Chapter 22
Chapter 22
Everyone left the room gradually, letting Charles rest.
As they headed downstairs, Victor’s phone buzzed. He pulled it out and saw a message from his grandfather.
Liam: [Where did you get that fake flower to fool me?]
Victor let out a short laugh, raising a brow. ‘Fake? I see it with my own eyes. If it weren’t for Charles telling him not to touch it, I would’ve ripped off a leaf and brought it back as proof
Just as they were about to step down the stairs, Kelvin caught sight of the little girl trailing behind them. Her tiny legs.
Struggled to keep up, making her look like a wind–up plush toy.
Without hesitation, Kelvin bent down and scooped her up. The moment Yvonne was lifted off the ground, she went stiff as a board. Everything about her screamed, don’t move. Absolutely don’t move.
Kelvin was still dressed in the same black suit he had worn to work that morning, a faint mix of cool, distant cologne and fresh citrus clinging to the fabric.
He seemed indifferent, but Yvonne was as tense as could be. As they went down the stairs, she clung to a small section of his suit, terrified of falling.
Kelvin’s gaze flicked to the wrinkled fabric under her grip. His voice was unusually patient. “I reached out to a preschool
After a brief pause, Kelvin added, “You don’t have to go right away if you don’t want to. We can wait.”
Yvonne tilted her soft, pale face up at him, her eyes wide with surprise and excitement. “I want to go!”
‘A three–year–old has yet to experience the harsh realities of school Of course, she’ll be excited, Kelvin thought.
“I want to go to school!” Yvonne repeated eagerly.
Kelvin nodded. “Alright. You’ll start in two days.
Leaving her home alone all day wasn’t ideal. If Yvonne was willing to go, it would be good for her: She’d have other kids to play with.
Victor propped his chin on his hand, watching the exchange with an amused smirk. He had only just learned that Yvonne was adopted, and now, seeing the way these two interacted, he couldn’t help but laugh.
They were so… formal. The thought of them continuing like this in the future was hilarious.
Just
then, Kelvin’s phone rang. He stepped outside to take the call, leaving only Victor and Yvonne in the room.
The second he was gone, Victor waved Yvonne over eagerly. “Come here, sweetheart. Let me take a look at you.”
Yvonne stared at him for a couple of seconds, then pursed her lips and walked over slowly.
“Victor,” Yvonne’s soft voice dragged out the word.
Victor patted the seat beside him, grinning as he ruffled her hair. His clean–cut features made him look particularly approachable. Then he asked, “Do you know where Charles got the jasmine by his bed?”
Yvonne blinked, utterly lost. Charles? Bed? Jasmine?
Yvonne pressed her lips together, staying silent. Victor wasn’t ready to give up just yet. “Alright, if you know, nod. If you don’t shake your head”
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Chapter 29
Yvonne thought, How am I supposed in respond to this?
Her blank expression was all the answer Victor needed. He figured she had no idea–understandable, considering she was
only three.
Victor wasn’t too disappointed. Instead, he found her reactions fascinating. Yvonne was still learning how to express herself. and that made her all the more fim to talk to.
Meanwhile, outside, Kelvin was on the phone with lan.
lan sounded thrilled. “I’m coming over tomorrow! That flower you got last time? Amazing! You better have some left for mel
Suddenly, Kelvin realized he hadn’t seen those flowers in two days. He had assumed they were just random deliveries from florist, occasional high–quality ones mixed in.
But lan wasn’t listening. He kept rambling on about the flower, then started talking about his older sister, never giving Kelvin a chance to cut m
By the time lan finally stopped talking, someone called for him in the background. He wrapped up the conversation hurriedly and hung up.
Kelvin, who had managed to say exactly one sentence the entire call, put his phone away and walked back inside. I hate talking to people who don’t let me get a word in, he muttered.
Inside, Yvonne was still stuck in conversation with Victor. Or rather, Victor was talking, and she was struggling to keep up.
The second Kelvin walked in, Yvonne ran straight to him, tilting her soft face up like she was seeking refuge. Her voice was a gentle plea. “Kelvin!”
Kelvin glanced down at her and understood immediately–Victor had been talking her ear off. His cold gaze shifted to Victor, his tone reprimanding. “Stop bothering her.”
Victor let out a short laugh, finding this very interesting. Back when Charles and the others were little, he had messed with them all the time. Why hadn’t Kelvin ever stepped in back then?
Watching Yvonne run off to complain, Victor suddenly felt rebellious. I’ll definitely come back. Next time, I’ll make sure Kelvin isn’t home and chat with her for two whole hours, he thought
The medical team finished packing up their equipment and called Victor over. As he was leaving, he was still thinking about
that flower.
Standing in front of Kelvin, Victor pleaded, “Kelvin, when Charles wakes up, ask him where he got that jasmine. I want one too. My grandpa loves flowers, and his birthday’s coming up. It’ll make him happy”
That flower was chosen by Charles herself from a website, and then he asked the butler to go get it. This was much simpler as long as she found the seller online, that would be good enough.
But Kelvin couldn’t shake the feeling that everyone was suddenly coming to him about flowers. He saw Victor off, waiting until the car disappeared before heading back inside.
Meanwhile, Yvonne was back in her room, fussing over her three potted plants. They looked nothing like white first brought them home.
The blossoms were fuller, the leaves greener and shinier, and even the colors had become more vibrant. The scent was stronger, too. Just standing near the violet, she could catch their distinct aroma
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Chapter 22
The orchid, however, was still too weak to bloom. Otherwise, its fragrance would have taken over the whole room by now
Standing on a chair, Yvonne spoke to the plants in her soft, childish voice. I’m going to start school woont just like my brother, I’ll be gone all day and won’t be able to keep you company.”
Yvonne muttered to herself, unaware that the flowers beside her seemed to respond–gently swaying as if they could understand every word.
