Chapter 158: Chapter 158 Return to Sender
Author
When Elara left work carrying the large bouquet of roses, she was impossible to miss.
The receptionist at the front desk called out teasingly, "Elara, is that from your boyfriend?"
She flashed a smile at the receptionist. "My husband, actually."
Besides Dominic, she couldn’t think of who else would send her flowers.
That evening, Elara came home carrying the large bouquet like a trophy. She made no attempt to hide it.
Dominic’s eyes immediately locked onto the flowers, surprise flickering across his face.
Elizabeth chuckled warmly. "What beautiful flowers! Did Dominic send those to you, Elara?"
"Yeah," she deliberately avoided looking at the man on the sofa, handing the flowers to Linda. "Linda, could you put these in a vase for me?"
The man across the room went completely still, his expression darkening.
"How romantic. Young people these days know how to keep the spark alive," Elizabeth continued approvingly.
Dominic’s lips curved into something that wasn’t quite a smile. "Grandma, I wish I could take credit, but those flowers aren’t from me."
Everyone froze at his words.
The temperature in the room seemed to drop ten degrees.
Especially Elara, whose eyes widened with surprise. "They’re not from you?"
Dominic’s jaw tightened, his voice getting colder.
"Sweetheart," the endearment dripped with barely controlled irritation, "you just waltzed in here carrying flowers from another man. Don’t you think that’s a bit inappropriate?"
Elara’s face flushed hot with embarrassment. She felt like a complete idiot, standing there in front of Elizabeth while her husband called her out for accepting another man’s flowers. The worst part? She genuinely hadn’t known.
Elara bit her lip, genuine embarrassment coloring her cheeks. "I’m sorry. I just assumed they were from you." Her voice came out smaller than she intended.
"So these flowers..." Linda stood awkwardly holding the bouquet, caught between putting them in water or throwing them away.
She had to admit they were beautiful though.
Dominic’s eyes never left Elara’s face, watching every micro-expression like a predator studying its prey.
"Right," Alpha Dominic made a show of his irritation. He stood up slowly, his movements controlled but dangerous. "Was there a card with them?"
"Yes!" Elara had specifically kept the card. She pulled it from her bag and handed it over. Her hands were shaking slightly. "But there was no signature, so I thought they were from you."
"Does that look like my handwriting to you?"
Elara shot back, "How would I know what your handwriting looks like?"
"Linda, give me those flowers." Alpha Dominic didn’t respond to her comment. He took the bouquet and headed straight for the door.
Elara rolled her eyes at Elizabeth. She figured he was just going to throw them out.
Elizabeth’s gaze moved back and forth between the young couple, a knowing smile playing at her lips.
[Jealousy was good. It meant he cared!]
Outside, Alpha Dominic held the pink roses in one hand and passed them to the driver. "I’m sending you an address. Drop these at their front door. Put them right in the trash can where everyone can see them."
The driver blinked. "Yes, Alpha King."
[Ever since the Alpha King got married, his requests kept getting weirder.]
---
Alpha Zack had always remembered that Elara loved garden roses.
He’d given her a bouquet once on her birthday years ago, and he still remembered how she’d lit up with joy.
After that, he’d missed her birthdays. Never sent flowers again.
Today, he’d deliberately chosen pink garden roses.
If she received them, she’d know they were from him. Alpha Zack had even had the florist write a card for him.
But the entire afternoon passed without any call from Elara.
He’d parked near her company, watching and waiting. When he finally saw her carrying the flowers to her car, relief flooded through him.
At least she hadn’t thrown them away. If this worked, maybe he’d send her flowers every day.
--
"Alpha Zack, someone left a huge bouquet of pink roses outside our gate."
Alpha Zack looked up from his laptop, confused. It was past nine PM - who would be delivering flowers this late?
Alpha Zack ’s eyes widened.
He rushed outside quickly, his heart already sinking, and when he saw the card nestled in the blooms - the exact one he’d had written - disbelief crashed over him.
Elara had thrown them away.
No, worse than thrown them away. She’d sent them back. Deliberately. Publicly.
His fingers clenched around the card as anger surged through him.
She’d rejected his gesture so completely, so publicly, that whoever found them would know they’d been tossed out like garbage.
The thorns of the roses cut into his palm, but the physical pain was nothing compared to the rejection burning in his chest.
