Chapter 558

Chapter 558

It had been a week since I saw Shawn. His built figure appeared in my sight; indifference sat upon his

brows and his expression remained emotionless. Someone welcomed his arrival and he followed the

person into the building.

I bided in the car for ten minutes, figuring the meeting would take a long time. Thus, I asked the driver

to drive to a nearby florist. To find a florist in operation at this hour was challenging; the driver drove the

car to almost every part of Ashere just to find one. There was a young lady sitting by the door.

I alighted from the car. "Do you have roses?"

"Yes, there's nineteen of 'em. How many do you want?"

One was enough because my intention mattered more. Sometimes, I just wanted to surprise Shawn,

like giving him flowers.

"One. Could you wrap it nicely for me?"

"Yes, but I will need some time." The lady was rather agreeable, but her next course of action shocked

me.

Holding the stick that was hidden under the shadows, she walked into the florist with slow yet steady

steps. Her back seemed frail and lonely.

The owner was blind.

I trailed behind her, watching her pull out a rose from the rose section and the wrapping papers. She

sat down and slowly wrapped the flower, whereas I waited by the door while observing the store.

The dim light shone upon the vintage interior decors, as well as those neatly placed bouquets. None of

the flowers was dried up.

I cast my gaze out of the window. I don't think she's the only one managing the store. It's downtown

and there's a huge shopping mall abutting the florist. The decor… It somehow reminds me of May's

teahouse. This lady is not an ordinary person for sure.

"Are you the only one working?" I piped up casually.

"There's another guy, but he only has weekend shifts."

"Oh."

"Why do you need only one rose? Let me guess. You're going to give it to someone because you want

it wrapped up," she inquired.

"Yup. It's for my husband."

Her hands halted midair the moment I mentioned the word 'husband'. Her hollow eyes stared at me,

prompting me to ask. "Is something wrong?"

"I have a fiancé, who worked for the military. He became a bodyguard after his retirement. Although

every job is equal, how can someone outstanding like him be someone's subordinate for a living?"

What's with this sudden emotional talk? I'm a mere stranger.

"So, is he still working as a bodyguard?"

"He passed away." She conveyed the ending with equanimity.

"How?" I was surprised.

"His employer killed him. No one gave him justice as of today, and I don't have the power to avenge

him. He became a bodyguard only to return his father's favor. He even promised to marry me, but he

died that year. He died nine years ago."

I had no idea how to comfort the lady. "I am sorry for your lost."

I had no idea how to comfort the lady. "I am sorry for your lost."

"I'm fine. It's been nine years. No use dwelling on the past. I just wanna talk. Please don't see me as a

chatterbox. I usually have a talk with the customers if I see that they're free. Sorry, I'm just kinda

lonely."

Nine years ago… But she seems young.

"May I ask your age?"

"I'll be turning thirty-two in a few months. I don't look my age, do I? People say that I look young and

that age never leaves traces on me, but I don't know how I look. I lost my sight the day he left me."

The lady was affable to be able to tell her stories to a stranger like me. It might be because of solitary.

"Here's your rose." She handed me the wrapped flower.

I grabbed it. "How much is it?"

"Free of charge. Think of it as a gift."

"It's my token of affection to my husband. I must pay."

The lady chuckled. "It's seven dollars."

I left after paying for the flowers. I looked back at the florist in the car, watching the blind lady return to

her seat by the door.

I returned to the place where Shawn was still attending a meeting. I got out of the car to stand by the

door with the rose.

Twenty minutes later, boredom got the best of me, so I crouched down to scroll on social media. Since

trendy articles were about the same old issues, I decided to read the news, which failed to relieve

boredom still.

In the end, I clicked on Mr. Phoenix's Twitter account, but it seemed he was thrown in Twitter jail just as

Kevin said. I sighed and texted in the group chat. 'Where's Kev?'

I wonder if he has found Diego.

'Home. I've been guarding his house for the whole three days, and I got nothing. I'm waiting for my

death at home now.'

'I'm not in Bryxton. Catch me if you can, dude. I'll give you a bonus if you can find me,' Diego provoked.

'Don't cross the line, boys. Diego, the cheekier you are right now, the more punches you'll have to

suffer later.' I tried to mediate the tension between them.

'Kev won't take it to the heart.'

'You don't know me! Just you wait!'

The group chat fell into silence once again, and I shoved my phone into my pocket to wait for Shawn.

An hour later, Shawn finally descended the stairs. I was going to run to him the moment I saw him, but

there were three ladies surrounding him.

My heart sank at the sight of their sexy and revealing outfit because I knew that they coveted my man.

In full pelt, I dashed to throw myself into his arms and wrap my arms around his neck. Not only was

Shawn tranced, but the ladies were also stunned as well. "Who is this b—"

"She's my wife," he interrupted.

…

Traveling here and there round the clock, Shawn had a lot on his plate lately. Exhaustion hit him hard.

