THE BILLIONAIRE'S VENGEFUL WIFE RETURNS-Chapter 286: HOI AN 2

This Chapter is dedicated to Jni_lama. Hi Jni, thanks for the golden ticket.

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Musicians played haunting melodies that wove into the night air. Harlow’s heart swelled with a feeling she couldn’t quite name. She was happy, so happy.

"Come let’s get lanterns." The lanterns were the major part of the festival, there is no Hoi An without the Lantern. Both people selected the best lantern and once they were done, Alanis took her away again.

Then, at last, they reached the riverbank, where wooden boats bobbed gently against the docks. Alanis helped her onto one, his grip firm as he steadied her. A lantern rested between them, its crimson paper adorned with delicate golden characters.

Harlow looked around them to see the warm hues of amber, crimson, and violet danced across the Thu Bon River, their reflections shimmering like fallen stars on the water’s surface

She watched Alanis pick the oar from the sides as he started paddling. Harlow stared at the other boats that were also floating like theirs. Each person had a boatman, why was Alanis doing all of the work?

"You could have saved yourself the stress and gotten a boatman to do all the work." Harlow stared at him.

"And make him interrupt our time together?" Alanis shook his head. "I want to spend all of my time with you, no interruptions." Harlow could feel her heart beating wildly at his words.

She had no idea why she was reacting this way. He hadn’t even said anything that he had not said before. She should be used to his words by now, but her heart did otherwise.

It always fluttered at every little thing he did.

Once they were at the center of the river, Alanis kept the oar by the side and gave his full attention to his wife.

"Make a wish," Alanis murmured, his voice low, with something more.

Harlow hesitated. The truth was that she had nothing to wish for. In her past life, her wishes were always for Alanis to finally love her, and for them to live happily ever after. And right now...

She closed her eyes and whispered her wish, tracing her fingers over the lantern’s fragile surface. When she looked up, Alanis was watching her, something unspoken burning in his gaze. Harlow could feel her heart beating again, this time faster than the last.

"Make your wish Alanis." She said and he leaned down to touch the lantern’s surface too, his palm covering hers.

"I’ve never been this desperate in my life, but if wishes really do come true. I hope that you’ll fall in love with me again. I wish you’ll stop hating me." Harlow pulled her hands from his hold.

"Come on Villian, the wish is not complete if we don’t drop this in the river," Alanis said calmly.

Without breaking eye contact, Harlow reached out, her fingers brushing against his as they released the lantern together, sending it drifting onto the river’s shimmering expanse.

As the lantern floated away, Alanis exhaled softly. "What was your wish?" He asked staring at her figure glow under the moonlight.

"To forget the past and move on with my life," Harlow said calmly. She really does want to forget her haunting past, but no matter how hard she tried the pain still feels so fresh and deep in her memory.

No matter how hard she tried she could not forgive the people that had hurt her including Alanis. She hated him, she really did. She wanted him to suffer, but at the same time, she had fallen in love with him again.

"Do you think wishes come through?" Harlow asked. All of the wishes she made in her past life had come true in this life. Does that count too?

"Maybe." Alanis shrugged. "But I hope they do because I’m going crazy for you my Harlow." The way he said her name made her breath catch.

She stared at him, and suddenly, the whole world narrowed to just this. The moonlight on his skin, the lanterns glowing around them, the distant hum of celebration fading into the background.

"I don’t want to lose you to the past when we could have a future villain." Harlow’s chest tightened at his words. There’s a reason she was given a second chance, maybe, just maybe it was not for revenge.

"Alanis..."

"I love you." He said.

For a moment, she could only stare at him, her heart pounding against her ribs. This was not the first Alanis was confessing to her, yet her heart felt full.

And then, just as the last of their lantern disappeared into the night, she reached for him, the space between them vanishing as their lips met in a kiss as soft and fleeting as the lanterns drifting on the river.

Tears brimmed from Harlow’s eyes as she kissed him. She has hurt Alanis and tortured him for months now even if he’s not the same man from her past life. Maybe it was time she learned to love him again just like before.

It was clear Alanis loved her so much, it was time she reciprocated the same feeling.

She pulled out from the kiss, "What is it Villian, are you hurt?" Alanis’s concerned voice was heard but the woman beside him shook her head.

"I... I’ll learn Alanis." She said.

"What are you talking about?" He asked.

"I... I’ll learn to love you again." She said. Alanis leaned down to swallow her mouth with his as he kissed her hungrily, his tongue diving through every part of her mouth as he stole her breath away.

If only she knew how long he has wished to hear this. If only she knew how desperate he had been to win her love.

"I promise to never take you for granted my Villian. I promise to cherish you forever. Thank you for giving me a chance." Alanis said. He felt happy and fulfilled. The river had granted his one and only wish in seconds.

Usually, he isn’t one who believes in wishes, but his one wish has finally come true.