“It’s two o’clock.”
“Have you spent the entire night working again?”
“Mhm.”
“Make sure that you get plenty of sleep, okay?”
Although Evan had said something in return, she didn’t hear him because she had fallen asleep again after she had made herself clear.
Waking up the next morning, Nicole found herself running her hand across Evan’s position. To her utter surprise, she detected a frigid sensation on the empty space beside her.
Thus, she knew that he must have had roused himself from sleep ahead of her.
She brought herself out of the bed immediately. Once she put on her clothes, she dashed out of their bedroom and saw Evan by the children’s side, making their way out of the house.
Maya stared at her mother with her glistening pair of eyes and teased, “Mommy, you have overslept again!”
Juan told his mother, “Mommy, Daddy had forbidden us from passing by your room because he was afraid that we would wake you up.”
Similarly, Nina stated, “Mommy, I want to get myself a husband like Daddy. Otherwise, I won’t get to spend my time in bed like you.”
Nicole was speechless.
Excuse me, Nina? You’re at least two decades away from that! Why would such a thought cross a little girl’s mind?
“Nina, why don’t you set an achievable target? You do realize that you’re quite some time away from the things that you have just mentioned, don’t you?”
“Is there anything wrong with it? Let’s just think of it as a life goal.”
F-Fine…
It was about time for them to leave. Thus, Nicole bade farewell to her children and her husband, “Alright! All of you should get going and head over to school! Have a good day!”
Nicole felt bad because she caught a glimpse of Evan’s worn-out expression. She blamed herself for being such a lazy bum. Ironically, she was the one who had told him to get plenty of sleep last night, yet she was the one who had received sleep instead of him.
Shooting Evan an apologetic look, she asked, “Why don’t you get the driver to drop them off? He’s on duty, right?”
“It’s fine. I’ll make my way to the office after I drop them off. You should get yourself ready and finish your breakfast.”
Soon, Evan departed with their children.
After he dropped them off at school, he returned to the company.
Susan greeted him the moment he entered his office, “Evan!”
“Why are you here?”
She had a relatively casual look. Her current look reminded Evan of the innocent-looking Susan that he had known, back in the day.
“Evan, I have dropped by to express my gratitude because I have gotten everything regarding the production sorted out. Apart from that, I have something for you. It’s about time for me to return this to you.”
Susan reached out for a delicate glass bottle that had been filled with origami stars and showed it to Evan.
“You were the one who had folded these stars for me. Do you still remember your promise? You told me that you would bring me to go stargazing around the globe.”
Evan’s expression turned gloomy; he was confused by her words as she had brought up the things that he had once told her, back in the day.
Susan smirked and enunciated, “I think that you have misperceived my words, Evan. I am not being hopeful because I know that we won’t get to go stargazing anymore. I have been keeping this for six years. I think that it’s about time for me to return this to you.”
She placed the bottle of stars on Evan’s table and made her way out of his office.
Evan reached for the bottle of stars, going through a trip down memory lane as he stared at the stars.
He could vividly recall the time that he had spent folding the stars because he had folded them when he was by Susan’s side in the ward.
Previously, Susan was hospitalized; she had sustained serious burn injuries in order to save him.
He told her, “As long as you make a wish, the stars will grant your wish! I’m pretty sure that your wish will come true if you hold on to these stars that I have folded you! Trust me, Susan! You will be fine!”
Susan, who had completely lost the will to survive back then, turned around, asking as though she had seen the light at the end of the tunnel, “Really? Are you going to join me and go stargazing with me once I have recovered?”
“Of course! I will always be by your side, Susan! You have to go through the therapy, okay? I’m sure that you’ll be fine!”
Evan’s mind was all over the place as the things that had occurred in the past flashed through his mind once more.
Never would he have expected Susan to have held on to the bottle of stars for the past six years. She did a great job at preserving the bottle of stars.
Although he was aware that he was the one in Susan’s mind, he couldn’t possibly reciprocate the affection that she had for him because Nicole was the one whom he loved.
“I’m sure that you will find a better man out there.”
Murmuring to himself, Evan put the bottle of stars aside as he kept it inside one of his drawers. He locked the drawer as though he had moved on from the past.
Meanwhile, Susan walked out of Seet Group with a wicked grin on her face.
I’m sure that it won’t take long now! Soon, Nicole will discover the secret that’s hidden inside the bottle of stars!
