Chapter 149 Beautiful Ending

Chapter 149 Beautiful Ending

One year later.

“Hey, pass the ball!” a dark haired young man shouted from the edge of the field toward a girl sitting under a large tree not far away. His hands were on his hips, impatience clear on his face.

Hearing his voice, the girl lowered the book she was reading, frowning deeply.

“Oi, Esther, kick the ball over here already!” he yelled again.

If this had happened nine years ago, Esther might have hesitated to even stand up. But things were different now. She rose quickly and walked toward the ball.

She was not sure her kick would reach the field, but with confidence she took a step back and aimed.

Her foot missed. She lost her balance and would have fallen flat if someone had not caught her.

She looked up to find Vinson beside her, grinning. “You know, this feels so familiar I could practically see you falling already.”

“You’d better let go of her before that ball hits your face,” Gaara said, lightly kicking the ball in front of them.

Vinson only smirked. “Thanks, Vinson,” Esther said as she pulled away. “And you, Gaara, I’m disappointed it wasn’t you who caught me.”

“I did that on purpose. Who knows, maybe that long skirt you’re wearing would have slip—”

Before he could finish, Esther twisted his ear. “Ow! Esther!” he shouted.

“Pervert.”

“I never thought I’d see the day Gaara gets his ear twisted in public,” Vinson commented.

“Yeah, and now I might have to punch you until you pass out,” Gaara replied, rubbing his sore ear.

“Gaara!”

“I’m kidding, Esther. You’ve spent a whole year with us and you still aren’t used to our jokes? I think I should make you hang out with Nol,” he said, glancing at Vinson. “You know, so you don’t take everything so seriously.”

“Good idea,” Vinson agreed, then burst out laughing.

Esther looked at him, confused. “What’s wrong with Nol?”

“Oh, you know. Nol is very good at training naughty girls into becoming exactly what he wants,” Gaara said. “Remember Elise Northway?”

Vinson laughed again.

Of course Esther remembered. Elise was the one who first exposed the bet between her and Vinson to Gaara, turning everything into chaos a year ago. Whatever they were laughing about now, Esther knew it was connected. “I don’t think whatever you’re laughing at is funny,” she said, turning away to leave. Vinson laughed again as Gaara hurried after her, launching into explanations.

Esther Rodrigo was still the same girl she had always been, except she was no longer the outcast student everyone avoided because of Vinson.

After graduation, everyone chased their own dreams. And because she was Gaara’s girlfriend, she often became a regular guest at Felix and Vinson’s house or ranch. Sometimes she spent weekends cooking, watching movies, or riding horses with Felix. He remained single to this day, despite the media constantly gossiping about his closeness to a certain woman.

Esther’s mission to bring the brothers back together with her family had also succeeded. All misunderstandings were finally cleared. Felix had forgiven Elson and her father. Vinson, however, still deeply hated his cousin. They might never get along again, but at least everyone now understood each other’s side. The conflict was over.

Meanwhile, Vinson and Nara were still competing for Nelsy’s heart. After graduating, Nelsy joined a modeling agency and began her career as a model and actress. Because of her busy schedule, she was hard to see these days. Still, Vinson and Nelsy were occasionally spotted together whenever she had free time.

Esther stopped and turned to look at Gaara, who had been following her while talking nonstop. When she met his gaze, he fell silent and smiled, that handsome smile of his.

“You’re beautiful, Esther. No matter what you wear. Even when you wear nothing at all,” he said as if it were the most normal compliment. Esther’s face instantly turned red, making him chuckle.

“Stop saying things like that. People will misunderstand,” Esther replied, turning away again. Gaara was clearly in one of his teasing moods.

“I love you, Esther."

“What?”

Gaara’s expression was serious as he repeated it. “I really love you, Esther.”

Esther smiled widely. “What do you want?”

“To make you happy.”

“And are you happy?”

“I love you, Esther. This is what I want. This is what makes me happy,” Gaara said with certainty.

Those were the words Gaara repeated again and again over the years. Until one day, they finally bound themselves in sacred vows at the very place where his parents once married.

Those same words were spoken again twenty years later, when they walked their daughter to her first day of elementary school.

Words they continued to say to each other thirty years later, when they accompanied their daughter to her first day at university.

Isn’t life strange? Esther never imagined that the bad boy she once had to conquer would become her lifelong partner. Her husband. The father of their child.

A beautiful ending, isn’t it?

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THE END