Josh caught sight of her mascara-laden lashes drooping as salty tears poured into her mouth. Flora’s head sank into her arms, muffling her soft cries.
He had witnessed her grit and tenacity before, but her vulnerable side was a revelation.
Anything connected to Justin would expose this tender part of her.
Josh exhaled, aware that no one could console her right now. He fired up the car, planning to drive her home.
“Wait,” Flora raised her head, her eyes bloodshot and puffy. “I got to get back to the office.”
“Seriously? You can’t go back like this,” Josh refused to make a U-turn. “Take a personal day.”
“I can’t,” said Flora as she recalled Dylan’s ominous glare before he left. Losing her job wasn’t an option.
Unable to change her mind, Josh reluctantly turned the car around and headed back to La Comte.
Her dark attire was a saving grace that day. When they reached the design department, only 30 minutes remained before clocking out. Julie, outside Flora’s office, motioned her over, “Hurry! You won’t finish the project if you don’t get back ASAP. I covered half of it for you…”
“Thanks,” Flora reclaimed her seat. “I’ll treat you to something yummy later.”
“Sounds like a plan,” Julie laughed.
Just then, another colleague of theirs teased, “Ah, your golden goose got away, and you’re back all disheveled…”
Another person chimed, “Yeah. Nothing like working hard to land a sugar daddy.”
…
Flora had grown accustomed to these snarky remarks. She focused on her tasks, tuning out the chatter. Julie would always intervene when it crossed the line.
At the end of the day, Flora still had a mountain of work left. Julie offered to stay and help but was gently declined.
Flora didn’t want to be too indebted, and Julie, the rosy-cheeked girl, had already help her too much recently.
By the time Flora wrapped up, it was already 9 pm. She switched off the lights, descended the stairs, and noticed the rain had ceased. Reaching the base of the office building, she followed the familiar path to catch the bus.
Head down and deep in thought, she peered to check for the bus, only to spot a black car tailing her from about ten meters back.
She quickly averted her gaze, nervously rummaging through her bag for her compact mirror.
A few steps later, using the mirror’s reflection, she realized the car was still shadowing her at the same distance.
Her past encounter fresh in her mind, Flora couldn’t shake the feeling of panic. Gripping her purse tightly, she sprinted across the street.
Flora’s heart pounded wildly, ready to burst from her chest. She didn’t dare glance back, but the distinct, forceful footsteps steadily closed in.
The rhythm of her high heels turned uneven, and her breathing was getting heavier due to nervousness.
“Ah—”
Her arm was suddenly yanked by the approaching figure. Flora fought back, but her fragile frame was no match for the man’s power.
With ease, he pulled her into his embrace, and a familiar whiff of men’s cologne filled her nostrils.
Flora looked up, and before she could focus on his brown eyes, she was tightly hugged.
Breathless from her earlier sprint, Flora tried to shove him away, but her efforts were in vain. Her legs weakened, and she nearly passed out.
“Flora,” the familiar voice called. She saw those familiar eyes before her.
“Slap—”
She smacked him hard across the face, but the man didn’t flinch, taking the blow with his striking profile.
Flora’s entire palm reddened. She clenched her fingers as tears welled up in her eyes. Justin remained silent, wrapping his arms around her and pulling her into his embrace.
Under the dim streetlight, the entwined couple cast a shadow on the lengthy street. The man’s face swelled, evidence of Flora’s forceful slap.
Letting her go, Justin rolled up her sleeve, gently touching the unattended scrape on Flora’s arm. “Flora, I’m sorry.”
Tears splashed onto her wound, but Flora felt no pain.
“Flora?”
“Is this another dream, like so many nights before, where I wake up alone?” Flora asked. She’d had enough of that solitude.
Justin took her hand and pressed it to his mouth, his warm breath soothing her heart. “Flora, I won’t leave you again.”
“Really?”
“Really,” Justin confirmed.
“Since you were alive, why didn’t you come find me?” Flora finally let the question out.
“That year, I was sent to Europe for treatment,” he reminisced as they walked hand in hand. “The hospital issued critical condition notices multiple times, but our family kept this information hidden to prevent Farnection from collapsing. For a year, I was like a prisoner, my communication with the outside world restricted, until my recent full recovery.”
Flora hung her head and sobbed, “I thought you were dead.”
Justin suddenly tightened his grip on her hand. Flora looked up at him, and Justin’s expression had already returned to normal in an instant.
She furrowed her brow. If she wasn’t mistaken, she had just sensed some resentment from him.
“Flora, how have you been this past year?”
She quickly looked away, hesitating before speaking up. “Justin, I’m gonna be honest with you. When I couldn’t find a job, I went to Desire to work.”
Although she was honest, she didn’t have the courage to mention her relationship with Dylan and left it out for the time being.
With his arm around Flora’s shoulder, Justin pulled her into his embrace and said, “Flora, if there’s anyone to blame, it’s me. Also, the press conference today was planned by my father. I couldn’t acknowledge you at that time, I’m sorry.”
“Um, it’s fine,” Flora said, walking on the right side of the man as they had done during their shopping days. “By the way, was it you at the Manchette Hotel last time?”
“The Manchette?” He put her cold little hand in his pocket and said, “I haven’t been there for a long time.”
It was dark and raining that night, so Flora figured she might have been mistaken? She asked, “Then, have you been to Desire?”
“What? Why?” Justin looked at her with a puzzled expression. “I just got back, and there’s so much to deal with at work. I haven’t had time to go to a place like that.”
Flora felt a chill down her spine, thinking to herself, “If not, whose eyes did I see?”
Justin’s car was nearby, and after a short walk, he let Flora get in, took her to eat something, and then drove her home.
When they arrived at the apartment building, Justin held her hand and wouldn’t let go. “I’ll walk you up.”
“There’s no need,” Flora said, noticing it was getting late, and she was afraid Monica would be uneasy if a man came up at this hour. “You must be tired today. Go home and rest,” said Flora.
Justin did feel exhausted. He leaned against the car and said, “Then I’ll watch you go up. Tomorrow, let’s have dinner together.”
“Okay,” Flora reluctantly let go of his hand. After a year apart, their affection had only deepened. She turned and entered the dark hallway. Once the man saw her go upstairs, he got into the car.
“Drive.”
The black car circled the small flowerbed and left the neighborhood. Flora came out of the hallway and watched the car disappear into the night before reluctantly heading upstairs.
“Sir?” Justin’s driver cautiously called him.
Justin leaned against the backseat with his eyes closed, resting. “Hmm?”
“That young lady, we saw her at the Manchette Hotel last time. She was the one who chased our car…”
“Just drive.” Justin opened his eyes, and the warmth from before had vanished without a trace.
He glanced out the window, his expression inscrutable, without any joy one could expect after a long-awaited reunion.
The driver didn’t dare to speak again, so he silently focused on the steering wheel. However, he couldn’t help but wonder, “Why has Mr. Norris’s temper changed so much since returning?”
