apter 9
Kelvin slowly shifted his gaze away, his voice quiet and calm as he murmured, “Okay”
To him, it made sense. A kid in a new place, especially a stranger’s home, was bound to feel a bit uneasy. So yeah, Yvonne’s lack of appetite was understandable.
The cake was right in front of her, but Yvonne didn’t dare to touch it. Kelvin’s intense presence made her feel small, like a scared little bird, frozen in place,
Kelvin noticed her discomfort, and his expression softened just a bit. “I’m heading upstairs. Eat up and get some rest after The moment he said he was leaving, her eyes lit up, and for a moment, they seemed to sparkle in the dim room Kelvin pretended not to notice, deliberately looking away.
Once he was out of the living room, Yvonne sat by herself on the couch, devouring the rest of the cake. After finishing, the quietly made her way upstairs, just as silently as she had come down.
Lying down in the soft, cozy bed, she thought back to the events of the day, a smile sneaking onto her face without her even realizing it.
It was her first day at the Adler house. Jeremy had been so kind and attentive. Even though Kelvin had that intimidating vibe, he wasn’t as bad as he seemed–he had to be a good guy underneath all that.
After replaying everything in her head, Yvonne closed her eyes, content. ‘Can’t wait for tomorrow, she thought.
Under the dim nightlight, the roses on the table seemed to bloom even more, glowing in the moonlight like they were wrapped in a mysterious, otherworldly veil.
The roses almost seemed alive, soaking up the energy of the night and day.
The next morning, at 7:10 AM, Lillian quietly pushed open the door to Yvonne’s bedroom.
She was there to wake Yvonne up for breakfast, but the moment she stepped in, a strong floral fragrance hit her.
But there was something else–something else she couldn’t quite place–lingering in the air.
Despite not having much formal education, Lillian could tell this feeling was real. It was like just one breath of that air made all the fatigue vanish.
She hadn’t slept well the night before, and her eyes felt sore when she woke up.
She’d planned to rest after finishing her chores, but in the few seconds since entering the room, the discomfort in her eyes had completely disappeared.
Lillian’s gaze drifted to the roses on the table, her surprise growing.
She’d arranged them herself yesterday and knew what they looked like. But now, after a single night, the rose
vibrant than before–almost like they were alive.
“Mm…” A sleepy sound came from the bed as Yvonne stirred, blinking her eyes open, still half asleep.
“Hi, Lillian. Her voice, heavy with sleep, was so cute it almost sounded like a kitten mewing. One couldn’t help but want to squeeze her.
1/3
Chapter 9
“Sweetie, you’re awake, Lillian said gently, her voice soft, not wanting to wake her too harshly.
She couldn’t help but smile as she looked at Yvonne. The more she saw, the more she thought the little girl was the definition of “cute enough to make flowers bloom.
Lillian helped Yvonne get dressed and stayed with her as she brushed her teeth.
By the time they made it downstairs, Jeremy had already finished his breakfast..
He was about to grab the books and school uniform from the servant when the same intoxicating floral scent filled the air again.
Now, Jeremy, who was never a fan of strong scents, found himself pausing, intrigued.
Jeremy!” Yvonne ran over, arms open, ready for a hug. “You’re not coming back until tonight, are you?”
Jeremy glanced down, realizing that the sweet floral scent was coming from her. “Yeah, but I’ll bring you something nice when I get back.”
Without thinking, he ruffled her soft hair, and in doing so, the pleasant fragrance seemed to stick to him too.
Jeremy was in an unexpectedly good mood, and honestly, he couldn’t even figure out why.
When he saw Lillian, he quickly gave an order. “Contact the renovation company today. We’re redoing Yvonne’s room. Make sure the details match her preferences.
Lillian smiled and nodded without hesitation.
By the time he got into the car, Jeremy realized there was a faint floral scent lingering around him. He had no idea where it came from, but damn, it was strangely pleasant–kind of sweel, even.
When he arrived at school and stepped into the classroom, he immediately overheard his arch–nemesis, Greg Hoffman, loudly blabbering about how Jeremy had bought some little cakes the night before.
Greg was going on and on, describing the cakes‘ shapes and colors like it was the most exciting thing ever.
Jeremy’s face darkened in an instant. He dropped his stuff and marched over. “Greg Hoffman, are you out of your damn mind?”
Before Jeremy could even get close, Greg jumped off his desk, sniffed the air like he was a bloodhound, and grinned like a smug asshole. “Holy crap, Jeremy Adler, you’re actually wearing perfume to school?”
He hid behind his goons and shouted, “Yo, everyone, check this out–Jeremy’s wearing perfume!”
Greg’s mouth really needed to be shut, and Jeremy was seriously pissed off. He stormed toward him, ready to knock Greg’s teeth out
Most of the kids in the class came from influential families in Blorence City. Their parents had drilled into them to get along with everyone, so the class atmosphere was usually pretty friendly.
A few of the high–achieving girls quickly stepped in to separate them, pulling them apart. Eventually, the whole thing fizzled out, and they both returned to their seats.
Jeremy thought that was the end of it, but he couldn’t have been more wrong.
After class, a bunch of girls surrounded him, grinning like they were in on some inside joke. “Jeremy, can you send us the link for your perfume? It smells amazing!”
Jeremy was completely baffled.
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Chagery
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Oliver Vines wing behind him, perheard and poked him with his pen. Hey Jeremy, send me that link too. My mom’s charound with her be
Frati alle op in Jeremy. He elenched he teeth and snapped, “I swear to god. I didn’t wear any perfumer
“Okay, okay; the girls chimed in trying to calm him down, but everyone knew they didn’t believe him for a second.
Jeremy now right through their fake sympathy, and his mood soured even more.
He lifted his hand, sniffed his clothes–and nothing No perfome. Just the usual fabric smell.
What the bell is going on? he thought, completely fed up
