Where Petals of Vengeance Bloom

Unfortunately, the weather wasn't on their side that day-rain had started to fall over Northcrest City.

But with the wedding being held at The Celestial Aerie, a seven-star luxury hotel, the downpour barely made a difference.

Inside, the grand ballroom was already bustling with guests.

Almost everyone had arrived.

May paced back and forth anxiously, unable to resist calling Mandy.

"Mandy, Claire's wedding is about to start. Where are you? Why aren't you here yet?"

"Mom, I'm almost there," Mandy replied, her voice edged with urgency.

She stood at the bus stop, glancing between her phone and the gray sky, frustration clear on her face.

For ten years, Claire's encouragement had been her driving force. Mandy poured herself into her studies, graduated with honors, and, after relentless effort, finally secured a position at the research institute.

But the institute was huge, and their fields rarely overlapped. Catching even a glimpse of Claire was a rare event. Both women were always busy, so finding time to meet was nearly impossible.

Today, of all days, a critical project had come up at work, delaying her even further.

She'd rushed out as soon as she could, only to be met with pouring rain.

Taking shelter under the narrow awning of the bus stop, she pulled out her phone and tried to hail a ride.

She waited, nerves on edge. After about ten minutes, a sleek black car finally pulled up.

Mandy didn't bother checking the license plate-she dashed over, yanked open the passenger door, and slid inside.

"To The Celestial Aerie, please," she said breathlessly.

Inside the car, Liam had just bent down to retrieve his phone from the floor. As he straightened up, he was startled to find a stranger sitting beside him.

The young woman wore a crisp white T-shirt and blue jeans, her dark hair pulled back in a ponytail. Rain had dampened her bangs and eyelashes, and her T-shirt clung to her, outlining a slim, graceful figure.

Liam stared at her, a flicker of memory surfacing once, long ago, on a rainy day just like this, another girl had sat beside him in the passenger seat.

He was momentarily lost in thought, eyes lingering on Mandy.

She frowned, noticing the car wasn't moving, and turned toward him.

The man beside her was dressed in a sharp black suit, strikingly handsome.

"Sir, could you please drive a little

faster? My friend's getting madon't

at The Celestial Aerie today.

, I'll miss the ceremom

Liam snapped back to the present.

As far as he knew, only Mr. Foster and the Tempest family's daughter were getting

married at The Celestial Aerie that day.noveldrama

So this woman must be a friend of Miss Tempest's.

He glanced her over again and noticed the ID badge hanging around her neck.

A researcher at the institute—she had to be Miss Tempest's colleague.

Mandy, her name tag read.

That name rang a bell.

Did she really mistake him for a cab driver?

Liam couldn't help but find the situation amusing. He raised an eyebrow and started the car.

As his black Maybach pulled away, another black sedan pulled up to the bus stop.

Mandy's phone rang. She picked

up,

and the driver's impatient voice came through the line: "Didn't you say you were at the bus stop? Where are you?"

Mandy hesitated. "...I... already got in a car."

vel

"What? You got in someone else's car? For crying out loud, you could've told me! Cancel your booking yourself, then." The driver hung up before she could reply.

The driver

Mandy glanced at Liam. "Wait, you're not with RideShare?"

Liam's lips curled into a faint smile. "Do I look like I am?"

She followed his gaze to the emblem on the steering wheel.

A Maybach?

Her eyes widened as realization dawned-she'd just gotten into the wrong car.