As Stefan stared at the candle, an unreadable emotion flickered in his eyes. He pressed his hands together, closed his eyes, and made a wish.


    After a moment, he opened his eyes and blew out the candle. "Thank you, Veevee."


    "No need to thank me. But I''m curious-what did you wish for?" Vrie asked.


    Stefan smiled. "If I tell you, it won''te true, right?"


    "Fair enough. Here, this is your birthday present," Vrie said.


    When Stefan saw the ck box she handed him, he looked surprised. "Isn''t the present all those clothes?"


    "Those were just extras. This is the real gift," Vrie replied.


    Stefan hesitated, taking the box. "Can I open it now?"


    Vrie nodded. "Of course."


    He carefully untied the ribbon and lifted the lid. As soon as he saw what was inside, shock shed across his face.


    "This is..." he murmured.


    Inside the box was a key.


    "I bought you an apartment near the university. That way, you won''t have to stay in the dorms anymore," Vrie exined.


    Stefan immediately shut the box and handed it back. "This is too much. I can''t ept it."


    The clothes were already more than generous. If he epted the apartment too, he would feel even more guilty.


    "Ourpany has a partnership with the developer of thatplex. The apartment was a gift from them, so I didn''t actually pay for it. You don''t need to feel burdened," Vrie rified.


    Stefan shook his head. "I really can''t ept it. The clothes alone are more than enough. Please take this back."


    Even if the apartment was a gift, its market value was still in the millions. He couldn''t ept it in good conscience.


    Besides, the reason he had approached Vrie in the first ce wasn''t exactly pure.


    Seeing how firm Stefan was, Vrie had no choice but to take the box back. "Alright then."


    As she put the key away, Stefan felt a sense of relief. "Veevee, I really appreciate you celebrating my birthday today. I won''t forget it."


    "It''s nothing. It''s gettingte. Head back inside," Vrie replied.


    She packed up the cake and handed him the shopping bags filled with clothes from the trunk.


    "Can you carry everything?" she asked.


    "Yeah. Thank you," Stefan said again.


    Vrie waved him off. "Enough with the thank-yous. Go on, now."


    She watched as Stefan walked back into campus before driving away.


    ...


    The moment Stefan returned to his dorm, his phone rang.


    It was Michelle.


    "How''s it going with Vrie?" she asked.


    Stefan nced at the clothes piled on the floor and the cake sitting on the desk. He


    stood up and stepped onto the balcony.


    "Pretty good," he answered.


    Michelle let out a coldugh. "Stefan,


    I don''t want to hear empty words


    When are you going to sleep with


    her? When are


    ou going to get me


    some real proof?"


    fo


    "She''s not letting me get too close yet. I need more time to build trust," Stefan exined.


    "Hah. Well your dear home-wrecking


    mother''s next medical bill is due in


    ten days. If I don''t get what I want by then figure it out yourself," Michelle threatened before hanging up.


    Stefan put his phone away and stood on the balcony for a long while before finally heading back inside.


    As soon as he sat down, one of his roommates walked over. "Stefan, is it your birthday today? Why''d you get a cake?"


    Stefan nced at the cake. "No, I just felt like eating one."


    He picked it up and handed it to his roommate. "But now that I bought it, I don''t


    really feel like eating it anymore. You guys can have it."


    no,


    "Damn, you''re the best! I won''t say His roommate cake but noticed Stefan was still


    holding onto the caked the


    ribbon.