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Chapter 183: Chapter 183 Flower Shop
The moment Liam stepped out of the restaurant, the air outside felt sharp and cool against his skin. He scanned his surroundings quickly, noting the subtle glances from strangers who tried not to stare. Even in a casual hoodie and jeans, his face had become too recognizable. With a tired sigh, he ducked into the nearest convenience store and grabbed a black nose cover—one of those sleek ones that hugged the bottom half of his face. It wasn’t perfect, but it would do. At least it would slow down the curious eyes long enough for him to move freely.
Once the cover was in place, he blended better. The city looked less suffocating now and more alive, more natural. People hurried past with their heads buried in their phones, some laughed in groups, others just kept to themselves. He walked slowly, just watching everyone live. A small smile crept to his lips. It had been a while since he saw the city like this.
Then something caught his eye—a flower shop, small but vibrant, tucked at the corner of the street. It had hanging pots over the entrance and a wide-open glass front, bursting with colors of red, pink, white, and yellow. Something about it pulled him in.
He entered quietly, and the little bell over the door gave a soft chime. The scent of fresh petals and herbs hit him immediately—calming and rich. A middle-aged woman in a navy apron stepped out from behind the counter with a warm smile.
"How may I attend to you, sir?" she asked, polite and cheerful.
Liam lowered his nose cover and breathed in the cool floral air deeply. He gave her a small nod. "I’m looking to get flowers for two different people."
The woman gave a delighted nod. "Lovely. What kind of flowers are you looking for?"
Liam scratched the back of his head. That was the problem. He had no idea. He could name a rose, maybe a lily on a lucky day. But before he could say anything else, a familiar chime echoed in his mind.
[System Interface Active...]
[Processing Personality Analysis... Matching Preferred Flora...]
Liam blinked as the glowing interface appeared before his eyes, only visible to him.
[Recipient 1: Lilith] [Recommended Flower: Black Calla Lily] [Reason: Matches recipient’s dominant personality traits. A rare and elegant flower, shrouded in mystery. Symbolizes strength, independence, and hidden emotion.] [Observed Behavioral Data: Lilith exhibits aloofness, strong emotional control, overprotectiveness, and unmatched authority. System detects underlying emotional sensitivity hidden beneath protective behavior. Flower will resonate subconsciously.]
Liam read the display twice. Black Calla Lily. Hidden emotion? Lilith?
He lowered the system and turned to the woman. "Do you have Black Calla Lilies?"
The woman looked up at him, surprised. "You know about Black Callas?"
Liam shrugged casually. "Yeah. Thought it might be perfect."
She blinked, clearly impressed. "Most young men who come in here don’t even bother knowing the names. They just ask me to pick something pretty." 𝖓𝔬𝖛𝔭𝔲𝖇.𝔠𝔬𝖒
He smiled. If only she knew. The system did all the heavy lifting, he just played the part.
The woman motioned for him to follow her deeper into the shop. The back had a cooler temperature, with glass cases arranged neatly along the walls. Each held flowers in perfect bloom. She reached into one of the cooler sections and pulled out a stem carefully protected in a plastic sheath.
"Here we are. Black Calla Lily. Rare and elegant, just like you said. It has a mysterious allure... it’s not loud, but you can’t look away either. Want to smell it?"
Liam leaned in slightly and inhaled. The scent was delicate and rich, not overpowering, but alluring in its own right. Like Lilith. He nodded slowly. "That’s perfect."
"Would you like it wrapped, or arranged into a bouquet?"
"I want it delivered," Liam said, standing straight. "Is that possible?"
"Of course," she said proudly. "My daughter handles our deliveries. Reliable and fast. We can even include a note if you want."
"Just the flower is fine," he said. "I’ll write the address."
The woman nodded and handed him a slip of paper. As he filled it out, he thought about Lilith’s cold exterior, her aloof nature, how she commanded every room without lifting a finger. And then he remembered the way she curled up in his arms, how she glared at Josh with icy fury for simply doubting him, how she froze his leg without even thinking. Maybe the system was right. She did have a side to her he hadn’t fully seen yet.
