Chapter 10 Pervert Who Stole Flowers #2
Without a word, he reached behind him and produced a small bunch of white gardenias, fresh and glistening with morning dew. Their fragrance filled the room immediately, delicate and intoxicating.
Mia blinked in surprise, her lips parting slightly. “How… where did you hide these? Where did they come from?” she asked, her face lighting up as she accepted them.
He watched her with quiet fascination—how carefully she held the flowers, her fingers light and tender as if she were touching something precious. Her eyes softened as she inhaled their scent.
“Do you like these?” he asked softly.
“I love gardenias!” she said, her voice bright and melodic, a smile spreading across her face.
“When I was a teenager, I stayed at my grandparents’ house in the countryside for a few weeks.
They had this incredible garden filled with every kind of flower.
It was like a dream. I used to spend hours there, just wandering around. It was gorgeous.”
His eyes gleamed with curiosity, a spark of boyish interest flickering in their depths. “Do you remember the friends you made there?” he asked, attempting casualness, but the eagerness laced in his tone betrayed him.
“Yeah…” Mia murmured thoughtfully, counting softly on her fingers. “There was Esther, Chelsie, Deven… and Sara. We had so much fun. I was only there for two weeks, but I loved every moment of it. I never got to visit again. Then my grandparents also passed away.”
Alexander’s expression faltered. His shoulders sank slightly.
‘She doesn’t remember me,’ he thought quietly, a pang of disappointment stabbing his chest. ‘Of course, how could she? It’s been years.
She was just fifteen.’ But no matter how he tried to reason with himself, his heart tightened painfully.
‘She remembered everyone else… just not me.’
Mia’s soft voice cut through his thoughts. “There was one more friend,” she murmured, her tone gentle, tinged with nostalgia. “He was so fierce… like a little prince. Always acted like he owned the entire village.”
Alexander’s heart skipped a beat. He straightened instantly, eyes widening with a sudden spark of hope. “Do you remember his name?”
She shook her head, a small frown creasing her forehead. “No. But I remember he was the most handsome among us all,” she admitted, a shy laugh escaping her lips. “And every day… he’d give me a gardenia flower.”
His pulse quickened, a rush of elation surging through him. ‘She actually remembers. She noticed me after all.’ A rare, almost boyish joy flickered across his features.
But before the warmth could settle, Mia frowned slightly, lost in memory. “The day I left, I gathered a bunch of my favorite flowers from my grandparents’ garden and sent them to the house he was staying in. I asked Deven to do it.”
Alexander’s eyes darted to hers in sudden surprise. “You did?”
But in the next instant, confusion tugged at him. ‘I never received any flowers…’ he thought, a shadow passing over his elation. ‘So… she must be thinking of someone else. Not me.’
A sharp pang of disappointment hollowed his chest, dimming the brief spark of happiness.
Mia, unaware of the storm in his mind, smiled faintly. “What about you, Mr. Graves? Do you have any childhood memories that were special to you?”
Alexander exhaled slowly, composing himself.
A small, wistful smile tugged at his lips.
“My childhood?” he murmured, voice lower, almost fragile.
“It was… difficult. My parents said I was too hard to handle, so they sent me away to live with my grandparents when I was eighteen.” His tone carried a quiet sorrow as he looked at her with a small smile.
Mia’s face softened with sympathy, the earlier brightness in her eyes dimming into quiet sadness.
Standing by the door, Allen nearly choked on his own breath.
‘Too difficult to handle?’ Disbelief etched across his face.
‘Wasn’t it because you set fire to your father’s office, came home every night with your face beaten from fights, and terrorized half the household staff until your parents couldn’t take it anymore?
You were sent to live with your grandparents at their huge lakehouse in the countryside…
for just four weeks! And now… you’re pretending to be some innocent kid who was kicked out by his evil parents, Mr. Graves? ’
The man stayed silent, but his eyes locked on Alexander with a look of sheer shock.
Alexander turned his attention back to her, a soft smile curving his lips. “Now I’m much happier,” he said, his gaze lingering on her. “I have you now.”
He lowered himself to the ground, kneeling in front of her. Taking her hand gently in his, he looked up at her. “What do you think, Mia? Do you also like me?”
Mia blinked, gazing at his hand holding hers. Her chest tightened with a quiet tenderness. ‘Mr. Graves has suffered so much… he’s not really unlikeable.’
Her lips curved into a small, sincere smile. “Yes, of course. You’re such a nice man. How could I not like you?”
His entire face lit up with happiness. Taking her hand, he brought it to his lips and kissed it tenderly, then pressed the back of her hand against his cheek, closing his eyes with a quiet, satisfied sigh. ‘My Mia always smells so nice,’ he thought contentedly.
The room was silent for a long heartbeat.
Then, Allen’s phone buzzed. He quickly picked it up, turned slightly, muttered a quiet “Mm-hmm,” and ended the call.
“Mr. Graves,” he called without thinking, “the driver is ready.”
Alexander opened his eyes and turned his head toward Allen. His glare was so venomous, it could have frozen fire.
Allen stiffened, realizing immediately that he’d interrupted at the worst possible moment. ‘I’m dead,’ he thought, fighting the urge to bolt.
Mia rose to her feet, and Alexander followed, though the disappointed look never left his face.
As he started toward the door, she trailed beside him, their footsteps echoing softly against the polished floor.
Just as they reached the front door, about to step out toward the driveway, Alexander suddenly stopped and turned to face her.
“You don’t need to come outside to see me off,” he said. “It’s too hot out. Don’t worry, I can manage on my own. I wouldn’t want you getting burned under the sun.”
Mia let out a small laugh, shaking her head. “Mr. Graves, I’m not following you out. I’m going somewhere too.”
He turned to her, brow furrowed slightly. “Where are you going? Should I drop you off?”
Mia hesitated, then replied, “Do you remember those friends I mentioned? The ones I met at my grandparents’ house in the village? I’m going to see that young boy I told you about… Deven.”
Alexander’s body went rigid. ‘She’s going to meet that pervert who stole my flowers?!’ The jealousy flared instantly. He pivoted on his heels without a second thought. “I’m going with you.”