登入_Aurora’s POV_Elena hung up but I remained frozen for a while. The phone slowly slipped from my fingers, landing on the bed beside me. But my heart wouldn't stop racing and my mind wouldn't stop working. She said his flight was meant to be by Two O’clock and she told me what airport he had gone to.She really hoped I went after him because of how miserable we both seemed. I looked towards the clock on my bedside table. 12:40 a.m.I still had time. I still had time to get to him and tell him how I really felt. The realization hit me like a bolt of lightning.If I left right now, I could still make it. I just had to hurry up. I jumped off the bed so fast I stumbled over my own blanket.“Oh, God.” I cried when I almost kissed the floor but I picked myself back up again. My voice shook as I ran into the living room. Where were my keys?I couldn’t remember where I had tossed them off to. Where—I looked around frantically before spotting them sitting inside the bowl by the door.
_Aurora’s POV_The drive back to my place felt longer than it should have.Every red light lasted forever and every turn blurred together. I didn’t even think I should be driving, but here I was. My hands tightened around the steering wheel until my knuckles turned white, but they still wouldn’t stop shaking.Elena’s words kept replaying in my head.He looked for you.I swallowed hard.The road in front of me blurred and I blinked quickly to clear my sight. Then another sentence followed.He flew to America.A tear slipped down my cheek.No.No…He couldn’t have. Nikolai had loved that job. He had worked for years to get it.He used to light up whenever he talked about it.He had plans. Dreams. Goals.And I’d convinced myself leaving him was protecting all of that.My laugh came out broken.How stupid I had been. How unbelievably stupid.I had spent an entire year comforting myself with one lie.At least he still has his career. Now even that was gone.“He quit…” I whispered to my
_Nikolai’s POV_I watched the white delivery van disappear through the iron gates.Until it became nothing more than a tiny white dot.I waited to see how that would make me feel. But all I felt was nothing. She was gone. Again.I stood there long after the van had disappeared, my hands buried deep inside my pockets.The cool breeze brushed against my face, carrying the scent of fresh roses she’d arranged only an hour ago.She was really here.After an entire year, I had finally seen her again and she had been standing barely a few feet away from me.And now she was gone. Again.I let out a slow breath, still staring out of the window. “It’s over,” I said. The words sounded hollow even to me.She had apologized. I’d said everything I’d wanted to say. There was nothing left between us now.Nothing except a year of silence neither of us could undo.I turned away from the gates and headed back inside the manor.The reception hall buzzed with laughter.Crystal chandeliers sparkled ove
_Aurora’s POV_I stood alone beneath the floral arch long after Elena disappeared into the manor.Around me, staff hurried back and forth carrying trays of champagne and linen.Someone laughed.A violinist tested a few notes.The wedding continued preparing for one of the happiest days of someone’s life.Yet all I could hear was Elena’s voice.“You should.”What happened after I left? I tried to force myself to focus, but all I could think of was what Elena had said. There were still a few arrangements to inspect before I left.The sweetheart table. The aisle flowers. The bridal bouquet.I checked them all twice. Then three times.I tried to distract myself, keeping my hands moving. And time went by. One of the venue staff approached me and I turned to her. “We’ve finished placing everything.”I blinked, and then..“Oh… thank you,” I answered. But she kept standing there. “Will there be anything else?” She asked and I thought about it before shaking my head. “No.”I looked aroun
_Aurora’s POV_Love. It was such a small word. Four letters. One syllable.Yet somehow it had refused to leave my head for the past seven days.“What’s taking you so long, love?”I tightened the ribbon around a bouquet a little harder than necessary.The florist wire dug into my fingers, but I barely noticed.“Aurora?” My assistant, Lucy, looked at me cautiously from the other side of the worktable.“You’ve tied that ribbon three times,” she said and I blinked.“I have?” I asked, looking a little bit confused. She nodded.“You’ve also been staring at those roses for almost five minutes.”I looked down and then I realized she was right. I’d already finished the bouquet but I was too far gone into my thoughts to realize it. “I think you need coffee,” Lucy teased and a small laugh escaped me.“I think you’re right.”Because the alternative was admitting that a single word had somehow managed to follow me home.Love.I had seen the way that blonde woman stood beside Nikolai. The way sh
_Aurora’s POV_Three hundred and sixty-five days.That was how long it had taken me to build a life that finally felt like mine.If you could just move the peonies a little to the left…”I smiled at my assistant.“Perfect.”She stepped back, admiring the display in the front window.Sunlight streamed through the glass, catching the soft pink petals and making the entire storefront glow.Exactly the way I wanted it.I smiled to myself.A year ago I had been crying on the floor of my little flower shop.Today I owned one twice the size. Funny how life changes in a year.The sign outside read:Petal’s ParadiseThe words still didn’t feel real sometimes.After Damien had come to see me, I had packed everything I owned into two suitcases and boarded the first flight to London.It was a last-minute decision and I told myself it would only be for school.A fresh start.Nothing more.Then life happened.Hospitality Management had turned out to be everything I never knew I wanted.I loved it.







