Chapter 243: Chapter 243: Can’t Help But Want to Kiss
Adrian Lancaster remained composed.
He glanced toward Andreas, who was waiting patiently nearby, and gave him a signal.
The butler understood instantly. He picked up his walkie-talkie and murmured a few instructions.
Soon, several assistants in black appeared on the distant beach and began setting things up with swift, efficient movements.
Wren, still immersed in the romantic atmosphere, didn’t notice a thing.
After a while, Adrian moved his chair next to Wren’s, sitting down closely beside her.
He leaned in close, gently brushing aside the strands of hair the sea breeze had tousled. Then, he pointed to the distant horizon.
"Honey, look over there."
As soon as the words left his lips.
FWEET!
A sharp, clear whistle pierced the dark, silent night sky.
Wren looked over, surprised.
BANG.
The first firework blossomed in the night sky the very instant her eyes focused on it.
It wasn’t the usual gold or red, but a stunningly rich, deep velvet purple.
The enormous sphere of light bloomed in layers, its center erupting in a shower of brilliant, silver-white sparks.
The stellar explosion momentarily lit up the rolling, dark sea below, and in turn, Wren’s wide, astonished eyes.
’There are actually fireworks.’
Immediately after, more fireworks shot up from the horizon, as if racing each other into the sky.
This wasn’t just a few scattered bursts, but a grand, extravagant, and meticulously choreographed fireworks show.
BANG! BANG! BANG! Amidst a continuous barrage of muffled booms, clusters of fireworks soared into the sky one after another, each competing to be the most brilliant.
Some resembled weeping willows, their golden tendrils slowly cascading down into the sea.
Others, like blue hyacinths, spun as they unfurled enormous petals of light.
Still others exploded into a sky full of shimmering, colorful motes that lingered long after, as if the crushed diamonds of the Milky Way had been spilled overhead.
Even more cleverly, some fireworks didn’t vanish upon reaching their apex. Instead, they split again, forming intricate, nested patterns.
Others streaked slowly across the sky, trailing long, brilliant tails like comets.
The colors intertwined and shifted—from the most fervent reds and oranges to tranquil blues, purples, and emerald greens, and then to dreamlike shades of rose silver and champagne gold.
They painted the entire night sky, transforming it into a fantastical, ever-shifting dome of radiant light.
Each massive boom was accompanied by a tremor on the sea’s surface, the sound waves mixing with the roar of the tide to create a deep, resonant bass.
The faint scent of burnt gunpowder drifted on the sea breeze.
It mingled strangely with the lingering aroma of the barbecue, the salt of the sea, and the waxy scent of the candles, creating a unique sensory memory for the night.
Wren was so mesmerized she forgot to speak.
Her head was tilted back, her pupils reflecting the brilliant, fleeting explosions of light.
Her mouth was slightly agape, her face filled with pure awe and delight.
With each new explosion, Wren would unconsciously draw in a sharp breath or let out a barely audible gasp of wonder.
She squeezed Adrian’s hand tightly, her fingertips turning pale from the force.
Adrian hardly watched the fireworks. His gaze was fixed on Wren’s face the entire time.
To him, the spectacular, priceless fireworks display was nothing more than a shifting backdrop, a light to illuminate her face.
He watched the way the starlight in her eyes was kindled and then eclipsed by the fireworks, the way the corners of her lips tilted up with every burst, the way she was utterly lost in joy.
This sight was a thousand, a million times more captivating to him than any marvel in the night sky.
The fireworks show reached its grand finale.
An even greater number of fireworks shot into the sky in rapid succession, their density increasing as they converged at the zenith.
KA-BOOM!
It was an unprecedented, magnificent volley, as if all the light and heat in the world had been gathered for this single moment.
Innumerable colors and shapes erupted at the same instant.
The entire night sky became a dazzlingly brilliant canvas, a beauty so intoxicating it took one’s breath away.
For that one instant, the world was lit up as bright as day.
After the blinding flash of light came an abrupt, profound silence.
The night sky returned to its deep, inky black, with only a few faint embers drifting slowly on the wind.
Wren remained lost in thought for a long time, her gaze still fixed on the patch of sky that had just hosted a grand celebration but was now once again perfectly serene.
She only snapped out of her reverie when Adrian wrapped his arms around her, gently pulling her into his embrace.
"When did you plan this?"
Adrian gently nuzzled the top of her head with his chin, his deep voice laced with a smile.
"While you were making your wish, I sent a message to Andreas and told him to get the fireworks ready."
Wren’s heart was enveloped in warmth and love, an indescribable feeling of sweet bliss.
She hugged Adrian back tightly, resting in his arms and listening to the steady beat of his heart.
"Thank you, darling."
In the distance, the last wisp of smoke finally dissipated, melting completely into the night breeze over the Calypsos Sea.
The starlight stretched the silhouette of their embrace long across the sand.
In the unpolluted night sky over the Calypsos Sea, the stars were exceptionally bright and numerous, and the Milky Way stretched across the heavens like a hazy ribbon of light.
The butler brought out dessert: a local specialty, honey walnut cake.
Adrian and Wren shared the cake as they gazed up at the stars.
"That really bright one, is that Sirius?" Wren asked, pointing to the brightest star in the southern sky.
"That’s Venus. Right now, it’s the brightest evening star," Adrian said, following her finger. "Sirius is over there, more to the southeast."
"You know so much," Wren remarked.
"I was into astronomy when I was a kid," Adrian recalled. "My dad gave me a telescope, and I used to spend hours on the balcony watching the stars. I stopped looking up as often after work got busy."
"Well, you can look your fill tonight," Wren said softly. "Make up for all the time you’ve missed."
Adrian lowered his head, overcome with the urge to kiss her.
"You’re more beautiful than the fireworks and the stars," he murmured. "I only want to look at you."
