An inviting, sweet fragrance filled every corner of the house. Decorations adorned the space, highlighted by a large, intertwined heart pattern on one of the walls. Rose petals carpeted the wooden floor, with candles flickering on both sides.It was a scene straight out of a romance novel, so perfect that one might mistake it for a proposal happening. Charlie was in the living room. When Lexi returned, he exclaimed, "What brings you here?""Charlie, shouldn't I be asking you that? What brings you here?" Lexi asked."I'm helping Mr. Quigley with setting up the venue. Weren't you aware?""Of course not," Lexi replied, her face puckered like a sour lemon. She sensed something big was happening, yet she and Summer remained clueless. "Charlie, what's going on? Is there something happening? Why is the house decorated so nicely?"Charlie didn't think it was much of a secret, but before being completely open, he warned her, "I'll tell you because we'll need your help later. Just promise
"I'm ready. Open the door," Summer said."On it," Lexi replied, swinging the door wide. Confetti cannons popped, showering Summer in a cascade of colorful streamers. The walls were decorated with romantic hearts, and the floor was carpeted in rose petals, illuminated by the gentle glow of candlelight.The house was dimly lit and serene, with romantic embellishments that made it feel like the ideal setting for a date. Summer looked ahead and saw a gigantic box in the hallway. It stood seven feet tall and spanned five feet wide, noticeably oversized.After noticing everything, Summer murmured, "What's happening here? Is all of this for a surprise for me?""Mrs. Quigley, these are from Mr. Quigley for you. Go ahead and open the present," Lexi urged.Upon learning that James had arranged everything for her, Summer felt a small burst of joy. She hadn't expected James, who was typically so emotionally distant, to finally do something to make her happy.The house was romantically deco
Opening the gift box, Summer found it amusing and silly that James had hidden inside to surprise her. Knowing he cared for her was enough to make her content. She'd feared he might ignore her entirely. The last time James tried to comfort Summer, he left abruptly after saying a few words, leaving her upset. After seeing the effort he had put into preparing a gift, her anger had eased somewhat.Upon opening the gift box, Summer was surprised to find a giant teddy bear inside instead of James. She stared in utter disbelief, her eyes wide with shock. "What's going on? The box definitely moved. Where's James?"After a moment's hesitation, she stuck her head into the box, searching for James, but found no trace of him. Puzzled, she remembered the movement she had felt earlier when she knocked on it. How could the box move without someone inside? Refusing to believe it, Summer peered back into the box, scanning for any sign of James, but found nothing. Considering his size, he co
Before Summer stood a sparkling, oversized teddy bear. Its fur had been stripped away, revealing a shiny, metal-like surface that made it look like a huge light bulb glowing brightly in the dim hallway. She gazed in astonishment at the teddy bear. "W-What on earth is this?""A gift for you. It's a teddy bear crafted from Quigley Group's solar metal, designed to glow on its own," James explained, and Summer was utterly shocked. She cautiously approached, tentatively touching the giant teddy bear. Even with its brilliant lights, its surface felt icy under her fingertips.The look of pleasant surprise on her face spoke volumes about how impressive this gift was. The entire space was bathed in the dazzling, colorful glow of the teddy bear."James, this gift is nice and all, but I'm clueless about where to put this enormous thing," Summer remarked. After a pause, she added, "And it's not edible. It's just taking up so much space."She appreciated romance, but she had always been pra
Bathed in the cozy, purple glow of the teddy bear, Summer's and James' shadows danced across the wall. The room gradually transformed into a canvas of shifting colors.Summer's heartbeat quickened, and her breaths grew shallow. James' tongue roamed fervently, exploring and boldly claiming every part of her mouth. She silently scolded James for crossing her boundaries. When his tongue ventured into her mouth again, she intentionally nibbled on it.Startled, James recoiled and studied her with a baffled look, trying to understand her unexpected reaction. After pushing him away, Summer crossed her arms and snapped at him."I had to bite you. You can't just take advantage like that and assume everything's fine just because you gave me a gift. You've gotta explain what's going on between you and Suzanne.""Do you still doubt me?" James asked."It's not that I doubt you," Summer said.She could feel his sincerity toward her. Besides, Lexi had also spoken highly of him, so Summer trus
With this, their once-strained relationship finally seemed to mend. It was the first time Summer had argued with James so fiercely. At first, she had resolved to ignore the man for at least half a month, but fortunately, their cold war didn't last long. In the end, James, the millennia-old iceberg, returned to coax her. But things didn't end there. While they were embracing, James suddenly put his chin on Summer's head. "Summie, you forgot something." "Forgot something?" Summer contemplated, but she didn't think she had forgotten anything. Could it be work-related or something else? Summer asked, "What is it? Tell me." "Today is your birthday." James' gentle reminder jolted Summer's memory—it was her birthday today. Amidst the chaos of recent days, Summer had forgotten her birthday. She only remembered after James had mentioned it. Summer's lips parted slightly in realization. "Was the gift you've prepared for me today supposed to be my birthday gift?" "Yes. It'
The last time they were at the villa by the beach, James had given Summer a pair of moon earrings embedded with special diamonds that only sparkled under the moonlight. She treasured them so much that she never wore them. This was not just because they were valuable but also because of their unique charm. They were far too special to be worn like ordinary jewelry.Now, it was Summer's birthday, and James had clearly put a lot of effort into planning a surprise. The glowing teddy bear from earlier was just a teaser; the real surprise was in the beautifully crafted little box he now held."Is it a glowing bracelet?" Based on the past gift, Summer guessed James seemed to love giving things that lit up. Furthermore, he had given her a giant glowing teddy bear this time. It hinted at his fondness for luminous gifts. But if the new gift was another glowing item, he might be lacking in creativity.Luckily, James said, "It doesn't glow up this time. You guessed wrong.""Oh, I'm glad I
Back when Summer was still a student, she had also received a similar black stone, but it was just an ordinary synthetic mineral, nothing special. However, since it was a gift from James, it couldn't be that ordinary. James didn't answer Summer's question. Instead, he picked up the necklace and put it around her neck. He leaned close to her ear and whispered, "Do you like it?" "I like it," she replied, "It's very pretty, but what exactly is it?" Summer asked again. "It's a meteorite." Meteorite! Summer's heart skipped a beat. So, this black thing was a meteorite! She had known that James' gift wasn't ordinary. As she looked down to admire the meteorite necklace around her neck, she could see its beauty—smooth, glassy, with a shimmering black glow. Summer had never received anything like this before. Feeling overjoyed, she cradled the necklace in her hands. Meteorite was from outer space, and Summer was curious about all mysterious things. Meteors were one of the things she