Once the arrangements were made, he looked back at the front section of the shop.
"I’m getting flowers for someone else too," he said casually.
"A lucky pair of women," the woman chuckled.
Liam nodded slightly. "I’ll take a look myself this time."
He strolled toward the front racks, his eyes scanning the wide variety. He was already thinking of Lana. Her fire, her pride, the sharp edge in her beauty. He didn’t need the system to pick something striking for her.
---
Liam stared at the deep red petals in his hand, gently brushing his thumb across them. The flower he had chosen for Lana was elegant, bright, and full of soft vibrancy—just like her. A strong, captivating scent drifted from it, fresh yet delicate, lingering like a subtle memory.
He turned to the counter, nodding politely as he reached into his pocket and pulled out his card. "I’ll take this one with me."
The middle-aged woman looked up from carefully wrapping the rare flower he’d chosen earlier and raised her brow. "Would you like this one delivered too?"
Liam shook his head. "No. I’ll deliver this one myself."
His card beeped against the machine, payment successful.
But just as the printed receipt slid from the terminal, the door behind him flew open.
Four men barged in.
Hooded.
Faces covered.
All dressed like typical roadmen—oversized hoodies, baggy jeans, one of them wearing gloves despite the warm air.
Liam’s body tensed instinctively.
The woman behind the counter looked up, startled. "Hello—" she began, but froze when one of them raised a gun.
"Shut up," he snapped, stepping forward. "Open the damn register and put all the cash in a bag. Now!"
Liam’s heart pounded, but he didn’t move. His eyes darted between each of the men. He recognized them. Not personally, but by their faces—well, what little he could see. They were from a small-time gang operating at the edge of town. Petty thieves. Loud mouths. Wannabe criminals who thought a gun made them gods.
He kept still.
They had guns.
Reckless ones.
One of them jumped behind the counter, nearly knocking over a vase as he yanked open the cash drawer. "What the hell is this?" he barked, staring at the handful of bills inside. "Where’s the rest?"
The woman was shaking. "I—I told you... I need that money. My daughter’s college..."
"Shut the hell up!" the one with the gun barked again. He pressed the barrel against her temple. "Open the safe. Now!"
Liam’s fists clenched. His eyes were cold, sharp. But still, he didn’t act. Not yet.
He scanned the situation quickly—four armed men, one behind the counter, two watching the door, the fourth pacing near the flower stands.
None of them looked smart enough to cover the cameras.
And more importantly... none of them looked calm.
They were fidgety. Twitchy.
If Liam moved wrong, someone could die. The woman. A delivery girl. Himself.
And for what? A few bills?
He watched closely.
The woman was crying now. "Please, please—don’t do this. I—I can’t open the safe. It’s not—"
The one behind her slammed his fist on the counter. "You think we playing with you?!"
Liam could already read their behavior. They were bluffing. They wouldn’t shoot. Not here. Not in broad daylight. If a shot went off, it’d bring everyone outside swarming. The street wasn’t empty. It never was. They’d be surrounded in minutes.
"Forget it," the leader snapped. "Wrap the damn safe. We’ll open it later."
One of the others pulled out a cloth, wrapping the small black safe awkwardly, stuffing it into a duffel bag. The woman sobbed as they ripped a few bills from the drawer and stormed toward the entrance.
Liam didn’t move.
Not yet.
He watched. Calculated.
The thugs reached the door—and at that exact moment, a girl wearing a helmet, clearly the delivery daughter the woman mentioned earlier, pushed the door open, stepping in casually.
Wrong time.
Wrong place.
"Move, bitch," one of the robbers growled, shoving her aside with brute force as they bolted out of the store.
She stumbled, crashing into the flower shelf, her helmet clanking against the metal support. A few petals floated down from above.
Then silence.
Just the trembling breath of the flower shop woman.
The trembling of her hands as she clutched the counter, still in shock.
Liam stood where he was, the flower still in his hand.
His jaw clenched as he exhaled slowly through his nose.
He looked at the woman. Then at her daughter on the floor, trying to push herself up.
Everything inside him screamed to chase.
But not now.
