near: A Billionaire Romance (Distance Series by GIGI VALE Book 1) by GIGI VALE

Author:GIGI VALE [VALE, GIGI]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: anonymous
Published: 2024-06-02T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 21

The doorbell startles me from my sketching on the couch. I glance at the clock. Is it afternoon already? Since we came back from Elijah yesterday, I haven’t been able to keep track of time. Through the peephole, I spy a delivery man clutching an extravagant bouquet of flowers.

As I open the door, the vibrant colors and sweet fragrance invade my senses. “Yes?”

The delivery guy eyes me curiously, his grip on the flowers tightening. “Delivery for Gemma Barron.”

I nod, my pulse quickening as I catch sight of the card nestled among the petals.

I’m sorry. Please let us talk. Love, Elijah.

Love? Is that a joke?

The flowers are beautiful.

I fold my arms across my chest. “I don’t want them.”

Lil peeks over my shoulder, gasping. I’m too late to stop her as she swoops in and grabs the flowers from the delivery man’s hands. “Thank you! Have a nice day.”

“Seriously?” I slam the door shut.

Lil shrugs, walking around our living room and trying out different places. After the third one, she leaves them and turns to me. “Aren’t they lovely?”

Yes. “No.” I grit my teeth.

“But Gem—”

“I don’t want them.” I hate him.

A few hours later, the doorbell rings again. Another bouquet.

Lil lines the windowsill with bouquet after bouquet, creating an extravagant garden of remorse. Each delivery is like a nail sinking deeper into my resolve not to reach out.

My phone buzzes, the screen lighting up with another text from the former ‘Mr. Answer Me’ now named ‘Mr. Asshole’. Yes, I didn’t block his number.

My fingers curl into fists, nails biting into palms. I won’t give in. I can’t.

I hurl the phone onto the couch.

What if he keeps going with Esther and marries her?

“Maybe you should hear him out.” Lil accepts another bouquet at the door. I watch as she places it beside the others.

“This can’t be fixed with throwing flowers at me.”

“Is he texting you?”

I nod. “Yes, he wants to talk. Apologizes.” But there’s no mention of ‘I broke up with Esther’.

“Then shouldn’t you at least consider talking to him?”

“No. He made his choice, and it wasn’t me.”

Lil sighs, understanding the depth of my feelings, and takes one of the bouquets to the kitchen counter. “Alright, do you want me to get rid of them?”

“No. It’s fine.”

“Okay.” With that, she leaves me be, retreating to her room.

The apartment falls quiet as I stare at the bouquets that now decorate our whole apartment. Way to go, Elijah.

As the sun goes down, Lil and I sit in the living room, me sketching and her reading a book. I glance up as the door opens, Mary returning from work. Her gaze lands on the flowers lining the windowsill.

“Wow. Did you guys open a flower shop while I was gone?”

“Very funny.” I roll my eyes.

“Who are they from?” Mary fumbles with her keys.

“Elijah,” Lil says.

“They’re beautiful.” Mary gets closer to the flowers, letting her fingertips glide over the petals.

“These flowers are from the asshole who strung me along while engaged to another woman.” I sit up, putting my sketchbook down.

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