All Chapters of Your Lips to Mine #2: The Billionaire's Secret Garden: Chapter 1 - Chapter 5

There’s something peaceful about tending to a garden that only you truly understand—the rhythm of the earth, the hum of life in every bloom, and the quiet satisfaction that comes from nurturing something from the ground up. My tulip garden was my escape, my sanctuary from the world. It was a gift from my mother, who had carefully cultivated each flower before passing on the knowledge and love for it to me. I knelt down beside my prized *Midnight Flame* tulips, gently trimming away the excess leaves, making sure each delicate petal would bloom perfectly by morning. The late afternoon sun cast a golden glow across the garden, and for a moment, I could almost forget the stress of the outside world. For a while now, I had been battling the land developers trying to buy out this corner of Eldenbrook. They wanted to replace the small, quiet flower shop with some trendy boutique or office complex. But this shop was my family’s heart and soul, and I refused to let anyone take that from me.M

The days that followed were a blur of orders and deliveries, the steady rhythm of my routine acting as a shield against thoughts of Alexander. I had told myself I wouldn’t let him disrupt my life, and for the most part, I had kept my focus on the things that mattered—my flowers, my garden, the little community around me. I had no room for men like him. Not now. Not ever.But then, as if fate had a cruel sense of humor, he showed up again.It was late afternoon when I heard the familiar jingle of the shop door. I glanced up, already dreading the sight of him, and there he was—tall, commanding, dressed in that signature sharp suit that made him look like he belonged to a world I could never touch. Alexander Kane. As usual, there was something about him that made my pulse quicken despite my best intentions to ignore it.He stood just inside the door, his gaze sweeping over the shop before landing on me. There was no smile this time, no pleasantries. Just that cool, calculated look, like

The days that followed Alexander's visit to the shop felt like I was walking through a fog, my mind constantly torn between the pressure of my shop’s future and the impossible offer he’d made. The universe was giving me one problem after another, as if it couldn’t decide if it wanted me to sink or swim.The phone call from Mr. Langley had been the first blow. The rent increase was more than just an inconvenience; it was a threat to everything I had worked for. The shop had been my safe haven, my escape from a world that often seemed indifferent to those who didn’t have power or influence. But now, that sanctuary was slipping away from me, and I had no idea how to stop it. Thirty percent more. How was I supposed to handle that?I spent the night pacing my tiny apartment, my brain too jumbled to come up with a solution. No matter how hard I tried to focus, my mind kept drifting back to Alexander, and the more I thought about it, the more his offer seemed like the only option. I could al