She Outshines 225
Chapter 225
The clock struck midnight, and the city outside erupted in fireworks.
Although there were restrictions on setting them off in certain areas, the vibrant explosions lit up the
sky, their sound echoing across the entire city.
“Time to set off the fireworks!” Arthur, ric, and Maria grabbed baskets filled with fireworks and
excitedly dashed outside
the vi.
Josie and the elderly family members had already gone to bed.
The others, still wide awake, followed them to watch the show. As the fireworks burst overhead,
their faces lit up with joy.
Even Wesley and Rufus, who were usually more serious, joined in,ughing with the younger ones
as they lit fireworks and snapped photos
Athena, standing off to the side with her phone clutched in her hand, watched the fireworks but
couldn’t shake her thoughts. of Matthew. Why hasn’t he called yet? she wondered, ncing at her
phone. Doesn’t he miss me?’ she thought.
She waited and waited. The fireworks continued until about 12:30 AM, but Matthew still hadn’t
reached OUL
Frustrated, Athena unlocked her phone. Fine,’ she thought, if he’s not going to call, then I will.”
She might look sweet and delicate on the outside, but Athena was far from timid. When she wanted
something, she wasn’t the type to sit back and wait. If she missed Matthew, she’d take the first step.
No overthinking–just action.
Just as Athena was thinking about reaching out to him, her phone buzzed with a new message. It
was from Matthew.
The stern look on her face melted away, and a smile spread across her lips as she eagerly opened
the text.
What could Matthew possibly say? Happy Christmas? she wondered.
But when she read his message, her eyes widened, and her heart began to race, thumping like
fireworks bursting in the night sky.
His message simply said: [Turn left 300 feet; I’m waiting for you
Arge magnolia tree stood exactly 300 feet to the left, its blossoms in full bloom.
Every time Athena passed by, she was greeted by the sweet, intoxicating scent of the flowers.
With a nce at the tree standing tall against the cold night, she f***d her phone away and hurried
in its direction.
Underneath the magnolia, Matthew waited, his tall, elegant frame leaning slightly as he shed her
a smile.
The soft glow of a nearby streetlight illuminated his face, casting a warm light over the delicate red
petals above him. His handsome features, as wless as polished marble, seemed to shine in the
dim light. His smile, cool and captivating, outshone even the beautiful flowers.
Athena paused a few steps away, her hands clenched into tiny fists near her chin as she looked up
at him, her eyes sparkling with surprise and joy. “What are you doing here?” she asked, her voice
barely able to contain her excitement.
Dressed in a sleek ck trench coat, Matthew stood as tall and straight as a pine tree, his eyes
warm as they met hers. “I spent Christmas Eve with my grandfather, he replied, a smile curling at
the corners of his lips. “He always falls asleep by ten, so after that, I could leave. I drove straight
here.”
A wave of emotion washed over Athena. “Thank you for driving from Valemont City just to see me,
especially thiste on
Chapter 225
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Christmas Eve.”
Matthew wasn’t the kind of guy who had a lot of free time. Yet here he was, making the trek from
Valemont just for a quick visit or a simple meal. She could feel the care and attention he poured into
every gesture.
Matthew’s smile widened, and for a moment, he even looked a bit bashful. “Oh, it’s nothing. If I were
in trouble. I know you wouldn’t hesitate toe to my rescue. You’d probably fly across the worldProperty belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org.
just to save me. Compared to that, this is a piece
of cake”
Athena’s mind drifted back to that time she had indeed flown in a helicopter to a distant ce in
Asnaoya to save him. The memory-1
-filled her with a mix of pride and affection; it was a secret shared just between the two of them.
Not wanting to let her excitement spill over, Athena simply smile, her cheeks puffing up as she
fought back her grin, her eyes dancing with happiness. It was a long trip for you, but secuig, you
here makes it all worth it. I’m really happy.”
She cupped her cheeks, her face suddenly warming. Really, really happy.”
Just moments ago, her cheeks had been cold, but now they felt flushed with warmth.
