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Home / Rebirth Short Story / The Flower Bloomed Sixty Times / Chapter 1 - Chapter 10

All Chapters of The Flower Bloomed Sixty Times: Chapter 1 - Chapter 10

22 Chapters

Chapter 1

Moon Jensen stared at Xena Xander in shock. She could not believe that the woman who had loved Julian Zane for seventeen years would willingly step aside.She frowned. “Xena, what are you up to?”Xena gave her a faint smile. Her eyes were calm and expressionless. “I just don’t want to live like this anymore. Since they all prefer you over me, I don’t want them either. I’m stepping aside. I’m letting you have them.”Moon still could not believe it. She studied Xena carefully. “You’re willing to give up? Do you have any idea how many people envy your position as Professor Zane’s wife?”“I know.” Xena met her gaze. “Moon, I don’t want it anymore. I’m giving it to you willingly.”Moon gripped her glass tightly. The gentle expression she usually wore darkened. “Xena, no one has asked you to do that!”There was a brief silence. Then, she let out a laugh and picked up the divorce agreement from the table. “Since you’re stepping aside on your own, this saves me a lot of trouble. “You’r

Chapter 2

Xena said calmly, “Whoever eats, cleans up. I’m not going to serve you all anymore. You’re responsible for your own mess.”Julian frowned and looked at her in open disapproval. “You don’t have a job. Your responsibility at home is to take care of the family.”Zayden shouted in anger, “Fine, we’ll clean it ourselves! You don’t work, and you’re lazy! Dad won’t want you for much longer anyway. He’s going to be with Ms. Jensen!”Yannick chimed in, “That’s right! Ms. Jensen is pretty, gentle, and knows how to dance. When she becomes my new mom, no one else will want you. When you grow old, we won’t even visit you or take care of you!”After that, the two of them ran downstairs in a rage. Soon, the sound of plates breaking and sharp screams sounded from below.Xena did not even raise an eyebrow. Her expression was icy.Julian glanced at her briefly. His eyes held no warmth, as if he were looking at a stranger who was acting out.“Xena, you’re a mother and a wife, not a kid!”After th

Chapter 3

Xena felt a jolt run through her body. She looked at the two boys in disbelief.They glared at her with open disgust. “How could you be our mother? You’re so embarrassing!”“Dad, I don’t want her to be my mom! Having a mother like her is a disgrace!”Julian stood beside Moon. A heavy atmosphere settled around him. His eyes were icy as he said in a low voice, “Do you have anything else to say?”From the looks in their eyes, they had already decided she was guilty.Xena clenched her fists. Anger surged inside her. She wanted to question them and prove herself, but in the end, she forced out only three words.“It wasn’t me.”Moon suddenly grabbed Julian’s sleeve. “Julian, forget it! I found the bracelet. Ms. Xander probably didn’t mean to.”Moon’s plea only made Julian angrier.He took a couple of deep breaths. Then, he raised his voice. “Xena, you made a mistake, but you still deny it! How’re you supposed to set an example for the children? Today, I’ll make you admit your fault!

Chapter 4

Xena slowly got used to the darkness and forced herself to calm down.She counted the seconds and listened to the sounds outside.Julian, Zayden, and Yannick moved Moon’s belongings into the house.The three of them cooked together and bought a cake to welcome Moon into the house.She heard Julian’s voice. It was gentle. His tone held a smile. “Moon, I took two days off work. I want to stay with you and help you get used to things here.”How absurd!When she had given birth, she asked him to take a day off and stay with her. He had said with a cold face, “My job’s important. I can’t take time off whenever I want. Since you chose to marry me, you should’ve expected this. Xena, you need to learn to be independent.”She heard the two boys rush to clear the table. “Ms. Jensen, your hands are so pretty. You shouldn’t do housework. We’re old enough now. We can handle it.”She heard them push Moon back onto the couch when she tried to help with the laundry. “Ms. Jensen, don’t come ove

Chapter 5

“Mom, what’re you doing?!”Zayden and Yannick ran over. When they saw their clothes in the fire, they shoved Xena hard and grabbed the rest of the clothes from her hands.“That’s too much!” Zayden yelled. “Just because we said the clothes Ms. Jensen bought are nice, you want to burn all our clothes?”Yannick shouted, “You’re so stingy! Ms. Jensen’s clothes are beautiful! They’re beautiful! They are ten thousand times prettier than yours!”Moon stepped forward and held the boys. Tears ran down her cheeks as she said, “I’m sorry, Ms. Xander. I shouldn’t have bought those clothes.”Julian gritted his teeth as pain shone in his eyes. He reached out and wiped the tears from Moon’s face. “Moon, you did nothing wrong. You don’t need to apologize.“Xena, apologize right now!”The setting sun and the fire made Xena’s face burn red, but her eyes were as cold as ice.She stared at the four of them for a few seconds and let out a bitter laugh.She leaned down and threw the rest of the clo

