Chapter 161
“Is there something to celebrate today? Why is there suddenly a firework display?”
“Man, I bet it costs a lot with that much fireworks.”
“Could it be that another billionaire is proposing to a young commoner?”
“Pffi. You‘ve read too many of those cheesy stories.”
“I mean, who‘s to say? How do you explain the long firework display then?”
“It‘s been going on for twenty minutes. When will it end? Is there more?”
“Beats me.”
“Let‘s wait and see.”
Walking through the crowd, Veronica was amused by what the people were buzzing about. What great imagination!
It wasn‘t until they squeezed through the crowd and back to the side of the road that their surroundings got a lot quieter.
“Thanks, Xavier. I really enjoyed the fireworks.”
“Don‘t mention it.”
“Though I see you as my brother, hey, short reckonings make long friends.”
Veronica giggled and suddenly glanced subconsciously across the road. With that, she turned back to Xavier, saying, “Wait here. I‘m gonna buy something across from here.”
“Okay.” He thought no further of it and stood waiting there just like that.
Then, he heard his ringtone. With that, he fished his phone out to find Melissa calling. His little sister had called a good few times throughout the night, and he finally answered this time.
“Melissa, W
seeing as it’s your birthday today, but I can‘t believe you decided to go AWOL?!” Melissa roared, wishing she could teleport to the other end of the line and give her brother a
was on silent. I didn‘t
that! Don‘t think I‘ve got no idea what goes on in that little mind of yours! Veronica‘s leaving
Veronica, some of Veronica‘s personality had rubbed off on her, leading her to speak a little
“I‘m not.
“You swear?”
“I swear.”
I‘d believe anything
correct that habit, or you won‘t be
her. Double–standard piece of sh*t. Whatever. Bye!” Melissa furiously hung up on
as he
text to his little sister. ‘Thanks
one who remembered his birthday–no, she was the only person in
road back to him with a couple of paper bags in
that, he asked, “What did
deliberately teased him before
frequently jogged around the area, she
sit and rest. After a ten minute walk, they
with a row of stone tables and benches. Although there were
area at the roadside.
or other bugs around, so they didn‘t have to worry about getting
of all places?” Xavier was
got a little hungry, so I went and bought some supper.
small box from one of the paper bags and put it
I was always reluctant to get one.” While talking, she fished out a candle and put it on the cake before lighting the
help feeling bewildered, having no idea of Veronica‘s
a wish!” Then, she pointed at the cake. “I‘m all about rituals, you see. As a kid, I‘d always make a
it works this way?” Xavier was
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
The Novel will be updated daily. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!