What if you fall in love with your main suspect?
When Theo starts investigating a murder in a small, distant town, he meets a charming young woman, Ann, who captivates his heart. However, the problem is that Ann might have killed her wealthy uncle...
At the glass doors of the greenhouse, Ann came to a stop. The door was neatly closed, and inside, the flowers radiated an array of colors, generously illuminating the space. The plants appeared unaffected by the cold, allowing Ann to relax. Leaning in, she inspected the lock.
"Everything seems fine to me," she remarked, turning to Peggy. "What exactly went wrong when you closed these doors?"
Peggy gave her a meek look. "It was the back door. You'll have to walk to the end to see what's happening."
Ann let out a sigh and grasped the doorknobs. The doors swung open smoothly, just as they always did. However, something inside the greenhouse caught her attention.
Stepping between tables adorned with numerous flower pots, Ann found herself surrounded by a shimmering, magical garden. The heavenly scent filled her heart with a sense of tranquility. At the end of the aisle, she discovered a clay pot containing her favorite flowers, white lilies.
Unbeknownst to her, Ann's uncle had planned to grow these lilies this year. If this was his birthday gift to her, she couldn't have been happier. With a smile on her face, Ann leaned over the lilies, inhaling their fragrant scent. As she turned around, she found John standing just three steps away, his face illuminated by the magnificent plants.
"What's happening here?" Ann asked, unable to contain her cheerful mood.
John moved closer, taking her hands in his. "It's my birthday present to you. It was delivered while we were all having dinner. I know you don't celebrate this day, but it breaks my heart. I just wanted to bring joy back into your life."
Ann's heart melted. "It wasn't necessary at all."
"I know, but I wanted you to know that you deserve it."
Ann's gaze shifted to the translucent walls. Outside, she saw her friends and Uncle Greg, all wearing smiles. That is what they were discussing before dinner, Ann realized, they had plotted this surprise!
Ann gently withdrew her hands from John's grasp. "Thank you, John. Your gesture means a lot to me."
John's charming smile remained, but now he knelt down before her. From his inner pocket, he retrieved a small box and opened it, revealing a perfectly clean white diamond that shimmered in the candlelight.
Ann's hands instinctively flew to cover her mouth, her heart racing in her chest. It took all her strength to remain standing.
"Annie Storm, will you marry me?" he asked, his voice filled with hope.
His question hit her like a bolt from the blue. Ann could accept his flowers and his kindness, but... becoming his wife?! After all these years of his physical absence, it felt like an abrupt intrusion into her peaceful life. She was at a loss for words, her gaze helplessly shifting towards her friends. Uncle Greg wore a confused expression while Marie's lips silently mouthed, "I told you so."
Cornered, Ann wished she could simply sink into the ground, avoiding the need to meet his eyes as she rejected him.
"Annie?" John's voice brought Ann back to reality. "Please, say something."
Ann shook her head, her voice filled with regret. "I'm so sorry... You chose the wrong day."
John blinked, taken aback. "Please don't push me away like this. I worked so hard on this surprise! At least promise to think about it."
But Ann couldn't even bring herself to consider it. Her thoughts were in disarray. "Why did you choose this date, John? Why?"
"I didn't mean to offend you," he replied, standing up and brushing the dirt off his knee. "Please, forgive me. I thought it would be a good idea to turn a day of tragedy into something bright and meaningful. But now I realize I was just a fool."
"You aren't a fool," Ann said, her heart pounding like a dove trapped in a cage. "It's just so shocking for me, and it's such a huge step... I haven't seen you in four years, John."
"But I wrote you letters every month."
"Letters may have kept our connection alive, but I don't truly know you. I mean, the real version of you."
"You will know me, I promise. Only if you give us a chance."
Ann took a step back, her mind racing. "A chance?"
"Take all the time you need to think it over. Please," John pleaded. "This is all I ask for."
Feeling overwhelmed and unable to resist his persistence any longer, Ann nodded silently. In that moment of hesitation, he took her numb hand. A cold metal slid onto her thin finger, cuffing it.
Just as they stepped outside, Ann barely had a chance to take a breath of refreshing air before her friends surrounded them.
"What took you two so long?" Marie asked, pulling Ann into a hug. "The word 'yes' only has three letters!"
Before Ann could find the words to respond, John interjected. "It's not an engagement, not yet. We've decided to take time to get to know each other better."
Marie frowned. "Okay, darlings, this is the dullest engagement ever." She playfully poked Elajio's shoulder. "I've been married to this guy for almost two years, so I still discover something new about him every day. But you... you two have known each other since childhood. Even when separated, you kept up with your writing. What more do you expect to learn?!"
Ann gave her a weary look, unable to gather herself to explain.
"Mar, she's right," John spoke up, responding on Ann's behalf.
"Right about what?"
John wrapped his arm around her shoulder as if trying to offer comfort. "We haven't seen each other for four years. It was foolish to rush into this. I appreciate your help organizing this, guys, but we should approach it differently." He turned to Ann, who appeared as a pale shadow of herself. "Are you okay?"
"Is it true?" Ann stared at her friends with wide-open eyes. "So you two helped organize this 'surprise'?"
Elajio and Marie exchanged glances but remained silent. Uncle Greg, who stood behind them, simply shrugged.
Ann shook her head in disbelief, her heart heavy with disappointment. "I need to be alone now. I'm sorry," she mumbled before rushing towards the house, leaving everyone behind.
As she neared the porch, overwhelmed by the pressure of the situation, Ann could hear Uncle Greg's voice. "Just give her some time, John. She needs to process everything."
Time. Ann sighed. As if five years weren't already enough to heal her wounds. Maybe mine will never heal, Ann thought. But despite the sorrow, she was grateful to have Uncle Greg, who could talk to John and hopefully bring him back to his senses.
~ • ~ ☆ ~ • ~ ☆ ~ • ~ ☆ ~ • ~
To be continued...
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Ups! Tento obrázek porušuje naše pokyny k obsahu. Před publikováním ho, prosím, buď odstraň, nebo nahraď jiným.
P.S. Thank you for reading all the opening chapters! How do you think, shall Ann eventually say 'Yes' to John? 🤔
