Erik ruffled her hair and shrugged. “It’s fine. I didn’t want to go anyway.”
They exchanged smiles, and after a while, Erik drove Ann home.
The year quickly came to an end, and Erik gave Ann a New Year’s gift in advance–a thick scarf. The rough stitches showed that Erik knit it himself.
Coming from a wealthy family with businesses around the world, Erik had many luxury items, yet this rich young man had taken the time to knit a scarf for her. She couldn’t help but feel touched.
Ann wrapped the scarf around her neck and sat by the fire, eating dry bread and drinking wine.
Looking back, she realized she’d always spent New Year’s Eve alone.
As a child, Elsa would always want to go to a different city to celebrate, and their parents would take her, leaving Ann at home with the housekeeper. The maids, knowing Ann wasn’t the favorite, treated her poorly.
On New Year’s Eve, they would play cards while she sat alone in the huge house, watching the lively streets outside.
Later, when Jeremy took her back in, she thought she would finally have someone to spend New Year’s with, but every time, Elsa would find an excuse to call Jeremy away.
It seemed like she always spent New Year’s Eve by herself, waiting for the clock to strike midnight
alone.
So, even now, she could accept spending it alone.
Ann rubbed her eyes, feeling the heaviness, and took the last sip of wine from her glass. She was just about to get up and go to bed when the doorbell suddenly rang.
She opened the door, and there was Erik’s face, one she knew so well, right in front of her.
“Happy New Year! Ann,” said Erik.
