This Alden Belongs Only to Me.**Mia'POV**

Alden was staring at me again.

Every time his gaze fell on me, I could feel it.

It wasn't some magical power or telepathy.

It was because when he stared at me, I would get this chilling sensation on my back.

Like being watched by a snake or some other dark, dangerous creature.

It was a physiological response that touched on instinct.

Suddenly, a branch in the campfire crackled softly.

I drew my legs up, using the adjustment of my sitting position to move slightly away from him, and stole a glance at Alden.

Sure enough.

Those gray-green eyes of his flickered in the firelight, bright and dim by turns, and reflected in his pupils was me.

My heart skipped a beat.

...He was still angry about what just happened.

But then again, in one day, I had "disappeared" from his side twice.

Earlier at the river, even though there wasn't much moonlight and I couldn't see very clearly, I could still feel his trembling hands and his increasingly pale face—perhaps I had scared him.

I lowered my head somewhat guiltily, randomly plucking a blade of grass and fidgeting with it in my hands. "Alden."

He hummed in response, his tone lifting at the end, but he was still staring at me intently.

"I won't run off again."

I said dully, suddenly feeling the pressure multiply—just like when I was little and ran off to play in the reservoir, only to be caught red-handed by Mom when I came ashore.

I took a deep breath and lifted my head.

No matter what, I should apologize to him, but I had barely uttered one syllable when Alden interrupted me.

"Mia."

It was as if he saw through my intention, not letting that apology be spoken.

"I've told you, Mia, no matter when, you never need to say sorry to me."

"When you're in front of me, you seem too cautious, Mia. You can be more unrestrained."

"You're still a child, a fifteen-year-old girl. Girls should be lively, indulged, they can even have a little temper. Of course, no matter what you're like, that's still you."

"As long as it's you..."

The last sentence suddenly softened, almost spoken in a breath.

I didn't catch a few words at the end. "As long as it's me? And then what?"

Alden didn't seem to intend to repeat it.

He was silent for a moment, then suddenly asked me, "Mia, is there anything you want?"

I was stunned.

"What?"

"Something you want, an unfulfilled wish, or anything you hope for."

As he said this, the night breeze blew gently, the distant woods rustled, and then everything fell silent.

As if they too were waiting for my answer.

"Fireworks."

I lowered my eyes, and my voice gradually dropped.

"I've never seen fireworks."

I lightly poked at small pebbles on the ground, trying to make my tone sound lighter.

"Mom promised me before. She said when I turned fifteen, she would set off a really beautiful fireworks display for me."

I paused. "But Mom..." Mom passed away.

There would be no one to set off fireworks for me anymore.

The air suddenly went quiet.

I suddenly felt uncomfortable.

That emotion was strange.

Not particularly intense, but like water-soaked cotton, heavy and blocking my chest, making it hard to breathe.

"Mia."

Alden suddenly called my name.

I lifted my head to look at him, but he had somehow moved behind me.

He covered my eyes, his palm warm and dry, the pressure very light.

I raised my hand to touch his wrist.

"Don't move."

I didn't move anymore. I trusted that he had his reasons for doing this.

The next second, I suddenly heard a sharp whistling sound through the air.

Like something shooting up into the sky.

Then—

Bang.

A huge sound suddenly exploded in the night sky.

Alden slowly released his hand at this moment.

The instant my vision returned, I instinctively lifted my head.

Then I froze completely.

Above the pitch-black night sky, countless golden streams of light were slowly bursting open.

Like falling stars.

Vast brilliant radiance filled the sky—gold, silver-white, light blue, pale purple—

Blooming layer upon layer, bright enough to almost illuminate the entire forest.

I even forgot to breathe.

Another stream of light rose into the sky.

Bang—

Silver-white fireworks shattered like a breaking moon, cascading down across the sky.

Beautiful to the point of unreality.

I couldn't help but stand up, looking up with my eyes barely blinking as I watched the sky.

I had never seen such a scene.

My heart felt like it had been gently struck by something, both sore and soft.

Until the last firework slowly faded into the horizon.

I finally came back to myself.

"Do you like it?"

I turned my head.

Alden was one step behind me—a distance that let me see his face without having to strain my neck looking up, while still being close enough to me.

He had an almost pale melancholic quality.

His shoulders and back were slender, his waist narrow too, but without that frail thinness, instead giving off a reliable, solid feeling.

This feeling was subtle, making me subconsciously want to get closer to him, trust him, depend on him.

I don't know why, but my nose suddenly felt a bit sour.

"I like it."

"I really like it."

I followed my heart and directly threw myself at him in a hug.

Alden clearly stiffened.

I buried my face in his shoulder and said softly, "Thank you."

I lightly kissed his cheek—this was something I often did with Mom, a gesture to express my affection and love for her.

Mom and I were connected by blood. She was the person closest to me in this world.

Alden gave me the same feeling.

But he didn't respond to me. I felt his body tense up.

Oh! Poor Alden, he wasn't used to being close to people like this.

Alden always seemed so alone.

No one dared get close to him.

No one was willing to stay by his side either.

This thought inexplicably made me feel bad.

But at the same time, a secret and strange sense of satisfaction slowly rose in my chest.

If others weren't willing to get close to him.

Then wouldn't it be just me?

Only I wouldn't avoid him.

Only I understood him—

When I realized this, I felt a bit secretly pleased.

This was my exclusive Alden.

While I was still immersed in my thoughts, Alden released me.

The warmth suddenly disappeared. I came back to my senses and heard him say to me with a smile, "Mia, your birthday is next Sunday, right?"

"I promise you, on your birthday, I'll give you an even more magnificent and beautiful fireworks show."

Along with his voice came the gradually whitening horizon.

Dawn had broken, which meant we should go home.

I had to go back. That was my mother's house, my home. I wasn't the one who should be driven away.

Originally I was planning to catch an early bus, but Alden directly pulled out his phone and called a private car.

I was somewhat surprised. "Where did you get the money?"

Alden glanced at me coolly. "I'm not so poor that I'd make my sister squeeze onto a bus."

"..."

Well then, Alden really was a very good brother.

The private car arrived quickly. Alden and I got in the car. Having not slept all night, I was already exhausted, so I simply leaned against him to catch up on sleep—

As for the strange encounter on Old Oak Street, I'd share it with him after getting home.

I don't know why, but when I was by Alden's side, I always slept very soundly. So much so that when he woke me up, I thought we had just passed by some gas station.

I had recovered some energy. As I got out of the car, I saw Margaret hurriedly walking out from inside the manor toward me with Camilla and Lydia.

She didn't see me, only turning back to urge the servants, "Go call the driver, take us to the hospital."

I was wondering what had happened when I saw Camilla and Lydia throw the cloaks they were wearing onto the ground. "It hurts so much!"

I clearly saw that their hands, arms, and necks were all swollen with large welts, especially their faces, which were swollen like pig heads.

I couldn't help it—I laughed out loud.

"Mia!!!"

Camilla saw me. She screamed, "You hateful bitch, you did this to us!!!"