Hot air balloons were flying in the sky, and on the ground, a Maybach was weaving through the road.
After dropping Vera Hansen off, Julian Lawson didn’t stay long at her place.
Even though Vera had repeatedly urged him to stay, he didn’t remain.
He knew what Vera wanted.
But he didn’t want to give it.
The internet was filled with stories of the romantic activities between Serena Sterling and Silas Hawthorne.
Countless witnesses were attesting to how much Silas loved her.
"Honestly, is First Young Master Hawthorne still claiming he’s pursuing her? Has Serena still not agreed?"
"There’s no news yet that Serena has agreed."
"Does anyone know what Julian Lawson’s saying now? His ex-wife, right after their separation, is being pursued relentlessly by the young master, and so dramatically at that!"
"To the person above, isn’t Julian Lawson seeing Vera Hansen? The two are together now, so it’s a done deal."
"That’s true, hahaha, but what will Vera Hansen do if Julian Lawson leaves her in over four months?"
"Who knows?"
...
The more Julian Lawson read, the more uneasy he felt.
Why was Silas Hawthorne doing this? To make him uncomfortable? Or to weaken the Lawson Family’s power?
And her?
She clearly knew that answering Silas Hawthorne’s repeated invitations would draw significant attention and public opinion, so why agree?
In her heart, what about him?
Is she really not waiting for him?
The scene from that rainy night flashed before him, where he asked her in the car.
He asked her if she still loved him.
Her answer was clearly "yes."
There was a red light ahead.
Julian Lawson pressed the brake.
He looked up, seemingly seeing a particular hot air balloon far up through the roof of the car.
He stared for a long ti, until the red light turned green, and the honking of other cars from behind brought his attention back.
He couldn’t accept it; he couldn’t let her go to Silas Hawthorne.
He wouldn’t allow it!
...
anwhile, on the other side.
Silas Hawthorne was controlling the hot air balloon’s direction, gradually descending in a certain direction.
Serena Sterling stood by his side all the ti.
Her emotions were complicated.
Knowing past events and receiving an item from long ago stirred her feelings deeply.
Just as her emotions began to calm down, at this mont she was sowhat numb, only knowing to hold the blue diamond at her chest and look at Silas Hawthorne by her side.
Finally, the hot air balloon landed, and nurous staff ca over to secure it.
Then, he assisted her, stepping down the steps brought over by the staff.
Serena looked around and realized they were near Hawthorne Manor.
So, they had been floating in the sky for that long.
"Co with ," he said, holding her hand and leading her to the shuttle.
The night breeze gently blew, and he looked at her slightly swollen eyes from crying, feeling a mix of emotions.
She might never know that in his heart, she had always been unattainable.
Everything she worried about, what she claid was worthless, never mattered.
Appearing before him again was the scene of that day at the port, where he, with nothing, t the young Miss Serena Sterling, radiating like a pearl surrounded by stars.
Her slightly curled long hair draped gracefully behind her, her snowy skin, and the dazzling gems she wore made her appear exceptionally noble.
It was this noble her who broke through the crowd, walked towards him, and handed him that pendant.
"Keep this; it will help you," her voice seed to echo from many years ago.
If it weren’t for that encounter, if it weren’t for her giving him that heart-shaped pendant, he might have died in so ocean long ago.
In front of her, he was always the lesser.
Serena watched the street scenes at night.
She didn’t know what her emotions were right now, didn’t dare think about the past, only passively following Silas Hawthorne.
The car drove into Hawthorne Manor.
Traveling along, it finally stopped in front of the mansion.
"Young Master!"
"Mr. Hawthorne!"
Nurous people ca to greet them, and Silas Hawthorne just nodded, leading her past the rockery and koi pond, into the house.
Hawthorne Manor was decorated in a Chinese style, fitting his personality well.
The last ti Serena brought Seraphina here to play with the cats.
"ow!"
Just as she was thinking of this, they walked in, and the chubby Ragdoll cat ca out to greet them.
It circled around their feet, its bushy tail held high.
"Don’t make a fuss," Silas Hawthorne said to the chubby Ragdoll.
Serena smiled, reaching out to stroke the chubby cat.
To be honest, she did quite like this cat.
"Ayo recently moved out," Silas Hawthorne said, then continued leading her upstairs.
Serena nodded, not knowing why Silas was telling her this.
But now wasn’t the ti to think about it.
Serena followed Silas to the door of a room.
"It might scare you," Silas said, hesitating slightly but ultimately saying, "I thought for a long ti, but I still want you to see."
Serena nodded, pressed her lips together, and did a bit of ntal preparation.
The door to the room opened, and Serena looked inside to discover nurous shelves.
With the lights off, she couldn’t see what was on them.
Thankfully, she thought it was sothing terrifying, like totems or whatnot.
"Click!"
As Silas turned the light on, Serena finally saw what was on the shelves.
They were paintings.
And they were all of her!
It did shock her.
Silas Hawthorne looked at her apologetically: "I’m sorry."
Serena adjusted, looked at Silas Hawthorne beside her, and blinked.
What was happening?
Why were they all of her?
It was a bit frightening indeed.
"Co with ," Silas said, taking her hand again.
They walked into the room.
Though it was called a room, it was quite large, and Silas led her to one of the shelves.
He turned on a small light there and then unrolled a canvas.
And then Serena saw it.
This was her, dancing in the plaza years ago, holding soone’s hand with a Christmas scarf around her neck, smiling brightly at the person beyond the canvas.
Beside it was a photograph and a mask.
LM Plaza, Christmas Eve, red-roofed houses, white snow, everything seed like stepping into a fairytale.
Hot mulled wine.
Serena’s lips parted slightly.
She looked at the mask, which seed very familiar.
Serena turned to look at Silas Hawthorne.
"It was ," Silas said, "It was the first ti I gathered the courage to dance with you."
Back then, he was badly injured, having been shot in the chest, almost dying.
The conditions at sea were poor, so his recovery took a long ti.
After two months, he was nearly recovered.
It just happened to be Christmas Eve when he t her.
So, he made a decision to be brave for once.
Even though he knew, back then, her eyes and heart belonged to soone else.
But, he just wanted to savor the ti of one dance.
At that ti, he didn’t even know what he felt for her, only sensing a special feeling as he watched her risk everything for soone else.
Later, gradually, that special feeling evolved into an emotion.
This act of bravery was the beginning of his feelings.
It was also many years after their young first eting, the adult first eting of the two.
Even with a mask in between, it wasn’t a secret glance, nor a fleeting glimpse.
But a face-to-face, official eting.
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