On a cold winter night in New York, Aiden Thompson tightly held Grace Li's hand as they made their way through the crowded streets to where he had parked. He opened the trunk and pulled out a bag filled with sparklers, which he had carefully picked out. In New York, sparklers weren't exactly something you could find just anywhere, and it had taken him some effort to get them.
They reached the Hudson River and stopped at a quiet, dimly lit spot. Aiden pulled out a sparkler and lit it. The sparks shot up in the air with a crackling sound, lighting up the small space around them, as well as their faces, which were full of happiness.
Grace stared at the sparkler in her hand, her eyes full of wonder, as if she were admiring a work of art. Aiden stood by her side, focused on his phone, snapping pictures of her. He'd spent some time watching photography tutorials online to get the perfect shots, and now every photo seemed to capture a beautiful moment of Grace.
Grace looked like a carefree child in the glow of the sparkler, her smile radiant. Aiden kept switching angles, capturing her every cute pose. In just a few minutes, his phone was filled with dozens of pictures of her.
Just then, a young guy in his twenties ran up, out of breath. "Hey, do you guys have any extra sparklers? I'll pay top dollar for them."
Grace looked at him with curiosity and asked, "What do you need them for?"
The guy scratched his head, looking a bit embarrassed. "My girlfriend's been down today. She's totally obsessed with sparklers, and I know they'll cheer her up."
Grace and Aiden exchanged a glance. Aiden had bought two boxes of sparklers, and they were done having fun with them.
Grace smiled and said, "Sure, you don't have to pay. Just take them."
Without hesitation, Aiden handed over the remaining sparklers to the young man.
The guy's face lit up with excitement. "Thanks a ton!"
"No problem," Aiden replied with a smile.
They watched the guy eagerly run off, and then Grace turned to Aiden, quietly asking, "So, where to next?"
Aiden looked at her with affection. "Do you want to go to Times Square for the countdown, or… head home?"
The way he said "home" was soft and tender, with a touch of affection. Grace's heart fluttered as if a feather had brushed against it. She cleared her throat. "Times Square is always crazy during the countdown."
"Then let's go home," Aiden said, his voice warm and reassuring.
Back at their apartment, they didn't need words. They embraced tightly, an unspoken understanding between them. The twenty-two days apart had felt like a lifetime. Texting and calling could never compare to actually holding each other. Their embrace wasn't just about physical longing—it was the emotional connection that had built up over the days, finally releasing in that moment.
On New Year's Eve, some people were at home, enjoying the festivities on TV, others were in the crowded streets of Times Square, eagerly awaiting the countdown, while some were quietly reflecting on the past year and looking forward to the next. But in the cozy warmth of their home, Aiden and Grace were lost in each other's embrace, completely wrapped up in the moment, reluctant to let go.
**
Aiden Thompson carefully carried Grace Li out of the bathroom, setting her down gently by the bed. He picked up the blow dryer and began drying her hair, section by section. Occasionally, his fingers brushed against the soft skin on the back of her neck, where he'd left a small mark—a red spot like a plum blossom in the snow, bright and unique.
Once her hair was dry, Grace was starting to feel drowsy. Aiden gently pulled her close and lay down with her. Though she was physically exhausted, sleep didn't come right away. She simply rested in his arms, eyes closed, enjoying the quiet and warmth between them.
"Aiden ," Grace whispered, her voice soft, like a half-dream.
"I'm here," Aiden answered gently, running his fingers through her hair.
"During the time we were apart, sometimes I'd wonder if the past year was just a dream I made up... and if you were even real."
Aiden paused, surprised, then smiled softly. "Am I that unreal to you?"
Grace smiled lightly. "Yeah, so unreal. Like you stepped out of a TV show."
"But I'm not from a TV show. I'm real, and I'm really here with you."
"Hmm," Grace murmured, a soft sound of agreement.
Aiden smiled and added, "Even though I promised my dad we'd be apart for three years, I'll come to see you whenever I can. Anyway, he won't know."
"Hmm." Grace was feeling more awake now, and she lifted her head off his chest. "I was thinking today—if we're apart for too long and our lives start heading in different directions, will we run out of things to talk about?"
"Of course not. I could talk to you about the weather for half an hour."
"Really? You're that talkative?"
"Only when I'm with you."
"Why's that?"
