CHAPTER 81: CHAPTER 81: THE FIFTY-THIRD FLOWER

Holly turned around in surprise, "You know him?"

Blake Sinclair nodded, "Yeah, very well. Do you want me to set up a time for you two to meet officially?"

Holly waved her hand in refusal, "Better not. A boss as big as him must be very busy. If he knew about my dream, he’d probably find it funny."

"Why would he? I think he’d understand perfectly."

"How is that possible?"

Holly laughed, thinking he was just comforting her, "That was my childhood dream, it’s so niche, no one would know about it."

She was quickly distracted by the sunset over the river, and soon put the conversation behind her.

The sunlight streamed through the floor-to-ceiling windows and filled the entire living room, enveloping her, dreamlike and ethereal.

Blake Sinclair stood behind her, looking at her silhouette edged with golden light from the sunset, his gaze full of tenderness that was about to overflow.

Holly, welcome to our home.

This is our first year.

And it is the first dream I have fulfilled for you.

...

Moving house was officially on the agenda, Holly took less than half a day to pack up her things.

Before leaving, she stood below the familiar window of Glynmere, full of reluctance to say goodbye.

Blake Sinclair quietly accompanied her, without urging, just holding her hand continuously.

Holly took one last look, withdrew her gaze, "Let’s go."

Blake Sinclair held her hand tightly, "If you ever miss this place, we can come back to live anytime."

Holly feigned annoyance and looked at him, "Blake Sinclair, if you make me angry in the future, I’ll move back here alone and you’ll never find me again."

As soon as she finished speaking, Blake Sinclair pulled her into a tight embrace, "I won’t give you that chance."

Holly, no matter where you go, I will find you.

On the first day of moving into The Grandflora Gardens, some ceremony was needed, and Holly decided to celebrate the housewarming.

Blake Sinclair’s eyes were filled with expectation, thinking it would be a world of two, but the next second he saw Holly take out her phone and call one person after another.

"Laurel! Are you free tonight?"

"Celia, stop being busy, come over for dinner tonight!"

"Clara! Are you free to come by tonight?"

With each extra invitation, Blake Sinclair’s expression visibly soured bit by bit.

After finishing a call with Laurel Sinclair, Holly counted the numbers, suddenly remembering something.

She said to Blake Sinclair, "I don’t have Shane’s contact. How about you invite him?"

Blake Sinclair frowned, "Do we need to invite so many people?"

"You don’t understand!"

Holly’s eyes curved into a smile, "This is called a housewarming, the more friends come, the more prosperous and lucky the new home will be!"

She was after prosperity!

Blake Sinclair: "Shane isn’t free."

Holly glared at him, "You didn’t even ask!"

Finally, under Holly’s threat, Blake Sinclair relented and reluctantly called Shane in front of her.

Holly nodded in satisfaction, then rubbed her hands together, announcing, "To celebrate, Head Chef Crowe will personally show off and make her signature dish tonight!"

Blake Sinclair’s jealousy was almost overwhelming.

He hadn’t even tasted her cooking yet, but these people were going to get the chance first?

"No way," he immediately objected, with a perfectly sound and irrefutable reason, "You got hurt last time."

"Oh, that was just a small accident."

Finally, under Holly’s insistent assurances and a series of unequal treaties, Blake Sinclair reluctantly nodded, allowing her to return to the kitchen, but limited to one dish.

She excitedly dragged Blake Sinclair to the supermarket to buy ingredients, with Blake Sinclair pushing the cart behind her, watching her agonize over two apparently identical tomatoes.

"Which one do you think is better for tomato scrambled eggs?"

But in the end, she chose a cucumber, as she couldn’t decide whether to use salt or sugar, so she changed to cucumber scrambled eggs.

On their way home from buying ingredients, they passed a corner flower shop.

The exquisite shop front immediately caught Holly’s attention, her eyes lit up, and she quickly asked Blake Sinclair to park the car.

"Let’s go in and take a look, buy some flowers for home."

She pulled him inside, the chime of the doorbell ringing as they entered.

The shop was elegantly arranged, a myriad of blooms making it feel like spring, showcasing the owner’s discerning taste.

Hearing the noise, the owner emerged from the back room, greeting them warmly.

She was a beautiful woman with a gentle elegance.

The lady owner greeted Blake Sinclair familiarly, "Mr. Sinclair? Did you personally come by today? Still the same, fifty-three pink lychees?"

Holly was surprised to hear the owner call out Blake Sinclair’s name, and even more so to hear the "fifty-three pink lychees," her eyes widening.

She turned to look at the man beside her.

"Do you know the owner?"

