Christan stayed silent for a long time after hearing that.
Serena couldn't help but ask cautiously, "Um... are you okay?"
The man finally turned slightly and gave her a faint smile. "I'm okay. Of course, you wouldn't believe me if I said I wasn't affected at all. After all, it's the first time I've been rejected by a girl. But... since the one you chose is Xavier, it really softens the blow. Don't worry-I'll get over it soon."
"Alright, that's good." Serena let out a quiet sigh of relief. "It's getting late. Let's head back?"
"You go ahead. I'll stay a little longer. The moon's beautiful tonight-I want to look at it a bit more."
"Uh... okay. Then get some rest soon!"
Just as she turned to leave, she hesitated, then looked back. "Christan, about your sister Celia-I'm really sorry. I do sympathize with how painful it is to love someone and not be loved in return. But... I won't give Xavier to anyone, ever again. So I hope you can talk to her-convince her not to do anything reckless."
"I will." Christan didn't turn around. He was still facing away from her, his face unreadable. "Celia's still young. There are a lot of things she doesn't understand yet. But she will, eventually."
"Thank you... for understanding."
With that, Serena turned her wheelchair and decisively left the private room.
Only when the sound of her wheelchair completely faded away did Christan slump into a chair, utterly deflated, his face full of sorrow.
A little while later, his phone buzzed with a message.
It was from Grandpa Bryan, asking how the talk with Serena had gone.
With a bitter smile tugging at his lips, Christan raised his hand and replied:
[Grandpa, I really like the girl you introduced me to. But unfortunately, the timing was wrong, and I missed my chance. Still... thank you-for giving me the opportunity to meet her. Even if there's no future between us, the encounter itself was a beautiful gift.]
A while later, Bryan responded:
{Everything happens for a reason. Let fate run its course-no need to force anything.]
Christan didn't reply again.
He didn't need to.
In his 33rd-floor room, Bryan stood by the window, stroking his beard as he looked out at the distant sky. His expression was calm-but from time to time, he let out a quiet sigh.
...
When Serena returned to her room, it was already close to 10 PM.
As she entered, the room was pitch black. She instinctively thought that Xavier was still busy.
Without turning on the light, she rolled her wheelchair directly toward the bedroom.
As she passed the living room, a deep voice suddenly emerged from the darkness, startling her.
"Serena, where did you go?!"
Clutching her chest in fright, Serena exclaimed, "You're back? Why didn't you turn on the lights?! Just speaking out of nowhere like that-you nearly scared me to death!"
Ignoring her complaint, the man stubbornly repeated, "It's this late already-where did you go?!"
Serena paused briefly, then decided to tell the truth. "Grandpa Bryan and Christan invited me to dinner."
"Dinner? That lasted until 10 PM?!" Xavier got up and walked toward her.
Stopping a step away, he sniffed the air and frowned even more, "You've been drinking?!"
"Just a few sips," she said lightly.
He grew anxious-not for any petty reason, but out of concern for her health.
"Your foot hasn't healed yet-what if drinking affects your recovery?!"
"It won't," Serena reassured him. "I only had a little red wine. Red wine is supposed to promote circulation-it shouldn't hinder recovery."
Xavier crouched in front of her and gently held her foot in his hands, carefully blowing on it. "Does it still hurt?"
Serena smiled, her eyes fixed on the unusually bright look in his eyes in the dark. "Not anymore."
Tilting his head, he spoke with a hint of grievance, "I rushed through work just to come back and see you. And when I got here, you weren't even home! You have no idea how worried I was!"
Usually, in this kind of situation, Serena wouldn't bother explaining herself much.
But this time-strangely enough-she took the initiative to explain, "That's on me. I didn't expect it to get so late either. I should've let you know ahead of time."
She wasn't sure why, but after talking with Christan, seeing Xavier again made her feel like he was the best man in the world.
His grievances, his complaints, his little mood swings-in her eyes, they were all so adorable, so precious, so rare.
All of it-were signs of his love for her. A kind of love he only showed to her, and no one else.
Suddenly, she leaned forward and hugged his neck.
After a moment of surprise, Xavier smiled sweetly. "What's this about? It's rare for you to hug me first!"
Serena rested her face against his hair and said gently, "I'll take the initiative more from now on."
He hugged her tighter.
"At that dinner tonight-what did you all talk about? It feels like... you've changed a bit after the meal."
"Nothing much," Serena replied with a smile. "Just some small talk. But... during dinner, I... missed you."
He froze for a moment, stunned.
Then he hugged her even tighter and whispered, "Serena, I love you."
Serena smiled and, for the first time-and the only time-replied clearly and directly, "I love you too."
"What did you say?!" His voice trembled with emotion.
"I said..." Serena pulled back from his embrace, looked into his eyes, and repeated word for word:
"Xavier Blaze, I love you."
***