Matilda abruptly ended the call, leaving Yvan with nothing but a dial tone when he tried to reach her again. He felt like a forlorn soul who had lost his favorite toy, dazed as a child. Stumbling to his feet, he grabbed his coat in a clumsy motion while the waitress hollered from behind, "Sir! Watch your step... Sir!"
Yvan burst out of the diner and into the underground parking lot, where he recklessly started his car. Sure, he was in no condition to drive, probably over the legal limit, but Yvan couldn't care less at that moment. He slammed the gas pedal, racing towards Matilda's neighborhood. He couldn't quite grasp what was compelling him, only that he had to confess to her. "Matilda, can we please stop this endless torment?" he thought. "Matilda, please, no more hurting each other..."
The pain was almost too much to bear!
Meanwhile, just as Matilda hung up, a thud sounded against her window sill, startling her. She yanked the curtains open and there, bathed in moonlight, was Adrian, grinning through the open window like a vampire under a crescent moon. "Hey! Happy New Year!"
As the clock struck twelve, the sky above Imperial Residence erupted in a magnificent display of fireworks. They were grand and beautiful, lighting up the night sky like a celestial show, unlike any Sea City had seen in a long time. After the flowers of fire wilted away, a message slowly dispersed among the stars.
【Matilda, Happy New Year.】
With the fireworks as his backdrop, Adrian stood on the windowsill, his smile outshining the night, like a demon reveling in the mortal world. "Pretty, isn't it?" he said. For a moment, the dark corners of Matilda's soul felt illuminated by the fireworks, but as the splendor faded, the rapid cooling of joy forced her to take a deep breath—pulling her back to the harsh and cold reality.
"Are you insane?" she exclaimed. "You could have killed yourself climbing over from the balcony!"
Adrian replied, with a hint of feigned fear, "Well, now I'm terrified. Can I come in?"
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