Leonard suddenly thought of his own birthday.


    In previous years, he would celebrate with Aurora and Simone. This year, his birthday had passed while he was in aa.


    Normally, even if he were away on business, Aurora and Simone would have thrown him a bted celebration.Aurora wasn''t entirely heartless towards him.


    But this year, neither of them had mentioned it.


    Leonard knew why. Because of Aurora and Joshua, Simone had grown distant. She was his sister, and he knew he had wronged her, so he could ept her silence. But Aurora...


    He remembered the moment he was being rushed into surgery, clinging to life, while Aurora was out on a date with Joshua. The fact that she would dine with his enemy made it clear she was ready to abandon him. Leonard had lost his value and be disposable.


    A storm of indescribable emotions brewed in his chest, a fire searing his heart.


    He and Aurora were the same kind of person; he had known from the day he met her that she would eventually discard him. Back then, it hadn''t bothered him. So why did it feel like a fishbone lodged in his throat now?


    Besides, it was just a birthday-things like that had always meant nothing to him. So why did it suddenly matter so much?


    He wanted to put the binocrs down, but his body wouldn''t obey.


    Thanks to the advanced optics, he could see every detail of the gifts. Many were clearly handmade. Some were practical, others were beautiful trinkets.


    His gaze settled on two beautiful jars, one filled with tiny paper stars, the other with paper cranes. Had Ste made all of these herself?


    Although he scoffed at the sentimentality, he had to admit that many of the small items were beautifully crafted.


    His mind drifted to the gifts Aurora gave him each year: ties, men''s cologne, wallets. They were practical and expensive, but impersonal.


    His eyes fell to the watch on his


    wrist. It was the first birthday gift et


    she had ever given him, and


    because of its significance, he still wore it often after all these years.


    Staring at the watch, Leonard felt a wave of irritation. He instinctively reached to loosen his tie, only to remember he hadn''t worn one in a long time.


    He undid the top two buttons of his shirt, and the feeling of suffocation eased slightly. Then, the watch on his wrist felt ufortably tight, e unsped it.


    In the past, he would have carefully ced it back in its box, terrified of scratching


    it. This time, he tossed it carelessly onto the table.


    He picked up the binocrs and continued to watch.


    ...


    After all the gifts were unwrapped, Keen and Marvin were busy arguing over which one was the best Abby, turned to Joshua with a smile. So, Joshua, what do you think ofStar''s gifts? Are you moved?"


    Joshua had his back to them the whole time, so no one could see his face. But it was impossible for anyone to receive such a gift and not be profoundly touched.