Page 4

Red roses.

Lilith's goal for the day.

The only thing occupying her mind, even as she sat through her lectures with a dull, persistent headache—the aftermath of last night's drinks with Gabrielle.

They had ended up lying on some random street, giggling like idiots, barely making it home.

And now, here she was trying to make notes while simultaneously whining on Gabrielle's shoulder.

Still, despite the pounding in her skull, she had spent the morning searching for the perfect flower shop. It couldn't be just any random one on the way. No, it had to be something better, something worthy of an apology.

Lilith knew nothing about flowers, and she was painfully aware that she would probably end up paying more for the same bouquet she could have bought at any regular shop.

But that didn't matter. She had always been like this—desperate to please, to make up for things that didn't even require an apology.

Even when she was nothing more than a poor university student who should not be spending money on overpriced roses, here she was, ready to hand over cash she didn't have.

No new vanilla candle this week. No new cherry vape. Probably no drinks on Friday either.

As soon as her lectures ended and after another round of dramatic complaints to Gabrielle, she went on her mission. Flowers first. Then the company building.

?

The flower shop she had chosen was—impressive.

Too impressive. When she stepped inside, she hesitated for a moment.

She had expected something elegant, but this?

This looked less like a place that sold flowers and more like a luxury designer store.

Glass displays, dim lighting that made everything look impossibly expensive, and an intoxicating mix of floral scents that almost made her dizzy.

Now, with the red roses safely trapped against her chest, she smiled softly at how pretty they looked. At least if this whole thing ended in disaster, she got to admire them for a little while.

Sliding into an Uber, she let her thoughts spiral.

Was this pathetic? Maybe. What if the woman already forgot about the situation?

Or worse, what if she was still annoyed?

Even though Valentina Salvatore seemed like the type to brush something like that off quickly, Lilith couldn't shake the feeling that she had to do this anyway.

Even if she were one hundred percent sure the woman had moved on, she'd still be here, flowers in hand, ready to apologize.

Suddenly, she felt like a little girl again—like she was five years old, standing in front of her mother after making some foolish decision that had somehow irritated her beyond reason.

Back then, Lilith had tried to fix things the only way she knew how.

She had sat at the kitchen table, gripping her crayons tightly, carefully drawing flowers and hearts.

She had pressed extra hard on the paper, making sure every color was vibrant, hoping that if she made it pretty enough, her mother's lips would twitch into a smile instead of a sigh.

But when she had proudly presented it, her mother had only glanced at it, unimpressed.

She caught herself thinking about it and quickly forced her mind elsewhere.

Instead, she reached into her bag, pulled out her lip liner, and touched up her lips, trying to make herself look at least somewhat decent.

When the Uber pulled up to the sleek, familiar building, she stepped out, eyes lifting once again to the massive letters spelling out ''SALVARE''. It still looked just as impressive as it had the first time.

Taking a deep breath, she stepped inside.

This time, the woman behind the security desk didn't question her presence.

Recognizing her as Oscar's little sister, she only gave her a brief glance—until her eyes flickered down to the roses.

Her brows knitted together, eyes lingering on the flowers with a look of mild confusion, almost judgmental, as if trying to piece together why Lilith was carrying them.

The elevator ride was suffocatingly slow, each second stretching longer than it should.

She could still turn around, still leave and go wrap herself in a blanket in her cozy apartment. But the thought barely had time to settle before the elevator doors slid open with a soft chime.

The moment she stepped into the hallway, her gaze landed on a woman standing in the hall. The woman was elegant, dressed in a perfectly tailored suit, her posture poised with a quiet confidence.

The woman gave her a quick glance, eyes dropping down just like the security lady's had.

Lilith felt the irritation rise in her chest before she could stop it.

The way they kept staring at the flowers, like it was strange, like she was carrying something ridiculous, made her want to shove these roses into their faces.

Instead, she forced a small smile when the woman stopped beside her. "Are you here for Miss Salvatore?"

Probably her personal assistant.

