Chapter 65

I sat at the edge of the bed, quietly waiting for the clock to hit midnight. Ella had already dozed off from exhaustion, still wearing the blue ribbon around her neck. When the clock struck twelve, I lit the candle and made a wish for my birthday. All I wished for was that Ella would love me like this forever. After blowing out the candle, I went downstairs to put it back in the fridge, then came back up, lifted the blanket, and wrapped my arms around Ella. She stirred a bit from the movement, her arms reaching out to hug me as she mumbled softly, "Oliver... happy birthday..." I leaned in and gently kissed her lips, pouring all my love into that kiss. Even though she wasn’t fully awake, I still wanted to do it. I reached out and slid off the ribbon around her neck like I was unwrapping a gift. "Thanks for the birthday love, baby." With Ella by my side, the night felt perfect. When I woke up the next morning, she was still in my arms. Staring at the ceiling, I felt a fleeting wave of sa