Tm happy too, Matthew said, his gaze locked onto hers. He opened his arms wide. “Happy
Christmas! How about a hug for good luck?”
A hug From him? What an enticing offer, she thought.
Athena’s eyes darted around nervously, She nced left, then right, checking to see if anyone was
watching. With a yful smile, she rushed forward and wrapped her arms around him
Matthew held her close, enveloping her in a warm embrace
Sharing such an intimate moment in the quiet night felt simply perfect
Athena couldn’t help but think about how wonderful it was, though she wished there weren’t so
manyyers of clothing between them. She longed to feel the warmth of his skin, to experience the
comfort of his body heat..
Behind the gates of the Donovan family vi, ric had his face pressed against the iron fence,
watching the whole scene unfold with a heavy heart.
“Is is our Athena really being stolen away by a jerk?” he muttered in disbelief.
Arthur stood behind him, resting his chin on ric’s head, his expression mirroring the same dread.
“Looks like it.” ric sighed, “Should we go out there and stop them? Maybe find out who that guy
is?”
Arthur shrugged. “If you’re brave enough to go, be my guest
ric hesitated. “I’m not that brave.
“Neither am 1” Arthur admitted.
Minutes passed, and the two under the magnolia tree hadn’t moved.
Growing more restless, ric nudged Arthur again. “Maybe we should tell the older opes and let
them handle this?” Arthur shot him a sideways nce. “They won’t do anything. They’ll just say
Athena can take care of herself, and we should
mind our own business.”
ric frowned, frustrated. “So, we’re just going to stand here and do nothing while our little Athena
gets taken away?”
Arthur let out a long, resigned sigh. “You know what makes everything better? Games. Only games
can cure our worries.”
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Chapter 225
With that, he turned and started to walk away.
“Wait for me!” ric called out, quickly chasing after him.
Under the sprawling branches of the magnolia tree, Matthew and Athena reluctantly pulled apart.
He gently tucked a stray hair behind her ear and asked, “Are you cold?”
Athena shook her head. “Not at all”
The baseyer she wore, crafted from a high-tech fabric developed by her family’spany, was
lightweight yet warm– ideal for winter. Over that, she had a cozy coat that kept the chill at bay.
She nced at Matthew, wondering if he might be feeling the cold instead.
“Are you cold?” she asked, her voiceced with concern. “If you are, I can grab a jacket from my
ce.”
A shy thought crossed her mind. “Or, um, would you like toe over for a bit? My family wouldn’t
mind.”
Matthew chuckled softly, shaking his head. “No, thanks. If I showed up at your house now, I’d
probably scare them. I wouldn’t want to disturb them.”
He paused for a moment, then suggested, “How about we take a walk around the neighborhood if
you’re not tired or cold?” Athena puffed out her cheeks, trying to stifle a giggle. “Sure! That sounds
perfect!”
She hooked her arm through his, feeling a thrill run down her spine. “A winter night stroll sounds just
right.”
As they strolled along the quiet path, wrapped up in conversation, Athena suddenly remembered
something. “Aren’t you spending Christmas Eve with your sister tonight?”
“Yeah, Matthew replied. “I spent the day with her. We had our Christmas dinner together this
afternoon before I went to the family’s house to celebrate with my grandfather.
Concern furrowed Athena’s brow. “How is your sister doing? Is she recovering well?”
“She’s doing great, thanks to you. She can manage simple exercises and write normally now. But
her memory and reaction times aren’t quite back to where they were before the ident, so she
can’t handle anything tooplicated just yet. I can’t let her meet anyone from the family right
now.”
Athena nodded, understanding the weight of the situation. “That makes sense. If she keeps
improving, she should be back to her old self in a few months…”
The neighborhood stretched out before them, and even though they walked slowly, it felt like they
were covering a lot of ground.
Eventually, they left themunity and made their way down to theke at the foot of the hill.
The early morning air was biting, the wind howling around the
Yet, despite the chill, the warmth in their hearts burned brightly