Chapter 263
After a few sleepless nights, Noelle managed to put the finishing touches on her handmade gift just in time, with only a day left before Ethan’s birthday.
That same night, Ethan came home from work. Ruben was behind the wheel, driving him back home.
The moment Ethan stepped out of the car, Ruben popped open the trunk and began unloading box after box, each one wrapped more elegantly than the last.
Watching the growing pile, Noelle couldn’t help but ask, “Where did all these presents come from?”
Pausing to catch his breath, Ruben motioned for the butler to take the presents inside and explained to Noelle, “These are from Mr. Martin’s friends and a few people hoping to win his favor. They all know he never throws a birthday party, so everyone sent their gifts early.”
Now it made sense to Noelle. With so many presents, she doubted Ethan would even bother opening half of them.
Later that night, dinner brought Noelle, Ethan, Farrell, and Levi together.
Since Levi was getting on in years, he didn’t like staying up too late. After sharing the cake and handing Ethan his gift, he offered a few words of encouragement before calling it a night.
Once Levi had gone, Farrell grinned as he handed over his own present. “Happy birthday in advance, Ethan. I’ll get out of your way and let you and your wife have some time alone.”
іոt𝖾𝗻𝘀е 𝘳o𝗆аո𝘤e 𝗈𝗻 𝘨a𝗅ո𝗈𝘃e𝗅𝘀.𝖼𝗼𝘮
Noelle could only stare at him, completely at a loss.
With a sly smile, Farrell left his gift and disappeared from the house.
Noelle couldn’t ignore the mischievous look on his face, leaving her both confused and curious.
Turning to Ethan, she asked, “So, what did Farrell get you?”
Ethan picked up the package and started unwrapping it with a nonchalant air.
Midway through, his brow furrowed, and a flicker of annoyance appeared.
Noelle picked up on it right away and leaned in for a closer look. “What’s wrong?”
He snapped the box shut before she could peek, masking his reaction. “It’s nothing.”
Noelle raised an eyebrow. She didn’t believe that for a second. Clearly, he was hiding something! Otherwise, why be so secretive?
Not one to give up, Noelle reached for the gift herself, but Ethan quickly brushed her hand aside and stashed the box out of her reach.
Now, Noelle was even more frustrated. His stubborn secrecy only made her curiosity burn brighter.
Time slipped away faster than Noelle expected, and suddenly, midnight was almost here.
Hurrying to her bedroom, Noelle grabbed her carefully crafted present, already tucked inside an elegant box.
She returned to the living room and handed it over to Ethan. Just like in their younger years, giving him a birthday gift brought out a special sparkle in her eyes, her smile warm and infectious. “Happy birthday, Ethan.”
A slow, genuine smile spread across Ethan’s face, his voice low and smooth. “You have no idea how long I’ve waited for your birthday gift, Noey.”
Noelle’s fingers trembled as she held out the box. “Well, what are you waiting for? Open it.”
.
.