The roads of Los Angeles were extremely clear late at night, which reminded Hugo of the days he spent filming in New York. New York was a city that never slept; even in the dead of night, there were still plenty of vehicles on the streets. Los Angeles, however, seemed to gradually quiet down after eight o'clock. Except for the busiest areas, nightfall meant the city also entered a state of rest. Of course, Los Angeles' nightlife was still rich and colorful; even without the lights blazing, entertainment could still be found hidden in the darkness.
Hugo soon arrived at Sunset Plaza. After exchanging contact information with Pedro and Neil, he got out of the car first. Walking up a small hill toward home, Hugo noticed the lights at home and found it odd that the third-floor lights were off, while the fourth-floor lights were on.
Could it be that only Joseph was home, and Alex, Uma, and Kal were still at work? Uma and Kal could be understood, but Alex had only gone for an interview. Why hadn't he returned so late? Or had Alex also gone out to enjoy the nightlife?
Hugo walked toward home, his mind buzzing with these thoughts. Since Ernst on the second floor went to bed early, Hugo had to tread lightly to avoid the corridor's echo waking the old man and making him irritable.
He recalled one time when Ernst, disturbed by Alex's loud footsteps returning at night, got up from his sleep and angrily knocked on the third-floor door, scolding Hugo and Alex soundly. In truth, the corridor noise wasn't enough to affect sleep. Hugo guessed Ernst might have had insomnia and needed to vent, and Alex had just happened to step on the metaphorical landmine.
Reaching the third floor, Hugo took his key from his pocket, opened the door, and closed it behind him, placing the key skillfully in the glass bowl by the door. Wondering where to put his belt, his right hand instinctively reached for the hallway light switch. But from the dining area came a voice: "Don't turn on the light."
Hugo paused mid-motion. Someone was home? The voice sounded familiar… "Uma?" he asked tentatively, using the moonlight filling the room to look around. A candle flickered to life in the darkness, its creamy yellow glow swaying slowly against the bluish moonlight. Soon another candle was lit, and then an entire candelabrum glimmered. Behind the soft halo of light, Hugo saw Uma's mysterious and charming face.
"Uma, what are you doing here?" Hugo was genuinely surprised, as there had been no prior sign. Although he had no schedule today, he had planned to go shopping early and hadn't arranged to meet Uma. He hadn't expected the shopping to finish so quickly, and then he had gone to Rock Night, only returning just now.
Uma stood in front of the dining table, her smile blooming slowly like jasmine in the candlelight. "This isn't the conversation I was expecting," she said.
Hugo then noticed Uma's attire: a white V-neck evening gown perfectly showcasing her delicate collarbones and smooth chest line. A diamond-studded wide belt cinched her waist tightly, revealing her slender figure. Her soft golden hair fell lazily across her shoulders, like a kitten just waking, giving her a hazy yet sensual allure.
Then Hugo saw the neatly arranged tableware and prepared dishes on the dining table—likely seafood pasta from a distance. Clearly, Uma had been waiting at home for Hugo and had specially arranged this candlelit dinner. Unfortunately, Hugo had gone to Rock Night, leaving Uma waiting all evening.
A wave of guilt surged in Hugo's heart. "Oh, sorry, I… I really didn't know… Sorry, really sorry." Hugo quickly walked forward, anxiously apologizing.
Uma's eyes glanced at Hugo, her expression fleetingly filled with a hint of resentment, sadness, and loneliness, like smoke drifting by, before she composed herself. She turned to Hugo and shook her head gently. "No, it's my fault. I shouldn't have planned a surprise without checking the situation first. You can't be blamed. At least I should have asked Joseph in advance."
Hugo lightly wrapped his arm around Uma's waist and looked deeply into her eyes. Her face, bathed in creamy candlelight, appeared even softer, and the charm between her brows and eyes stirred his heart.
