Chapter 4
Maddox has been ordering me around lately: “Peel these grapes for me, and bring me some coffee.”
I comply without complaint, feeling guilty.
The accident left me with just minor scratches. He, however, fractured his arm and grimaced in pain, looking at me reproachfully: “Road menace! You’re exactly Raine’s star pupil!”
Raine had been in a car accident too.
Shortly after Jade went abroad, he was distracted and hit a tree, spending two months recovering.
Remembering what Maddox said last night, I casually asked:
“Why did he crash back then?”
Maddox waved dismissively, accidentally lifting his plastered arm, creating a comical sight.
“Don’t even get me started. It was all about Jade. He secretly flew abroad to see her, then came back looking like a ghost.”
“Look at that worthless fool–hasn’t shown his face in ages. Who knows what he’s been up to? He heard about our accident and didn’t even bother to check if we’re okay.”
So Raine knew. But he hadn’t even sent a message of concern. Apparently, I wasn’t even worth a single message of
concern from him.
After that night, our conversation remained stuck on that [I’m waiting for you outside] message.
Seeing me hanging my head in silence, Maddox looked at the hydrangeas on the coffee table:
“Hey, aren’t these your precious flowers? Why haven’t you arranged them yet?”
Though Raine hadn’t contacted me, the weekly flower deliveries continued right on schedule.
I stood up and threw them all in the trash.
Maddox looked confused: “Why throw them out when they’re still blooming?”
The truth was, none of these were flowers I actually liked. I only cherished them because they came from Raine. That’s why I’d carefully trimmed and watered them. But cut flowers inevitably wither no matter how much care you give them.
I smiled and told him: “If they’re destined to wither, no amount of love will keep them alive. Sooner or later, they’ll have to be thrown away.”
Maddox, ever the protective brother, noticed my mood and suggested taking me out.
1.9%
Chapter 4
Only when we arrived did I realize it was Jade’s welcome party.
Growing up together, she was always sweet and pretty, with a soft, gentle voice–everyone’s darling.
No wonder Maddox insisted on attending despite his injured arm.
The Storm family truly lived up to their elite status, hosting an extravagant celebration. The venue was filled with lilies of the valley freshly air–shipped from abroad–clearly sparing no expense.
Maddox was immediately dragged off to play cards by his friends as soon as we arrived.
I sat alone in a corner, my eyes involuntarily searching for Raine.
A white dress caught my attention–Jade.
Three years had transformed her from a girlish teenager to a poised young woman with every gesture reflecting her privileged upbringing.
She spotted me and excitedly called out: “Lyra! It’s been ages!”
My feelings were complicated. I didn’t actually dislike Jade. Growing up in our social circle, we were the only two girls close in age. She was always decent to me.
But she was so inherently likeable that every adult praised her for being clever and adorable. The boys preferred playing with her, making me feel like the ugly duckling by comparison.
And Raine was in love with her. I couldn’t pinpoint my exact emotions, but they weren’t pleasant.
That old thorn in my heart began to ache again.
After exchanging brief pleasantries, we fell into an awkward silence–perhaps because we hadn’t seen each other in so long, or maybe because of my poor conversation skills.
I glanced around, searching for a topic: “The lilies of the valley are beautiful.”
She casually plucked one and commented: “Raine had them flown in from Finland. I have no idea how he found out
I love lilies of the valley. They’re so rare here, yet he managed to get this many.”
These were my favorite flowers too–delicate blooms with short seasons and fragile stems.
Easily damaged during transport, likely half were lost along the way. Yet Raine had secured this abundance, obviously putting in tremendous effort.
He’d never given me lilies of the valley. My fault, really–I never volunteered my preferences.
I recalled his assistant once asking what flowers I liked when I visited his office. Lost in the illusion of happiness, I missed the subtext and said I loved anything he sent.
Looking back, the flowers were probably chosen by his assistant. Mostly blue arrangements–the assistant’s favorite color for her suits.
10.–1- the Spotlight
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Chapter 4
And they kept coming, probably because he forgot to tell his assistant to stop.
I finally understood he never invested even this small thought in me. Yet he actively sought out her preferences, going to extraordinary lengths to please her.
Every time I texted him that the flowers were beautiful and I loved them, he’d respond:
“Whatever you love, I’ll bring it to you with both hands.”
But in fact? He didn’t even know the colors of the flowers he was sending.
People may lie, but details never do.
Love reveals itself in details. So does its absence.
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.