Chapter 160 - Loved Ones
"YOU'RE PREGNANT?!" Lydia Claymore screamed, the news so startling she spat out her drink.
"Gross!" Adeline g.r.o.a.n.e.d, grabbing a handkerchief and wiping it off her hand and face. She glanced warily at Lydia, suddenly wishing she had delivered the news better.
Even Evelyn and Stella were startled. They glanced at each other in disbelief. They were standing in the corner of the room, debating whether or not the Queen needed a script for the live screening.
The media had been informed of the broadcasting and in just an hour, the Queen would make her address.
"Don't say that when you threw up on me yesterday!" Lydia interjected, placing the tea cup onto the plate. She wiped her mouth dry and stared incredulously at Adeline.
"I'm going to be an aunt, this is so exciting!" Lydia squealed. She was already envisioning the gifts she was going to give to her future niece or nephew. Well, technically not blood-related niece or nephew, but Lydia would view them as her own children!
It was going to be so fun and exciting. Everyone wanted Lydia's attention and favor, but she was going to give it to Adeline's children for free. Lydia hadn't even met the kids, but she knew she was going to love them very, very much. Why? Because they were her precious friend's child.
"The wedding was literally a month and a half ago," Lydia suddenly said, realization hitting her. "Wow, Elias's s.p.e.r.m sure works fast."
"Lydia!" Adeline exasperated, wishing her friend would have dignity.
"I'm just saying," Lydia said with a shrug. Then, she paused. "So?"
"So what?"
"So how many times have you done it in one night?" Lydia asked, leaning in like she was being told a secret. In the corner of her eyes, she saw the secretary and publicist doing the same thing. They were pretending to whisper to each other, but Lydia knew they also wanted to know the answer.
"T-that is private information kept between husband and wife—"
"Oh, don't be a saint!" Lydia g.r.o.a.n.e.d, leaning even closer. She clasped her hand over Adeline's, widened her eyes, and pouted. "I just want a number, that's all. We need to see how strong his stamina is."
Adeline pulled her hand back, a slight blush rising to her cheek. "Nevermind this topic. We should discuss the sleep medicine you gave me—"
"No, we need to stay on topic!" Lydia hissed.
Lydia needed to start predicting how many nieces and nephews she was going to get! At the rate that Elias and Adeline were going, Lydia wouldn't be surprised if there were pregnancies after pregnancies—especially with how much Elias is glued to Adeline's side.
"Your sleep medicine worked exceptionally well on Elias, but I feel so guilty for—"
"How many?!" Lydia cried out, shaking her best friend.
Adeline g.r.o.a.n.e.d. She gave Lydia an exasperated look, hoping her best friend would find reason. "Lydia."
"Addy!" Lydia faked a sob, her curiosity getting the best of her. "Look, even your secretary and publicist wants to know!" she pointed toward the women standing in the corner of the room.
Instantly, Adeline looked towards them, just as they began to whisper about something again. Adeline's brows tugged together. It didn't look like Stella and Evelyn wanted to know.
"My gosh, those traitors," Lydia grumbled. "Come on, just tell me Addy. It's not like I will tell anyone. I'm just curious about the number, you know. Everyone says the King has great stamina and a lot of energy. He's frequently seen training in the mornings."
Was he training in the mornings? Adeline didn't realize that. Well, she supposed his muscles had to come from somewhere. But if he was always working out in the mornings, why didn't he tell her? Prior to their disputes, she often woke up in his embrace.
"So tell me—"
"I lost count," Adeline mumbled.
"What?"
"I lost count," Adeline whispered. She picked up her cup of tea and took a sip.
Lydia was stunned speechless. She also picked up the tea and took a sip of it. Wow. He had that much stamina huh? She continued drinking.
"Happy?" Adeline grumbled over the rim of her cup.
"Very," Lydia emphasized.
Adeline shook her head in disbelief. She wondered what could be so interesting about her love life? Doesn't every man have great stamina like Elias? She naively blinked. Just then, Asher popped into her mind.
"Lydia, do you need a new bodyguard?"
"What?" Lydia raised her head from the tea cup. She was grimacing at the taste, peering into the cup as if it had offended her. This was her least favorite tea. Why did she have a feeling that it was deliberately sent by the King?
"It's a long story," Adeline said.
"And I have a long life to live and listen to you."
Adeline softly sighed. She placed her tea cup down and turned to Lydia. Her attention shifted to Stella and Evelyn.
"Please give us a bit of privacy," Adeline instructed them.
Stella and Evelyn curtly nodded at her words. They bowed their heads and then exited the room.
"Finally, they're gone," Lydia mumbled. She hated being watched or tailed. Her father's men used to do that, before she scared them all off.
"Now, tell me," Lydia said.
Adeline opened her mouth and began to tell the story of Asher's disappearance, discovering him in the bas.e.m.e.nt, his memory loss, his hybrid status, and his current state in the bas.e.m.e.nt.
