All Chapters of A Bloom of Thorns: Chapter 21 - Chapter 28

Holly's message could not have been clearer.Her being head over heels for Luke was now only history.Luke got the message loud and clear.However, he was having none of it and refused to believe it.'How can love just vanish into thin air? Is it all because I sided with Cecilia?' he wondered.This could explain it all, right?Holly stood up, claiming she needed to grab some food for Sabrina, putting distance between herself and Luke.Yoel took the cue and left too.That left Luke by himself, alone.His eyes welled up as his grip on the silverware caused it to shake.He looked like a little critter left behind.Holly did not even glance back at him.Luke could not fathom how he got through that meal.All he knew was that each mouthful was laced with tears and was downright bitter.Holly could feel Luke's intense glare on her. It was to no avail no matter what she did.She was crystal clear that this had to be sorted out, pronto.So Holly picked the right moment to have

Cecilia watched Holly's silence and felt that her anger towards her was not satisfied.She smirked, "What's wrong? Got a guilty conscience? Scared? Bet you never thought I'd track you down."Thought you could just run off abroad and I'd be helpless?"Now that you've lost the Hoffman family's shield, let's see how you stand up to me."Weren't you always at the feet of men?"Go on, strip her down. With all these men around, let's give her a good thrill."With that, Cecilia's laugh was filled with spite and triumph.Holly immediately fought back, her face turning a steely shade of anger, "Cecilia, are you out of your mind? When have I ever come onto Luke?"He was the one who couldn't leave me alone. If you don't believe me, call him out. He's inside."Cecilia paused, then her gaze turned wilder, more venomous.She slapped Holly hard, again and again, screaming in her face."Oh, feeling smug now are we? Want to rub it in my face?"Cut the act."I know what dirty tricks you pul

Luke listened to the woman next to him spewing insults without a single thought. He saw the venomous glare in Cecilia's eyes and felt a wave of disappointment wash over him."I can't believe this is who you are, Cecilia," he said, unable to hide his dismay.The girl he once adored was unrecognizable without the rose-colored glasses of his youth.Did Holly see him as that pathetic then, too? The thought sent a sharp ache through his heart.Cecilia coughed awkwardly, trying to cling to her usual icy poise, but the anger in her eyes made her look out of sorts."I'm the same person I've always been. I just can't stand being treated like this," she insisted."I've never been humiliated like this in my life."Luke's voice dripped with sarcasm. "I'm the one who humiliated you. I'm the one who left you to be the butt of the joke."Why don't you hate me? Why do you hate Holly instead?"Cecilia's hands balled into fists, her eyes swimming with defiance as she scrambled for an excuse."

Cecilia was taken aback. She shouted, almost losing it. "Didn't you hear what I just said?!"Holly's nothing but a sniveling woman, and did you know she's got many flaws? She even popped pills trying to please Luke's made-up quirks."You're seriously okay with that?" Sabrina gave Cecilia an icy stare. She signaled the bodyguard to escort the unwanted guest out. "Rather than obsessing over someone else's private life, maybe you should take a hard look at yourself and see what kind of person you are. "Even though you're a woman, you're the meanest of them all. "If that's how you are, it looks like the Porter family isn't much better."Forget about any future deals between the Porter family and the Canfields." Cecilia was so shocked by those words, she did not even put up a fight. Dumb struck, she was willingly led away.Holly's laughter bubbled up, pure and free.She could feel it — the dark clouds that had once hung over her life were finally gone for good.No more worry