Blake Sinclair’s expression froze for a moment.

The beautiful shop owner glanced between Holly Crowe and Blake Sinclair and then smiled knowingly, "You must be Miss Crowe, right? The flowers Mr. Sinclair ordered were all for you. I’m finally meeting you today, and you’re even more beautiful than I imagined."

Holly Crowe smiled politely. As she observed Blake Sinclair’s rare expression, she had already guessed most of it.

"Owner, were all those pink lychees I received earlier picked out by you?"

"Yes!"

The owner nodded with a smile, "Mr. Sinclair is our store’s VVVVIP customer. He orders flowers from time to time and specifically instructs us to select the best and the freshest ones. Do you like them?"

"I like them very much. But... every time I receive flowers, there are only fifty-two of them."

She looked at the owner, "Did you just say he ordered fifty-three?"

The owner explained upon hearing this, "The remaining one, Mr. Sinclair asked to be individually placed in a small glass bottle and took it away himself. He said..."

She paused, her smile bright, "He said when that one blossom starts to wither, it’s time to send you a new bouquet of fresh flowers."

Holly’s heart suddenly skipped a beat.

It turns out that those seamlessly delivered fresh pink lychees weren’t a coincidence. Someone was using this delicate and romantic timing method.

As she left the flower shop, Holly held a bouquet of newly purchased pink lychees, the fragrance lingering at her nose, but sweeter than the scent of flowers was her own heart.

The night grew deeper.

Clara Yates made an impromptu call to handle something with Ulysses Grant, Shirley Sinclair was taken by Ian Sinclair to the neighboring city for a vacation, so only Celia Stiles, Laurel Sinclair, and Shane Yates came.

Blake Sinclair still couldn’t bear to let Holly Crowe cook, and he hadn’t made a move either. He directly arranged for a private chef team to come and cook.

Shane Yates looked at the exquisite spread and sighed regretfully, "Alas, I thought today I’d finally get to taste a meal cooked personally by the second one, but it seems I’m not that lucky."

Holly laughed and said, "You’ve known each other for so long, and you still haven’t tasted his cooking?"

Shane Yates replied, "Him? Forget it. If you eat a meal he cooks, he’ll skin you alive."

Holly said, "Then next time you come, I’ll cook for you."

Shane’s eyes lit up, just about to respond, but then he caught Blake Sinclair’s gaze.

He immediately swallowed his words, touched his nose, and focused on eating.

The lively gathering dispersed, and the night soaked the ground.

Holly, after taking a bath, walked to the terrace to look at the river view.

The night wind carried the dampness of the river, with city’s lights and the winding river scenery mesmerizing the heart.

She turned her head to the freshly bathed man, "Blake, how about we have some red wine? To celebrate."

Blake quickly came over with a bottle of wine.

As he poured, Holly suddenly remembered something.

"Wait! Let me take some medicine first."

"Medicine?" Blake paused, "What medicine? Are you not feeling well?"

Holly was amused by his worried expression and quickly explained, "It’s nothing, just anti-alcohol medicine. You didn’t know before, but I have a small problem. If I don’t take the medicine before drinking, I can’t stop crying, uncontrollably."

After saying that, she turned around and ran back to the room.

Watching her run off, Blake’s hand holding the wine bottle paused.

So that’s why she was crying at the school anniversary event last time?

An indescribable joy surged in his heart; it turned out her tears weren’t for Zion Pence.

When Holly came back after taking the medicine, she saw Blake’s upturned smile.

She curiously asked him, "What did you see? Why are you so happy?"

Blake came back to his senses, lowered his gaze to her, his eyes filled with unfathomable tenderness.

He gently tucked a stray lock of her hair behind her ear, "Nothing, just... the moonlight tonight is particularly beautiful."

The two drank together under the river view and starlight.

A blush spread across Holly’s cheeks, her gaze becoming misty and soft.

Blake took the wine glass from her hand, "It’s getting late. Time for bed."

He led her towards the bedroom.

The bedroom door closed, Holly was laid on the bed, and his kiss came down quickly, both forceful and lingering.

It tasted of red wine.

"Mmm..."

Holly was kissed into a daze by his sudden advance, finally getting a chance to catch her breath.

She protested softly, "I... I didn’t even go to the kitchen tonight, what about the promised dish?"

Blake chuckled softly, his fingers brushing her lips, "It’s okay, let’s consider it advance payment for next time."

Holly’s remaining words were thoroughly sealed away.

The river view remained outside the window, but the moonlight slowly hid behind the clouds.

Inside the bedroom, only intermingled breaths were left.

The night was long, and the first night belonging to them had just begun.