Friends... At first, when they were young, he could only silently be her friend because he was too poor and had low self-esteem. But back then, in his heart, he never wanted to be her friend.

Later, when he found out about her and James's arranged marriage, he thought that they'd never cross paths, or he'd just forget about her. However, when they really drew further and further apart, he realized just how dark those days were for him.

Back then, he had hoped so hard to find a reason to get close to her. Even if they couldn't speak, he was satisfied to be able to see her from afar. But his humble desires never came true, and in the end, they became strangers.

If James hadn't gotten in a car accident, then perhaps the two of them would of continued to live in two straight paths that would never cross the other again.

But now that James woke up, it'll be the end of them...

If in the end she and James got together, he was willing to turn his love into a secret, never to be mentioned. He would be by her side forever, and a friend who never bothered her. When she was sad, he would comfort her. When she had troubles, he would help her. When she was happy, he would sorrowfully wish her well...

With that thought, Alexander blinked and said in a very clear voice to Isabelle on his back, "Weren't we always friends?"

Weren't we always friends?

Those words whirled in Isabelle's mind before she completely understood his meaning. Her cautious heart suddenly fell far back, as though she had taken a chill pill. She then went along with Alexander and gave him an affirmative "mm". Moments later, she added, "Yeah, we were always friends."

They tried their utmost to be with one another in the past... Two people who clearly deeply loved each other... But times change and years go by... Because they had once lost, they didn't dare act rashly. Because they had loved far too deeply, they were even more timid. Even if they could only be friends, that was a gift from the heavens.

Alexander didn't speak. He just piggybacked Isabelle through the pale green lights. As they drew closer to York Garden, they saw that the osmanthus tree in the courtyard had just bloomed.

Isabelle, who was on Alexander's back, could smell the sweet scene of it and her lips couldn't help but slightly curve upwards.

Alexander purposefully slowed his footsteps, as though to immortalize this beautiful moment in time.

When they passed another billboard, Isabelle saw two words "seven years" on a poster. Then she remembered the question she'd wanted to ask Alexander before she received the hospital's call. She then pushed her head out and broke the silence between them.

"Alexander, when you were in the car just now, you told me that you gave me seven birthday presents. Do you still remember what those seven gifts were?"

Every gift he gave her was carefully prepared, how could he not know?

Alexander pretended that he couldn't remember and asked, "What were they?"

Isabelle tilted her head and thought for a moment, then she recounted each and every one of them. "The first year of high school it was a music box."

That music box wasn't expensive. Just a hundred something yuan. It was the first time Alexander had attended her birthday party. When he saw James and Sophia gifting her all sorts of expensive luxury goods, his heart had felt notably defeated.

"The second year of high school was a pretty notebook."

"The third year of high school was a porcelain cup."

"The first year of university, you gave me a photo frame."

"The second and third of university were a necklace and an anklet... And the final gift was tonight's porcelain doll!"

Isabelle recounted each and every birthday present Alexander had given her. They were a complete match to Alexander's memory, but when she said the last gift, his brows furrowed. Except for today's gift, the seventh gift... shouldn't it have been the rose and cake he had given her on her fourth year of university? Back then, he gifted her the most expensive gift he'd ever bought. Why didn't she mention it?

Alexander felt that there was something not right about that, and he quietly asked, "On the fourth year of university, I also gave you a birthday present. Don't you remember"

"Fourth year?" Isabelle asked with some skepticism. "Did you remember incorrectly? The birthday in my fourth year of university you were at a film festival. You didn't attend my birthday party, how could you have given me a present?"

Even though Alexander couldn't clearly see Isabelle's expression, but based on her words, she sounded at a loss, and so he asked her in doubt, "I didn't?"

Isabelle was always protective over Alexander's gifts, so she couldn't have remembered incorrectly. But to avoid making a mistake, she tilted her head and thought about it seriously. Once she was completely sure, she said to Alexander, "You really didn't. You didn't even say 'Happy Birthday' to me that year!"

Alexander didn't say anything. From the bottom of his heart, he understood. That year, he received an award, yet he went all the way to her. Seeing that the gifts were thrown in the rubbish bin, she obviously never received them, which goes to say, someone seized them.

Who could it have been?

Mrs. Williams's name suddenly popped up in Alexander's mind.

It was her, definitely her!

What transpired that night came too suddenly, and hit him too hard. He obviously didn't think of such a loophole back then. Thinking back now, he realized... how could Mrs. Williams have been so certain that he loved Isabelle. She must of definitely seen his gift to her.

Mrs. Williams, who had always hated him, must of found out that he liked her son's fiance, so that's why she did that.

So, that woman, she not only killed his son, but she also made him misunderstand Isabelle all those years ago.

His heart suddenly felt upset and delighted at the same time.

He was delighted that the woman he loved, even though she didn't love him, had never learned of his feelings.

He was upset that someone had him in the palm of their hands. After all the hate and blame, Isabelle was actually innocent all along.

Isabelle looked at Alexander for a long time without making a sound.

Then she asked, "Did you really give me a birthday present in my fourth year of university?"

Alexander snapped out of his own thoughts, and calmly said, "I think I remembered wrong."

Isabelle suddenly settled down, as she hugged Alexander's neck. She asked a question she'd thought of whilst she was just recounting the presents. "You really like Shmily merchandise, don't you?"

"Hm?" Alexander softly asked back. "Why?"

"I just realized that the gift you gave me had 'Shmily' engraved on it.

These past few years, this brand has been especially popular."

