?Chapter 867:


    What kid could resist cake? Even though Lizzie had tried to y it cool before, iming she wasn’t a big fan of sweets just to get Elena to ept her gift, the sight of that chocte cake made her eyes widen. “A chocte cake!” Lizzie eximed, pointing at herself with pure, surprised joy. “Wait… Is this really… for me?”


    Elena smiled warmly. “Yep. All for you.”


    Lizzie had probably neverid eyes on such a fancy cake before. It was so beautiful that she almost couldn’t bring herself to cut into it. She looked up at Elena, her voice barely a whisper. “Elena… can I have a hug?”


    Elena was a little taken aback by the sudden request, but she nodded. Lizzie quickly wiped her hands on her worn dress before throwing her small arms around Elena’s waist.


    Elena smelled warm andforting. Lizzie wished she could stay wrapped in that hug forever.


    Elena held the little girl close, her own face surprisingly serene, and gently patted Lizzie’s small back.


    Wesley, standing awkwardly in the cramped doorway, frowned, a flicker of annoyance crossing his features. This little girl sure knew how to capture Elena’s attention. After a couple of minutes, he finally cut in, his tone impatient. “Alright, enough with the hugging. Let’s get a move on.”


    Lizzie quickly unwrapped herself from Elena, her cheeks flushed with embarrassment. “Thank you so much, Elena. This is… my very first birthday present.”


    Elena left Lizzie’s humble home, a heavy knot of emotion tightening in her chest. The walk back to the vi was uncharacteristically quiet for her.


    Wesley immediately picked up on her unusual silence.


    After returning to the vi, Wesley sent the staff away and led Elena upstairs to the ss-walled room on the top floor.


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    Gazing out of the ss, the entire ind stretched out before them, the crystal-clear sea melting into the endless blue of the sky. The salty breeze yed with their hair, and standing so high above the ground felt strangely freeing, as if all their burdens had slipped away, leaving them tiny pieces of the vast world.


    Wesley dropped onto a lounge chair with casual ease, his intense, unreadable expression directed toward the horizon.


    Elena was unsure why he had brought her here. Noticing she remained standing, Wesley reached out and gently tugged her down onto the lounge chair beside him.


    Off bnce, Elena stumbled into the seat, a frown tugging at her brow. “What…”


    Wesley’s voice came low and soft,ced with a quiet sadness. “When your heart feels heavy, sometimes staring at the open sky and sea can help you breathe easier.”


    Elena stiffened slightly. Had he noticed her bad mood? She had meant to leave, but instead, she shifted against the chair, adjusting herself into a morefortable position beside him.


    As she took in the endless stretch of sea and sky, the tightness in her chest slowly began to loosen. She slowly closed her eyes, letting the salty breeze, the warmth of the sun, and the subtle cedar scent clinging to him soak into her senses.


    His deep, resonant voice broke through the stillness. “What’s bothering you?”


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