Chapter 152
One afternoon, Stephanie went out for lunch, leaving Lexi alone to watch the shop.
Lexi was clearing away petals that had begun to wilt when the glass door opened.
“Welcome p>
She looked up.
“What kind of flowers are you looking for p>
“Yellow roses p>
The man’s low, slightly hoarse voice sent a shock through her.
Lexi froze.
Slowly, she turned around.
Sebastian stood among the flowers in a charcoal-gray overcoat.
His face was pale and drawn, his expression dark.
He looked exhausted.
And there was something heavy and dangerous about the atmosphere surrounding him.
“No p>
Lexi remembered the crystal shoes.
She remembered Isabella bringing them to her.
She remembered the humiliation.
Her anger immediately flared.
“We don’t have any p>
Sebastian didn’t seem bothered by her hostility.
He walked farther into the shop.
Then he reached into a display and pulled out a single yellow rose in full bloom.
He held it out to her.
Yellow roses were traditionally given as an apology.
A silent request for forgiveness.
Lexi stared at the flower.
Then at Sebastian.
Without warning, she knocked the rose from his hand.
It landed on the floor.
“Enough p>
Her voice trembled with anger.
“Sebastian, I’m tired p>
She took a breath.
“I’m tired of being caught between you and Lauren. I’m tired of your hot-and-cold behavior, your mood swings, and your constant uncertainty p>
Her chest rose and fell rapidly.
“And I’m tired of watching you try to keep one woman while looking toward another p>
Her eyes burned.
“So please, Sebastian p>
Her voice dropped.
“Stay with Lauren p>
“Stop coming after me p>
“Can you do that p>
Silence filled the flower shop.
For a long moment, Sebastian said nothing.
Then, slowly, he lifted his eyes.
“Lexi p>
His voice was quiet.
“Is that really how you see me p>
Lexi looked up.
A bright, almost painfully determined smile appeared on her lips.
“Then how am I supposed to see you p>
She gave a cold laugh.
“How does Mr. Blackwood want me to see him p>
Before Sebastian could answer, the glass door suddenly opened.
“I’m back p>
Stephanie’s cheerful voice filled the shop.
Then she noticed the two people standing in the middle of the room.
The atmosphere was strange.
Very strange.
She forced an awkward smile.
“Uh p>
“I think I came at a bad time p>
“I’ll come back later p>
Before either of them could stop her, she disappeared back through the door.
Sebastian looked at Lexi.
Pain flickered through his dark eyes.
His voice was low but unwavering.
“Lexi, I won’t give up p>
He paused.
“I’ll come back p>
His gaze was heavy with determination.
And once again, Lexi’s carefully guarded heart began to waver.
Sebastian turned and left.
Lexi couldn’t bring herself to continue trimming the flowers.
Her mind was somewhere else entirely.
Stephanie eventually returned and stared at her for a moment.
Then she nudged Lexi with her elbow.
“Was that your boyfriend p>
Lexi blinked, finally returning to reality.
She hesitated.
Then slowly shook her head.
“No p>
She emphasized every word.
“He’s someone else’s boyfriend p>
Stephanie dragged out an understanding “Oh p>
Then she smiled knowingly.
“I could tell p>
Lexi looked at her.
“He likes you p>
Stephanie continued before Lexi could respond.
“If he didn’t, he wouldn’t have come all the way here p>
“And you obviously like him too p>
She pointed at Lexi.
“Look at you. The second he walked in, you stopped functioning p>
Lexi frowned.
Stephanie shrugged.
“Honestly, if two people want to be together, they should just be together p>
“There are always obstacles, but most of them are excuses people make when they’re afraid p>
She sighed.
“Don’t end up like me p>
“I broke up with my boyfriend of five years because I wanted to come to Paris to study p>
A hint of regret entered her voice.
“Sometimes I still wonder if I made the right choice p>
She patted Lexi’s shoulder.
Then went back to work.
Lexi remained silent.
Stephanie’s words kept echoing in her head.
Her thoughts became tangled.
She wasn’t paying attention when a thorn from a rose caught her finger.
“Ouch p>
She pulled her hand back.
A tiny bead of blood appeared.
Lexi stared at the wound.
When had Sebastian become capable of pulling at her heartstrings like this?
When had he become capable of making her lose focus simply by appearing in front of her?
She gave a bitter little smile.
Maybe she really had fallen under Sebastian’s spell.
And there might not be any cure.
That evening, Julian returned to the flower shop beneath a beautiful sunset.
Stephanie had already finished her shift.
Lexi was completing the final tasks before closing.
Julian stood in the doorway, golden sunlight spilling across his shoulders.
“You work far too hard p>
He smiled.
“Keeping you as an ordinary employee would be a waste of your talent p>
He pretended to consider it.
“I may have to promote you to manager p>
Lexi straightened and gave him an exaggerated glare.
“Julian, stop teasing me p>
He smiled.
Seeing her energetic again reminded him of the girl he’d once seen handing out flyers at an amusement park.
For a moment, he couldn’t help thinking about how much time he and Lexi had lost.
How many chances they’d missed.
“Lexi p>
He held something up.
“Look what I got p>
Lexi stared.
Her eyes widened.
“A Devon concert ticket p>
Her voice rose with excitement.
Devon had been Lexi’s favorite singer when she was a student.
She had always dreamed of seeing him perform.
But by the time she entered college and finally had the time and freedom to attend a concert, Devon had fallen ill and withdrawn from the music industry.
He had never made a proper comeback.
And now, somehow, he was performing in Paris.
His music had always been relatively niche.
He didn’t have many fans.
But the fans he did have were fiercely loyal.
“Julian, where did you get these p>
Lexi clutched the ticket.
“And why is he performing in Paris p>
She was so excited that her words came out all at once.
It didn’t matter how old someone was.
Seeing an idol from your youth standing right in front of you could still make your heart race.
Julian laughed.
“You don’t need to know p>
He reached over and gently ruffled her hair.
“I’ll pick you up tomorrow p>
He pointed at the ticket.
“And don’t be late. Devon won’t be happy p>
Lexi nodded repeatedly.
She carefully tucked the ticket away.
After everything that had happened since arriving in Paris, this was the first thing she had genuinely looked forward to.