They stood in the snow for quite a while, until Vivian started feeling a bit cold, at which point Caden put his arms around her and led her back to the villa.
As soon as they entered the villa, a warm atmosphere greeted them.
Mrs. Hawthorne saw them return, and she smiled, saying, "Have you seen enough snow now? Hurry to your room to warm up, don’t catch a cold."
Vivian and Caden exchanged a smile, and then they headed back to their room together.
Mrs. Hawthorne glanced at the wall clock and then out the window, muttering to herself, "Why isn’t Riley back yet?"
Mrs. Hawthorne only knew that Riley was having a dinner with colleagues, unaware that she was actually out on a date with Zachary Sutton.
Zachary drove Riley back to Hartswell Manor.
"Thank you for driving me home, Zachary," Riley said. ɪꜰ ʏᴏᴜ ᴡᴀɴᴛ ᴛᴏ ʀᴇᴀᴅ ᴍᴏʀᴇ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀs, ᴘʟᴇᴀsᴇ ᴠɪsɪᴛ N0velFire.ɴet
Riley took off the blazer she had been wearing and handed it back to Zachary.
Zachary reached out to take it, one hand casually in his pocket, saying nonchalantly, "No problem, it’s nothing."
Riley looked at Zachary, her eyes carrying a hint of reluctance.
Snowflakes fell onto their shoulders, seemingly adding a touch of sadness to the moment of parting.
"Well, I’ll head in now," Riley said awkwardly, pointing to the manor’s gate.
Zachary nodded slightly, "Alright, go on in!"
"I had a great time today, Zachary, I hope we can have dinner together again sometime," Riley said, eyes filled with hope.
Riley said softly, her eyes full of expectation.
Zachary paused slightly, looking at Riley’s bright eyes, a wave of indescribable emotion rose in his heart. "Hmm, maybe we will."
Riley smiled brightly, her lips curved up.
She knew Zachary hadn’t completely rejected her, and that already satisfied her.
Thinking of this, Riley felt elated and quickly stood on tiptoe, secretly planting a kiss on Zachary’s handsome face.
Zachary’s eyes widened, feeling the fleeting warmth on his cheek, and he was completely stunned.
"Goodbye, Zachary!" Before he could react, Riley blushed, looking shy as she quickly ran into the manor.
Zachary stood dumbfounded, watching Riley’s disappearing silhouette, his hand unconsciously touching the cheek that had been kissed, his heart filled with a complex emotion.
He wasn’t sure what exactly he felt for Riley, but that unexpected kiss had made his heart beat faster.
Snowflakes continued to fall gently, and Zachary stood there for a long time before coming back to his senses.
He turned and went back to the car, but his mind kept replaying Riley’s smile and that kiss.
He sighed helplessly, trying to shake off those thoughts, only to find it impossible.
Zachary couldn’t help but pat the steering wheel, muttering to himself, "Zachary, calm down, she’s just your sister."
Meanwhile, Riley was running all the way back to the villa, her heart still pounding hard.
Recalling her bold move, her face couldn’t help but flush.
Mrs. Hawthorne saw Riley return but got no response when she called her, as if she was still lost in her own world, exhibiting the signs of young love.
"Hey, girl, won’t you say something when you come back? Why are you just standing there?"
Riley was startled by Mrs. Hawthorne’s voice and quickly snapped back to reality. "Mom, I... I just got back." Her gaze was a bit panicked, and the blush on her face hadn’t faded.
Mrs. Hawthorne looked at her, puzzled, "Why do you seem so strange? Did something happen at dinner today?"
Riley hurriedly denied it, waving her hand. "No... nothing happened. Mom, stop overthinking."
Mrs. Hawthorne knitted her brows slightly, clearly not buying her story. "Really? Don’t lie to me."
Riley took a deep breath, trying her best to appear calm. "Really, Mom. I’m just a bit tired, I want to go to my room to rest."
With that, Riley rushed back to her room. After closing the door, she leaned against it, her heart still racing.
She picked up her phone and opened WeChat, finding her conversation with Zachary.
She couldn’t help but send him a message, "Bye, Zachary! Drive safely!"
At that moment, Zachary hadn’t left yet, his car still parked outside the manor.
When he heard his phone ring, he picked it up and saw Riley’s message reminding him to drive safely.
Zachary hesitated for a moment before sending her a reply, "Hmm, get some rest early!"
Seeing Zachary’s reply, Riley’s face lit up with a smile.
A moment later, Zachary added, "Don’t do that again next time."
Riley naturally knew what he was referring to and sent a playful emoji in response, "Got it!"
She tossed her bag onto the bed and lay down on the soft mattress, holding her phone tightly, repeatedly looking at the short exchange, her heart filled with sweetness.
Outside the manor, Zachary, looking at Riley’s profile picture on his phone screen, felt a wave of indescribable emotion.
But he didn’t realize that from that moment, Riley’s place in his heart had quietly changed.
Snowflakes continued to fall, adding a touch of romance to the silent night.
Zachary started the car and slowly drove away from the manor.
The next day, winter sunlight streamed into the room through the glass window.
Caden woke up first, seeing Vivian still asleep in his arms, and gently kissed her forehead.
Vivian seemed to feel Caden’s gentle gesture, moving slightly but not waking up. Caden looked at her peaceful sleeping face, his heart filled with tenderness.
He got up quietly, not wanting to wake Vivian. After dressing, he went to the window and drew the curtains to let more sunlight into the room.
Outside, the world was covered in a blanket of snow, dazzlingly beautiful.
Caden stood at the window, quietly admiring the stunning scenery, thinking about the new life to come, and a happy smile crept onto his face.
Caden did a quick wash-up and went downstairs to prepare a loving breakfast for Vivian.
Meanwhile, Vivian turned over on the soft bed, slowly opened her eyes, and saw Caden’s silhouette by the window, warmth surging in her heart. She sat up gently, leaning against the headboard, watching Caden, her lips curving upward.
"Caden," Vivian called his name softly.
Hearing Vivian’s voice, Caden turned around, walked to the bedside, and sat down, looking at her tenderly. "Awake? Did you sleep well?"
Vivian nodded, "Yes, very well. Why are you up so early?"
Caden smiled, "Wanted to let you sleep a bit more. The weather is nice today, so after breakfast, I’ll take you out for a stroll!"
Vivian’s eyes sparkled with excitement, "Sure! I would love to get some fresh air."
Thus, the couple got out of bed, freshened up a bit, and went downstairs for breakfast.
Upon arriving at the dining room, Mrs. Hawthorne had already prepared breakfast. Seeing the couple come downstairs, she quickly waved them over with a smile, "Son, daughter-in-law, I’ve just cooked beef porridge, come have a taste."