Forbidden Heat novel Chapter 174

Preparing for a little birthday surprise for Reiner had made me realized how well loved he is by the other members of staff. Everyone was excited about the event and was more than happy to help out with the preparations. They praised Reiner endlessly for his kind attitude and outstanding skill at this work. Prepping his birthday event along with the staff gave me a glimpse of another side of Reiner at work that I never knew.

I couldn’t stop smiling to myself throughout the morning as we continued to add final touches to the lunch venue. I had spent some time preparing the present for Reiner, although I wasn’t quite sure if he would like it.

“Miss Natalia, I think everything is ready now. We just need to serve the food,” a maid informed me with a pleased smile on her face.

“Thank you so much everyone for your hard work! I’m sure Reiner will be very happy,” I thanked everyone joyfully.

I couldn’t stop smiling every time that I imagined Reiner’s surprised and probably slightly embarrassed reaction at this birthday surprise. I took a look at my watch and realized that Reiner and Laura should already be on their way back to the mansion.

“Alright everyone. Just to recap one last time. Laura will bring Reiner here and everyone will start singing happy birthday as I bring the cake out. Ok?” I explained the plan one last time to the staffs that have gathered.

They all nodded with understanding. I’ve never prepared a birthday surprise like this before so I was truly excited to see how it would turn out.

…

“3…2…1! Happy birthday to youuuu…Happy birthday to youuuu…”

On signal from me, everyone started singing happy birthday as Laura led a confused Reiner into the garden. Reiner, who was still dutifully holding many shopping bags filled with clothes I had ordered him to pick up for me, looked more confused with what was going on than anything.

His reaction was priceless, and it made me happy that the surprise seemed to be working. Holding the large chocolate birthday cake, I walked to the center table to place the cake with lit candles on the table.

“Reiner! Happy Birthday from all of us!” I said happily as I took his hand in mine, leading him to the cake. Dragging him made me realize how stiff his body was at that moment.

“Make a wish and blow out the candles,” I instructed excitedly before clapping my hands along with the others.

Reiner smiled a little at me before closing his eyes briefly to make a wish. Then he blew out all the candles in one breath amidst the cheer from everyone. I couldn’t stop smiling and clapping with joy, I would count this birthday surprise as a huge success.

“What did you wish for, R?” I whispered to Reiner in secret.

“That’s a secret,” Reiner whispered back before winking at me.

“Well, Happy Birthday!” I wished him a happy birthday again as I smiled widely at him. There are benefits to having nice teeth…

“Thank you everyone…for the surprise. Enough of your time here, please get back to work,” Reiner said, starting off with an appreciative and cheerful note but ending with his stern and professional voice.

Technically he was right. This was the staff’s working time and I bet there was many things that they needed to do on a daily basis to run this large mansion.

“You could cut them some slack…just for today…” I mumbled my protest.

“I already did,” Reiner said as he gestured to the cake and the lunch table that had been beautifully set up.

I sighed and rolled my eyes at him and his uptight professionalism.

“Back to work, everyone…” Reiner said as he shooed off everyone back to work.

“Birthday lunch…with me?” I asked sweetly once everyone had gone off to continue with their respective work.

Reiner sighed a little as we both sat down at the lunch table opposite each other. I wasn’t sure if any of the food was liked by Reiner because I didn’t really know what he liked but the chef surely put his skill on display for this meal.

“The food looks good. Don’t you think?” I said as I gestured for him to start eating.

“Tell me that there’s at least one thing in those shopping bags that you really needed,” Reiner said grumpily as his eyes glanced over at the huge pile of shopping bags that he had picked up earlier today.

“Why do I feel like I’m getting lectured?” I retorted.

“Because you are getting lectured,” Reiner said sternly.

“I needed some clothes…I guess,” I replied vaguely as I smiled apologetically at him.

“Thank you, Natalia…” Reiner said so softly that I thought perhaps I had imagined hearing him at first.

Wow. All the preparations that when into this was more than worth it! I wanted to squeal with delight.

“You’re welcomed, R. Oh…I have a present for you too!” I said merrily as I stood up and brought over the present that I had prepared.

After staring at the present with a blank expression for a while, Reiner turned to me with a confused and conflicted look like he wanted to ask a question but wasn’t sure if he should.

“Well? What do you think?” I asked instead.

“Umm…the guy in the painting looks great, I guess…but…do I really look like that to you?” Reiner asked as he continued to eye the painting.

I stood next to him as I also looked at the portrait of Reiner that I had painted. It was from that day when I asked him to pose for me with the flowers. With many things that had been going on I didn’t have the chance to complete the painting until very recently. His birthday landing on today presented the perfect opportunity for me to give it to him.

The painting wasn’t a standard portrait of Reiner, it was painted from my point of view, and I had included a little of myself in it. It was painted from the perspective of someone standing behind me the day I painted him. In the painting, you could see my back as I painted and Reiner as the subject of my painting.

In the painting, his facial expression was a mix of a sweet smile, embarrassment, and a touch of shyness. The expression I see quite often when we were alone together, just like now.

“Yes. When we’re alone, that’s the face you make…sometimes,” I replied honestly.

“Really?” Reiner mused as he continued to look at the painting.

I watched Reiner closely as I tried my best to remember this moment in my mind because who knows, it could be one of the last few memories that I get to share with him. I painted that painting because I wanted us to remember the times we shared.

--To be continued…