Chapter 122 - Flowers

Charles felt that he had begun to lose control of everything.

Bella was not afraid of him now. He could no longer throw her in the White Dolphin Residence or throw her in the sea. Because she would not allow him to do that to her again.

She started to struggle harder, and his control over her had gotten weaker and weaker.

She used to be afraid of death. His punishments for her worked, and she behaved for days. Or she would also behave herself if he threatened her mother. But now, was she not afraid of death? Had she gotten fearless?

The more he thought, the more upset he became. He turned around, and the empty office made him even more depressed.

Women indeed always caused trouble. But all human beings were like that.

Bella had just returned to her desk. At that moment, someone asked, “Where is Miss Brook?”

The receptionists fell into silence.

Bella looked up in the direction of the voice, it was a boy with a bunch of flowers.

People all looked at Bela, she stood up and replied, “I am her.”

The boy walked in with the flowers, “Miss Brook, here are twenty Allocadia, please sign here.”

“Are you sure that they are for me?” She could not believe that someone would send her flowers.

“Yeah, I’m sure.” The boy took out the order details and showed her, “You can check for yourself.”

The phone number, the name, and the address were all hers.

“Here is a card from the sender.”

Bella took the card and opened it. She almost cried at the sight of the content.

“Happy birthday! Bella.”

Signed at the bottom of the card, was Edwin.

Today was her birthday. Nobody remembered that, including herself. He was the only one that remembered her birthday. The twenty flowers showed that it was her twentieth birthday.

Bella sneakily put the card into her bag and said to the boy, “I can't accept these flowers. Please take them back. By the way, please tell him that I appreciate them so much. Thank him a lot for that.”

The boy did not expect that she would decline the flowers. He looked at her nervously, “Miss, if I take the flowers back, the buyer will cancel the order. I came here by subway and the bus. It took a long time. I can’t sell the flowers after I take them back, either.”

This was indeed a dilemma. Bella did not want to put the boy in a tricky situation. However, she had also promised Charles that she would not have any contact with Edwin. From that rainy night when Edwin brought her home, she told herself that she could not make any more trouble for him.

People in reception began to whisper to one other.

Bella thought for a moment and signed for the flowers. The boy sighed in relief and left.

She looked at the flowers in her hand, she could not be more flattered.

During the first few years after she and her mom were tossed out of the Sander’s house, they were very poor. But every year her mom did her best to buy her gifts and celebrate her birthday.

But this year, her mom was unable to celebrate it. She had also forgotten that and did not expect that anyone else would have remembered either!

Later, she received a message from Edwin, “This flower stands for the endless vitality. It is a flower boat carrying the mermaid swimming. You have your own flowers; use them to make your own sailboat! Happy birthday, Bella.”

Bella’s eyes started to water. She had not been treated this way for quite some time.

Edwin also figured out that she kept at a distance on purpose, he did not press ahead and just stayed away, but still blessed her.

She immediately replied with “Thank you.”

Charles would know soon that Edwin had sent her flowers. So, it was better for both of them if she threw the flowers out.

The moment Bella walked out, people began to gossip.

“Who would be so bold to dare buy flowers for her? Doesn’t he know that she is married to the Lord?”

“Guess what would happen if the Lord found out?”

“Oh my! That’s an upper-class marriage, which exists in name only.”

“I really couldn’t tell you why she is so popular. I saw her with a handsome guy in the cafeteria one day. Wow, do you think he was the man?”

Bella walked to the staircase and threw the flowers into the garbage. She didn’t know that they were gossiping about her, nor would she have actually cared.

Edwin, I had your flowers, and they stay with me in my heart. I would make my boat and keep sailing.

Sure enough, as soon as she walked back, Shirley told Bella that Charles was looking for her.

Bella went to his office.

She stood before Charles and said expressionlessly, “My Lord, I am well-behaved. But I am unable to control what others do. I have thrown out the flowers already. If you still think that I am wrong, then please feel free to punish me.”

She knew it was about the flowers even if she did not ask.

Charles looked at Bella’s calm eyes and panicked a little. He could not help but say ruthlessly “I hope you understand what having no contact with him means? By phone, by email or by anything you two would have a connection on, cut all of them off.” 

Bella smiled slightly, “Okay.”

She found Edwin’s number and added it to her blocked contacts in front of Charles. She showed her phone to him then said, “Is this enough?”

Charles eased up.

Bella asked him slightly, “My Lord, can I leave now?”

He didn’t show any sign of agreement. He just asked, “Why are you smiling now?”

Bella looked up at him calmly. There was neither nervousness nor fear in her eyes. “If you do wish me to smile, I will not smile from now on.” She asked peacefully, “My Lord, is there anything else?”

Charles did not feel good at all even though she appeared to be well behaved.

He was irritated again.

This woman must be destined to be here and anger him, otherwise, how could she always make him angry?

“Bella don't think that your thoughts are unknown to me!”

“It is terrific that the Lord has such insights into human psychology.” Replied Bella.

Even an idiot was able to tell the sarcasm in her tone. Charles pressed her against the wall and said, “Bella, you are just jealous of Katherine, so you contacted Edwin to irritate me!”

Of course not.

But Bella was exhausted physically and psychologically.

She looked up at him and did not even wish to explain anything more, but she admitted, “Yes. I am envious because I saw you and Katherine come here together. I bought myself a bunch of flowers to see if you would become envious too.” She summoned her courage and looked him in the eyes, “Now it seemed that it worked. Although I don't know if you are jealous, at least I know that you are angry.”