Felicia nodded. "I''m fine with it. Are you sure you won''t get caught?"


    "Don''t worry. My dad and my stepmom took my little brother out. I''m home alone, so I won''t get caught!" Carmenughed and quickly returned with the alcohol. "Cheers!"


    "Cheers!"


    The two clinked their sses together.


    Felicia didn''t ask Carmen why her father and stepmother only took her little brother out and left her alone at home, just as Carmen didn''t ask why Felicia, the heiress of the Fuller family, was spending the New Year alone. They exchanged a knowing smile and downed their drinks.


    There was a silent understanding between them.


    The room warmed up as they ate stew and sipped their drinks. The air was filled with the aroma of the food and a delicate floral fragrance. Outside, the sound of fireworks mixed with the noise from the TV could be heard. The two continued to eat and drink.


    Gradually, Carmen became a little drunk. After a burp, she asked, "Felicia, what''s the one thing you want the most right now?"


    The one thing she wanted most?


    Felicia paused momentarily, and an image of a face unexpectedly shed through her mind.


    She shook her head, thenughed. "I want money, power, and everything else I can have."


    "Hahaha... Who doesn''t want that?" Carmenughed loudly, likely quite drunk, and suddenly jumped onto the chair. With one hand raised high, she shouted, "I want to sail the seas and see what the end of the ocean looks like!" Felicia propped her head up,ughing.


    The induction stove was turned off, and the bubbling stew gradually quieted.


    Carmen jumped down from the chair and grabbed another drink. Her face was flushed, and she swayed as she tried to walk straight.


    Before long, she copsed onto the floor.


    Felicia had no choice but to drag her into the guest bedroom.


    Fortunately, the apartment she rented had two bedrooms.


    After settling Carmen down, Felicia was about to go out to clean the table when Carmen suddenly


    grabbed her hand. Her eyes were et


    barely open from drunkenness as


    she mumbled, "I''m going to conquer the stars and the sea!"


    "Okay, okay. You can conquer whatever you want." Felicia could only go along with the drunken ramblings, feeling amused and helpless.


    Luckily, Carmen soon fell asleep, apanied by soft snores.


    Felicia left the room, closed the door behind her, and rolled up her sleeves to clean up the mess on the dining table.


    Plenty of ingredients were left, so she put them all in the fridge.


    After finishing up, she opened the


    window to air out the smell of stew.


    The cold night breeze rushed


    drilling straight into her new.novelbin


    She stretched out her hand to catch a falling snowke, quickly melting in her palm.


    Smiling, she spoke to herself. "Happy New Year, Felicia."


    ...


    Meanwhile, the New Year''s Eve


    dinner wasid on the table at the


    Fuller residence, steam


    hot, with


    more than a dozen different dishes, all fragrant and appetizing


    But despite the abundance of food, the Fuller family had little interest or appetite for it.


    Since Dexter had rejected Myra''s suggestion to invite Ka over for the New Year, she hadn''t spoken to him for two days.


    Only Sebastian seemed unaffected at the table, casually looking at the food and saying calmly, "Dad, Mom, why aren''t you eating?"


    "I have no appetite!" Myra turned her face away, shooting a resentful re at Dexter.