Just as Lucian handed over the framed painting to Nicholas, Nicholas's smile widened to form a
pleasant grin.
No matter who had made this painting, Nicholas was moved by Lucian's intention.
Lucian had always been aloof ever since Fiona passed away. He seldom returned to the Zhan mansion
for the Spring Festival. Nicholas found it both surprising and pleasant to have dinner with his son.
Fannie stayed silent and just stood in one corner, glaring at Amelia at the same time.
"Mom, this is what Amelia chose for you." Lucian took the clothes from the bag and handed them to
Fannie.
Fannie's expressions changed at that. Her face turned from slightly surprised to indifferent in a few
seconds. She looked coldly at Amelia and said, "I have many clothes. I don't need these."
Amelia's heart trembled when Fannie rejected her gift bluntly. After recovering from her shock, she
forced a smile.
Before she could open her mouth, Lucian interrupted, "All right." Lucian's expression was cold and icy
when he stuffed the clothes back in the bag.
"It's the New Year's Eve, Fannie. Why can't you at least pretend to be happy?" Nicholas couldn't stand
still after seeing Fannie's behavior. Seriousness floated in his eyes when he gazed at her.
Fannie clutched her fist tightly and glared at Nicholas. She took multiple breaths to suppress her anger.
"Do I have to grin all the time just to make you happy?"
Nicholas was speechless and sighed deeply.
Fannie ruined the serene atmosphere between Lucian and his father.
Lucian ignored Fannie and walked toward Amelia. He held her hand gently and whispered soothingly,
"It's okay."
Amelia's lips stretched to form a faint smile. Her heart didn't have a trace of anger or distress anymore.
She had expected Fannie to behave like that anyway.
After eating, both Nicholas and Lucian went to the study while Amelia waited in the living room.
Fannie was calmly staring at the cup in her hand, and she sipped it again. Fannie seemed calm on the
surface. She didn't even gaze at Amelia with her displeased expressions. Amelia glanced at the
woman and shifted uneasily on her seat as if she wanted to say something. She opened her mouth, but
nothing came out. What if she ended up annoying Fannie again? The silence made her feel even more
awkward.
"I know Lucian and his father like you already, but I won't. And don't worry, I won't accept you for the
rest of my life," Fannie said coldly.
Those words made Amelia's heart feel suffocated. She averted her eyes and looked down.
Before silence between them could become even more awkward, Lucian walked downstairs and took
hold of Amelia's hand. He didn't even glance at Fannie and said, "Happy New Year, mom. We should
go home."
Fannie's anger increased after seeing the two of them together, and she turned her face away. She
picked up her coffee and continued to drink, ignoring Amelia's and Lucian's existence.
Lucian dragged out his frowning wife, deciding to head home. They were silent for their entire journey.
Just as Lucian got out of the car, he observed a weird expression on Amelia's face. "Amelia, didn't you
promise not to take Fannie seriously? Why are you frowning?" His gaze carried a hint of worry when he
gazed at her.
Amelia touched her forehead and asked, "Did I really frown?"
"Like an old lady in her seventies!" Lucian had a playful smile on his lips. He urged her to sit on the
couch and asked, "Guess why my father called me in the study?" His voice carried a hint of mystery.
Amelia's confused gaze cast on him before pouting when he didn't say anything else. "I don't know."
He grinned and made a sound as if he was dramatically beating drums before revealing some mystery.
Lucian took out two red packets from his coat and handed them to Amelia. "This one is from father, and
the other one is from me."
Amelia stared at the red packets in a daze. The packets had a lot of money. Her heart floated in the
warmth of love.
Her mind traveled back to when Iris used to give her red packets, especially the one Iris handed just
before dying. Amelia used to feel distressed at this time of the year because she would be reminded of
that painful memory. When she looked at the two red packets in her hand, her eyes moistened. She
didn't know what to say.
It was the Spring Festival, and Lily had gone to her hometown to stay with her family members. That
meant Lucian and Amelia were alone in the huge villa. It was Amelia who decided to cook for the
Spring Festival's Eve.
She wore a floral apron, thinking about all the dishes she would make. Just as Amelia was about to
start cooking, Lucian stopped her. He smiled and took her apron off. "I'll cook dinner."
"You can cook?" Amelia couldn't believe what she heard. 'He can't even wash the dishes. How can he
cook?' she wondered.
"You don't have to take care of the chores tonight. You have done enough already. Go and watch TV."
Lucian's voice was soft.
Amelia rolled her eyes. She didn't believe in Lucian's cooking skills, but she was curious.
He didn't like to be stared at by others while cooking. Just as he opened the fridge, he felt someone's
stare on his back, and he turned around to see Amelia still standing at the door. Smiling awkwardly, he
said, "You can go. I'll call you when it's ready."
Even though she wanted to see him working in the kitchen, she had to leave. "All right." Amelia pouted
and watched TV obediently in the living room.
About an hour had passed, and Amelia couldn't take it anymore. Curiosity took over her heart, and she
sneaked into the kitchen. Lucian was standing in the dining room, holding a bottle of red wine. He
placed it on a round table draped with a red cloth. In the middle, she could see a giant white candle
bursting with yellow light. Then she saw him taking other candles.
"Oh my God! A romantic dinner with candles!" Amelia stared at the scene with wide eyes and covered
her mouth. She was so surprised that her words came out in the form of a high-pitched voice.
Lucian didn't expect for Amelia to show up suddenly. He frowned and looked at her, relaxing his
shoulders the next second. "Amelia, please turn off the lights." He watched her robotically clicking the
button, still in shock, and he presented her with a gentle smile.