Chapter 6

The next afternoon, Xena packed her things. She planned to stay one night at the Xander family villa and then head straight to get the divorce settled.Julian suddenly burst in with Moon. He looked more anxious than she had ever seen him.“The teacher said you picked up Zayden and Yannick at noon?”“What?” Xena froze for a moment. “No, I didn’t.”Julian grabbed her wrist. His eyes were sharp. “The teacher said you called the school at lunchtime and told them to send the boys home. They still haven’t returned.”Moon ran forward with tears streaming down her face. “Ms. Xander, I know you were upset this morning when you heard I was going to the parent-teacher meeting with Julian. Did you hide them somewhere?”“Xena!” Julian squeezed her wrist painfully. “The boys like Moon and want to be close to her. That has nothing to do with you. Why would you do this?“Where did you hide them?”“I didn’t.” Xena frowned. Her heart started racing, and she said anxiously, “I neither called the

Chapter 7

Xena’s eyes were bloodshot. Her hand braced against the doorframe. Her knuckles turned white, and her nails dug into the wood.Her throat was dry from thirst, and her voice sounded frighteningly hoarse. Even so, it was sharp and firm. “Do you know what you’re saying? You’d better tell the truth!”Zayden and Yannick were frightened by the look on her face. They quickly hid behind Moon.“Enough!” Julian stood up abruptly. He seized Xena’s wrist and dragged her inside. His grip was so strong that it felt as if her bones might break.His gaze was sharp and full of disgust. “Xena, is this how you act as a mother? You hurt your own children out of jealousy, and now, you want to threaten them into lying for you?”“I didn’t!” Xena shouted. Her body shook violently. Her eyes burned red, and tears slipped from the corners.Julian froze. It was as if he had touched something hot, and his grip suddenly loosened.Moon suddenly said, “Julian, you’re scaring Ms. Xander.”Julian snapped out of

Chapter 8

When the first rays of morning sunlight fell on the floor, Julian opened the door and walked in.He stood over Xena and looked down at her. His indifferent gaze was cold and distant. “Do you know now what you did wrong?”Xena softly said, “I do.”She truly did.The moment she fell in love with Julian had been the biggest mistake she made in her life. Then, she made mistake after mistake and decided to marry him.Julian’s expression softened slightly. He turned and walked out. “Let’s go. I’ll take you home.”They did not speak on the way. He dropped her off at the entrance to the house.As she got out of the car, he suddenly said, “Don’t do such senseless things from now on. Xena, what I promised you will never change. As long as you are a good wife and a good mother, no one will take away your position.”“I understand.”Xena’s voice was calm. She walked straight inside.When she passed Zayden and Yannick’s room, she heard voices coming from inside.“Ms. Jensen, will our plan

Chapter 9

Meanwhile, Julian, asleep over Moon’s hospital bed, suddenly dreamed of Xena walking away with a determined look.He woke with a start and felt a strange emptiness in his chest.His eyes fell on Moon, sleeping peacefully, and then on the small bed beside her.Zayden and Yannick had insisted on staying to watch over Moon after they learned she had been hurt. They were both sleeping soundly in the little bed.It was the scene Julian had pictured countless times with Moon: being together with the woman he loved and having two adorable children. It was a family full of love that he had wanted.He let out a long sigh and smiled. He felt happy.Then, Xena’s image suddenly appeared in his mind. Julian suddenly remembered that she had also been in the car during the accident. He did not know if she was hurt.She was probably fine.When his assistant came in the afternoon to report on the accident, there was no mention of Xena.Maybe she had left on her own and gone back to the Xander

Chapter 10

The next day, when she heard that Julian was back, Moon finally went into the kitchen. She prepared a generous breakfast.Zayden and Yannick had not seen Julian for a week. They gathered around him and talked excitedly.“Dad, isn’t Mom coming back? If not, then let Ms. Jensen be our new mom!”“Yeah, Dad. We like living with Ms. Jensen.”Julian’s hand paused on his spoon. He had heard them say that before, but this time, it made him uncomfortable.Moon placed a piece of meat on his plate. “They’re just kids. Don’t take them seriously. Ms. Xander is upset right now. I’ll take care of things at home while she cools off. You don’t have to worry.”Julian met her gentle eyes and smiled. “Thank you.”He focused on his breakfast, but his mind kept drifting back to Xena.Something had felt wrong ever since he came home the night before.The sheets were not clean or neat enough. The quilt no longer smelled fresh from the sun. His clothes lacked that familiar, faint fragrance.Even the

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