Actually, Isabelle had long ago seen the engraved letters 'Shmily' on Alexander's first gift. Back then, she didn't know what it was, nor did she know that this brand produced all kinds of gifts. Up until around four years ago when she saw a Shmily gift store on the high street. That's when she knew that those letters were the name of a brand.

Alexander's tone remained elegant and calm. "That brand's gifts aren't bad."

"They're great." Isabelle sounded like she really agreed. After a while, she said, "Do you know the touching story behind this brand?"

"What story?"

"I saw that this brand, Shmily, was an acronym for See, How, Much, I, Love, You. They say that the founder of the brand was a lovesick man. The only reason why he created this brand was to confess to the woman he loved, but the gifts industry was too competitive. The popularity of this brand was low for many years before it grew popular. Then this story has been shared on facebook."

"So there's such a romantic story."

"Yeah, it's really romantic!" Isabelle's words had a hint of envy. "That girl is so lucky."

Alexander smiled without saying a word, as he piggybacked Isabelle through the gates of York Garden.

See, How, Much, I, Love, You.

Shmily.

Previously, the gifts he gave her were quite cheap, but they had deep meanings.

He personally engraved those words onto the first gift.

Later on, about over four years ago, when they had already stopped keeping in contact and he had become rich, he then officially founded this brand.

It only sold some cheap gifts, and the rent in Beijing was expensive. At first, it didn't make any profit. In fact, it made a loss. Back then, his assistant even said that he wasn't business minded and recommended that he close all of his branches. He refused to do so for no reason other than because it was the best confession he once gave her.

Shmily.

See, How, Much, I, Love, You.

~*~

When Mrs. Williams called the hospital, James had already fallen asleep and Isabelle had already left. It was quite late, but since she knew that her son had woken up, she called the housekeeper to driver her to the hospital.

The road from the Williams family to the hospital coincidentally passed the street in front of York Garden's neighborhood.

Mrs. Williams always thought that her son didn't pay attention to what was out the window, but the housekeeper driving suddenly slowed the car down...

Mrs. Williams furrowed her brows. She raised her head and saw the housekeeper staring straight outside the window. Who knew what the housekeeper was looking at. She asked her, "What's the matter?"

The housekeeper heard Mrs. Williams's voice and pointed out out of the car window, saying, "Madam, look, it's Miss Davis."

Mrs. Williams followed where the housekeeper was pointing to see Isabelle, who was carried on someone's back. The person carrying her was Alexander.

Since the car was quite far away, and there was construction happening on the other road, Mrs. Williams and her housekeeper simply couldn't hear what the pair outside was saying. However, from their expressions, they seemed to be having fun chatting.

The housekeeper said, "It looks like Miss Davis' relationship with that bastard isn't bad. The young master loves Miss Davis, and now that the young master has finally woken up..."

As the housekeeper said this, they coincidentally saw Isabelle tilt her head and stare at Alexander with a sweet smile. The housekeeper suddenly stepped on the breaks.

After the car had stayed on the street for some time, she said, "Do you reckon she is falling for the bastard? If so, then what of the young master?"

Mrs. Williams's expression instantly froze over. She stared wordlessly at the two outside until Alexander carried Isabelle into the neighborhood. Only then did she divert her eyes. The housekeeper in the drivers seat said with annoyance in her voice, "The young master treated that bastard so well. For him to dare treat the young master like that..."

When Mrs. Williams heard this, her expression looked worse for wear. As though to cut the housekeeper off, she said with a cold tone, "Start the car."

The car drove off.

~*~

Isabelle and Alexander talked for a long time, but they were quite tired, so eventually they stopped talking. She closed her eyes whilst on Alexander's back.

Her breathing was light, as she blew incessantly on his neck. It somewhat distracted his heart and stiffened his steps.

A cool gust of wind came in, and woke Alexander up. He suppressed the evil fire in his heart, and walked even slower than before.

Even though both of them didn't speak, but the atmosphere felt far better than when they spoke. There was a feeling of everlasting peace and quiet.

Even if Alexander wanted to make this road longer, they had reached the end. He stepped into his own courtyard.

Because of the rain, the flowers in the courtyard had fallen to the ground. There were quite a few petals stuck to Alexander's leg.

When they reached the door, he brought his hand up to the doorbell.

Before it could ring, Madam Mary opened the door. "Mr. Smith, Mrs. Smith" Alexander greeted her with a nod.

Isabelle, who was carried on his back, blinked and called out, "Madam Mary."

After they entered the mansion, Isabelle didn't have any intention of getting down, nor did Alexander say anything for her to get down, so he continued to carry her in. Madam Mary changed Isabelle's shoes for slippers, and he changed into slippers himself. With Isabelle still on his back, when he reached the bottom of the stairs, he looked at her as though having thought of something and said, "We're home."

Isabelle knew that Alexander meant for it to be a sign for her to get off of him. With a reluctant heart, she waited for five seconds, and then said in an unwilling voice, "Put me down."

Alexander didn't say a thing but lowered his body. Isabelle conveniently slipped off of him.

Alexander then said, "I'm going downstairs first. Go upstairs first and help me turn on the shower."

Isabelle nodded, turned, and trotted upstairs.

Alexander stared at Isabelle, who disappeared around the corner of the stairs, with the hint of a wide smile in his eyes. He turned to look at Madam Mary, who immediately understood and ran into the kitchen.

The lights were off in the bedroom. Isabelle pushed open the bedroom door and went to reach for the light switch on the wall. Before she even pressed the switch, there was already light in the room. She furrowed her brows and was about to walk in when she stopped, dazed, in her tracks...