opened a small flower
Every day, I can
Life was
An
t I wanted.
nmed branches, and wrapped bouquets for customers.
70.00%
Chapter 8
My friend Erin Quinn came to visit me in the spring of my second year there
She brought news from back home.
“Evan’s lost his mind,” Erin said, sitting in my cabin with a mug of hot cocoa in her hands
“He’s been looking for you everywhere. He’s turned the whole city upside down.”
I kept my head down, trimming the rose in my hand, and said nothing.
“Sloane ended up terribly.” Erin continued.
My hands paused for a moment.
“Evar sued her. His legal team fabricated a whole chain of evidence and branded her a corporate spy, saying she stole the lab’s core secrets. She was expelled from school and sentenced to five years.”
“What about Julian?” I asked casually.
“He got invoived too. He had people in prison take special care of Sloane. I heard she gets beaten every day in there She’s
already lost her mind.”
Julian’s been looking for you too.” Erin let out a sigh. The two of them are lashing out at everyone around them now Holt Group and Pierce Holdings have been tearing each other apart in the market, and both sides have come out badly
damaged.”
I placed the trimmed rose into a vase.
“Let them.” I said.
I had no interest at all in what became of them.
Sioane deserved everything she got
She destroyed my first marriage and nearly destroyed my life too
Julian brought it on himself. The day he knelt in the pouring rain I had already been done with him
As for Evan 1 had forgiven Jump once
But on the tenth time he chose someone else
Im got someone who takes ruined things track
Once something is hithy I will never take it track
You really don’t miss him at all? Erin asked
“No
I looked at the snow–covered mountains outside the window, my voice calm.
“All I feel is disgust.
Time passed quickly.
Before I knew it, three years had gone by.
Winter in the town was long.
I got used to waking up every morning, sweeping the snow from in front of my door, then heading to the flower shop!
open up.
The people in town were kind. They didn’t know anything about my past. All they knew was that I was a quiet foreign
woman.
That day, the snow was falling hard.
There were barely any people on the street.
I was sitting in the shop, wrapping a bouquet of baby’s breath.
The bell above the door chimed.
“Sorry, I’m closing early today…”
I looked up, and my voice cut off.
A man was standing by the door.
He wore a thin black coat, his shoulders dusted white with snow.
His hair had grown long hanging in a messy curtain over his eyes.
His face had become so gaunt it was almost unrecognizable. His cheekbones jutted out sharply his eves were hollow, and
dark stubble covered his jaw
If I hadn’t looked carefully I never would have recognized him as the once commanding CEO of Holt Group.
He stood there rigidly shaking all over
I didn’t know whether it was from the cold or from emotion
Chapter 8
80.00%
We amply looked at each other across a room full of flowers.
Three years had passed
I had thought I would feel angry, or maybe heartbroken.
But I felt nothing at all
Tessa
When he spoke, his voice was hoarse.
He took one careful step forward.
His footing faltered, and he nearly fell.
He made it to the counter and looked at me through the glass.
His eyes turned red instantly, and large tears hit the glass countertop one after another.
1 finally found you…”
I set down the scissors in my hand and looked at him calmly.
“Are you buying flowers?”
Evan froze
He looked into my perfectly still eyes, and the hope in his gaze shattered bit by bit.
Tessa, I’m sorry.” He braced both hands against the counter, his knuckles going white with strain. I know I can’t be forgiven. I’m not asking you to come back with me. I’m only asking you to let me stay by your side I can help you shover snow I can help you move flowers. I’ll do anything you want. As long as I can see you…”
1 don’t need that, I cut in
Tm not short on help here
He looked at me in despair
“Tessa. I’m better now‘
He spoke in a rush and pulled a thick stack of hospital reports from his pocket
“I cooperated with treatment for the past three years I locked myself in the lab and buried myself in research I haven’t had an episode in three years I’m really better now‘
Chapter B
80.00%
“That’s your business.”
I set the wrapped bouquet of baby’s breath aside.
“Evan, we’re divorced.”
“I know!” His voice jumped sharply, then dropped again at once, full of pleading. “We can start over. Can’t we just for
those seven days? I sent Sloane to prison. She can’t hurt you anymore. I transferred all my assets into your name. I
want any of it. I only want you.”
Looking at how humble he had become, I suddenly found it laughable.
What makes you think
I looked straight
waiting for you?”
“The mom
“The
ack
on that gravel and forced me to bow my head.”
nand down and took my blood.”
x with Sloane on the phone while I listened”
noment I started thinking of you as de
white as paper.
in breath after breath, clutching
er in pain.
move.
Sara Lili is a daring romance writer who turns icy landscapes into scenes of fiery passion. She loves crafting hot love stories while embracing the chill of Iceland’s breathtaking cold.
