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BONUS

Chapter

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[EVE]

As soon as I stepped out of the car, I pulled my hand from Cole’s grasp as quick as lightning.

He didn’t seem to mind, walking beside me as we made our way up the gentle slope of the hill. It was a short walk, and soon we reached a quiet, scenic spot that opened up to a breathtaking view of the city below.

The skyline stretched before us, a sea of twinkling lights against the deepening night. Buildings rose like silhouettes against the fading twilight, their windows glimmering with life. Streets wound below us, lit by the glow of streetlamps and moving cars, giving the city a heartbeat of its own.

For a moment, I simply stared, caught off guard by the beauty of it all—the vastness, the calm, and the serenity that hung in the air.

The city felt endless, alive, yet peaceful from this height, as if inviting me to take it all in.

I took a deep breath, letting the cool night air fill my lungs, and sighed into the horizon, feeling a strange mix of calm and exhilaration.

"This is so beautiful," I murmured, my voice barely above a whisper as I gazed at the breathtaking view.

"Yes, it is . . ." I heard Cole reply softly.

The gentleness in his voice took me by surprise. I’d never heard him sound so unguarded before, as if this moment had stripped away all his cold indifference.

Automatically, my head turned toward him, and I found him already watching me, his gaze steady and intense.

There was something in his eyes—an openness I hadn’t seen before. His usually stoic face was softened, and his eyes trembled with emotions I’d never seen him wear so openly.

It was like all the words he’d held back were suddenly there in his gaze, raw and vulnerable. My breath caught, my heartbeat drumming in my ears as I realized he wasn’t the Cole I used to know—the one who kept everything carefully hidden behind a wall.

This was different. This was a glimpse into his other side.

For a second, I wanted to look away, to protect myself from being swept away. But I couldn’t. I was trapped in his gaze, the world around us fading as if it were just the two of us in the whole city.

Then, out of nowhere, the sky above us exploded into color. A rush of light and sound filled the air as the first firework shot up, bursting in a bloom of radiant reds and golds.

"Wow," I gasped, completely mesmerized.

The fireworks painted the night with dazzling patterns, flowers blooming high above, only to fade and be replaced by stars and shimmering streaks that fell like rain, dancing across the sky.

Some sparkled like tiny stars scattered against the blackness, while others cascaded down like waterfalls of light.

Each explosion was more beautiful than the last, capturing my attention so fully that, for a moment, I forgot everything else.

As I watched, I noticed that the fireworks formed intricate shapes, almost like flowers blossoming in midair, then transforming into twinkling constellations before fading into the night.

My heart swelled, a childlike joy bubbling up as the fireworks painted the sky.

Then, out of the corner of my eye, I saw something new—a single jet slicing through the air, trailing smoke behind it.

As it flew across the sky, the smoke curled and twisted, shaping into letters that gradually formed words.

[Happy Birthday, Eve!]

I blinked, my mouth dropping open in astonishment as I read the message hanging in the sky. It felt surreal, like something out of a dream.

I looked back at Cole, who was still watching me, his expression softer than I’d ever seen.

I opened my mouth, about to say something—anything—to ease the overwhelming emotions building in my chest.

However, before I could find the words, he gently reached for my hand, silencing me with a touch that was both tender and firm.

In his other hand, he held the Eternal Bloom—that famed 60-carat pink diamond. Its flawless surface shimmered in the dim light, reflecting every color of the fireworks fading above us.

The jewel looked like it held galaxies within it, far more brilliant than anything I’d ever seen.

Without a word, he slipped the ring onto my finger, his movements achingly gentle, like he feared the moment would shatter if he moved too quickly.

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Then, he brought my hand to his lips, brushing the lightest, softest kiss over the diamond and the skin beneath it.

His gaze lifted to meet mine, and I felt my breath catch as I saw the depth of emotion shining in his eyes—words he hadn’t said, feelings he’d never dared to reveal.

There was no holding back now. He was laying everything bare, and I could feel the weight of it all in that single, heart-wrenching kiss.

"Happy Birthday, Eve," he said, his voice low but filled with a warmth that felt like a gentle embrace.

My chest tightened, and I felt a rush of emotions I hadn’t expected. I’d always known Cole as someone who kept his distance, someone with walls so high I’d almost stopped trying to look over them.

But here he was, peeling those walls back, if only for a moment, showing me a side of himself I hadn’t seen since we were kids.

He’d planned this—all of this. Not just the flowers and fireworks, but the small details, every single thing that made tonight unforgettable.

"I know I’m not always . . . good with words, but I wanted you to have something special. Something you’d remember this day."

I wanted to say something, anything to cut through the thick silence between us. With him by my side the walls I had so carefully built around my heart were beginning to crumble, and I feared they’d be completely shattered if I stayed here, in this moment with him, for even a second longer.