Chapter 177
+8 Pearls
Lily noticed Pedro approaching her with a smile, holding two chocolate ice cream cones. As he reached her, he extended one toward her. “Here,” he said warmly.
She accepted the ice cream, her expression puzzled. “What’s this for?”
Grinning, Pedro held up his cone and replied, “To celebrate the start of our new friendship.”
Lily smiled back, taking a small bite of her ice cream. “Cheers to that,” she said playfully.
They both enjoyed their treats in comfortable silence for a moment before Pedro broke it. “Was that Mr. Ethan on the phone just now?” he asked casually.
Lily, still savoring her ice cream, nodded. “Yes… wait. How do you know his name?”
Chuckling, Pedro gave her a knowing look. “I saw your interview. It wasn’t hard to figure out.”
“Smart and observant,” she teased, smirking.
“Thanks,” he said, nodding. “By the way, I’m really excited about your movie. I have a feeling it’s going to be a huge success.”
“I hope so too,” Lily replied, her voice filled with quiet optimism.
After a brief pause, she asked hesitantly, “Since we’re friends now, can I ask you something?”
“Of course,” he encouraged her.
Taking a deep breath, she cautiously began, “Earlier, you said I’m your first friend. What did you mean by that? If it’s too personal, you don’t have to answer.”
Pedro sighed softly. “I had a friend once, but he betrayed me. Because of one lie, my life changed in ways I couldn’t imagine. After that, I found it hard to trust people, so I stopped making friends altogether. You’re the first person I’ve called a friend in a long, long time.”
Understanding his pain, Lily nodded empathetically. “I get it. I’ve been betrayed by people I trusted too. But don’t worry, Pedro. You won’t regret being my friend,” she promised with a cheerful laugh.
As her laughter lit up the moment, Pedro couldn’t help but be captivated by her smile. He wanted to confess his deeper feelings but stopped himself. The timing wasn’t right.
To shift his thoughts, he looked up at the glowing moon and said, “You asked me a personal question, so can I ask you one too?”
“Of course,” Lily replied, intrigued.
Taking a moment to gather his thoughts, he asked, “I know you spoke about this in your interview, but I want to hear it directly from you. What does love mean to you? Do you truly love Ethan as much as it seems?”
Her expression softened, and she smiled deeply. “I do. I love him with all my heart. To me, he’s everything. If I were the heart, he’d be my heartbeat. If I were the destination, he’d be my journey. I know it might sound cheesy or like something out of a movie, but that’s genuinely how I feel when I’m with him. He completes me.”