Seeing Hugo about to speak, Uma quickly stopped him. "Actually, when I came this afternoon, Joseph already told me you went to Rock Night." She explained her plan for the day, "I originally wanted to surprise you with a dinner to ease the stress of your recent movie promotion. Unfortunately, I missed that. But I thought you'd return to eat eventually, so I changed the plan last minute, asked Alex to rest on the fourth floor, and waited here for you to come back, so we could enjoy the candlelit dinner together. But…"
"But… you didn't expect me to come back so late, right?" Hugo chuckled, picking up the conversation. He gently pinched Uma's nose with his right hand. "Silly girl, since it's a party, I couldn't have come back early. Maybe I'd return at two or three in the morning. Why didn't you call me? Didn't Joseph tell you I bought a mobile phone?"
Uma slightly lifted her chin, freeing her finger from Hugo's grip, then gently bit Hugo's right index finger, applying a bit of force before letting go, and said softly, "You didn't bring it with you." Hugo chuckled helplessly. Today, when he went out, he still hadn't gotten into the habit of bringing his mobile phone. Over this past year, his habit had gradually formed, unlike before crossing over, when leaving home always required checking the phone and keys. "I wonder who the real silly one is," Uma said resentfully, then bit Hugo's finger again.
Hugo didn't cry out in pain, just smiled warmly at Uma. Only after Uma finished venting and released her teeth did Hugo look at the bite mark on his finger. Around the mark, faint drops of blood had emerged. At first, Uma hadn't bitten hard, but seeing Hugo's calm expression and remembering how long she had waited tonight, she bit harder and lost control, resulting in this.
Following Hugo's gaze, Uma looked at the finger with blood drops, then lifted her eyes and stared resolutely into Hugo's.
Looking at Uma before him, her emerald eyes fixed on him, her originally sharp facial lines softened by the creamy candlelight. The focus and depth in those eyes gripped Hugo's heart tightly. His heartbeat gradually accelerated, and the pain in his finger reminded him of the reality of everything.
This was the first time Hugo confirmed his heart beat for Uma. Regardless of whether his previous life left any lingering influence, Hugo now could be certain: he liked Uma. Not only because of tonight's dinner, but because Uma was willing to wait for him, to cook for him, because of her spirited, straightforward personality, and of course, the comfort of being together. Love can have countless reasons, or none at all, and tonight, Hugo's heart had been stirred.
Hugo slowly lowered his head and kissed Uma's lips. Her dry lips softened instantly under his saliva. Their lips and tongues explored each other, the air in their chests gradually compressed until little remained, and they parted, gazing at each other through the dim light, eyes locked, trying to find their reflection in the other's eyes, and through the pupils, enter the unfathomable depths of the other's heart.
The heartbeat suddenly sounded amplified. The "thump thump thump" made one feel inexplicably dry-mouthed.
Uma read desire in Hugo's eyes, yet retained a trace of reason. "Your hand…" Though she had stubbornly refused to admit it before, she knew she had bitten too hard. The twitching inside reminded her: this man wasn't worried about himself, so she had to worry about his wound.
"It's okay." Hugo's deep, mellow voice spoke softly, like the sound of a cello, like the aroma of aged wine, intoxicating. Yet in that low voice, a trace of huskiness lingered, and a faint desire slowly surged in the trailing sound.
Uma felt her breath quicken, her flushed face betraying her rising heat. Several times, her gaze instinctively tried to avoid Hugo's intense eyes, but after struggling and hesitating, she refused to give in, unwilling to look away, barely sustaining herself. "Th-then… the dinner… I prepared it for a long time tonight…"
Hugo's lips curled into an arc, unlike his usual bright cheerfulness, unlike his usual gentle warmth, exuding the dark charm of a night emperor. Perhaps every man harbors a wolf within, a dark wolf king, awakening at the right moment to assert dominance.
Hugo slowly approached Uma's face, his forehead lightly touching hers. The scorching heat made them both tremble slightly. Then Hugo brushed close to her ear, his hot breath spreading over her shoulder, making her body temperature rise. Uma then heard Hugo's enticing voice whisper, "Dinner… can wait…" Just two words, yet her heartbeat froze instantly.
Suddenly, Uma felt herself lifted. Hugo had scooped her up at the waist. She hooked her arms around his neck, feeling the strength of his chest and arms envelop her completely.
Moonlight poured across the floor, candlelight swayed gently, and tonight was so enchanting.
....
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