Judy stood behind Ariana, deftly fixing her hair. Her eyes caught a faint pink petal-shaped mark just above Ariana‘s scapula, and she casually inquired, "Madam, is this a tattoo?"

Ariana smiled and replied, "No, it's a hereditary mark. My mother had a similar mark in the same spot."

“A beautiful mark indeed," Judy complimented, unable to resist stealing a few more glances.

At six o'clock in the evening, the mansion fell into silence. Ariana had given Judy and the other servants some time off in advance. After a refreshing shower, she dressed elegantly, a faint fragrance embracing her. Then she waited eagerly at the door for Theodore's return.

But as the minutes ticked by, there was no sign of him. Ariana started to worry, tempted to call him, but she resisted, not wanting to spoil the surprise.

Finally, at seven o'clock, the sound of a car echoed at the gate.

Ariana swiftly hid herself, ready to give Theodore a surprise.

As Theodore entered, he found the entire mansion deserted.

“Hello? Ariana?" he called out, but there was no response.

Thinking he might have miscalculated the timing, Theodore was wondering if he should go upstairs to find Ariana when suddenly a pair of hands covered his eyes from behind!

He knew it had to be Ariana. The faint scent reassured him. With a playful tone, he asked, “What's going on? Weren't you supposed to be away for dinner tonight?"

“But I'm back now, and I have something to show you. Keep your eyes closed and no peeking!" Ariana said mysteriously.

Theodore pretended to be clueless, closing his eyes as Ariana led him forward.

After a short walk, Ariana instructed him to open his eyes.

Before him stood a transformed side hall, now a beautifully arranged dining area.

The soft candlelight cast a romantic and cozy glow.

Ariana, elegantly dressed, took his breath away.

Drawing close, she gently embraced him, planting a tender kiss on his chin, and looked into his eyes with a loving smile.

“Happy birthday.”

Even though Theodore had been aware of Ariana's preparations from the start, he was still deeply touched by her heartfelt gesture.