The Billionaire's Flower

The Billionaire's Flower

last updateTerakhir Diperbarui : 2024-06-09
Oleh:  Stone JellyfishTamat
Bahasa: English
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Sinopsis

Violet's world just changed and she's not the only one. After caught fleeing on the day of her arranged marriage, Violet must now live with her future husband, Leo Whitlock. As Violet deals with her parent's death, Leo is pressured to convince her to marry him. They soon find themselves seeking comfort in each other's company, but their family secret's might block out any warmth. Love will bloom, weeds will perish and a cold day might end them all.

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Bab 1

Chapter One

The white of the wedding dress glistened in the warm sunlight as I stared at my hollow reflection. Aunt Bella is humming as she rearranges my hair, occasionally saying words to convince me this was a wonderful day, not that I believed her in the slightest.

As she places the final wave into the bun, there is a knock at the door.

“Ms. Bennet, it's almost time,” the wedding organizer speaks with oblivious enthusiasm. I nod to signal my understanding and step closer to the nearby window.

My body is completely numb as I recall not even three days ago, before my life was ripped to pieces.

The airport in Columbus, Ohio is as clustered as ever with frantic humans running from one flight to another.

“Violet, are you sure you're alright with us leaving early? Your father and I can call out sick,” my mother sincerely asks, a gentle tone in her voice.

I smile as she strokes my dark hair, knowing full well I wouldn't ask them to lie for me. 

“Yeah and if that doesn't work we can just retire early,” father jokes as he rests an arm over my mother's shoulder. I shake my head and embrace them both in a warm hug.

After wiggling out from their stronger grip, an announcement for boarding is heard across the rows of seats. My mother raises her brows in a questioning motion and I laugh.

“I'll be fine. Just go and I'll see you when you get back,” I reassure her. I quickly gave her another hug for good measure, her embrace making me feel as safe as possible.

After exchanging words of love, I watch them approach the gate and turn to leave the noisy building. 

“Violet!” I hear my mother call from behind. When I spin around, she is standing at the gate with her hands in a heart shape, my father waving beside her.

I smile and wave back, my hands mimicking the heart shape in return. 

“Vee,” I hear my aunt say, shaking me back to cruel reality. “I'm going to go find my seat now. Remember to smile and get rid of that miserable look,” she commands while leaving the room.

The silence that follows weighs down on me as I take another look in the mirror. My eyes are dull and no amount of makeup would cover up the pain that lingers in my expression.

After my parents passed, I was informed of the contents of their will and what they left for me. It wasn't money or possessions, but a marriage. My aunt was more than happy to drag me all the way from Columbus to Miami overnight for my union with some random man. 

“Why did you want this for me, mother?” I ponder in my mind, glancing down at my left hand.

A sudden wave of unrestrained anger swells inside me and I'm furious, not just at the world that took them away from me, but at myself for not being stronger.

Tossing off the painful high heels and grabbing a pair of flats, I carefully crack open the bedroom door.

I sigh in relief after finding the hallway empty. The only sounds coming from the echoes of talkative guests in the distance. Taking extra care as to not make a sound, I scurry down the stone staircase and bolt towards the back door. 

The house is massive and at this moment that was my biggest advantage. After ducking behind a rather prickly bush to avoid the caterers, I raced towards the side pathway I had noted earlier, the bunched up dress in my hands. 

As the intimidating structure of a house grows more distant, I dare to become optimistic about my chances for escape. That is until I turn the next corner and slam into a firm form.

Losing balance, I tumble to the ground, my neatly done bun releasing all the restrained strands. 

“Well, that was graceful,” a deep voice chuckles above me. I glare up to see a young gentleman in a suit extending his hand. His body structure is wide and well built, his short brown hair neatly styled to complement his attire. 

Pushing myself off the rough stone path, the man gives a smirk as I brush off the dress. “Are you alright?” he inquires after analyzing my attire, an unanswered question hanging in the air. 

“I'm fine. Thank you,” I curtly reply, feeling rather defensive for no particular reason. Before either of us could say another word, alarmed voices were heard approaching and I felt a spike of adrenaline.

Noticing my change in expression, the dark haired man motioned to the bush behind him.

“Hurry up,” he whispers, the only sign of urgency showing through his wavering eyes. 

“Fine,” I retorted while quickly settling behind the dense shrub. Soon after, a group of bodyguards emerged onto the path. They scattered into different directions with one walking right towards us. 

“Care to explain what’s going on?” my mysterious new acquaintance questioned upon the man's arrival.

