Chapter 8
When I got back to my hometown, I opened a flower shop.
It was something I had always dreamed of since I was little. When I ran off with Antonio, he promised that once we had money, he’d get me a big flower shop where I could be surrounded by flowers every day.
But it took me twenty years to finally make that dream come true all by myself.
When I was with Antonio, people always pointed out that I wasn’t young anymore. But once I opened the flower shop and started doing what I truly loved, I felt full of energy.
Young people came by a lot, and before long, we got pretty close.
They came to me for advice on relationships and life stuff because I had been through a lot.
It was like being back in college, but this time, instead of talking about research, I was sharing life experiences.
One day, I was putting a flower wreath on my head when Antonio and Anna walked in.
Anna’s baby bump was gone. She started crying as soon as she saw me. “I’m sorry, madam. It was my fault before.”
Before I could say anything, the little girl who was helping me got mad and hit Anna with a bouquet. “Who’s this ‘madam‘ you’re talking about? The boys at the high school next door
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Chapter 8
only ever call my mom ‘lady‘. You’ve made her seem old by calling her that!”
I patted Lizzie’s head and told her to wait inside.
Meanwhile, Anna was kneeling at my feet, still begging for my forgiveness.
Antonio looked sad. “I’ve figured out what happened with Carlo and the pill.”
“If you’re here to apologize for that, you can leave now,” I said starting to show them the door.
I didn’t know how Antonio got Anna to beg like that, but I hac moved on from him.
To me, all this past stuff meant nothing but trouble.
Antonio shook his head. “I’ll send Carlo to live with my parent and cut ties with Anna. Please, forgive me.”
I frowned.
“The past is the past.”
Hearing this, Antonio got excited. He pushed Anna away and tried to hug me, but I stepped back.
“But it doesn’t mean I forgive you or we can get back together. Leave.”
Antonio was shocked, his voice shaking. “You’ve got to be kidding me.”
Seeing my cold face, he knew the answer but didn’t want to accept it.
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Chapter 8
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After a long silence, he asked, “Who’s that little girl just now?”
“She’s adopted,” I replied indifferently.
“Lizzie’s dad cheated and eloped with some other woman, and her mom died of illness. I felt bad for her, so I adopted
her.”
The smile that Antonio had been trying to keep up froze on his lips.
He felt like I was throwing that in his face.
And I was.
Antonio couldn’t stand the suffocating atmosphere of the shop and ran off.
But somehow he got my shop’s WhatsApp and started chatting with me about all sorts of things.
I replied to him here and there.
“Why are you so free? Aren’t you working at school anymore?‘
He replied: “I took a long break from work, enough to stay here with you for a long time.”
“What about your students and your colleagues in the research group? You’re being so irresponsible.”
After sending that last message, I blocked Antonio again.
But that didn’t stop him. He started coming to the shop every day and buying huge bouquets.
As the owner, I couldn’t say no to a customer.
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But after I wrapped up the bouquets and he paid for them and gave them to me, I couldn’t be happy about it.
Antonio also brought toys for Lizzie. Even though Lizzie said she didn’t want them, he kept sending expensive dolls and fancy dresses.
He said, “I really like kids, and I want to give Lizzie gifts. You can’t stop me, right?”
I gave a wry smile. “You used to say you didn’t like kids. What’s with the sudden change of heart?”
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