Anya stood there, a bit puzzled, "Where to?"
"The front gate, someone's dropping something off for you."
Adorably confused, Anya wondered, A gift? What could it be?
After hanging up, she slipped into her white and pink silk nightgown and pulled on her teddy bear slippers, ready to head out.
Mr. Calder came downstairs, "Anya, where are you going?"
"The front gate. Chad said someone’s delivering something for me."
As the morning unfolded, the staff began their day, turning on the sprinklers to water the lawn and flowerbeds. The morning sun was gentle, like a child waking up, soft and endearing.
Anya navigated through the garden, taking a shortcut to the front gate.
As she neared, she spotted a tall young man she hadn't seen in ages, standing there with a smile, hands tucked behind his back.
It had been so long. Leo watched as Anya emerged from the greenery, like a fairy stepping out of the woods, leaving her momentarily stunned.
"Chad," Anya softly called out Leo’s name.
Her face lit up with a smile, and she dashed toward him, slippers flapping, calling out, "Chad~"
"Open the gate," she told the security guard.
As she reached Leo, the guard opened the gate, and Anya practically leapt into his arms, hugging his waist and burying herself in his embrace, "Chad, I’ve missed you so much."
Leo raised an eyebrow, "Oh?"
He hadn't quite felt the same longing.
Anya looked up at him, her chin resting on his chest, "Chad, I really did miss you."
Leo wrapped his arms around her, gently cradling her head, gazing at her with affection, "Since you sprinted to see me, I guess I owe you a kiss. Close your eyes."
Leo was as bold as ever, embracing and kissing her passionately right at the Calder family's gate.
Their lips met, and Anya nervously clutched Leo’s shirt, eyes closed as she responded.
After the kiss, Anya bashfully buried her face in his chest, "Chad, that must have been a long drive."
"It was quite the trip, so how are you going to make it up to me?"
Anya hugged him tighter, pouting, "I told you not to come, and now I’ll worry about you on the way back. In a few weeks, when the holiday’s over, I’ll be back."
Leo chuckled, "If I didn't come, I wouldn’t know if my girlfriend’s heart had changed."
"It hasn’t changed at all. My heart’s all yours, Chad." With that, Leo bent down to give her another kiss.
After parting, Leo pulled a box from his car, "Hold out your hand."
Anya extended her hand, "Chad, is it a gift?"
Leo opened the jewelry box to reveal a bracelet with a gold charm flanked by lucky beads.
He fastened it around her wrist, adjusting the cords, which ended in a small jade stone.
Leo checked the fit, "Looks like my guess was spot on."
After his first paycheck, Leo had gone to the mall, browsing jewelry counters. "Looking for something special? For a girlfriend or yourself?"
Leo nodded, "For my girlfriend and my mom."
"For your girlfriend, I’d recommend this charm for good fortune; for your mom, perhaps a necklace or earrings."
Leo thought that sounded perfect. When asked about Anya’s wrist size, he couldn’t say for sure, so he demonstrated with his fingers, "Whenever I hold her hand, it feels just like this."
The salesperson was momentarily speechless but managed to tailor the bracelet based on his description.
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