The Florist's Dominance

Chapter 3

Elysia's friends laughed at Adrian and belittled him.

Zak patted Adrian's shoulder. "Come on, come on! Wake up from your beautiful dream. Didn't you see earlier that she looked at you like she was seeing a ghost?"

"Be self-aware, Adrian! Be self-aware!"

Adrian brushed off that hand somewhat roughly.

The man glared. "No need to be so angry. She's already chosen. And her choice isn't you!"

One of Elysia's friends mocked him, "Adrian, you should learn from Zak!"

"Look! He spent a lot of money proposing to Elysia, but he still looks calm and sincere!"

Adrian answered, "Is it true he spent a lot of money?"

Actually, Zak was unsure, but since his friends had already assumed he was the one who hired the skywriting service, he spoke confidently, "Yes, of course."

"You think a skywriting show is the same as a street circus?"

"And with your meager income, you could afford it?"

"Or are you just delusional, thinking you could get that service for free from Bradly Advertising?"

Adrian replied indifferently. "Goodness. How shameless of you to take credit for something you didn't do."

"Aren't you afraid I might call the people at Bradly Advertising and ask who actually ordered the skywriting for Elysia?"

Zak's face paled slightly. But he didn't stay silent. "I don't need to prove anything because everything is already clear!"

"I could afford that kind of show for an entire month."

Then he spoke in a low, pressing tone. "On the other hand, you prove it if you, the poor one, actually ordered that skywriting show!"

Elysia's friends nodded in agreement, as if they couldn't wait to laugh at Adrian's empty threat.

"Make a video call right now so we can all see!"

"Do it now!"

Adrian nodded. "Sure."

Finally, Adrian took out his smartphone. Then he made a video call to Everett Bradly. An heir to the Bradly family, one of the three most influential families in Vecredal.

Not long after, the call was answered enthusiastically by a brunet man in a luxurious suit. "Hey, Adrian. How did the proposal go?"

"Did Elysia like the skywriting show?"

Adrian answered flatly, "Unfortunately, Elysia rejected me and we broke up."

"But thank you for putting on that amazing show."

Everett was silent for a moment upon learning that Adrian was heartbroken. Then he spoke more calmly, "That's too bad. I already prepared a VIP dinner for both of you at Golden Queen."

In Vecredal, Golden Queen was the most exclusive restaurant. There wasn't a single Vecredal resident who didn't know about the Bradly family's restaurant.

"In that case, just come by yourself tonight. It's fine. I want to see you."

Adrian nodded. "Okay."

As if trying to cheer Adrian up, Everett spoke again, "Afterward, I'll take you somewhere fun."

"And about that show, don't worry about it. To me, it's nothing because you saved my grandfather."

Adrian answered, "Thank you."

At that moment, Zak, who had been eavesdropping on Adrian's conversation, sneered, "Looks like you're also good at acting like you have connections to important people."

Elysia's friends laughed until the laughter was heard by Everett.

"Are they laughing at you?"

Before Adrian could answer, Zack responded, "Sure, we're laughing at him."

"And you're also a shameless person like him, pretending to be the Bradly family heir!"

They laughed.

Everett's hands clenched tightly. Then he scoffed, "I'm pretending?"

"And who are you?"

Zak walked closer to Adrian. "I'm Zak Rogers."

"Are you trying to intimidate me?"

At that moment, Zak saw Everett's face on Adrian's smartphone screen. He froze.

"Y-Young master.. I.. I..."

Zak couldn't finish his words. He didn't expect that the person talking to Adrian was actually Everett Bradly, famously rich and handsome in Vecredal.

Everett spoke coldly, "Do you think I'm the type of person who intimidates?"

Zak stammered nervously, "F-Forgive me, Young master. I... I didn't mean to—"

Everett cut him off, "Apologize to him right now."

Zak's entire body trembled. He glanced around at Elysia's friends, who were looking at him in confusion and disbelief.

"Y-Young master? Adrian is really talking to Everett Bradly?"

"How is that possible?"

"So the one who was actually lying was Zak?"

Actually, Zak could have ignored Everett's request to save face. However, as someone from a second-tier family in Vecredal, he didn't have the courage to refuse Everett's demand. Especially since his family was highly dependent on the Bradly family.

Reluctantly, Zak bowed his head to Adrian. "I apologize."

Everett interrupted, "Sincerely."

Zak finally knelt before Adrian. "I'm truly sorry for lying about the skywriting show. I didn't order it."

At that moment, Elysia's friends were shocked at having misjudged the situation.

Adrian didn't say anything, but his gaze was sharp. Then Everett said, "From now on, don't ever show your face in front of him again! Do you understand?"

Zak nodded nervously. "I-I understand." Then he quickly fled from Adrian's presence with his tail between his legs. Likewise, the rest of Elysia's friends quickly left, hoping their faces hadn't appeared on Adrian's smartphone screen.

After that, Adrian ended the call with a wry smile. The fact was, no matter how deeply Adrian was heartbroken, life after being released from student status had begun.

Adrian immediately took off his graduation gown, put the black robe into his bag as if folding up the past. Calmly, Adrian walked away from the campus area.

When he was in front of the Vecredal University complex, Adrian sat on an empty bench under a maple tree. His hand reached for his device to order an online ride.

However, before he could successfully place an order, a five year old boy ran toward him and hurriedly hid under the bench.

The boy was panting and said, "Daddy, help me! They're going to catch me!"

Adrian's gaze shifted from his device to the boy crouching right below him. The boy appeared to be wearing expensive shoes and clothes. Adrian bent down slightly and asked, "Hey, kid, what happened? Who are they?"

The boy looked at Adrian through the gaps between Adrian's long legs. "Mean! They're mean! Anyway, Daddy, you have to take me far away!"

For a moment, Adrian straightened his body, the word "Daddy" was quite shocking for him who had just broken up. But that wasn't the point. Immediately, Adrian looked around to scan for the threat the little boy feared.

Unfortunately, in the distance, Adrian saw two men in black suits and black sunglasses who appeared to be looking for something or someone. Occasionally, they appeared to be communicating through earpieces as if they were coordinating for a very important search.