“Sir, Ms. Bennet has gone missing. We are searching for her now,” the bodyguard responded respectively. I quickly came to the conclusion that the mysterious man must be a high ranking bodyguard. 

“Very well. Continue your search,” he ordered with a cool tone. After the other had left, I slowly rose from my hiding spot.

Trying to run away are you?” he playfully comments, amusement evident in his voice. The young gentleman turned to me and raised an eyebrow.

“Yes, I am,” I fully admit with no shame, earning a hard laugh in return from the handsome man. His laughter was genuine and despite his stern look, he came off as rather laidback. This fact was the only reason I proceeded forward and asked, “Do you know the way out of here?”

The strange man finished laughing, took a small but immense step forward and looked me straight on. His strikingly blue eyes seemed to swirl as the sun lowered in the sky and I found myself growing warm in the cheeks. 

“Alright,” he finally spoke after a moment of contemplation. “Follow me,” he added while walking towards the lot of parked cars. 

Realizing there was no turning back now, I picked up the pace and walked behind him. He confidently strolls over to a large black vehicle and unlocks the drivers side door, turning to look at me.

His face still wears a slight smirk as he extends his hand out with the keys, waiting for me to take them. A light blush resurfaces as I shift my gaze away and mumble under my breath.

“I don't know how to drive,” I quietly said, realizing that I didn't really think this through. As no response is heard from my new acquaintance, I gaze back to see his face contorted. I frown before noticing his body slightly shaking before he bursts out in amazed laughter.

“You're really something else, Ms. Bennet,” he breathes between laughing fits. I can't help but smile a little at his reaction.  

“Here, I'll drive. There's a beach not too far off the estate,” he states before placing himself in the driver's seat. 

Not waiting to be found and forced back, I jump into the passenger side and watch as Mr. Mystery drives us towards the front gates.

As the vast expanse of private property rolled by, I took a deep breath in an attempt to calm my shaking hands.

The air was cool and contained a hint of citrus. I glanced around for some kind of air freshener, only to realize that the pleasant scent was emanating from him. 

“What's your name?” I inquire, casually trying to distract my attention from his pleasing scent. He gives me a very strange side eye before answering with a shrug.

 “Hey,” I start, mildly irritated. “Would you rather I keep calling you Mystery the whole time?”

“Is that what you’ve been calling me? I’m flattered by your gracious title, Ms. Bennet,” he mocks. I huff at his refusal to cooperate and quietly give up, deciding to stay silent till we reached the sand. 

As the endless horizon comes into view, Mystery parks the car and waits for me to exit. The salty air hits me and I find my feet pulling me to sit down on the coarse earth, tears finding their way back to my face.

“You really didn't want to marry him that much, huh? Do you hate him or something?” Mystery asks whilst taking a seat beside me. His voice sounds pained and his expression is no longer playful.

“I don't hate him. In fact, I don't know him. This whole marriage wasn't even my idea nor did I have any say to begin with,” I speak comfortably.

I find myself more relaxed than before and begin releasing information that has no business being said to someone I just met. 

“My parents are gone, my aunt brought me here and now I am told to marry a stranger.  Also, I don't even know what he looks like. This entire situation is so messed up!” I shout towards the sea, my frustration easing with every word.

Mystery smiles as he stares at me with an expression I can’t quite identify. I stare back briefly before flopping back on the sand with a loud thud. Mystery chuckles before laying beside me, his blue eyes meeting mine once more.

“I didn't have any say in it either,” he softly whispers next to me. I furrow my brows and frown at his words, confused by the implications.

Before I can interrogate him on the bizarre statement, loud engines are heard parking behind us. Jumping up from the sand, I feel my heart drop as Aunt Bella stomps over with a murderous look. 

“You think this was funny?! Running off like a little brat! You're lucky Mr. Whitlock and his son are so forgiving,” she screeches at me.

Seeming to finally notice Mystery's presence, Bella suddenly shifts into a smile and begins apologizing.

“I'm so sorry for her problematic behavior, Mr. Leo,” she states while gripping my arm. I freeze as the truth hits me and I see him glance with a guilty look. “Let's go, Vee,” Aunt Bella orders as she yanks me towards the car.

I hear him shout for me in the distance, but I can't help wanting to throw up at the deception. He was the Leo I was supposed to marry. Why is this happening to me?

