They turned to see Leonard standing behind them. "Simone and I were just saying that this painting of yours looks a bit familiar," Aurora said with a smile.


    Leonard raised an eyebrow. "You think so too?"


    "Do you feel the same way, Leonard?" Aurora asked. "Do you think... maybe the three of us have been somewhere together and seen a view like this? If so, does that mean... Summer is someone close to us?"


    Simone suddenly recalled something. "I remember, didn''t this artist, Summer, once paint a picture of Aurora''s back?"


    Her words jogged both Leonard''s and Aurora''s memories. Leonard had even given that painting to Aurora as a gift. He looked at her. "Could it be that you and Summer know each other?"


    Aurora shook her head. "I''m not sure." She had such a vastwork of friends and acquaintances that she honestly couldn''t guess who Summer might be.


    "I think Summer is most likely a man," Simone mused. "To paint your back like that, he probably has a crush on you. But for a prestigiousdy like you, Aurora, he might feel he''s not worthy, so he keeps his feelings hidden and admires you from afar."


    Simone, it had to be said, had a mind full of romantic fantasies. Aurora simply smiled, not denying it. Countless men had been infatuated with her over the years, many of them secret admirers. If Leonard hadn''t expressed his appreciation for the artist, she would never have paid Summer any mind.


    "If you want to find Summer, Leonard, I can have someone look into it," Aurora offered.


    "No need," Leonard said tly. "I''ve already found a way to contact them."


    Aurora didn''t dwell on it. "Since you''re here, shall we begin?" she said with a smile. She pped her hands lightly, and the overhead lights dimmed. Her assistant wheeled out a cake, its candles flickering gently From a corner, the melodic notes of "Happy Birthday" began to y as violinist performed the tune.


    Seeing this, Leonard''s thoughts drifted. If this were for Joshua, would Ste have yed the violin herself? The answer seemed


    obvious. But Ste''s hand wool ne


    ruined, she couldn''t y ever it she wanted to Aurora''s hands, however, were perfectly fine, yet the thought of ying for him herself hadn''t seemed to cross her mind.


    As he zoned out, the cake was brought before him. "Leonard, make a wish," Aurora said, smiling.


    Leonard snapped back to the present. He didn''t believe in wishes. If birthday wishes came true, everyone would get what they wanted without any effort. "That''s not necessary," he said coolly. "Let''s just blow out the candles."


    Aurora and Simone exchanged a nce and blew out the candles. Next came the presents. Leonard hadn''t made any special requests of Simone, so she had only brought one gift. But when Aurora had her assistant bring out twenty-nine presents, Simone was stunned. "Aurora, what is all this...?"


    Aurora smiled faintly. "Leonard never really celebrated his birthday before he became the head of the family. So, I decided to make up for all the ones he missed."


    Simone was truly astonished. She had always thought Auroracked genuine affection for any man. But was she actually this devoted to her brother? To maintain a pleasing aesthetic, all the gift boxes w


    identical and stacked neatly in a


    pyramid, ready to be opened one by


    one from the top.