?Chapter 353:


    Kaiden couldn’t suppress a chuckle. He was well aware of his wife’s financial independence and wealth, but he hadn’t anticipated her owning such a splendid property in such a prime location. Hisughter, a rare and open expression on his usually reserved face, caught Ellie off guard. Her heart momentarily raced before she quickly shifted her focus. She busied herself with arranging the bouquet of red roses in a vase.


    “Boom! Boom! Boom!”


    Outside, fireworks began to light up the night sky. The New Year’s fireworks painted the sky in vivid hues, casting a festive glow over the room. Ellie beckoned Kaiden to the balcony, overlooking the bustling crowd in the square below, all admiring the fireworks. She knew the scene below was a blend of chaos and excitement, a stark contrast to Kaiden’s preference for solitude.


    Lost in the spectacle of the fireworks, Ellie was unaware that Kaiden’s gaze was fixed on her. Her profile, bathed in the fireworks’ glow, seemed ethereally beautiful. Kaiden, no stranger to admiration for his own looks, saw an unparalleled beauty in Ellie. This woman, seemingly docile, was full of surprises, capable of stirring his heart in unexpected ways. The events he had found mundane earlier now seemed different, all because of her presence.


    Kaiden’s expression suddenly grew serious. “Did you spend New Year’s with Erick before?”


    Ellie turned to him, puzzled. “Why would I do that? I’d rather use that time to prepare for my exams.”


    Her past engagement to Erick hadn’t included shared New Year celebrations. Erick had his social circle, and she had her studies. She had never wanted to waste her time on him.


    Kaiden found some measure of satisfaction in Ellie’s response. Suddenly, Ellie leaned forward, her elbow propped up, her chin resting on her hand. Her eyes sparkled slyly as she gazed at Kaiden, reminiscent of a yful fox.


    “Kaiden, do you get jealous when Erick is mentioned?” she asked, a teasing smile ying on her lips.


    Kaiden, maintaining his stoic demeanor, retorted, “Don’t tter yourself.”


    “Is that so?” Ellie’s head tilted, her tone yful yet provocative. “I may not have spent New Year’s with Erick, but I did spend it with someone else.”


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    Kaiden’s expression tightened, a hint of danger flickering in his eyes.


    “Who?”


    His posture suggested he was ready to confront whoever it was.


    “Why would I tell you if it doesn’t matter to you?” Ellie countered. Kaiden grumbled in displeasure, reaching out to pinch her chin, about to say something.


    Then, Ellie shifted the conversation to a more serious note. “Kaiden, do you actually like me?”


    He paused, visibly caught off guard.


    Her earnest gaze, filled with vulnerability, seemed to demand an honest answer. Did he like her?


    Kaiden had never really pondered this question. Such matters of the heart were often the concerns of the younger, more romantic souls.


    Yet there she was, his wife, still so young at twenty-one, seeking reassurance.


    Kaiden wanted to ask her the same question. Did she like him? But he hesitated, unsure whether it was from the fear of asking, or perhaps the fear of the answer.


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