Belated Moonlight: He Regretted Only After I Left-Chapter 166: Surprise!

Is Rhys Lennox on edge?

Or has his rebellious phase just been dormant until now?

Stella Sterling stood still, the evening breeze caressing her cheeks and playfully lifting a few strands of her hair. Before she could make sense of that bizarre feeling in her heart, she heard soft footsteps behind her.

"Sister Stella..."

Stella turned around instinctively.

She saw Claire Grant walking over, her eyes glancing subconsciously in the direction Rhys Lennox had left, her voice soft, "Is Young Master Lockwood... upset? Because of me?"

The girl’s mind was both delicate and sensitive. Rhys Lennox’s unabashed coldness at the dinner table earlier inevitably led to some speculation.

Stella came back to her senses, suppressing the strange feeling in her heart, and turned to Claire with a reassuring smile, "Don’t overthink it. It’s just his temper, always unpredictable. He probably got a few comments from the old man and his brother earlier and couldn’t keep his cool, throwing a little tantrum. It has nothing to do with you, don’t take it to heart."

She paused, recalling Rhys Lennox’s defiant demeanor, and added, "If he really hated someone, he wouldn’t even bother giving them a glance, let alone sit through an entire meal with them. I think he’s just... shy."

"Shy?" Claire blinked, finding the word absurd when applied to Rhys Lennox, yet Stella’s confident smile eased some of her inner anxiety.

She bit her lip, yet unbidden images flashed through her mind - specifically, looks Rhys had given Stella.

Those eyes, usually defiant and hostile, softened their edge naturally when they touched Stella, harboring a focus and... complexity Claire couldn’t precisely describe.

Those eyes were deep and intense, as though suppressing an unspeakable undercurrent.

Could Rhys Lennox really...?

The thought made Claire’s heart skip a beat, a cold shiver creeping up her spine.

But she shook her head vigorously right away, asking herself what she was overthinking.

Sister Stella and President Donovan’s relationship was so strong; they were the envy of The Kaelon Circle.

Shane Donovan was once the "keep your distance" Crown Prince of Kaelon. Even since she had returned to the country, Claire had heard plenty of rumors about how he doted on Stella.

A man like that, who wouldn’t tolerate a speck of dust in his eyes, would surely notice if anything were amiss.

She must have been overthinking.

Rhys Lennox probably just looks at everyone that way...

Claire took a deep breath, linked arms with Stella, forcing down the little doubt lingering in her heart, and put on a gentle smile again, "Mm, I understand, Sister Stella. Maybe I’m just overly sensitive. Young Master Lockwood... he’s certainly unique, and I don’t know him well."

Seeing her expression soften, Stella smiled and changed the subject, chatting about the recent art exhibitions in Crestfall as they walked hand in hand into the brightly lit house.

...

The winter in Crestfall chilled to the bone, breath crystallizing into frost.

With less than two weeks to go until the Lunar New Year, the city was all too eager to don its red attire, lanterns hanging high on the streets, and festive melodies looping in malls, diffusing some of the wintry bleakness.

Stella was too busy even to touch ground.

The preparations for the Serene Law Firm’s Crestfall branch were in the final sprint.

Choosing a location, decorating, building a team, verifying qualifications...

She managed every detail personally.

That night, after wrapping up the final few details with the renovation company, Stella rubbed her sore neck and left the temporary office space she’d rented.

The cold wind hit her face, making her instinctively tighten her coat, only to look up and see the familiar black Bentley quietly parked by the roadside.

Shane Donovan leaned against the car door, his tall frame accentuated in a black coat.

A cigarette was caught between his fingers, though he didn’t smoke it, the tiny ember flickering in the cold wind. Under the dim streetlight, his silhouette looked cold and sharp, with a striking beauty mark at the corner of his eye that seemed to bleed red under the night sky.

As she emerged, he casually extinguished the cigarette, took a few strides toward her, naturally taking her cool hand into his, then unbuttoned his coat and wrapped her up in his warm embrace, infused with his crisp woodsy scent.

"So late?" he asked softly, his chin brushing gently against the top of her head, his tone carrying a hint of tenderness not easily detected.

Stella burrowed slightly into his embrace, mumbling, "Mm... lots to do."

He chuckled lowly, his chest vibrating slightly, asking no more questions, simply leading her into the car.

The car didn’t head toward the Donovan Family’s manor or her Crestfall apartment but drove in the direction of The Crestfall Bund.

Stella appeared puzzled, glancing his way.

Shane kept one hand on the steering wheel, the other still holding hers, his thumb gently rubbing circles on the back of her delicate hand. His gaze remained on the vibrant streams of cars ahead, a faint smile hovering on his lips.

"Taking you somewhere."

The car eventually parked at a panoramic view hotel near The Crestfall Bund.

The 270-degree floor-to-ceiling windows allowed the entire Bund to be taken in at a glance, with the human throng below seeming almost at their feet, while they stood amidst the clouds.

"When did you book it?" Stella, led by him to a table by the window, was full of surprise.

The top-floor scenic suites here, it was said, were booked up until next year...

Shane merely smiled without answering, softly instructing the servers to bring the food.

In no time, the exquisite dishes were served one by one.

The foie gras was silky smooth, the steak perfectly cooked, and the accompanying red wine was aromatic and seductive.

They conversed softly, their conversation trivial yet warm, mostly about interesting anecdotes from the law firm. Shane occasionally remarked, but his gaze never wavered from her.

Outside, the bustling worldly splendor continued, while inside, moments of tender affection unfurled.

As they finished their meal, Stella felt the timing was just right. She cleared her throat, ready to speak—

But just then, the pitch-black night sky outside was suddenly slashed by a sharp burst of light!

"Whoosh—boom!"

A massive firework exploded dramatically in the night sky, instantly illuminating the entire riverbank, as well as Stella’s astonished, upturned face.

Then came the second, the third...

In splendid colors, various patterns emerged: meteor showers, chrysanthemums, morning glories...

Like a divine palette overturned, painting the dark night sky into a vivid dreamscape.

The booming sound of fireworks, muffled through the thick glass, seemed distant, adding a sense of ethereal beauty.

"Wow..." Stella couldn’t help but exclaim, her pupils reflecting the celestial blaze, dazzling and captivating.

She was mesmerized, her face flickering in the play of lights.

She was watching the fireworks, but he was watching her. 𝓯𝙧𝙚𝒆𝙬𝙚𝒃𝙣𝙤𝒗𝓮𝓵.𝙘𝙤𝙢

Shane, without knowing when, had set down his wine glass, leaning back slightly, his gaze calmly fixed on the profile of her face.

That gaze was deep, filled with unhidden adoration and a nearly drowning tenderness.

As if the priceless fireworks outside were mere accompaniments to her mesmerizing expression at this moment.

The nearly half-hour-long firework extravaganza was a feast of splendor and opulence, lighting both sides of the river as if it were daylight, drawing countless citizens and tourists to the riverbank in awe, their cheers faintly heard.

Stella thought this was the peak, yet following a spectacular blue waterfall-like firework, the sky briefly darkened for a moment.

Then, more radiant lights soared into the sky, bursting open with precision to form a clear and massive message—

[Congratulations to Serene Law Firm, establishing in Kaelon, achieving great success!]