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It’s the last day of the year. December 31. In under twenty-four hours, it’ll be the beginning of a new year. 2025. I’m surprised I can even say that. It felt like yesterday we were celebrating the beginning of this year. Time goes extremely fast, it’s hard to catch up. However, that wasn’t the only thing we were celebrating last year, and it won’t be the only thing we do this year either.
Today is Elaina’s birthday. She’s a New Year’s Eve baby, that’s what she was marked as when she left the hospital. She loves the New Year for many reasons, but her turning one year older is the biggest. However, she didn’t expect to come to New York on the holidays this year, nor did she expect she would have to go through her tenth birthday without her mom. But her mom not being here, means I can buy her a present.
April hates getting anything from us because it counts as “Roland’s money.” After several arguments, she refuses to take anything from him because of his greed. He’d use any excuse he could to get something in exchange, so she stopped giving him anything any excuses and refuses to accept anything from him,too. I don’t blame her, but it’s unfair to Aurora and Elaina in many ways.
So, I need to go out and buy her something before midnight. That’s if I’m able to leave the house without any suspicion.
I walk toward Val’s room, where she’s working. I knock on the door. “Come in,” she shouts out, and I push the door open.
“Hey Val,” I greet. She closes her computer and stands up when she notices me.
“Elias. Hey, you need anything?” she asks, stepping closer toward me.
“Is it okay if I go out for a while?” I ask.
“Yeah, of course. Why, do you need something?” I’m sure she knows it’s Elaina’s birthday anyway, it would’ve been in the information she got from us when she announced us as winners.
“It’s Elaina’s birthday. It’s her first time celebrating without her mom, so I was planning to buy her a present,” I explain. She processes what I’ve said, before she closes her eyes and brings her hand to her forehead.
“Oh my God, you just reminded me. I have something for her today. I saw her birthday while I was doing identification checks and made some arrangements,” she replies.
Identification checks? That feels like overkill, especially as we have her our ID’s. “You do identification checks? Even on government issued identification.” I ask, raising my eyebrow.
“Of course. Anyone could fake an identity, it’s easy. You could be faking yours for all I know,” she points out, making me even more confused.
“You think Roland’s son would fake an ID?”
“Yeah. Who told you I’m not faking mine” she says, and with such a smooth tone. “I’m joking, it’s just I don’t trust easily. And yes, you can go, we aren’t doing anything else today,” she answers. We went out for a while in the morning, and decided the rest of the day would be hotel activities.
She’s talking to me now. That’s a good thing. She isn’t ignoring me like she was before. But she’s still distant and always trying to avoid me. Lorenzo is still persistent on his assumption and will not change his mind. I still, to this day, don’t know why he thinks I forced myself on Val, especially as we’ve both told him that’s not the case. Sometimes it feels like maybe I’m dumb, and maybe that’s what it was to her. But she told me why she’s ignoring me. Because of Lorenzo. It’s funny, they’re both ignoring me because of each other. It shows how strong their friendship is, and I’m just in the middle of it. That’s the problem.
“Do you need me to pick anything else up?” I ask.
“No, just don’t get a cake, I’ve already done that. Unless you’re fine with us having too much,” she tells me.
“Do you want me to pick it up for you? I can spare you the drive,” I offer. I’m already causing a lot of problems with Lorenzo on the trip, it’s the least I could do for her. I don’t know what’s wrong with me these days.
“You’re a guest, you aren’t allowed to spare me anything but legal authorities.”
“Please, let me do this for you, as an apology for yesterday,” I tell her. I also don’t know what was wrong with me yesterday. Something is wrong with me in general. I’m always angry or upset, but I’m never like this.
“Don’t apologize for yesterday, I shouldn’t have—”
“Come on, just for today. It’ll give you time to get more work done and rest, you deserve that,” I tell her. She hesitates, before a soft smile appears on her face.
“Okay, fine. Just this time. I’ll send you the details,” she finally agrees. Her face lights up, but barely. She looks tired, but her face is still bright. Her smile, no matter how weak it is, shines. It’s so stupid, how I say I’ll get over her, but the second my eyes find her, my heart gives in. I can’t get over her. It feelslike something impossible. No matter how much I try, I want her more.
I never knew how good life could be until she was in it, and I don’t want to know how bad it will be if she leaves.
But she made it clear. She wants nothing to do with me. She couldn’t love me, and she doesn’t want to. She’s everything, but to her I’m nothing. I just have to accept that.
Chapter 75 – Dieci
Val
“Happy Birthday!” Ellie shouts, barely able to balance the cake in her hands. I love her but giving her the cake wasn’t an idea I was rooting for. It’s heavy, and we don’t have a replacement if it falls. But enough pleading from her and I gave in.
Elaina squeals, jumping. “Oh my God, you remembered!” she exclaims, happiness bursting on her face.