By the end of the story, Lydia's eyes were bulging. "What?!"
"I know…" Adeline grumbled, leaning back in the chair and sighing.
"Your husband is one f.u.c.k.e.d up man."
"And I am a horrible woman for loving him," Adeline muttered. After all that he did to her, she still loved him. Whether it was his gentleness, or his obsession with her, she didn't know what it was.
Adeline hated to admit it, but she was needy. She craved attention and affection, craved the things she never received in the Marden Estate.
Now that Elias was showering her with his attention and adoration, she couldn't stray from him. His soft c.a.r.e.s.s, his wicked smile, his arrogance. She loved everything but his cruelty.
"You're not horrible, Addy," Lydia said in a softened voice. She reached forward and clasped her palm over Adeline's hand.
"You're very strong for loving someone like the King, as crazy and crude as he is," Lydia said. "I will gladly take Asher off your hands, now that he no longer remembers you. Besides, it will be best for him to not interact with you any further. He'll slowly fall out of love for you, and in love with someone else."
Adeline's head shot up. "You knew Asher was in love with me?"
"Oh god, Addy, don't tell me you didn't know. Even a blind man could see Asher was in love with you!"
Adeline was suddenly feeling guilty all over again. Was she the only one who didn't know? "I thought he treated me like an older brother…"
"Only you thought he treated you like an older brother," Lydia said. "I thought he treated you like a possessive lover. He never let you get close to a man. I was so surprised you were able to snag the King at the Ball, especially with Asher sticking so close to you."
Adeline decided to conveniently leave out the part where she snuck out the Marden estate one night, went to a bar, got drunk, and dragged the King to a hotel, where he fingered and ate her out before she collapsed from exhaustion.
Lydia would freak out if she knew.
"But I definitely will treat Asher well. Don't worry, Addy. You know how close we were," Lydia said.
Adeline instantly smiled at this. She knew Asher would be in good hands, and far away from Elias's clutches.
"Strange though," Lydia suddenly said. "I wondered why he wiped his own memories of you. Maybe the thought of you being in another man's arms was so painful that he wanted to forget his love for you. Or, maybe the memories he spent with you were so precious, he didn't want the King to erase it, so he did it himself."
The words felt bittersweet. Adeline's heart stung at the fact. She quietly stared out the window. She never realized Asher's feelings for her. Even if she realized it, prior to her reunion with Elias, Adeline didn't know if she'd return Asher's feelings. It was hard to view an older brother as a lover.
"Well, let's not talk about this depressing stuff anymore," Lydia chirped. "The King must be ecstatic that you're pregnant, right?"
Adeline's expression became even more grim. "No."
"No?!" Lydia sharply repeated. "After sleeping with you so many times, you're telling me he's pissed at you for being pregnant?!"
Adeline winced at Lydia's shrilling voice. She began to explain the story of her fainting for an entire week because of the pregnancy. Then, Elias's near attempt of abortion, the arguments, the week of isolation, and even more disagreements, before they finally rekindled a bit. But only a bit.
Adeline left out the part where Elias desperately begged her to abort the child. She just mentioned he didn't want the child because it'd hurt her. She didn't want Lydia to hear about Elias at his weakest moment.
"Oh god, Addy…" Lydia breathed out, unable to say anything else. She got up and embraced her best friend, her eyes squeezed shut. She couldn't imagine going through something like this.
"If this child is going to hurt you, and you're going to have such a difficult pregnancy, are you sure you want to keep it?" Lydia whispered, tightly grabbing her best friend's hands.
Lydia didn't want to say it, but she agreed with Elias. Nothing is worth death. What is the point of a child if it meant taking another life? Her eyes watered at the thought of departing from Adeline.
"I love this child so much," Adeline murmured. "I love this child more than my own life. I don't even know why, Lydia. There is this bond of having something so tiny grow inside of me…"
Lydia couldn't imagine what it felt like. But Adeline was such a loved child. Adeline's parents spoiled her silly, and always adored her. It was very understandable why Adeline would love children as well.
"I don't know what to say…" Lydia trailed off. "But I'll find a way. I know the King will as well. I'll tell my father about this issue, and get the researchers on it ASAP. We can formulate a drug or medicine perhaps. There's already one in the works ever since the mortality rate has been increasing because of half-blood births."
Adeline slowly nodded. She had never felt so helpless. Pressing her lips together, she realized she could do nothing to protect herself from internal harm. Even now, sitting down, she was feeling her energy being drained from her.
"Thank you, Liddy," Adeline whispered, squeezing her friend's hands.
"Silly girl," Lydia softly laughed. "You do not have to ever thank me. That's what friends are for."
Lydia rose and tightly hugged Adeline. She refused to let her friend die from childbirth. What is the point of having money and power if she can't keep her loved ones close?
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