Chapter 782
“Yes, let’s go watch the fireworks together,” Tristan said eagerly, his eyes alight with excitement. “Hurry up and change into something you can be comfortable in.” He wanted to be able to count down to Christmas with her.
“Sure! I won’t be long. Let me head upstairs to grab a jacket, and I’ll meet you outside!” Sophie agreed. It seemed like a great idea to welcome Christmas with him.
Time seemed to fly by for them, and before they knew it, they had been together for two years.
“Mm, it’s fine. Take your time. I’ll wait for you outside,” Tristan told her. He had no intention of heading into her house.
Sophie went upstairs to grab a jacket. Before leaving, she applied some lip gloss.
Applying makeup was a hassle, and she had no interest in putting it on just for the sake of going on a date, but she figured the least she could do was apply some lip gloss to give her a more lively look.
As Sophie ran her fingers through her hair, she observed her reflection in the mirror and was surprised by what she saw.
Just like any other young woman, she was filled with excitement and anticipation as she was going to meet her boyfriend soon.
After putting on her jacket, Sophie went down the stairs and bumped into Yale.
“It’s late. Where are you going? Won’t you come back tonight?” Yale inquired. He wasn’t worried as he knew who her boyfriend was.
Besides, he dared not stop Tristan from bringing her out on a date.
“Yes. Tristan is waiting for me outside. We’re going out, and I won’t be back tonight,” Sophie answered.
She had a hunch that Tristan wanted to spend the evening counting down until Christmas, so she probably would not be returning home that night.
“Okay. Go, then. Don’t let Mr. Tristan wait for too long as it’s pretty chilly outside,” Yale reminded her.
He was determined not to keep his beloved son-in-law waiting outside in the cold for too long.
Sophie nodded and said nothing else. She didn’t like explaining herself and couldn’t be bothered by what others thought about her.
Once she ventured out of the house, she spotted Tristan standing beside his car. It was freezing, but Tristan had only donned a thin black wool coat for protection against the cold.
“Why didn’t you wait in the car? It’s freezing, so there’s no need to wait for me outside,” Sophie chided.
She walked over to him, and he opened the door for her.
“I waited outside so I could get to see you earlier,” he replied cheerfully. He couldn’t help himself.
A smile nudged Sophie’s lips as she entered his sports car. The heater was running, so she felt warm and pulled off her scarf.
Mere moments later, Ysabelle’s call arrived.
“Sophie, where are you? We’re at Breakwater Port, and it’s absolutely buzzing with activity. Come here now! I’ll wait for you here so we can count down to Christmas together, okay?”
Sophie wasn’t able to join them for dinner earlier, but they could still count down to Christmas together.
Sophie glanced at Tristan and replied, “I’m with Tristan, but I don’t think he wants to count down with you.”
It was obvious that Tristan wanted to spend the night with her without anyone else disturbing them.
Ysabelle was speechless. Seriously? We should count down together as it’s more fun that way!
“Sophie, will you or Uncle Tristan call the shots in your family in the future? Why are you going along with his plan?” Ysabelle complained.
She really wanted to count down to Christmas together with Sophie and couldn’t understand why Sophie couldn’t keep her company.
“Tristan, Ysabelle wants to know who’ll call the shots in our family in the future,” Sophie repeated Ysabelle’s question solemnly.
Ysabelle nearly died of embarrassment upon hearing that.
“Uh, Sophie. The signal isn’t good here. I know that you don’t get to spend much time with Uncle Tristan, so I won’t intrude upon your time together. I hope you both have a wonderful time!” she quickly said. Ugh, why did Sophie do that to me?
Ysabelle quickly hung up and patted her chest, still reeling in shock.
Seeing that, Felix gave her a peck on her cheek.
“Sweetheart, why are you so adorable? Don’t worry. Sophie won’t let your Uncle Tristan harm you,” he comforted her with a smile. “I’m here, and no matter what happens, I’m going to be right beside you. No one will be able to bully you while I’m around.”
“Really? Are you certain that you would be brave enough to tell Uncle Tristan that? Aren’t you afraid that he’ll teach you a lesson?”
“I’m scared, of course. You know how scary your Uncle Tristan is. I don’t have another choice, though. I’m terrified of the thought of him punishing me, yet I’m even more worried about losing you,” he revealed honestly. Making sure that Ysabelle stayed safe was far more important to him than anything else.
“Really?” Ysabelle asked happily.
She was delighted that her boyfriend had acted in the manner that was expected of him.
Felix answered rapidly, “Of course! How can you doubt my feelings for you? I love you dearly. If anything I said was a lie, I would—”
“That’s enough. I believe you, okay? Why would you say that? Come on, let’s go have some fun!”
Meanwhile, Tristan was chuckling in his car. “You get to call the shots in our family unless you would rather not. Should that be the case, I can step in and take over the responsibility.”
Sophie’s lips curled into a grin.
She wasn’t being serious as she didn’t care who would get to make decisions.
Tristan turned the ignition key and was greeted with the deep rumbling of the car engine. It was the time of day when couples would be flocking to the port, drawn in by the prospect of the fireworks festival. After all, this event was held exclusively for couples.
When they arrived, there were no parking spots available.
Sophie’s face lit up with a broad grin when she took in the bustling scene at Breakwater Port. She hadn’t expected such an enthusiastic turnout as it seemed like the whole town had come out to join the festivities.
“Do you like crowds?”
Tristan knitted his brows. He had never been a fan of large gatherings of people, and yet he had still chosen to bring her here as everyone seemed excited to be here.
“What should we do? Should we head home?” Sophie asked. It was freezing, and she didn’t feel like fighting her way through the throng of people. That didn’t sound fun at all.
“Okay. Let’s go home, then,” Tristan agreed.
So long as they were in each other’s company, it didn’t matter where they would spend Christmas Eve.
“Sure. Let’s leave now.”
They had just arrived at their destination, but Tristan immediately drove back home. On their return journey, the sky was illuminated with a spectacular display of fireworks, which was a stunning sight to behold.
Tristan pulled his car to the side of the road, and they both got out of the car to enjoy the fireworks.
“So?”
“It’s quite pretty,” Sophie answered.
“Are you feeling cold?” Knowing that she was afraid of the cold, Tristan pulled her close and wrapped her up in his coat.
“No. I feel warm,” Sophie assured him.
His chest was radiating warmth, after all.
As they spoke, the night sky continued lighting up with vibrant and colorful fireworks, providing a beautiful backdrop for their conversation.
The stroke of twelve was like a magical signal, announcing the arrival of Christmas. Tristan wrapped his arms around her in a tight embrace.
“My dear Sophie, Merry Christmas! I hope this holiday season brings you nothing but peace and joy.”
As Sophie heard the melodic chimes of the clock and the sultry sound of Tristan’s voice near her ear, she felt an overwhelming sense of contentment and joy.
Turning around, she returned his hug.
“Mr. Lombard, I hope your wish comes true this holiday season!” With that, Sophie pressed her lips to his.
