Watching Ryan embrace Carrie, Ralph felt a stinging sensation in his eye. He could not help but capture the moment on his phone.
“Mr. Ralph, I'm curious. When did you realize it was us?” Dressed as the pink bunny mascot, Yasmin could not hold back her
curiosity.
“Maybe it's a cop’s intuition.”
Ralph did not tell Yasmin that he believed love was something one could never hide.
The moment he saw the dog mascot holding Carrie like a treasure, he knew it was Ryan.
“Please let Mr. Hoffman and Ms. Carrie spend a bit more ttogether. We promise not to disturb you again.” Yasmin pleaded
earnestly.
“Don’t worry about me. As long as Carrie is happy, that’s all that matters.” Ralph's voice was hoarse, as if filled with bitter sand.
Despite his reluctance, Ryan returned Carrie to Ralph's side.
He feared Carrie would find out about his disguise if he spent more twith her.
“Why are you crying?” Ralph gently asked Carrie, handing her a tissue.
“It's nothing. It’s nothing...” Carrie murmured, wiping her puffy eyes.
Ralph knew why she was crying. His heart ached, but he still showed her a bright smile.
“Are you hungry? Let's go. I'll take you for sdelicious food!”
The dog mascot watched them walk away. Then, it slowly turned and dragged itself in the opposite direction, its large head
hanging low.
Yasmin followed Ryan to a secluded spot before removing her mascot head. Her black hair was plastered to her face with sweat as
she took deep breaths of fresh air.
“Mr. Hoffman, you should take yours off, too. It's stifling. Mr. Hoffman?”
Yasmin called out to him twice. However, Ryan remained facing the wall, unresponsive.
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇtAlarmed, she hurried forward and took off his headgear.
“Mr. Hoffman, you...”
In the next moment, Yasmin's eyes widened in panic.
Drenched in sweat, Ryan's black hair stuck to his forehead. His chest heaved violently within the oversized costume, and his
stunning eyes were red and swollen. They could barely stay open.
Ryan's sweat and tears had nearly soaked through the dog mascot’s head.
“Mr. Hoffman...” Yasmin’s throat tightened with sympathy, wanting tofort Ryan but not knowing what to say.
Ryan pressed his hands against the wall, his body drained of all strength. He was on the verge of collapsing.
His once-reachable lover was now so difficult to approach that even being close was a challenge.
Despite being mentally prepared, the enormous gap between the past and present was almost unbearable for him.
“Why did she cry...?”
After a long pause, Ryan finally spoke in a broken, hoarse voice.
Yasmin'’s breath hitched. Just as she was about to respond, Ryan answered his own question. “Could it be that the dance reminded
her of our past? Does Carrie still love me?”
It was a question.
The unmatched heir of the Hoffman family finally lost his unparalleled confidence in this entanglement of love and pain.
“| believe Young Madam still loves you. No one can replace you in her heart,” Yasmin responded firmly.
Love could ovee all obstacles.
Ryan wiped away the tears at the corner of his eyes. He took a deep breath and said, with his back to Yasmin, “Letspend a
little more twith her.”
After dinner, Ralph and Carrie watched a float parade.
As night fell, the long-awaited fireworks show was about to begin.
Ralph had reserved the best viewing spot in advance. The two of them stood side by side, eagerly gazing at the night sky.
Not far away, Yasmin and Ryan, dressed in black coats, blended into the crowd. He gazed at Carrie's soft, beautiful figure and the
delicate shoulders he once cherished.
To Ryan, Carrie was more beautiful than the most splendid fireworks.
Joyful music filled the amusement park. Suddenly, a beautiful arc shot up to the sky like a meteor, blossoming into the most
brilliant flowers against the velvety night.
“Wow... Ralph! Look!”
Carrie's bright eyes widened with surprise as she pointed to the night sky. “It’s so beautiful! That one is so pretty!”
“Yeah, beautiful.”
But with his beloved by his side, Ralph had no interest in the fireworks. He stared intently at Carrie's delicate profile, unable to look
away.
He did not often have the chance to be with her like this.
But when he did, even just one more glance at her was precious to him.
As the grand and splendid fireworks filled the entire night sky and the crowd erupted in joyful cheers, Ralph could no longer contain
his feelings. Summoning all his courage, he confessed to the girl beside him.
“Carrie, | really like you. Will you be my girlfriend?”
Though his words were clear and steady, the laughter around them quickly swallowed his words.
Deeply entranced, Carrie's glass-like eyes reflected the fireworks above. She remained silent for a long while.
Ralph’s heart pounded with anticipation and anxiety. Eventually, he curled his lips in resignation.
She probably did not hear him.
That was not a bad thing either.
“Ralph, thank you for everything you've done for me, and thanks for liking me.” Carrie gently turned her soft gaze to Ralph's
Follow on Novᴇl-Onlinᴇ.cᴏmstunned face. She then spoke tenderly. “I wish you all the best and that you find someone who only loves you. Ralph, you'll find
your one and only soon.”
Ralph stared at Carrie. He tried blinking back the sting in his eyes, his voice trembling slightly as he asked, “Do you still love him?”
Carrie's pale pink lips curled slightly, like a thin crescent moon emitting a soft glow on the horizon.
“Yeah, I'm still in love with him.”
Ralph lowered his gaze, his lashes concealing his eyes. After a moment, a faint, relieved smile played on his lips. He looked up at
the fireworks, which he had almost missed entirely.
In truth, he had anticipated this.
After enduring so much torment and self-imposed suffering, she finally admitted that she remained in love with Ryan. He was
genuinely happy for her.
As the fireworks show neared its end, Ryan's phone vibrated incessantly in his pocket.
With his eyes fixed on Carrie, he raised the phone to his ear.
“Hello.”
“Ryan! Ryan, it's me!” A woman's frightened, panicked voice cfrom the other end.
Ryan furrowed his brow. “Selena?”
“Liam’s men are now huntingdown! | can’t get out of Savrow! I'm really desperate now! Please helpfind a way out!”
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