LOGINI'd been married to Calvin Lennox for five years, but he'd never let go of his ex-wife, Ella Vance. When I passed out with a 104-degree fever, he kissed my forehead and said he had to work late at the office. Then he went straight to Ella's apartment. When our daughter, Lilith Lennox, asked him to stay and help her blow out her birthday candles, he apologized again and rushed off to Ella's son's birthday party. Then came the day Ella's son, Felix Vance, pushed my daughter down the stairs. My daughter lay in the emergency room, covered in blood. Calvin rushed in and went straight to Ella and her son, who didn't have a scratch on them. "Are you two all right?" he asked anxiously. When I told him through tears what had actually happened, the man who'd once sworn he loved only me looked at me with disgust for the first time. "Adela, your lies make me sick. Ella is so gentle, and Felix is autistic. How could they possibly hurt you or Lilith?" In that moment, as I looked at the cut on my daughter's forehead, the last of my love for him died.
View MoreAfter that day, Calvin stopped coming around.My life kept getting better. The mayor's wife loved my work and praised it enthusiastically.On her recommendation, I began designing exclusively for the royal household. My arrangements appeared at exhibitions around the world and earned widespread praise.Lilith's Flower Shop kept growing, and so did my daughter. She was healthy and surrounded by love and care.Just when I thought we could go on living safely and happily, our peace was shattered without warning.One day after school, Lilith didn't come home on time.Lucas and I were going out of our minds when my phone rang.The voice on the other end was hoarse and unhinged. "Adela! I have your precious daughter! No police! Call them and I'll strangle her right now! Come alone to the abandoned factory on the west side, and if you're one minute late you can come collect the little bastard's body!"I hung up, shaking all over. That voice was Ella's!Struggling to stay calm, Lucas quickly p
The room was silent. Every eye was on me.The tension and uncertainty in Lucas's eyes made my heart ache.One man was my rotten past, trying to drag me back into the mud.The other was a future full of sunlight, ready to help me fly free.Any fool would know which to choose. I ignored Calvin completely, put my hand in Lucas's, and said softly, "I will."I looked at him and smiled. "I'll marry you, Lucas. Yes."Overjoyed, Lucas picked me up and spun me around several times."Whoo! She said yes! Adela said yes!" He announced it to the whole room, laughing like a kid who had just been handed the best present in the world.Lilith clapped and giggled beside us. "Yay! Daddy Lucas is the best! We get to stay together forever!"The room erupted in thunderous applause, cheers, and shouted congratulations.Calvin collapsed to the floor. He looked up at me, hurt and unwilling to accept my answer. "Why? Adela, tell me why. I know I was wrong. I really am trying to get you and Lilith back!"He seem
Lilith looked at him with distaste. "Uncle Calvin, you're so dumb. Lucas is my new daddy, obviously!"Her clear little voice cut Calvin to the heart."New... daddy..." He repeated it under his breath, and the last of the color drained from his face.He opened his mouth as if to sob or scream, but despair choked off every sound.By the time the police arrived, Calvin had collapsed on the ground in a limp heap.In the end, two officers grabbed him under the arms and half carried, half dragged him out of the shop.Seeing him like that, I felt nothing for him. If anything, I felt relieved.After the police left, Lucas arrived and anxiously checked us both from head to toe. His face relaxed only when he was sure neither of us was hurt.Then he smiled at me. "Adela, your arrangement, Toward the Sun, won gold in the royal flower-arranging competition."I froze in disbelief, covering my mouth as tears blurred my vision.The next day, Lucas took Lilith and me downtown for the awards press confe
(Adela’s POV)After I left Calvin, I took Lilith to a seaside town and opened Lilith's Flower Shop.I'd dreamed of having a shop of my own.But back then, Calvin had held me, his voice insecure and possessive. "A flower shop is too much work, Adela. You're so beautiful. I worry someone will steal you away if you're out meeting people every day."To give him what he called a sense of security, I buried my hurt and gave up my dream, holding down a job while running the household.He got the freedom he wanted, while I sank into the mud without even realizing it.But now I'd climbed out.The moment I had shears and stems in my hands again, I felt lighter than I ever had.But getting a dream off the ground wasn't easy.The shop was new, and hardly anyone knew about it. I wasn't getting enough in-store orders for custom arrangements to support Lilith and me.So I learned to livestream as I arranged flowers, but hardly anyone watched.While I was worrying about what to do next, someone sent a
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