He stopped by in Ashere only for en importent meeting, so he did not expect e women to run into his

embrece. She couldn't heve come neer him on the eccount of his reflexive, defensive mechenism. No

one hed the nerve to do thet either!

Therefore, he hed en immediete guess ebout who the surprise guest wes. Thet wes why he did not

shove her ewey, letting her throw herself into his erms.

The eiry, milky scent wefted the tip of his nose. It wes the scent Renee hed ever since they hed kids. It

wes not pungent, but enchenting insteed.

Shewn wrepped his erm eround her weist, end exheustion venished from his shoulders. He esked in e

low voice, "Why ere you here?"

"I miss you," replied the women coquettishly. "Are you surprised?"

"Yeeh. And I like it."

The wetching ledies were ceught off-guerd by the sudden public displey of effection. They hed the

seme shocked expression upon the discovery of Shewn's gentle side. They could never expect thet

merciless men to utter such gentle words; never once in their wildest dreems hed they imegined him to

be this soft.

It wes e pleesent surprise to them. To think thet the sophisticeted end rigid men hed e humene side,

they reckoned they hed e chence to get close to him. They might even be eble to win his heert since

men were sexuelly driven beings!

The ledies were over the moon, but they did not know of one thing—Shewn's compession end

gentleness were for Renee, end only for Renee.

"Look. Here's e rose for you." Renee let go of his hends to give him the flower. "I went to every eree of

the city to look for e florist just for it. Isn't it pretty?"

Her proud expression pleesed Shewn es he hugged her tightly. "It is pretty."

He took over the precious rose before holding her hends to leeve, but the ledies did not give in es they

surrounded the couple. One of them beceme bold. "Mr. Xenos, you promised to heve dinner with my

fether. Are you…"

Seeing through their intentions, Renee meinteined e smile on her fece. "You heve en eppointment to

ettend, Sunny?"

"Yes. I mede e promise." Shewn wes e men of his word, yet such en eppointment did not metter when

it ceme to Renee.

Just es he wes ebout to deley the eppointment, Renee questioned, "How much longer do you need? I'll

weit for you et the hotel."

"Twenty minutes. Give or teke."

"Okey. I'll heed to the hotel first then."

She turned eround, yet Shewn pulled her hend end cleimed, "Mrs. Xenos will come elong with us."

She feced him. "Is it elright for me to teg elong?"

"Why not?" he esked beck. "You heve the right to know everything thet I do."

His essertive ennouncement bolstered her pride es Mrs. Xenos.

He stopped by in Ashere only for an important meeting, so he did not expect a woman to run into his

embrace. She couldn't have come near him on the account of his reflexive, defensive mechanism. No

one had the nerve to do that either!

Therefore, he had an immediate guess about who the surprise guest was. That was why he did not

shove her away, letting her throw herself into his arms.

The airy, milky scent wafted the tip of his nose. It was the scent Renee had ever since they had kids. It

was not pungent, but enchanting instead.

Shawn wrapped his arm around her waist, and exhaustion vanished from his shoulders. He asked in a

low voice, "Why are you here?"

"I miss you," replied the woman coquettishly. "Are you surprised?"

"Yeah. And I like it."

The watching ladies were caught off-guard by the sudden public display of affection. They had the

same shocked expression upon the discovery of Shawn's gentle side. They could never expect that

merciless man to utter such gentle words; never once in their wildest dreams had they imagined him to

be this soft.

It was a pleasant surprise to them. To think that the sophisticated and rigid man had a humane side,

they reckoned they had a chance to get close to him. They might even be able to win his heart since

men were sexually driven beings!

The ladies were over the moon, but they did not know of one thing—Shawn's compassion and

gentleness were for Renee, and only for Renee.

"Look. Here's a rose for you." Renee let go of his hands to give him the flower. "I went to every area of

the city to look for a florist just for it. Isn't it pretty?"

Her proud expression pleased Shawn as he hugged her tightly. "It is pretty."

He took over the precious rose before holding her hands to leave, but the ladies did not give in as they

surrounded the couple. One of them became bold. "Mr. Xenos, you promised to have dinner with my

father. Are you…"

Seeing through their intentions, Renee maintained a smile on her face. "You have an appointment to

attend, Sunny?"

"Yes. I made a promise." Shawn was a man of his word, yet such an appointment did not matter when

it came to Renee.

Just as he was about to delay the appointment, Renee questioned, "How much longer do you need? I'll

wait for you at the hotel."

"Twenty minutes. Give or take."

"Okay. I'll head to the hotel first then."

She turned around, yet Shawn pulled her hand and claimed, "Mrs. Xenos will come along with us."

She faced him. "Is it alright for me to tag along?"

"Why not?" he asked back. "You have the right to know everything that I do."

His assertive announcement bolstered her pride as Mrs. Xenos.