News of Vivian’s capture reached Liam’s ears immediately.

"Good, I understand. Keep her contained; I’m coming over now." After speaking in a low voice, Liam got up, preparing to leave.

But the slight sound stirred Elena, who was in a light sleep.

"What’s wrong?" Elena lifted her head, her eyes red-rimmed.

She had been in a state of collapse during this time, and even with sleeping pills, her rest was shallow.

Liam softened his voice: "Xu Chen said they caught the hit-and-run driver—it’s Vivian. I’m going over to see for myself."

Elena instantly sobered up, struggling to get up: "I want to go too."

Liam knew he couldn't talk her out of it; he grabbed a coat, draped it over her, and took her out the door.

An abandoned warehouse in the suburbs.

When Elena and Liam arrived, Vivian was being held in a small, dark room.

As soon as the door opened, curses could be heard from within.

"You all deserve to die! Everyone who stands in my way deserves to die!"

Elena walked in and looked at Vivian sitting in the corner with disheveled hair. At the thought of her mother’s death, she wanted nothing more than to step forward and stab her.

"Vivian, how could you do something so inhumane?"

Hearing this, Vivian looked up and let out a cold, sharp laugh: "What? Want to take revenge on me?"

Elena suppressed the monstrous waves crashing in her heart. Her hands were clenched tightly, her entire body trembling with rage.

"Aren't you afraid of divine retribution? A person like you should go to hell!" Elena growled in a raspy voice.

"So what if I go to hell? Oh, by the way, I also want to tell you that Liam’s car accident back then was also my doing."

Vivian smiled with eerie malice, her gaze fixed on Elena like a venomous snake.

She watched Elena’s heart-wrenching expression and laughed hysterically, appearing like a madwoman or a demon.

"Elena, does your heart ache too? When you shattered my hopes, did you know how desperate I felt?"

"You don't understand anything. Now, I want to make you taste the feeling of despair." Vivian, with her hair wild, looked just like an evil spirit.

Liam stepped forward to hold Elena: "Elena, there’s no point in talking to someone like this. Don't be angry."

Elena, however, suddenly calmed down.

"Hand her over to the police. Let the law decide." Unwilling to look at Vivian again, Elena turned and left.

Half a month later.

At the court hearing.

"The first-instance judgment is hereby issued: it is determined that Vivian fled the scene after the accident, causing the victim’s death. The circumstances are heinous. Her behavior constitutes the crime of causing a traffic accident. She is sentenced to life imprisonment."

As the judge’s gavel fell, the trial for Vivian came to an end.

"Ha, hehehe, hahaha." Vivian suddenly laughed loudly.

The people present frowned slightly, wondering what she was going to do.

"I did nothing wrong! What did I do wrong? You all forced me to do this! You are the ones who should be in jail!" Vivian shouted and screamed, struggling violently, her emotions hysterical.

Elena sat in the plaintiff’s seat, her expression calmer than ever before.

She just watched Vivian shouting like a lunatic, the elegance of her past long gone.

After the verdict, Elena walked out of the court. The moment she stepped outside, white snow began to fall, landing on her shoulders.

With red-rimmed eyes, she gave a bitter smile: "Mom, did you come back to see me?"

The snow grew heavier, covering the surface of Yangcheng and masking the end of every story.

Chapter 31: Santa Claus

The books say that if you repeat the name of your loved one three times before falling asleep, that person will be able to feel the same love.

So, from the beginning of their relationship until their breakup, Elena would silently repeat Liam’s name three times in her heart every night.

She wanted to tell him that no matter when or where, she would always care about him.

Even if they were no longer lovers.

7:00 PM on Christmas Eve.

Elena received a call from Liam, his voice filled with delight.

"Come out."

"Why? It’s negative three degrees outside; I’m not going out." Elena wrapped her shawl tighter, refusing point-blank.

"Just open the door and come out for a moment, really, Elena." Liam softened his tone.

