The moment we had been waiting for finally arrived. The clock struck 6:00 p.m., and the sky began to take on shades of orange and purple. From the main entrance, I watched as a black car pulled up in front of the Hart Estate. My heart raced as I saw Olivia step out of the vehicle, looking absolutely dazzling.
Olivia wore a long navy-blue silk dress that seemed to shimmer under the golden light of the lanterns. Her hair was styled in an elegant bun, and her diamond earrings caught every ray of sunlight still lingering on the horizon. Her sisters, Emma, Sarah, and Matthew, accompanied her with proud smiles. Everyone was dressed impeccably, but it was clear that Olivia was the absolute center of attention.
As she stepped out of the car, her eyes began scanning the area meticulously, as if she were an inspector of social events. She nodded occasionally while observing every detail, from the floral arrangements to the string lights hanging above the dance floor.
"Impressive," she murmured, though loud enough for everyone to hear. "Good job, team. Not bad at all."
Emma rolled her eyes behind her.
"Not bad? This looks like a royal gala!"
Sarah nodded, adding:
"It seems someone forgot to admit how much they love all this."
Matthew simply smiled and crossed his arms.
"You know how Olivia is. She never admits when something impresses her."
Olivia pretended to be offended, though she couldn't help but smile.
"It doesn't impress me that much. It's just… adequate."
Sack and I exchanged an amused glance. It was so typical of Olivia to act as if nothing affected her, even though she was clearly thrilled.
We quickly approached to greet her. Ellie came with us, holding a small gift wrapped in golden paper.
"Happy birthday, Olivia!" Ellie exclaimed, hugging her enthusiastically. "This is incredible, right?"
Olivia returned the hug, though she maintained her air of indifference.
"Well, I suppose it turned out decent enough."
Then Sack stepped forward, giving her a brotherly hug.
"You've made it through another year, Olivia. You're officially one step closer to your next big achievement."
She smiled widely.
"Thanks, Sack. Always so optimistic."
Finally, it was my turn. I hugged her tightly and said:
"You look beautiful, Olivia. This dress is perfect for you."
She waved her hand casually, though I noticed her posture straightened a bit more.
"Oh, this is just something I found in the closet. Nothing special."
Sack and I looked at each other, holding back laughter. We knew she had probably spent hours choosing that dress.
James and Sophia Hart also approached to congratulate their youngest daughter. James wore a rolled-up white shirt with beige pants, while Sophia looked elegant in a floral dress. Both radiated pride.
"Happy birthday, sweetheart," Sophia said, hugging Olivia. "All of this is for you. I hope you enjoy every second."
James nodded, smiling.
"We've seen a lot of teamwork here, but you're the star of the night."
Olivia accepted the compliments with her characteristic fake modesty.
"Thanks, Mom and Dad. I think you did a good job supervising these guys."
Sophia raised an eyebrow.
"Sweetheart, this was entirely their idea. We just came to enjoy it."
Olivia feigned surprise.
"Really? Well, then… I guess I'll have to congratulate them later."
Once the initial greetings were over, I decided to show Olivia the themed areas we had prepared. We started with the Dining Area, decorated like an elegant garden.
"This is the dining area," I explained. "The chefs are preparing gourmet dishes served in small stalls inspired by European markets."
Olivia inspected one of the tables, where some appetizers were already laid out.
"Interesting. And what's on the menu?"
"Lobster with edible gold, imported black truffles, and handmade chocolate made by Swiss monks," Sack responded, smiling.
Olivia blinked, impressed.
"Chocolate made by monks, huh? Now that's exclusive."
Next, we headed to the Gift Area, where Ellie had meticulously organized the main gifts.
"This is the gift corner," I said. "Here are yours, Sack's, Ellie's, James', Sophia's, your sisters', and your brother's."
Olivia looked at the central table with curiosity.
"And what about the guests' gifts?"
"They're separated," Ellie replied. "But don't worry, we'll go over them later."
Finally, we arrived at the Outdoor Dance Floor. The lights hung from above, creating a celestial effect over the circular platform.
"This is the dance floor," Sack explained. "And this is where the orchestra comes in… and Coldplay."
Olivia's eyes widened.
"Coldplay? Chris Martin? Really?"
Before we could respond, Chris Martin appeared from behind the orchestra, smiling kindly.
"Hello, Olivia. Happy birthday," he said, extending his hand.
Olivia stared at him, mouth agape, for a few seconds before recovering.
"Chris Martin! This… this is epic. Thank you for coming. But… how did you manage to get you here? What about your schedule? How long did you rehearse these songs? Will you play 'Fix You'? Or 'Viva la Vida'? Oh, wait! I also want to know if…"
Chris raised his hands, laughing.
"Relax, Olivia. I'll try to answer all your questions. First, I'm here because your friends contacted me. Second, we'll play several songs, including some of your favorites. And yes, 'Fix You' will be on the list."
Olivia practically vibrated with excitement.
"This is amazing. Literally, I never thought I'd meet Coldplay in person."
Chris smiled.
"It's a pleasure to be here. Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to prepare for the show."
When Chris left, Olivia turned to us with an expression of awe.
"How did you do this? Who contacted Coldplay? Was it Sack? Ellie? You?"
I smiled, unable to hide my pride.
"Let's just say it was a collective effort. We wanted this night to be unforgettable."
Olivia shook her head, still processing everything.
"Guys, this is too much. Seriously. I don't know what to say."
Sack chimed in with a mischievous smile.
"You could start by saying 'thank you.'"
Olivia glared at him, though we all knew she was deeply grateful.
As we walked back toward the main area, I saw Olivia looking around with a mix of wonder and satisfaction. Though she tried to maintain her carefree attitude, it was clear she was thrilled by every detail.
I leaned close to her and whispered:
"You know, we did this because we love you. Because you're unique and deserve something as extravagant as you."
Olivia looked at me, surprised for a moment, before breaking into a wide smile.
"Thank you, Lindsay. This… really means a lot."
Just then, we approached the giant cake designed to look like Lord Whiskers, Olivia's cat. It was an impressive masterpiece, with golden details simulating a royal collar and a small crown on top.
"Is… is that Lord Whiskers?" Olivia asked, slowly approaching the cake.
Sack nodded, smiling.
"We had it specially made for you. We thought it would be a fitting tribute to your furry companion."
Olivia gazed at the cake with genuine amazement.
"This is… incredible. It's exactly like him."
She turned to us with a huge smile.
"Guys, this is perfect. Absolutely perfect."
I knew that, even if she didn't say it out loud, this day would be one of the most memorable of her life. And that made all the effort worth it.