Chapter 27

Lemira's interest was piqued instantly. They stealthily hid, watching Alaric and his team hunt monsters. Taking down the boss was no easy feat; it required perfect team coordination, and they usually finished exhausted. Typically, no one dared to steal the boss from such a renowned team, but exceptions existed. Lemira had planned for this; she knew precisely when to strike. She and Orion worked seamlessly, swooping in at the last moment to deliver the final blow.

They successfully snatched the boss. The world channel announced, "Congrats to SweetLemon for defeating the Boss." Seeing this, Alaric was livid, ranting into his headset, "What the heck were you all doing, letting someone steal our boss?" Evelina added, "These two seem like newbies. Don't they know who we are? Daring to steal our boss!" Fuming, Alaric commanded, "Take them down!"

However, soon Alaric's screen went grayscale, followed by the rest of his team's demise. Alaric suspected SweetLemon; the gameplay strongly reminded him of Lemira. Could it be her, using a new account? He doubted it; Lemira wasn't that skilled yet.

Meanwhile, Lemira and Orion had acquired the loot, but the thrill of besting Alaric and Evelina was the real prize. After gaming, their delivery arrived. Orion paused, "Let's eat." Lemira noticed a small cake, identical to Evelina's earlier cake. She asked, "Why did you get a cake?"

He replied, "Don't all you girls like it? Consider it a reward. You didn't embarrass me!" Lemira felt a wave of emotion. Orion, looking slightly awkward, added coldly, "Besides, it came free with the order."

Lemira took the cake, her own cake. She took a bite, her eyes downcast, her heart tumultuous. Orion observed her bowed head, asking, "Is the cake not good? It's supposed to be a crowd favorite."

Lemira nodded. "It's delicious. It's been a long time since someone bought me a cake." Since her parents' death, she'd stopped celebrating birthdays. Her brothers never remembered she liked cake; there was never a slice for her.

Orion's gaze landed on her. "You don't celebrate your birthday with cake?"

Lemira shared, "My parents died in a car accident on my birthday. So since then, I've stopped celebrating." That day became a day of mourning. The atmosphere at home was always heavy on that day. She never felt entitled to celebrate.

Orion felt a pang in his chest. He turned away, his face a mix of anger and guilt, his hands clenched. Lemira, sensing the shift, pretended to be casual, "Honestly, I don't mind if I celebrate or not." How could she celebrate on the day she lost her parents? It was their death day.

Orion controlled his emotions, looking at her serene face. Her demure presence sparked frustration and helplessness. He cleared his throat, his voice rough, "It's getting late, you should head back. Girls shouldn't linger outside."

"I understand. Can I come here to see you again?" Lemira gazed at him, her eyes filled with uncertainty.