Lilith nodded, bracing herself for another look of judgment, maybe even an immediate dismissal. But to her surprise, the woman simply gave her a polite nod before disappearing into a door down the hall.

Lilith exhaled slowly making her way towards Valentina's office.

The door loomed ahead, sleek and imposing, and she could already feel her stomach tightening.

The lack of a planned conversation sat heavy in her chest, unnatural.

Normally, she would have rehearsed this a dozen times over—mapped out every possible outcome, from Valentina rolling her eyes in disinterest to her outright mocking the gesture. But now, her mind was blank. Empty.

Her fingers hovered near the door, and with a deep breath, she knocked. Softly. Almost too softly, as if she could hide behind the faintest tap and avoid the conversation altogether.

For a moment, there was nothing.

Then, Valentina's voice broke the stillness—smooth, commanding, yet not as harsh and cold as Lilith remembered hearing the first time.

Stepping inside the office, Lilith felt the weight of her own nerves pressing down on her.

The space was quiet, save for the faint scratching of a pen against paper.

Valentina sat behind her wooden desk, her head slightly tilted down as she wrote something—probably something business-related.

The soft glow from the afternoon sun filtered in through the wide windows, casting golden streaks across the floor.

Lilith parted her lips, ready to speak, but the moment Valentina raised her head and their eyes met, she found herself utterly speechless.

She had noticed the woman's beauty during their first encounter, of course, but now, with the sunlight hitting her sharp features just right, she couldn't look away.

Well-defined cheekbones, full lips, and green eyes that were piercing yet unreadable beneath perfectly shaped, full brows.

Valentina's gaze flickered downward, landing on the red roses cradled in Lilith's arms. The silence in the room grew heavier, thick with unspoken thoughts.

Lilith clenched her jaw, resisting the urge to whine.

Had these women never seen flowers before?

The tension stretched between them like a drawn-out note until, finally, Valentina spoke, her voice neutral but still carrying that hint of control and authority.

"Are you going to stand there all day?" Amusement laced the edges of her words, but it was subtle, carefully measured.

Lilith pouted, tilting her head. "Are you a sadist?" she quipped, noting how the woman seemed to enjoy embarrassing people.

A perfectly arched brow lifted. "Only to girls who decide to break my vases" Valentina answered smoothly.

Lilith giggled softly, surprised by how much softer the woman seemed today. She prayed she wouldn't say or do anything to shift the mood. It always seemed to be that way with her—things would go well, maybe too well, and then she'd somehow ruin it.

Valentina, who had remained seated, now rose gracefully from her chair, her movements fluid and deliberate.

The long, tight black dress she wore accentuated her frame, its high neckline and fitted silhouette making her look effortlessly classy.

The soft hum of her heels against the floor filled the space as she slowly made her way towards Lilith, her presence commanding yet oddly patient.

Lilith shifted on her feet, still holding onto the flowers as she watched the woman approach. "So, I'm not the only one?" she gasped dramatically, acting as if she was deeply hurt by the confession.

Valentina merely observed her, the corners of her lips barely twitching in amusement.

Lilith's gaze wandered, landing on the coffee table beside the couch where a new vase—eerily similar to the one she had shattered-sat empty.

How lucky for her. She smiled cutely, moving towards the vase, her hands carefully unwrapping the bouquet.

"I wanted to apologize," she admitted softly, her voice quieter now.

She squeezed her eyes shut for a second, cringing at how small she sounded.

Then, exhaling, she added a hesitant, "Forgive me, please? "

Valentina, who had been watching closely, let out a small laugh. Her patience today was surprising, even to herself. "Why should I?" she asked as she took another step closer.

Lilith looked up at her, her big blue eyes wide, resembling a deer frozen in headlights. "Because I bought you pretty flowers?" she murmured, as if the reasoning was obvious.

Valentina watched as Lilith placed the roses into the vase, the red petals vibrant against the pristine glass.

It was then that she noticed the faint red cuts on the girl's fingertips. It wasn't hard to guess where they came from.

Her sharp eyes softened for just a fraction of a second before she reached out, her fingers brushing over Lilith's hand.