After lightening up the candles on the table, he backed up and looked at his arrangement. The entire
table was decorated with lily flowers on the edges with candles in the middle. Two plates filled with
delicious food were placed on either side. He smiled in satisfaction.
Amelia stared at the table decorated with candles, and a sense of insecurity filled her heart.
Lucian took hold of Amelia and pulled her in his embrace. The atmosphere seemed both romantic and
bright. That was when she returned to Earth and looked at Lucian. Candlelight reflected on his
handsome face, carving out everything perfectly. Her heart jumped to her throat upon seeing Lucian
standing so close to her.
He brought her near the table. An intense fragrance of lily mixed with wine and cakes entered her
lungs, and she closed her eyes. Her mood was instantly lifted, and everything that happened with
Fannie was forgotten.
Pulling out the chair for her, he smiled at her adorable face. "Mrs. Amelia, have a seat, and try it." A
faint smile graced Lucian's lips.
Amelia knew that Lucian was not good at cooking, but she could tell that he had worked hard to
prepare tonight's dinner.
She gazed at him for a long time and smiled. Her heart was deeply moved. "You know, this is my first
candlelight dinner."
"What a coincidence! It's my first time too." He beamed at her.
Amelia's eyes were fixed on Lucian as he guzzled the wine. He looked alluring in the candlelight,
making her heart skip a beat.
The scent of wine spread across them as they filled their cups with it. Their eyes met one another, and
both of them smiled. Everything was just perfect.
Amelia raised the cup to her mouth and emptied it in a go.
Lucian wanted to stop her from drinking more, but he didn't feel like setting too many restrictions on
her. Back when they went for dinner in a western-style restaurant, he had realized the fact that Amelia
loved her freedom. They were at home anyway. He could take care of her, even if she ended up getting
drunk.
Thinking like that, Lucian relaxed his shoulders and drank with her until he felt dizzy. Before he could
do anything, a small figure fell in his arms. Just as he realized who he was, she snuggled closer. He
held her as if she was his greatest treasure.
Amelia's knees went soft in his arms. Her cheeks were burning because of the amount of alcohol she
had.
She moved her gaze and tried to focus her blurry eyes at him. In the candlelight, half of his face lit up in
yellowish color. A trace of warmth spread in her heart when he stared at her gently.
A familiar fragrance entered her nose, making her feel intoxicated. Amelia couldn't hold it in anymore.
She put her hands on the nape of his neck and pulled him closer, kissing him fiercely.
Her action ignited a fire in Lucian's barren heart. This feeling was hidden in the deepest chambers of
his heart, and Amelia boldly opened the door, making his heart beat faster.
"Amelia..." He mumbled her name against her lips, holding her tightly in his arms. By the time they
pulled out, they both were out of breath. Still, Lucian wasn't done yet. He dragged Amelia and laid her
down on the bed, looking at her with overflowing gentleness. Then he pressed his body against her,
giving a passionate kiss on her lips. The atmosphere was filled with love and romance as the two of
them rolled in the hay.
The bedroom was filled with the sound of their love, and the New Year bell accompanied it.
Amelia woke up on the first day of the New Year because of the firecrackers.
Although the villa was isolated from the downtown area, the sound of the fireworks could still be heard.
She rubbed her eyes and looked around as the memories about last night rushed into her mind.
Lucian had prepared her a candlelight dinner, and they kissed. Her hand subconsciously reached the
other side only to find it empty.
At first, she thought it was all a dream. How could it be real? Just as she remembered the perfect night
and their passionate kiss, a blush crept on her cheeks. Even if it was a dream, she would never dare to
go that far. She sighed softly and moved her feet only to feel a wave of pain shooting through her body.
The bedroom door opened, and Lucian walked toward her. He ruffled his wet hair as he tossed the
towel on the side, looking down at her with affection. "Are you okay?" His voice carried a hint of worry.
After all, the impact of red wine was so strong that he lost control last night.
Amelia held her head, feeling a bit dizzy. When she remembered how she had initiated their kiss last
night, her head lowered down in embarrassment. "I was too drunk last night."
A smile formed on his lips as he remembered the scene. "Don't worry. You were drunk at home
anyway. And besides, it's fine to fall prey to a similar situation twice."
"Huh? Twice?" Amelia looked at Lucian in surprise.
A frown made its way to his forehead when he realized how confused Amelia was. Didn't she
remember anything from last night? He thought for a while as a smile adorned his lips, kissing her head
gently. "I'll always be good to you."
When a pair of strong hands lifted her up, she turned around to see the bed sheets. She narrowed her
eyes and remembered the color of the sheet. Hadn't she placed a cream-colored sheet yesterday
morning? It seemed Lucian changed it to white while she was asleep.
No matter how naive she was, she could understand why Lucian had to change the sheets so
suddenly.
"Last night…" Her voice trailed off, realizing that it was a reality, not a dream.
Amelia's body went stiff at the thought. She couldn't even dare to look at Lucian in the eyes.
"Amelia. We are a couple." He cupped her face and forced her to look at him.
She understood what he meant, but embarrassment took over her rational mind. Her face turned red,
and she averted her eyes. "I... I'll be in the bathroom."
Just as she took two steps, she felt a throbbing pain in her legs. She was trembling all over. Lucian
took hold of her before she could fall, carrying her back to bed. He poured hot water for her in a cup
and said, "You should rest. If you need anything, I'll be outside."
Amelia's face was as red as a tomato. She couldn't speak a word.
Ever since they started sleeping on the same bed, she knew this day would come. Still, she felt
embarrassed when that moment finally crossed her path.
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