Late Blooms, Early Goodbyes

When Madeline saw Tristan and Annabelle, she felt nothing. The disgust she once harbored had faded.

With only two days left, she figured they'd probably never cross paths again. So, it was better to part on good terms than stir up more trouble.

Her indifference unsettled Tristan. Yet, he couldn't quite put a name to the feeling gnawing at him.

In the past, if he and Annabelle had been gone for two days, Madeline would blow up his phone with dozens of calls and hundreds of messages. They'd be full of apologies and desperate pleas for them to come home.

This time, they were gone for over ten days. But Madeline hadn't reached out once.

Tristan tried to rationalize the unease brewing in him. He told himself it was just pity. Madeline was all alone in that house, and he simply felt sorry for her.

He was confident that Madeline loved him to the point that she had completely lost herself. That was why he dared to torment her like that again and again. He even saw his return as a generous act and a chance for her to prove herself.

But the moment Tristan saw her icy expression, a dark look clouded his face. "Why are you giving me that look? You're not happy to see us back?"

Madeline didn't see the point in saying anything more. With only two days left, there was no need to argue or drag things out.

Thus, she opened the door and walked to the yard.

Tristan saw the indifference in her eyes, and his heart sank. His emotions tangled into a knot, and when he thought about the past, panic crawled up his spine.

After all, Madeline had stood by him through his darkest days.

…

When Madeline came in to get a glass of water, she noticed something had changed in the living room.

Flower petals were scattered across the floor, and a candlelit dinner for two sat waiting on the table.

The sight felt almost laughable. She didn't need grand gestures anymore. What was the point of putting on a show like this?

Madeline's brows furrowed. Then, she raised a hand to cover her mouth and nose.

Seeing her reaction, Tristan rushed over. His voice was tinged with concern as he asked, "Are you feeling unwell?"

"I'm allergic to pollen," Madeline replied calmly.

She had never liked flowers. In fact, Regina was the one who loved daisies.

Tristan's temper flared, but he held himself back when he remembered how much Madeline had changed lately.

She was no longer predictable, and he was starting to feel like he was losing his grip on her. For some reason, that scared him.

Maybe he had been too distant lately. And after everything they had been through, he couldn't bring himself to say something cruel.

Tristan's sudden silence caught Madeline off guard. The man who used to lash out at the smallest thing was actually holding himself back. He didn't say a word.

As she tried to make sense of it, Tristan pulled out two tickets for an evening cruise and said, "For your birthday and our anniversary. I owe you, so I'm making up for it. It'll just be the three of us."

Madeline stood there, watching him quietly. Yet, she made no move to take the tickets.

Suddenly, a thought crossed her mind. Had she changed so much that Tristan was finally starting to notice? Was that why he was acting like this out of nowhere?

But whatever the reason, it didn't matter anymore. What good was love when it showed up after everything was over?

At that moment, Regina waltzed in with Annabelle's favorite ice cream.

Annabelle's face lit up with excitement. She immediately grabbed Regina's hand and squealed, "Thank you, Mommy! You're the best!"

"Don't call her that," Tristan said sharply, his expression darkening.

But Annabelle ignored him. "I want Regina to be my mommy! I don't want that ugly freak!"

Without missing a beat, Tristan picked her up and carried her upstairs. It was time she got a proper talking-to.

Once the two of them were gone, Regina glanced around the decorated living room. Then, her gaze landed on the cruise tickets, and a smirk tugged at her lips.

"You can keep clinging to Tristan all you want, but it's useless. I'll make sure you see soon enough who he really loves."