and celebrate!" he said animatedly.

"Cheers!" Simon raised his glass of wine.

"Cheers!" everyone responded happily and took a sip from their wineglass.

"Let's start the feast!" Graven said and began putting food on Laura's plate including his.

Everyone is in high spirits after Sofia's safe return to the house. No more worries, sadness, and stress. They're complete again.

Laura looked at the faces of her loved ones with love and happiness shining in her eyes. She feels so happy and blessed!

Graven looked at his wife and smiled. He knows that Laura was very happy with her sister's safe return. A heavy load of stress was lifted from her shoulder. He rubbed her back lovingly and added a vegetable dish to her plate. "Eat more, my love!" he whispered.

Laura looked at her husband with love and affection shimmering in her eyes.

The family ate their delicious dinner with a great appetite.

One hour later.

They finished eating and retired into the living room for a family chit-chat.

Graven avoided asking Sofia about what happened to her, no need to bring back the past. The moment Sofia is back in the manor, what happened to her outside is already part of the past.

Before Sofia returned to the manor, his wife and his in-laws wore distraught expressions on their faces every day. Right now, he can only see the smile on their faces. He's happy for them, especially for his wife who seldom smiles after her sister runs away from home.

Now, his wife is smiling again, her happiness radiated from her face. He took a glance at his sister-in-law... Sofia seems to be happy too, with no traces of trauma on her face. Maybe she was telling the truth that a good couple helped her.

At some point, when he learned about Sofia's safe return, he wants to investigate what happened to her out there, but it seemed she looks fine, no need to intervene. His investigation might accidentally open a can of worms that can destroy the family's peace of mind.

So let it be!

After the family chit-chat, they all went upstairs to retire to their rooms.

Inside the couple's bedroom.

After brushing their teeth and changing into their pajamas, the couple cuddled in the bed.

Graven ran his hands lovingly on his wife's baby bump. "Upon your sister's return, what did you see inside her bag?" he asked.

"Just her clothes and some knitting tools..." Laura replied.

"You didn't see anything suspicious inside the bag that could arouse your curiosity?" he asked.

Laura recalled what she saw inside the bag. "Nothing that I can remember..." she said.

"That's good!" he spoke.

Laura's brows knitted together. "W-why? Should we get worried?" she asked.

Graven shook his head and smiled. "There's nothing to worry about, my love. Everything is okay now that your sister is back. We can finally enjoy long-lasting peace again," he said.

"Yeah, finally! You have no idea how happy I am that my sister is back, safe and sound here in the manor. A huge burden has been lifted from my shoulder. I can finally see my parent's smiling face again!" she said in elation.

Graven feels happy for his wife. He planted a kiss on her lips and her baby bump. He wrapped his arms around his wife lovingly. Inside his mind, he was planning not to come home for a few days because he was worrying that the black liquid will attack again and it will happen when he was home. He might alarm his wife!

Right now, he was thinking of a plausible reason why he can't come home for one week. He wants his wife not to worry about his short absence. But just in case something bad happened to him because of the black liquid, he needs Grandpa Terros help to inform Laura about his condition.

There are times that he wanted to tell his wife about the poisonous liquid inside his body, but that also means he has to tell her about the cursed King who is Laura's lover a thousand years ago. That would put a strain on Laura's emotions and psychology.

He doesn't want his wife to live in horror and fear, always thinking about what's going to happen to them. He wants his wife to continue living in peace, free from problems and worries. He didn't know how long he can keep everything hidden from his wife. But as long as time allows, he will try his best to hide the existence of the cursed King. He doesn't want his pregnant wife to be bombarded with negative emotions and depressing thoughts. He wants her to stay a worry-free life and deliver a healthy baby in this world.

Laura noticed Graven's silence. "Husband, what are you thinking?" she asked curiously.

He looked at her and smiled. "Nothing... let's sleep now. Goodnight, my love! Sweet dreams," he said and planted a kiss on her lips. "I love you so much and our baby!" he said and wrapped his arms around her protectively, spooning her body in the process.

"I love you too!" Laura replied.

Half an hour later, the couple finally drifted into a deep and peaceful slumber entangled in each other's arms.