Hearing that meltingly sweet voice, Elena’s internal defenses collapsed instantly. She surrendered: "Fine, fine. You wait, I’m coming out now."

She turned to leave, but Liam’s voice came through the phone again.

"Remember to put on a coat."

"I know, I will." After saying that, Elena pulled a long white cashmere sweater from her closet, threw it on, and jogged to the door.

The moment she opened it, she was shocked by the scene before her.

In the middle of the snow stood an enormous Christmas tree, every tier illuminated by small lights, and the ground beneath it was filled with gifts.

Beside the tree, Liam was dressed in a red Santa Claus suit.

Elena walked through the snow to Liam. Seeing the tip of his nose turned red from the cold, her heart ached: "Are you an idiot? Why didn't you go inside if you were cold?"

"I’m just here to fulfill a promise." Liam’s eyes were shining, looking impossibly handsome.

"A promise?" Elena looked puzzled.

Liam tied his red scarf around Elena’s neck and answered while doing so: "The one from your 20th birthday, you silly pig."

Hearing the mention of her 20th birthday, Elena suddenly remembered the "promise."

When she turned twenty, she had written a wish on a slip of paper, put it in a wish bottle, and placed it in the college’s artificial lake.

The wish on that paper was that she hoped to watch the snow with Liam every year until they both had white hair.

"You didn't go and fish that wish bottle out, did you?" Elena’s eyes widened in surprise.

One had to know that the artificial lake was massive; fishing something out of it wasn't a simple task.

Liam didn't answer, his gaze remaining fixed on Elena.

He cherished every second he spent looking at her.

Seeing his silent confirmation, Elena didn't know what to say, only feeling warmth in her heart.

Because the boy she loved had always been loving her twice as hard in return.

Just then, Liam suddenly turned away and sneezed. Elena hurried to pull him inside the house to warm up.

But the next morning, Liam had come down with a severe cold and a high fever, eventually landing him in the hospital.

After finishing the paperwork, Elena returned to the ward. Liam was already asleep in bed.

To avoid waking him, she stepped lightly and sat on the companion chair beside the bed.

Elena quietly watched his eyes and his lips; every part of Liam was something she loved.

After his fever broke, Liam woke up slowly. The moment he awoke, he discovered his hand was being held tightly by Elena.

She had fallen into a deep sleep.

Listening to Elena’s steady breathing, Liam felt an inexplicable sense of peace.

Outside, the winter wind was biting, but the temperature in the ward was exceptionally heart-warming.

Chapter 32: Waiting for the One Who Doesn't Return

In one's life, we meet all kinds of people.

But very few are the ones who truly stay by our side until the end.

"Nian Xiang" (Thought/Yearning) Cafe.

When Elena came here again with Clara, it was early spring of the following year.

The cafe owner was already pregnant with her baby.

"It’s been a long time. How have you been?" The owner greeted them with her usual enthusiasm.

Elena smiled and nodded: "Doing well. I didn't expect you to be a mother already."

"Exactly, it’s a pity I’m still a single dog," Clara pouted helplessly.

The owner smiled and looked down at her protruding belly with gentle eyes: "Good luck will always arrive. Maybe your fate will walk through that door the next second."

Clara sighed: "I’ve met my fate, it just doesn't belong to me."

What young girl doesn't have dreams of romance? She was no exception.

As she spoke, the wind chimes at the entrance of the cafe rang, and Xu Chen walked in.

"One iced Americano, please."

The boy’s voice was clean and crisp, blowing into Clara’s heart like a breeze in spring.

"Sister-in-law, what a coincidence, you’re here too." Xu Chen walked over.

Clara hurriedly averted her gaze, pretending not to care, but her heart was beating in a rhythmic "thump-thump-thump."

Elena observed her best friend’s abnormal behavior and guessed most of it.

Finally, her own little iron tree was about to bloom.

"Yeah, what brings you all the way out here to buy coffee?"

"Liam asked me to deliver a contract to the factory and I was passing by, so I came in," Xu Chen replied softly.