The Coldest Man in the Room Melted Only for Me novel Chapter 422

Sebastian's eyelids twitched. He heard the joy in her voice, but it quickly faded into sadness.

"But after they had my little brother, they stopped loving me. Today, they kicked me out because of him."

Hearing the heartbreak and choked tears in her voice, Sebastian couldn't help but open his eyes.

He saw her eyes brimming with tears, but she quickly wiped them away and offered him a radiant smile. "But it's fine. I'll keep working hard. I'll study, get into a good high school, and go to a top university. I'll make myself brilliant. I'm going to make them proud so they'll love me again."

"What if they still don't like you?" Sebastian asked.

Just like his own situation. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't return to his family. Even if he did, he couldn't defeat them. It was useless. Why not just give up now?

The girl paused, clearly having never considered that outcome. After a few seconds, she looked at him with unwavering resolve. "If they still don't like me, it doesn't matter. I'll have grown up. I'll be strong. I can live a great life all on my own."

This time, it was Sebastian who was stunned. Grown up? Be strong?

Her words kept flowing. "You can't give up on yourself just because of someone else's uncertainty. As long as you try your best, you won't have any regrets."

Her words struck him like a sledgehammer, igniting a fiery will to fight within his broken spirit.

She was a sudden beam of light piercing through his dark abyss, pulling him out of the shadows and giving him the hope and courage to start over.

He asked her softly, "What's your name?"

"Riley Vance."

"Sebastian."

A voice ahead snapped him out of the thick nostalgia. He looked up to see Riley waving at him through the snow. "Come here!"

Riley didn't move. "Wait. Stay out here and watch the snow with me for a bit."

Sebastian turned back, his eyes filled with helpless indulgence. She was acting like a kid. "Just for a little while, then we go up."

"Okay."

He tucked their joined hands into his heavy coat pocket. They stood side by side, admiring Statenbury's first snow of 2025.

A moment later, Riley turned to him. In just a short time, snowflakes had gathered in his dark hair.

A slow smile spread across her face, her eyes filled with contentment. She had never dared to hope for a future with him, but standing here, sharing the snow falling on their heads, felt as close to growing old together as she could ask for.

She was satisfied.