Longing Beneath Blossoms

Evan tried to stop him. "Master Wren, if the old man finds out, he’ll lose his temper—"

"Ink it."

With that instruction, the tattoo needle buzzed, each strike feeling like it was carving a bloody hole straight into Rhea’s heart.

Two hours later, Wyatt came out clutching his chest, blood seeping through the bandage. His face was pale, yet he still insisted on getting into the car.

"Moonwatch Cliff," he told the driver.

"No. That place is too dangerous. You just got a tattoo—"

"Now."

Rhea sat in her car and suddenly remembered Vera’s list of standards.

"He has to tattoo my name over his heart. There’s a briar rose bush on Moonwatch Cliff. He has to pick a stalk for me."

She laughed. She chuckled until tears spilled down her face.

"Let’s go," she told Thomas. "Stop following them."

That night, she scrolled through Vera’s social feed.

A photo of a briar rose blooming on the edge of a cliff.

The caption read: "Someone crossed mountains and ravines just to pick a single flower for me."

At three in the morning, Wyatt came back. His body was covered in blood. His right hand was fractured. Nevertheless, the corner of his mouth curved upward, carrying a faint trace of a smile.

The next morning, Rhea was just about to leave when Wyatt stepped out of his room. His face was pale, and his right arm was wrapped in a cast. The collar of his shirt hung slightly open.

"Miss Vaughn," his voice was hoarse. "I was in a minor car accident last night. I need a few more days of rest. I won’t be able to protect you for the time being."

A car accident?

He had clearly fallen while climbing a cliff.

She did not expose the lie. She only gave a flat grunt and walked straight out.

Today was her farewell with her friends.

In a VIP room at the high-end private Nightfall Club, Lydia slung an arm around Rhea’s shoulders. "Come on, tonight we drink till we drop! Our Miss Vaughn is getting married soon. Soon you’ll be Mrs. Ashford. We have to celebrate properly!"

The room was full, packed with the people closest to her over the years.

The champagne tower glittered under the lights, and the music throbbed loudly. Yet Rhea felt an eerie stillness.

"If you ask me, a husband in a coma isn’t bad at all!" Lydia swayed her glass drunkenly. "Rich, handsome, and you don’t even have to deal with him. That’s the perfect marriage!"

"Exactly!" Maya Whitfield chimed in. "The Ashfords have such a massive empire. It’ll all be yours eventually!"

Rhea smiled faintly, her fingers tracing the rim of her glass. "Once I’m married, I’ll need to behave myself. At least give the Ashfords some face."

The group froze for a beat, then rushed to correct themselves.

"Mr. Ashford will definitely wake up!"

"With you looking like this, how could he stay asleep forever?"

"Right! Rhea, you're the most beautiful woman in the circle. No way you’d live like a widow!"

Rhea listened to their nonsense with a smile, drinking one glass after another.

When it came time to say goodbye, Lydia suddenly pulled her into a tight hug, her voice breaking. "Your father is a piece of work… and that Vera girl… Want us to teach her a lesson?"

"No need." Rhea patted her back gently. "Once I’m gone, none of this will have anything to do with me."

She hugged each of them in turn until everyone’s eyes were red.

After settling the bill, Rhea passed the neighboring private room.

A familiar conversation drifted out.

"Was that flower really that hard to pick?"

"You bet. Moonwatch Cliff is so dangerous that even professional climbing teams wouldn’t dare go there lightly."

Through the half-open door, Rhea saw Vera idly turning the briar rose in her hands.

Sienna Caldwell leaned in, eyes bright with gossip. "Then he really risked his life to get it. When he delivered the flower yesterday, I think I even saw your name tattooed over his heart. He’s really planning to chase you, huh?

"He's just a bodyguard. Does he even deserve it?

"I’m someone the crown prince of the Wren family has his eye on now." She brushed her fingers over the torn petals. "Though Wyatt does look quite good. Keeping him as a lover once in a while wouldn’t be a loss."