Chapter 189
Kingsley was handling business in his study when his phone vibrated. It was a call from Xavier.
He swiped to answer. A hesitant voice came through the receiver: “Mr. Sherwood, the flowers you sent… Miss Lynwood returned them. And p>
“And what?” Kingsley asked, his tone flat, as if he had expected this outcome. His fingers continued to tap lazily on the keyboard. “Stop stammering p>
Xavier took a deep breath and spoke faster. “Miss Lynwood had a bouquet sent over for you p>
“Find a vase for them,” Kingsley said, leaning back in his chair.
The leather creaked slightly. He lowered his eyes to the documents on his desk, but
a small smile quietly spread in his eyes.
Xavier, however, hesitated even more, his voice dropping to a whisper. “Mr. Sherwood, these flowers… aren’t exactly suitable for a vase p>
“Preserved flowers?” Kingsley raised an eyebrow, his fingers pausing. He rarely pressed for details like this.
Xavier’s voice sounded like it was stuck in his throat. He mumbled, “It’s… it’s white… white chrysanthemums p>
White chrysanthemums.
The answer landed clearly in Kingsley’s ears.
He paused for a moment, then laughed low in his throat. The vibration traveled through the phone, stunning Xavier into silence.
Kingsley’s voice carried a hint of mirth, yet it was undeniably firm. “Find a vase, arrange them well, and put them on my desk p>
Xavier was completely bewildered. Not only was Mr. Sherwood not angry, but he was laughing? It seemed that no matter what Miss Lynwood sent, to Mr. Sherwood, it was a treasure.
“Yes, Mr. Sherwood! I’ll do it right away!” Xavier responded quickly.
The call ended, and the study returned to silence.
Kingsley tapped his fingers lightly on the edge of the desk. Thinking of the white chrysanthemums, the amusement in his eyes deepened.
Not long after, Kingsley’s phone rang again. Caller ID showed Shane.
He answered, and Shane’s respectful voice came through immediately. “Mr. Sherwood, the Madam has been playing high stakes at the card tables recently. Not only has she lost a significant amount of money, but she also sold several pieces of jewelry under her name p>
“Understood.”Kingsley’s voice turned cold instantly. He
unconsciously gripped his pen tighter, his knuckles turning white. “Go tether that if she touches cards again, next month’s allowance will be cut off completely. Also, send someone to investigate her card partners. See if anyone is cheating her p>
“Understood, Mr. Sherwood. I’ll arrange it immediately,” Shane replied crisp and clear.
After hanging up, Kingsley tossed the phone onto the desk.
He leaned back, closed his eyes, and massaged his temples, his expression dark. It wasn’t the money that bothered him; he was worried someone was setting a trap to drag her down.
That afternoon, Kingsley arrived at the company. The first thing he saw when he pushed open his office door was the bouquet of white chrysanthemums in the center of his desk.
The petals were perfectly unfurled, the celadon vase making the white blooms look exceptionally pure. A smile flickered in his eyes. He reached out, brushing his fingertips; against the petals, before turning to head out.
Elsewhere, Lucy left her office with her laptop-she had an appointment with Mrs. Lucas to review design drafts.
Just as she stepped into the elevator, steady footsteps approached from behind, and a polished black leather shoe stepped into the cabin ahead of the closing doors.
She looked up and met Kingsley’s gaze. He spoke first, his tone casual. “What a coincidence p>
Behind him, Xavier silently marveled-too coincidental. He could swear on his life they hadn’t been “tracking” Miss Lynwood. It really was just luck.
Lucy only twitched the corner of her mouth, suppressing a cold scoff in her throat, and didn’t respond with a single word.
She stared at Kingsley’s straight back, confused. Was this man made
of iron? She had beaten him severely
last night, yet today he looked as if nothing had happened, without a trace of wretchedness.
Receiving no response, Kingsley didn’t press further. He simply fixed his eyes on
the changing numbers of the elevator display.
The small cabin fell silent, so quiet that the sound of their breathing was audible.
Fortunately, the elevator was fast. Within two minutes, it chimed, and the doors slid open.
Kingsley didn’t step out first. Instead, he turned sideways, subtly clearing a path for her.
Seeing this, Lucy immediately stepped out, her footsteps quick and loud.
Her assistant, Emma, followed close behind. As she passed Kingsley, she snuck a peek at him before quickly averting her eyes.