My Beloved Has Risen from Death’s Embrace

Xanthea suddenly got it, about what Samuel said there was a reason behind Ethan’s calm demeanor. But wait a minute! 

The more she thought about it, the more it seemed like a trap. 

Orion had gifted her brother a research lab, located so close to Xanthea Haven Estate, and it just so happened that Fred and his team were stationed there. It all seemed too well–planned to be a coincidence. 

That SlyFox must have known all along she would leave the spotlight to pursue scientific research, even going as far as to invite and sign Professor Fred’s team in advance, all while pretending to be nonchalant about her choices. Such a cunning old fox. 

“Xanl 

As Fred and his team left the meeting room, Eloise rushed over, bubbling with excitement. 

Ethan spoke, “You two catch up. I’ve got some stuff to sort out in the lab. Ill come back later to drive you home.” 

“Okay” 

“Wow!” 

Eloise trotted over clutching her arm in an electrifying way, practically swooning over Ethan as she gazed at his retreating figure, “Xan, your brother is way too hot. I’m dizzy and weak at the knees, about to pass out here. How do you even manage, seeing that face every day? You’re living the dream!” 

“It’s alright, I guess.” Xanthea’s eyes crinkling with a smile, she boasted, “After seeing it for over a decade, I’m pretty much used to it.” 

“Hey, don’t you think you’re asking for a smack talking like that? But then again, with such a handsome husband, you certainly wouldn’t even bother looking at other men. This morning I saw…” 

She cut herself off mid–sentence as if realizing something, quickly covering her mouth. 

“This moming?” Xanthea raised an eyebrow, “What did you see?” 

“N–Nothing. Xan Hey, I heard there’s this huge amusement park nearby, wanna check it out?” 

Xanthea thought her friend’s brain might have mushed from too much lab work, patting her head sympathetically, “You wanna go ghost hunting or what, in the middle of the night?” 

Eloise met ber pitying gaze and knocked her hand away, “Of course, I know the amusement park is closed now. But I heard there’s a back door that leads straight to a patch of christmas cactus, surrounded by fireflies.” 

“Fireflies?!” Hearing about fireflies suddenly piqued Xanthea’s interest. 

She used to love chasing after fireflies around the school’s back hill as a kid. But with environmental changes and her getting older, it had been ages since she last saw them. 

“Are you sure there’ll be fireflies this season?” 

“Yup, they’re specially bred to attract visitors!” 

Xanthea found it even more ridiculous, “Are you kidding? Fireflies come out at night, attract what exactly. Ah!” 

Before she could finish, Eloise had already dragged her away. Convincing her was too hard; brute force was evidently more straightforward. Original from NôvelDrama.Org.

“Stop dawdling, let’s just go see for ourselves!” 

With a heart full of indulgence for her lovably naive friend, Xanthea sneaked into the amusement park through the back door with her. But upon seeing a bunch of wilted christmas cactus with barely any blooms, she scoffed. 

“Where are the fireflies? Not a single one in sight, not even a shadow, I told you, it’s not the season for,” 

She turned around to find the area behind her completely deserted. Where was Eloise? 

“Ellie? Where did you go? Don’t hide and scare me if you don’t come out now, I’ll leave.” 

Xanthea called out a few times but received no response, so she walked forward, puzzled. Maybe she went to the restroom? 

Following the amusement park’s signs for a while without finding any restroom, she ended up at the base of a giant Ferris wheel. The glass cabins slowly rotated, decorated with colorful fairy lights that looked like twinkling lanterns against the night sky, utterly mesmerizing.