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32 Bab
Chapter One
The white of the wedding dress glistened in the warm sunlight as I stared at my hollow reflection. Aunt Bella is humming as she rearranges my hair, occasionally saying words to convince me this was a wonderful day, not that I believed her in the slightest. As she places the final wave into the bun, there is a knock at the door. “Ms. Bennet, it's almost time,” the wedding organizer speaks with oblivious enthusiasm. I nod to signal my understanding and step closer to the nearby window. My body is completely numb as I recall not even three days ago, before my life was ripped to pieces. The airport in Columbus, Ohio is as clustered as ever with frantic humans running from one flight to another. “Violet, are you sure you're alright with us leaving early? Your father and I can call out sick,” my mother sincerely asks, a gentle tone in her voice. I smile as she strokes my dark hair, knowing full well I wouldn't ask them to lie for me. “Yeah and if that doesn't work we can just
last updateTerakhir Diperbarui : 2024-01-12
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Chapter Two
(Leo's POV) I watch as Violet is dragged away by her domineering aunt. As the events of the day replay in my mind, and the image of her tear stained face lingers, a stern looking man walks toward me. “Father, I can explain,” I start to say before he holds up a hand and squints, his expression blank. Disappointment is evident in his eyes and I brace for the onslaught of criticism he has lined up for me. “You know better than this, Leo,” he begins with a cold edge as he continues with the usual lectures. “The company's image is what makes us move forward. If news got out that your bride tried to flee, we would be a laughing stock. I'm only allowing this union because her father was an executive director and you need their trust. Don't let anything like this happen again.” “Yes, father. I will personally see to it that Ms. Bennet goes through with the wedding,” I respond with a distant monotone. “You better. I didn't raise you to be a failure,” he spouts before wobbling back to t
last updateTerakhir Diperbarui : 2024-01-12
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Chapter Three
(Violet's POV) The kitchen floor is cold as I lay there, staring at the black phone screen. The phone call rendered me immobile, the shock of the news hitting me like a semi truck. Cold and alone, I knew that the warmth of the house would never return, just like them. “Violet!” my mother's voice replies in my mind endlessly. I scream to make it stop, the quiet, my name, everything. As the darkness grows lighter, I gasp when a dull pain throbs in my head. Opening my eyes, I find myself tangled in the sheets and on the floor. “Another nightmare. How lovely,” I bitterly think to myself. Pushing off the floor, I hobble over to the dresser to get ready. “He just has to leave at seven, huh?” I grumply think as I lay out a few outfits on the oversized bed. I slept until it was almost time to leave, but that didn’t stop me from wanting to never deal with him again. After settling on a plain shirt and jeans combo, I stumbled down the stairs towards the kitchen for a much needed cup o
last updateTerakhir Diperbarui : 2024-01-12
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Chapter Four
(Leo's POV) The day dragged on after Violet left, the residue of the eventful morning lingering throughout my workspace. Shoving the remainder of the paperwork in with the laptop, I get ready for what awaits back home. A small part of me wouldn't be surprised if Violet took off given how poorly I just treated her. After all, our relationship was built on a rocky foundation to begin with. I make my way to the second floor, I spare a glance at Violet's room before entering my own. Flipping the light switch, I nearly have a heart attack when I see Violet seated on the bed. “What the hell are you doing in here?!” I demand, trying to regain my composure. It takes a lot to maintain a cool exterior around basically everybody. “I'm just waiting to confirm something. So, how was work?” she innocently inquired, her gaze seemingly more confident than before. My mind is too rattled by her sudden appearance to properly warn me about the trap that was set for me. “Fine. Are you bothe
last updateTerakhir Diperbarui : 2024-01-12
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Chapter Five
(Violet's POV) “I feel strange,” I state at the top of the stairs. The royal blue dress the maids squeezed me into compressing my rib cage until it was hard to move. Leo doesn't say a word, but instead stares with a strange expression. I grip the handrail as I descend the curved structure, stopping a few steps before the floor. “You look beautiful,” he comments while extending a hand. I feel the heat rush to my cheeks as I quickly grab it and clear my throat. “You look nice too,” I replied and it was true. He wore a classic tuxedo with a bow tie and his hair slicked back. If there was ever a time when he looked the part of CEO, it was now. The party was held in the penthouse of a presumably high ranking man in the business world. Leo had told me a bit about it, but I was more nervous about the guests than the host. “No need to be nervous,” Leo comments beside me in the car. I scoff as he smiles with that same false expression. “There's no need to pretend either,” I shoot b
last updateTerakhir Diperbarui : 2024-01-12
