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Home / Romance Short Story / Petals Shed in the Night / Chapter 1 - Chapter 10

All Chapters of Petals Shed in the Night: Chapter 1 - Chapter 10

24 Chapters

Chapter 1

Anna Stark spent ten years finally winning Neil Irons's heart—an anonymous admirer bearing unrequited love, now at last Neil's fiancée whom he personally acknowledged.And yet, just two weeks before the wedding, she gave up."Hey, chief," she said calmly, putting the filled form on the supervisor's desk. "I'm volunteering to transfer to the northwestern research center—just add me to the list."The supervisor looked up in shock behind his computer. "Wait, I thought you were marrying Neil next month! And we all know you're here for him in the first place, but you're saying you're heading northwest now?"Anna felt the lump in her throat but spoke up before the supervisor could continue further, "Just approve it, chief." Those around her knew how hard she clung to Neil over the years, giving up on promotions just to stay with him as his assistant. He always kept people at arm's reach, but she possessed extraordinary patience. It took him ten years to get used to her hovering aro

Chapter 2

Anna worked fast, clearing away any traces of her in that apartment within the day.No one would be able to tell that anyone had ever lived there if the real estate agent brought other clients to check the place out.It's just like how she hadn't left her mark on Neil's life after all these years."Ms. Starka, are you sure you're selling? This feels so rushed, and you've spent a lot of money buying the place and the renovations…""Yes, I am," Anna replied as she signed the agency agreement, her voice calm. "The sooner it's off my hands, the better."She had bought the place with high hopes, but she had no reason to keep it now that she was leaving.The research center required her to delegate all standing tasks and assignments before leaving; she had to stay at headquarters for another two weeks to finish the job.The day Neil and Josie returned, it rained heavily in Jormund.Anna was working in the lab when her phone screen lit up with a message from Neil: [Just landed.]In t

Chapter 3

Neil frowned. "What?"But he didn't even have time to be shocked as Josie came running down the hallway, "Neil! There's a problem with specimen number 3!"Neil promptly turned to her. "What happened?""The threshold is shooting up! Come quick!" Josie cried, tugging on his sleeve.Neil turned back to Anna, his tone flat again, "This takes precedence. We can talk later after I'm done."Without giving Anna any time to respond, he quickly followed Josie and disappeared, while Anna stood there and watched them leave, impassive.She wasn't surprised—to Neil, anything and everything else mattered more than her.Even if he did say they could talk later, he didn't mean it—he never cared about any arrangement for their wedding, only paying up when she asked.Now that she had told him she was calling it off, she had fulfilled all her obligations.The house she bought for the wedding was being sold through an agency, and she had already vacated her previous rental, leaving her suddenly ho

Chapter 4

Anna dragged her suitcase and returned to the labs, heading straight to logistics to get a key for a room at the staff quarters.It was the corner room on the top floor, a corner, enough for her for about two weeks.She was carrying a bulky cardboard box filled with her possessions and books, and was just walking upstairs when she bumped into Neil and Josie, who were heading down.Josie, holding a folder, was chatting with Neil jovially and bumped into Anna."Oof," she grunted, and caught the box as Anna nearly dropped it.Beaming, she asked as if in concern, "What's in the box? It looks so heavy, let me help you carry it upstairs."Anna instinctively tightened her arms around the box while avoiding Josie's touch. "I'm fine, thanks.""It's alright, I'm strong!" Josie insisted, reaching out.Neil, who had been silent, suddenly stepped forward and took the box from Anna.Josie laughed at the sight. "Oh, Neil, you really shouldn't! Your hands are needed for precision experiments,

Chapter 5

The next few days were calm enough.However, Anna was just packing up and leaving for the day when the lab door swung open, and Mrs. Swan came running in, "Anna! Come, quick! Your mother and brother are freaking out at the front gates, and security can't stop them!"Anna's heart sank. She'd cut off financial support to her family after leaving the other day, but they were already here, knocking on her door. From afar, she could hear her brother cursing and ranting out loud while her mother wailed. The doorway was packed, with Gina sitting on the floor, smacking herself as she bawled, "It's an outrage! My rotten daughter doesn't even care about us just because she succeeded in life!" Nearby, Yannick was poking the security guard and snapping, "Get out of my way! I have every right to get my sister's money!" Anna was fuming even as she pushed through the crowd and snapped at them, "That's enough! What do you think you're doing here?!" "What are we doing!?" Yannick shoved th