"I don't know. I never really liked talking about the little things in life with people around me. Maybe it's just something I got used to when I'm with you. I just really want to open up."
"Is it my fault that I've spoiled you?"
"Rather than spoiled, I'd say we're becoming more alike. After living together, our habits just started to match."
At that moment, a loud "thud-thud-thud" echoed from outside. Grace suddenly sat up, as if realizing something. She quickly threw off the covers, jumped out of bed, and rushed to the window. She pulled back the curtain, and from a distance, she saw fireworks bursting one after another over Times Square, lighting up the night sky.
Aiden followed her out of bed and wrapped his arms around her from behind, both of them quietly watching the beautiful fireworks.
Last year, they'd watched the fireworks together, but at that time, they weren't even a couple. He looked at the vibrant fireworks and then glanced down at Grace, her face glowing in the firelight, making her look even more beautiful. A man who never cared for making wishes, at that moment, silently made one.
A simple, but sincere wish: that every year, on New Year's Eve, he would be with her, watching the fireworks together.
**
Aiden Thompson rushed home on the afternoon of January 1st. He acted casual as he made his way upstairs, just in time to bump into his father, Rex Thompson, who had just come out of the study.
Rex furrowed his brow, his expression serious. "Where the hell have you been? You're just now coming back?"
Aiden stayed calm, replying smoothly, "I spent New Year's with some friends and crashed at their place."
"Hmph!" Rex grunted, his face still dark, and turned to head back into the study. "Get in here."
Aiden blew lightly at his damp bangs, then walked in slowly behind Rex, following him into the study.
Rex sat down in his chair, assuming an authoritative posture. "Cut the crap. Where were you really?"
Aiden remained unfazed. "I told you, I was with friends for New Year's."
"Which friends?"
"You don't know them."
"How could I not know? I met her just last month."
Aiden's heart skipped a beat. His father was onto him, but he refused to admit anything. "I'm a grown man. You're not seriously going to micromanage who I spend New Year's with, are you?"
"I can let you hang out with anyone, but I remember we had a deal," Rex said, his voice firm. "You two aren't supposed to meet for three years. Since you saw her, the clock resets. From now on, every time you meet her, the countdown starts over."
Aiden clenched his jaw, irritated, but kept his composure. "You're just pulling that out of thin air."
Rex reached for the tablet on the desk and shoved it toward him. "Take a look."
Aiden opened the video file on the tablet. The video was of him and Grace Li by the Hudson River, playing with sparklers. It was only about twenty seconds long, but it clearly showed them together.
Aiden quickly closed the video and deleted it. He had thought he covered his tracks, but his father had clearly had him followed. It was exactly the kind of thing Rex would do.
"Didn't expect you to have so much time on your hands," Aiden said with a touch of sarcasm.
"Yeah, well, you know how it is," Rex said with a shrug. "Since you're so good at sneaking around, you should get back to work and earn your keep at the company."
Rex smirked. "What, you're pissed off now that I caught you red-handed?"
"No, I'm good," Aiden replied calmly. "But, I do want to talk about something."
"Go ahead, lay it on me," Rex said, his tone challenging.
"At the shareholders' meeting next Wednesday, if I can keep the Thompson family's controlling stake in Silverstone Group, then the three-year deal gets cut down to one year. After one year, I'm marrying Grace Li."
Rex scoffed. "You're out of your mind."
Aiden shoved his hands in his pockets. "If you don't go for it, then I've got no reason to stick around. Dad, you know how to motivate your employees, but why are you being such a hard-ass with me?"
Rex glared at him. "So for one little thing, you want to chop three years down to one? You've got some nerve. If you can hold onto the controlling stake, the best I can do is let yesterday's little rendezvous slide."
Aiden held firm. "That's not enough."
Rex ground his teeth. "If you're not happy with that, then I'll take it off the table too."
Aiden took a deep breath. "Dad, the reason I agreed to your terms was because neither Grace nor I want to be together with guilt hanging over our heads. I'll tell you straight up, whether it's one year from now, three years from now, or ten years from now, I'm marrying Grace Li. She's going to be my wife, no matter what."
Rex didn't budge. "Then we'll cross that bridge when we get there, three years from now."
What a stubborn old man! Aiden thought, frustrated but unable to say more. He turned and left the study.