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Chapter Six
(Leo's POV) I watch in slow motion as Violet's skin drains of all color and her feeble body drops to the ground, incapacitated by some invisible force. As panic overrides my once abundant anger, I find myself rushing to her side. “Violet!” I shout while pulling her loose body into my arms. Adrenaline burns my blood as waves of startled thoughts race through my frantic mind. “Help! Somebody call for help!” I cry, heaving her strangely light form off the ground. Violet doesn't stir as I carry her down the stairs and towards an awaiting car. “What in the world is going on?!” I hear Violet's Aunt question on the way out, but I don't spare her a moment. After gently placing Violet in the backseat, I climb in next to her and the vehicle bolts for the nearest hospital. “Please, wake up,” I mumble between strained breaths. Her fair complexion remains unnaturally white and I brush back the fallen locks from her face. As we pull up to the front doors, the area is quickly filled with
last updateTerakhir Diperbarui : 2024-02-03
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Chapter Seven
(Violet's POV) “Leo,” I speak in a barely audible whisper. My eyes are still slightly blurry as I stare into his tear stained ones. Overcome with what seems like relief, he swiftly leans over and wraps his arms around my fragile body. “I'm so sorry, Vee. I'm sorry,” he repeats over and over again. As I slowly stroke his disheveled hair and return his warm embrace, Leo's familiar scent washes over me. Our close proximity surrounds me in a bubble of comfort and I instantly relax. “I know. It's alright,” I tried to reassure him. The first thing I saw when I woke up was Leo, slumped over and sobbing. Any resentment or fury that had boiled up inside me, vanished at the sight of his vulnerability. “I guess you know my major flaw now, huh?” I joke in an attempt to ease his obvious distress. A frown forms on his handsome face as he shakes his head. “Vee, I wouldn't call it that,” Leo states, his face drained of all humor. My cheeks grow warm as I find myself looking away. His gentle
last updateTerakhir Diperbarui : 2024-02-04
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Chapter Eight
(Leo's POV) I quickly close the door to Violet's room and hurriedly make way to mine. After reaching safety and solitude, I run my hands through my hair repeatedly. “Why did she do that? It caught me completely off guard,” my mind screams in confused pleasure. I'm still thinking about her gentle touch when a stern knock comes from the door. Before I have time to respond, it opens to reveal my unamused father. “What were you thinking?! Taking time off work just to be next to that pathetic woman's side! Have you lost all reason, boy?” he criticizes with no remorse. I'm tempted to remind him that my actual age is twenty-four, but know it would only anger him more. “She collapsed, father. It is only right that as her fiance I stay with her until she has recovered,” I attempt to reason with him. His face morphs into a scowl and the look in his eyes scorns me without words. “Get your priorities right, boy. She may be your future bride now, but I can easily arrange for that to be chang
last updateTerakhir Diperbarui : 2024-02-07
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Chapter Nine
(Violet's POV) The mud splashes up and coats my pants in a thin layer of grime as I watch Leo walk into the distance. My face is burning with anger and it is nearly impossible to turn any thoughts into words. I grip the unwanted umbrella in my hands as I look down at the splashing rain. Deep inside, I had a feeling Leo didn't know what was said. However, if there was even the slightest chance that he did, then I'd be a fool to trust him. “Even if it's true, he didn't have to be so heartless,” I mumbled to myself, recalling the encounter from last night. The Previous Night After Leo bolted out the room, I cleaned myself up and started heading to bed. Before reaching the plush sheets, there was a knock at my door. “Leo?” I asked while tugging open the wooden door. Standing before me was an older gentleman with an almost grim expression. “Ms. Bennet, I believe we need to have a chat,” he plainly states. My gut starts to spiral, alerting me to the outcome of this conversation. “O
last updateTerakhir Diperbarui : 2024-02-09
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Chapter Ten
(Leo's POV) Violet blinks a few times before shifting to grab a cookie. I nod at the confirmation of my suspicions and patiently wait to see if she will tell me herself. “I know you don't want this marriage either,” Violet quietly begins, her eyes still on the coffee table. “But somehow, being called too sickly to even be near you felt unnecessary.” Her voice sounded so raw and it wasn't long before gentle drops fell from her eyes, leaving small water spots on her pants. I move my hand towards hers, but stop before it could reach. “I never said that, Vee. That was all my father's doing. He sees emotions and trauma as weakness. I know that better than anyone,” I try to comfort her. Violet's red tinted eyes gaze up from beneath her dark hair and I catch a glimpse of an expression I have witnessed countless times. It was the same look I always wore after my mother left, one that shows how completely alone someone feels. Quickly, I lean over and grab the worn leather notebook from
last updateTerakhir Diperbarui : 2024-02-12
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