Chapter 6

Anna was the spare in the family and treated as nonexistent at school.But this boy—whom she felt worried to even admire—protected her when she was at her most vulnerable, letting her keep what little crumbling self-worth she had left.That glimmer of light that was offered became the flame.And like a moth, she was inevitably drawn to it.She hence studied with as much desperation as diligence, barely managing to get into the same university as him.He remained an overachiever, and was immediately appointed the youngest head researcher at the research center after graduation.She submitted her resume to the institute too, giving up any better prospects just to stay beside him."Anna?" Neil's voice pulled her back to reality.The infirmary doctor was cleaning her wounds, and Neil stood nearby, his tone indifferent, "You should deal with your family quickly. Don't let it affect work."These words were like a bucket of cold water, extinguishing the small flame that had risen i

Chapter 7

Despite seeing Neil standing there, Anna didn't move aside to let him in.She didn't say a word, only staring at him and waiting for him to speak.Neil himself was silent for a while, and eventually began, "I rejected Josie…"He trailed off, and eventually finished, "Don't worry about it."Anna was surprised, as she expected him to tell her that he and Josie were now together.But now he was telling her that he had rejected Josie? Even telling her not to worry about it?She calmly replied, "Doesn't matter. It's none of my business."Neil's eyes were wide with surprise at her indifference.But she really didn't care and said, "If there's nothing else, I'm going to bed.""Anna." Neil placed his hand on the door, stopping her from closing it. "You're being weird."Anna didn't speak as she averted her gaze and shut the door in his face, shutting up the person she had admired for ten years.Leaning against the cold door, she breathed a long sigh while a dull ache shot through her

Chapter 8

Neil was silent on the other end.When he eventually spoke again, his words chilled her to the core."Aren't you working here just to be with me?"Anna's fingers tightened around the phone, her knuckles turning white.Even so, Neil continued as if everything he spoke was clear logic, "Scholarly credits are mere vanity titles that won't matter to you. Stay in my team, and I promise you job security. But it's not the same for Josie—she needs this as a stepping stone for her career to progress further."Anna felt a ringing in her ears while her blood ran cold.So he knew—he always knew why she had passed on better prospects to work as his assistant. He was never oblivious; he simply didn't care.Now, he even used all her sacrifices and concessions as a point, just to justify why he denied her credit for all her hard work.She had spent ten years proving her unwavering loyalty, only for this dismissiveness.She wanted to argue and tell him he had no right—to ask him if he knew h

Chapter 9

Neil's words were a knife, plunged into Anna's heart and twisting inside just for good measure, while the scornful looks from the crowd further cemented her humiliation.After all, she was just an assistant who handled Neil's daily schedule and documentation. She had no credentials, let alone the skill to independently complete this research.He hadn't just publicly denied her individual merit—he had trampled her dignity under his foot, all just for another woman's career progression.She didn't miss the brief smugness in Josie's eyes, piercing Anna's last shred of reason.Blood rushed to her head—rage and resentment all swelled into an impulsive drive, and she sprang to her feet as she strode toward the stage.However, she almost reached it when Neil strode down, grabbing her by her wrist so tightly it hurt."Let go!" Anna struggled, her voice trembling with rage.Neil didn't even look at her, only nodding at the crowd. "Sorry, I need to run something by my assistant."With

Chapter 10

Neil stood there, rigid as he watched Anna leave.That woman just slapped him—the same woman who always tiptoed around him and held her breath around him... had slapped him with all the strength she could muster.And he could clearly remember the look in her reddened eyes, stubbornly refusing to shed a single tear even as she turned to leave.But there was no rage—only despair, after one had been utterly crushed and humiliated.Why?He just wanted her to calm down so that things didn't get out of hand, and the kiss was the quickest, most direct way to do that.Wasn't that everything she always wanted? To be close to him, to touch him. Now that he gave it to her, it upset her?!"Mr. Irons?"Josie called out timidly from the conference hall as she peeked out, her eyes still tearful. "Is everything alright? Is Anna…"Neil snapped back to reality, and promptly fought back the unfamiliar emotion swelling inside while he cut Josie short, "She's fine. Continue."He returned to the

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