"Oh, right!" Ines slapped his forehead. "I almost forgot. At Gwen's birthday party, he personally walked that girl downstairs. Wonder what she looks like, to catch Hugo's eye." Zora smiled, "No need to guess. She must be beautiful." Speaking of beautiful women, Ines raised an eyebrow. "Where's your little assistant? Haven't seen her in a while." Zora's eyes flickered. "Kaia hasn't been feeling well. She's taken some sick leave. I'll invite her out during the holiday." "Sounds good." Hugo quickened his pace to the riverfront, but the figure he'd glimpsed from above was already gone. His brow furrowed as his gaze swept through the noisy crowd. Then, with the first explosion of fireworks, he finally spotted Darcy. She wasn't in her usual work attire, but bundled up in a thick down coat, wrapped up tight like a burrito. It made her seem less distant, less cold. A smile touched Hugo's lips unconsciously. That afraid of the cold? When fireworks bloomed in the sky, people around her instinctively clasped their hands to make wishes. Darcy was no exception. She closed her eyes. I hope my family and friends stay healthy, my career takes off, and my studies keep moving forward this year. "What did you wish for?" A deep, resonant male voice sounded right beside her ear. Darcy jumped, startled. Turning to see it was Hugo, her racing heart slowly calmed. She frowned and took a step back. "What are you doing here?" The familiar wariness returned to her eyes.Hugo saw it and pressed his lips together. After all this time, she still couldn't muster basic trust for him. But there was time. He had patience. He slipped his hands into his pockets, offering a small smile. "Everyone knows this is the best spot for the fireworks show." True, but... Darcy tightened her coat collar. "Shouldn't you wealthy types be in some fancy riverside hotel or a private booth?" Hugo chuckled inwardly. You wealthy types? She was deliberately putting them on opposite sides. He didn't argue. "The view's better here than from a booth. The atmosphere is livelier too." Darcy fell silent. She didn't consider herself close to Hugo, yet he always seemed to seek her out for a chat. Honestly, it annoyed her.But he was Gwen's cousin, and he had helped her a few times. She couldn't exactly snap at him. After a while, Darcy glanced at her phone, feigning surprise. "Oh! It's almost one a.m.! I should get home." Hugo saw right through her poor acting. He found it somewhat amusing. "I'll drive you." Darcy shook her head vigorously. "No need. I live close by. I'll walk." "Then I'll walk with you." "Really, it's not necessary." Hugo pinched the bridge of his nose. "If something happened to you walking alone this late, I'd feel guilty forever." "...Fine." He'd put it that way. Refusing further would make her seem ungrateful. On the walk, Hugo asked, "Have you been in touch with Gwen lately?" Darcy shook her head. "No. Work's been hectic." The incident with the mole at Stratagem Tech had made waves, even reaching the police. Word had spread in the industry; even Hugo had heard. Because of it, Darcy had gained a small reputation in their circles. Hugo continued, "Gwen's been a bit down lately. If you have time, could you maybe talk to her?" Darcy paused. "What's wrong?" Hugo sighed, "She asked someone to a concert and got turned down. It's been hard on her. She's been spoiled since she was a kid, never really faced rejection before." Darcy immediately understood. It must have been Gwen asking Bram to the concert on Thanksgiving, and him saying no. On Thanksgiving, Darcy had gone to dinner with Bram, though nothing happened between them. Still, she was honest."Me trying to comfort her might just make things worse." Hugo's heart skipped a beat. "You and Bram—" "He asked me to dinner on Thanksgiving. I went. And I made things clear with him." Hugo let out a slow breath, a hint of a smile finally reaching his lips. "Made things clear. That's good." "Gwen might think I'm the reason she missed the concert." "No," Hugo said firmly. "Gwen isn't that unreasonable." A chilly wind whipped through, sending a shiver down Darcy's spine. In her rush out, she'd forgotten a scarf. Seeing her shiver, Hugo unwound the black scarf from around his own neck. "No, really—" Darcy began to protest, but he had already wrapped it snugly around her neck twice.Darcy fell silent. "It's late. You should go up," Hugo said softly. They had reached the entrance to Darcy's apartment complex.