Alexander supplied his friends with more alcohol during the night. Short before midnight Lisa was more than just tipsy. Violet pulled her inside the house. The catering team just entered the living area with a beautiful birthday cake with eighteen candles on top. 

Lisa’s guests stood all around her and begun singing, when it turned midnight. 

„HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU! HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU! HAPPY BIRTHDAY, DEAR LIZZY, HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU!“ 

Lisa closed her eyes and made a wish, before she blew out the candles. She wished from the bottom of her heart, Silas would come back for her right in this moment.

The crowd cheered happily, as she finally blew out the candles. But Lisa’s wish didn’t come true. Suddenly reality hit her hard. She blamed herself for being that naive and believing he might come back for her. While she was staring into space, being completely absentminded, her guests were still applauding. 

Phin immediately noticed something was wrong. He came towards her and cupped her face carefully with one hand. 

„Hey… are you alright?“ 

Lisa returned back to normal. She looked in his beautiful deep blue eyes for a moment. Then she nodded. 

Phin gave her an adoring smile.

„Happy birthday, Lizzy.“ 

Lisa realized how much time she waisted, still hoping for a happy end with Silas. She was finally ready admitting, that she was chasing a dream, which was not meant to be. 

In the next second she fell around Phin’s neck and pressed her lips on his. All guest started cheering again, witnessing the unexpected scene. 

Phin felt like dreaming. He needed a second to understand what was happening to him. Then he put his arms around her body and kissed her back passionately. 

„How much Bourbon did we have, honey?“ Eve said in shock, staring at Lisa and Phin.

„Finally… it… happened….“ Josh stammered. 

Eve looked at him.

„Honestly, I didn’t see that coming. She was keeping him on distance for two years.“

„But his persistence paid of.“

„Obviously it did.“

Violet was out of mind, seeing Lisa and Phin kissing each other. 

„This is wonderful! Don’t you think?“ she said to Jake and Alexander. 

Both nodded.

„Phin deserves her more than anyone else,“ Jake said. 

„I agree to that fact,“ Alexander replied.  

But not every guest on Lisa’s party was happy about what just happened. When Lisa released Phin slowly, her eyes met Nash’s for a second. He shook his head and left the room in the next moment.

„Lizzy… what… what was this…?“ Phin asked, catching Lisa’s attention again. 

She looked at him and smiled. 

„I wanna be with you, Phin.“

His heart begun turning somersaults. He waited for this moment for so long. It felt completely surreal this was happening right now. She thought it was terribly cute, how hard he was trying to sort his mind.

„Do you wanna be with me?“ she asked.

Phin grabbed her waist and lifted her up. 

„I want nothing more in this world than I want you, beautiful,“ he replied, with the most happiest smile she’ve ever seen in his face. 

Again she kissed his lips softly. 

„I’m yours, Phin…“ she talked into his mouth. „I’m all yours…“ 

The party moved on, after everybody congratulated Lisa to her birthday. She was having another drink and decided to find Nash. She hated, how he made her feel with his reproachful look after kissing Phin. In her opinion Nash had no right judging her in any kind. 

She went outside and found him sitting all alone in a quiet corner. He gazed at her, already knowing their conversation wouldn’t end up well. 

„We shouldn’t do that,“ he said, looking away. 

Lisa sat down next to him at a free chair. 

„Doing what?“ She asked eagerly. 

„Having this conversation.“

„Why not, Nash?“

„Because you’re drunk.“ 

„I’m not.“ 

„Liz, come on. Stop shitting both of us.“

She scoffed. 

„You started this.“ 

He looked at her again. 

„I started nothing.“

„You looked at me, like I just committed a mortal sin!“ 

He bent in her direction.

„It’s his brother. From all people in this damn word, why must it be his brother, Liz?“

„What difference does it make, Nash? Silas is gone and he’s not coming back!“ 

„You don’t know that,“ Nash contradicted. 

„He left me two years ago just with a damn goodbye letter! I didn’t hear a single word from him since then!“

„It doesn’t mean he won’t come back for you at some point.“ 

„You can’t be serious!“ Lisa yelled. „How long you want me to wait, hm?! How long, Nash?!“

„I can’t give you an answer, Lizzy. But what I know for sure is, that you’re doing a big mistake with Phin.“ 

„Why?! Why the hell would you say that?!“ 

„Because you don’t love him!“

„You don’t know that!“ 

„You love Silas. If you wanna lie to yourself, fine. Please do so. But don’t say I didn’t warn you.“ 

„Warn me from want?“ 

„From giving Phin what he wants, just because you feel obligated!“

„I don’t feel obligated! This is ridiculous!“

„Yes, you do! You believe you owe him for everything he did for you in the last two years. But this is not how love work, Lizzy!“ 

„What makes you an expert, hm?! How you dare telling me how love works?!“ 

Nash suddenly stood up.

„This makes no sense. You’re too drunk for this kind of conversation.“

„I won’t change my mind about Phin when I’m sober.“

„Great. If you wanna live a lie, Lizzy, go for it.“ 

„You have no right making me feel bad about all of this! You have no right!“ Lisa yelled at him.

Nash looked at her for a short moment. Then he turned around and just walked away.