Chapter 178
With a faint smile, he leaned forward and ate the chocolate directly from her fingers.
The moment his lips brushed her fingertips, Lexi shivered.
All the feelings she’d been trying so hard to suppress came rushing to the surface.
She didn’t understand why her heart was beating so fast or why her cheeks suddenly felt so hot.
She only knew that there seemed to be an invisible red thread connecting her to the man before her, binding them together in a way that made it difficult to imagine ever being apart.
Swallowing the rich sweetness lingering in his mouth, Sebastian stood and held out his hand.
“Come on. Let’s take a walk p>
Lexi smiled, nodded, and placed her hand in his.
With her arms wrapped around the vibrant bouquet of roses, the lively, charming Lexi walked through the crowded streets beside the tall, handsome Sebastian.
Together, they made a striking couple, drawing admiring glances from passersby.
Today was Valentine’s Day.
Thinking about how those legendary lovers could see each other only once a year, Lexi suddenly felt incredibly fortunate. She and Sebastian could meet whenever they wanted.
As they reached the middle of the street, they noticed a crowd gathered ahead, everyone watching something with great interest.
Curiosity got the better of Lexi, and she tugged Sebastian toward the crowd.
A young man dressed in a black tuxedo was seated at a piano, his fingers coaxing a beautiful, flowing melody from the keys.
His hands danced over them like butterflies in flight, carrying his listeners into one dreamy landscape after another.
Before long, Lexi was completely captivated.
“That’s incredible,” she exclaimed sincerely. “He’s so good p>
Sebastian noticed the admiration and envy in her eyes, and his mood immediately soured.
She was his woman. How could she look at some stranger like that?
It was outrageous!
So what if the man could play the piano?
Sebastian could play, too!
There wasn’t a single thing in the world he couldn’t master if he put his mind to it.
After giving Lexi a pointed look, he strode over to the pianist.
He said something to the young man, who promptly stood up and stepped aside, allowing Sebastian to take his place at the piano.
Lexi was still trying to figure out what was happening when Sebastian smiled at the crowd and spoke.
“Today is Valentine’s Day, and it’s the first Valentine’s Day my girlfriend and I have ever celebrated together. This song is my gift to her. I hope she’ll like it p>
A wave of excited, envious gasps swept through the crowd.
Sebastian paid them no attention. His deep, tender gaze remained fixed on Lexi.
Under his intense stare, she couldn’t help feeling embarrassed.
Finally, Sebastian turned back to the piano and focused all his attention on the keys, playing with the determination of a man intent on outdoing the pianist who’d come before him.
The piece he chose was Mariage d’Amour, also known as Wedding in a Dream—a fitting choice for such a special day.
With his handsome features, romantic expression, and beautiful piano playing, Sebastian quickly became the center of attention. People around him began pulling out their phones to record him.
Both he and Lexi were public figures. They needed to avoid drawing too much attention to their identities.
More importantly, Lexi couldn’t stand watching all those women film Sebastian with such obvious admiration.
She marched onto the makeshift stage and pulled him away from the piano.
Sebastian took one look at her stern expression and immediately guessed what was bothering her.
Still, he pretended not to understand.
“So, who played better? Me or the pianist p>
“Obviously, the pianist,” Lexi replied, a mischievous glint flashing in her eyes. “You’re a privileged young master from a wealthy family, but he’s a professional. You can’t exactly compare the two of you p>
She wanted to teach the arrogant, self-assured Sebastian a little humility by letting him experience what it felt like to be outmatched.
“In that case, I should go back and practice some more,” Sebastian said seriously. “Practice makes perfect p>
With that, he turned as though he intended to return to the piano.
“Fine! You played beautifully. You’re the best pianist in the world p>
Lexi’s patience finally snapped, and she gave in with an exasperated sigh.
There was certainly some stubbornness behind her words, but more than that, she was overwhelmed by the complicated feelings Sebastian stirred in her heart.
Sebastian smiled, swept an arm around her, and pulled her into his embrace.
They exchanged a warm smile and continued walking.
After a while, they began to feel tired. Fortunately, a cinema stood just ahead.
Sebastian went to buy their tickets and snacks while Lexi waited nearby.
As she looked down at the movie tickets in her hand, she suddenly drifted into thought.
She remembered a time when she’d participated in a maze challenge with Sebastian. He’d won two tickets for a couple’s seat at the cinema.
But because she’d wanted to avoid him, she’d mailed the tickets to Lauren instead.
She had no idea whether Lauren and Sebastian had actually gone to see the movie together.
At the memory, Lexi couldn’t help sighing inwardly.
Since when have I started caring so much about Sebastian’s affairs?
If this continued, she’d fall straight into his trap of tenderness and never find her way out again.
Sebastian returned and shoved the popcorn and cola into her arms.
“What’s got you standing here daydreaming?” he asked, pretending to scold her. “You didn’t even come over to help me. I could barely carry everything by myself p>
Lexi snapped out of her thoughts and tightened her hold on the snacks, smiling faintly.
“Is the movie about to start p>