<h4>Chapter 214: Shared Dreams</h4>


    Rain parted her lips, utterly speechless.


    "What? You didn’t expect something like this from me?" Alexander teased as they reached the shore. He helped her out of the boat, guiding her toward the gazebo.


    Inside, a table was set with exquisite attention to detail. Soft music filled the air, creating an intimate atmosphere. Alexander pulled out her chair, and Rain took her seat, beaming as he joined her.


    "You really never fail to surprise me," she said, her wide smile reflecting how special she felt in this moment. It meant so much that Alexander had gone to such lengths for her.


    Dinner began with an array of their favourite dishes, carefully chosen to please them both. They savoured each course under the stars, thenterns in the distance casting a soft glow across theke. Between bites, Alexander shared small memories from his childhood, revealing delightful details she hadn’t known before. His stories made herugh and filled her with warmth.


    "So this ce was owned by Sebastian?" she asked, intrigued.


    "Yes, he’s the oldest in our circle and acts like our big brother. Thiske was a good spot for fishing, but William and my father preferred theke near our winery and vineyard so they could visit the vineyard afterwards."


    "Then why here?" Rain inquired.


    Alexander chuckled. "Well, this ce has a private gazebo where we can eat and rx. Don’t worry; I’ll instruct them to make renovations so ourke can be just as inviting. We never thought of it before, but seeing how much you love this setup makes me want to create the perfect spot even better than this one."


    "So, how was your day today?" Alexander asked, his tone light. It had be aforting routine for them to share snippets of their days, usually during their drives home.


    Rain smiled. To be honest, she had a twinge of disheartenment after her conversation with Ivan a while ago before meeting Alexander. Ivan still had no progress on her father’s case, and it weighed heavily on her. But Alexander always had a way of lifting her spirits, and the surprise he had nned for her tonight made her heart flutter.


    She lovingly stared at him, marvelling at how he could brighten her mood so effortlessly. There was still so much she hadn’t told him about her facility and research institute; she didn’t want to give him false hope just yet. She’d wait until Ivan delivered some good news. That would be a great surprise for Alexander when the time was right.


    Rain leaned back in her chair, considering her response. "Oh, right! Did Sebastian mention Alyssa’s case to you? I had coffee with him after lunch. We met at the Supreme Court..." she exined, eager to share her thoughts.


    "Yes, he did. He said he’d take care of it, so I’ll let him handle it. After all, Alyssa is his responsibility," Alexander replied casually, a hint of confidence in his voice.


    Rain’s curiosity was piqued. "What do you mean?!" she eximed, staring at him intently. She needed to know more about how Sebastian nned to address Alyssa’s situation.


    "Hmm, that is a bitplex. To be honest, I don’t know the whole story, but from what I’ve heard, Alyssa has been long betrothed to Sebastian. She’s not aware of it yet, though; it’s a decision made by Uncle Mark. But they’ll give Alyssa the freedom to choose when the timees," Alexander exined.


    Rain simply nodded, recognizing that it wasn’t her ce to meddle in their family affairs. Yet, a nagging worry lingered in her mind. She recalled overhearing Alyssa’s cheating boyfriend while she was at the café with Sebastian, and she couldn’t shake the feeling that she didn’t want Alexander’s family to be taken advantage of in such a way.


    As they finished their dinner, the soft glow of thenterns reflected in Rain’s eyes, creating an almost magical atmosphere. Alexander smiled at her, his gaze warm and encouraging. "Are you ready to release ournterns?" he asked, his voiceced with excitement.


    Rain nodded, her heart fluttering with anticipation. "I can’t wait!"


    They both stood up from the table and walked hand in hand toward the edge of theke, where thenterns floated gently on the water’s surface. The night was still, and the air was filled with a sense of peace.


    Alexander picked up one of thenterns, holding it carefully. "Before we let them go, let’s make a wish together. Something we both hope for," he suggested, his eyes sparkling under the starlit sky.


    "What should we wish for?" Rain asked, wondering what Alexander had in his mind right now.


    He turned to her, his expression serious yet soft. "Let’s wish for our dreams toe true together. For happiness, health, and everything we desire."


    Rain felt her heart swell at his words. "I love that idea," she replied, her voice barely above a whisper. The word "together" resonated deeply within her.


    They both closed their eyes, taking a moment to think deeply about their wishes.


    When they opened their eyes, Alexander carefully handed her thentern. "On the count of three," he said, his tone filled with anticipation. "One... two... three!"


    Together, they released thentern into the night sky. It floated upward, its soft light illuminating the darkness. Rain watched in awe as it drifted higher, carrying their wishes with it.


    "Look at it go!" she eximed, her face beaming with joy. She felt like they were kids again, and she truly enjoyed these moments with Alexander.


    "It’s beautiful, just like you," Alexander said, ncing at her with genuine admiration.


    Rain felt her cheeks warm at hispliment, and she quickly turned her gaze back to thentern, teasing, "That’s such a cliche line, husband."


    Alexander chuckled, a yful grin spreading across his face. "I know, right? I never imagined I’d be capable of delivering cheesy lines like that until you came into my life. Honestly, I’m surprised those words just popped out of my lips at all!"


    Rainughed, the sound light and airy. "Well, it’s working for you. Just remember to keep the cheesyplimentsing. I’m a fan."


    "I’ll make a note of it," he replied with mock seriousness. "More cheesy lines for my beautiful wife."


    "Good," she chortled. "But don’t let it get out of hand, or I might start expecting poems."


    "Now that’s a challenge," he quipped. "I’ll have to think of something really special for that."


    She felt Alexander’s warm arms wrap around her from behind as they watched thenterns drift higher into the night sky. A swell of warmth filled Rain inside, enveloping her infort and happiness.


    Moments like these, filled withughter and light-hearted banter, made her heart feel full. For a brief moment, the world around them faded away, leaving just the two of them and their shared dreams.