Lilian POV“Dear citizens of Rustburg,” Jensen said to everyone, his gaze serious and hard, without a hint of compassion. “It's time for you to follow progress, it's time for you to stop this simple, humble life that you lead and let this place blossom into a great metropolis, as the mayor intends to achieve. You will have one month to collect your things, receive your compensation and move from here to another place. That’s an order!”An uproar was heard among the population, people were completely unaware of what was happening. They couldn't understand anything, they couldn't understand who that man was in front of them or why he was saying those things.“What are you talking about? Who are you in the first place to tell us to get out of here?” They shouted at Jansen.The mayor had a mocking laugh. “You people just don’t know Jensen Grimes? What kind of person are you? Don’t you even use the internet to find out what’s happening in the world?” He was making fun of everyone.But Jens
Lilian POVFinn had ordered a breakfast consisting of coffee, waffles, toast, pastries, fruit and juice. Everything looked appetizing, but I had no desire to eat. I had my face down, embarrassed to face the people who were there, as they were throwing dismayed looks in my direction since the one who was destroying everything they knew as home was my ex-husband, a man who, despite everything that had happened, I had welcomed him into my home.“To be honest, I never bought that man's act,” April said after taking a sip of her coffee. “That talk of him being sorry and playing nice was nothing more than a fucking act. I'm sure he only got closer to Lilian because he wanted to investigate the people closely. People never really change.”I swallowed hard at her words. It was so uncomfortable, I mean, and I felt like a complete fool for believing in Jensen so easily and letting myself get so carried away. I was so ashamed of myself.“He must be laughing at my stupid face right now,” I commen
Lilian POVFinn's plan brought a breath of hope. The idea of fighting for our little town, Rustburg, gave me a renewed energy that I hadn't felt in a while. In the last few days, despair had taken over me, draining all the strength I had to continue. But now, with the possibility of mobilizing the population and resisting the attack from the mayor and Jensen, something inside me lit up.It was already Monday morning, and the first thing I did was open my flower shop, which, despite the problems, was still my refuge. The air was thick in the city, and there were rumors that some people had already sold their homes and were preparing to leave. Seeing our little town being dismantled little by little was too painful. I knew that if we didn't act soon, Rustburg would be swallowed up by the money and greed of those who only saw figures and profitable land where we saw homes, memories and lives built.As I arranged the flowers on the counter, my mind wandered to what Finn was doing at that
Lilian POVThe door of the flower shop closed with a click, and the presence of that disgusting man finally disappeared. The fresh scent of flowers around me was a futile attempt to bring some peace to my tumultuous mind. The sweet smell of roses mixed with the light citrus touch of oranges created an environment that, in other circumstances, could be comforting. But now, the beauty of the place only highlighted the emotional chaos that consumed me.Jensen, in turn, fixed his worried gaze immediately on me. “Lilian, are you okay?” His voice was soft, but there was an urgency that made the moment even heavier. He came closer, but I hesitated, the space between us was thick with tension, like a rope about to snap. The morning sunlight streamed in through the windows, filtering through the flower petals and creating a play of shadows that danced around us, reflecting the confusion of feelings that I could barely contain.I was internally grateful for him for saving me, but the anger and
Lilian POVWhen Jensen left, it was like the floor had collapsed beneath my feet. I remained there, standing in the center of the flower shop, my arms crossed as if they could somehow protect me from the emptiness that settled in my chest. The surrounding sounds—the soft tinkling of the bell on the door, the rustle of flowers on the shelves—became distant and muffled, as if the world were leaving me behind. The tears I had been holding back for so long finally escaped, hot and incessant, streaming down my face without any restraint. The loneliness that took over me was suffocating.I sat on one of the wooden benches we kept by the window, my legs too weak to support me. The scent of the surrounding flowers, which had always brought a sense of peace, now seemed cloying, as if reminding me of what I had lost—of Jensen, of recent memories, of the things that could have been.I asked myself, for the thousandth time, what I had done wrong. Was I too harsh? Or maybe too weak? It didn't matt
Jensen POVThe hotel room was almost completely silent, except for the faint hum of the air conditioning and the occasional sound of a car passing on the road outside. The heavy curtains blocked out most of the moonlight, leaving the space in a suffocating gloom. I was sitting on the edge of the bed, looking at the empty glass I had abandoned on the nightstand. The faint reflection of the glass reminded me of how empty everything felt now. Just like me.The drinking wasn't helping me, but I didn't know what else to do. Ever since I left Lilian's house, my mind has been in a whirlwind. I couldn't stop thinking about what had happened, about the harsh words she said to me, about the kids looking at me with those confused eyes. Rory, Ryan, and Ruby. My little ones. I knew they liked me. I wanted to see them growing up, asking me to play rugby, tell stories, or just be around, like a family. Family. This word has always been something I wanted, but never knew exactly how to construct.And
Lilian POVMorning light filtered through the curtains, illuminating my room as I woke up. The phone vibrated on the bedside table, breaking the silence of my refuge. I answered the call, and Finn's familiar voice greeted me enthusiastically."Good morning, Lilian! All ready to start collecting signatures!" He looked so excited that I couldn't help but smile."Hi, Finn! I'm almost ready. I'm going to get ready and be right out," I replied, feeling a wave of relief upon hearing his warm voice. Finn had this ability to make everything seem better, even when everything around me was in disarray.As soon as I hung up, I quickly got ready, choosing a light blouse and comfortable pants. It was a hot day, and I wanted to feel good as we began our mission. A few minutes later, I heard the familiar sound of Finn's police car pulling up in front of the flower shop.When I left, I found Finn with a big smile on his face, brightening up the sunny day even more. He was in his uniform, but what rea
Lilian POVI looked at the sun setting over the fields of Rustburg, with the shadows lengthening on the streets we knew so well. The little town seemed peaceful, as if everything was at peace, but I knew it was far from that. On that first day of collecting signatures, reality hit us hard.Finn, April and I had begun our mission with renewed confidence. We thought it would be easy to convince people to sign the petition against the mayor's plan to evict entire families and turn the city into a luxury tourism zone. After all, who would want to be expelled from their home, their land, and everything they knew? But to our surprise, many of the people we approached seemed hesitant, and some even excited about the idea of leaving.Our first stop was at Miss Sharon's house, the city's best-known hairdresser. I had always seen her as a figure of resistance, someone who valued the simplicity of Rustburg and its traditions. However, she greeted us with a warm but disconcerting smile."Petition