Escaped My Ex, Got Snatched by His Rival - Chapter 252

Chapter 252: The History of Hyacinths (2)
“You knew that you were being stalked and yet, you were living alone. You didn’t tell anyone that someone was chasing after you and your initial reaction upon finding out that your stalker might be close to you was to chase him down?” Nicolai felt like this woman lived more on edge than he did. “You do realize this is literally suicidal, right ?”

“What was I supposed to do?” Ariana questioned the man, feeling slightly annoyed by his taunts. “I did what I could, do you think that I would have not done something about this if I had a choice, Mister de Luca?”

She clenched her fists and said angrily, “But to whom was I supposed to turn? I have no one who can help me or is willing to help. And the few friends that I have, I cannot continue relying on them, can I?”

If her mother found out that she was being stalked, Mrs Harlow would not help her nor would she search for a way to help her daughter. Instead, she would ask Ariana to return to the Nelson family.

As for asking for help from Danny or Leila—— Ariana did not want to keep relying on them for every small thing.

This was something she could figure out on her own.

Nicolai didn’t say a word in between as he understood Ariana well enough to know that despite the vulnerabilities that she showed at times, she had a quirk for independence.

He sighed and said to her, “Leave this matter to me, I will investigate this stalker and find out his intentions as well.”

“Mister de Luca——”

“I know you don’t need my help,” Nicolai did not push Ariana too much as he knew that she was reluctant to accept his help. “Just blame it on me for being too nosy.” He slid inside the driver’s seat as he finished speaking.

“Why? Why do you insist on helping me?” Ariana couldn’t help but question as she followed the man inside the car and sat in the passenger’s seat.

Nicolai gunned the engine and as the car roared to life, he turned to look at Ariana before saying, “Maybe I am trying to butter you up? Who knows, all this might help me slip into your bed?”

“Mister de Luca, you cannot stay serious for more than ten minutes, can you?” Ariana deadpanned, she had expected a much more serious answer than this.

“What’s the point of staying serious?” Nicolai chuckled, he pulled the car out of the parking lot. He said, “When I can deal with my problems with a smile, then why should I complicate my life by taking it seriously?”

Ariana listened to the words of the man sitting next to her and suddenly envied him. Compared to her, Nicolai at least had control over his life, while she had been fighting for it all her life.

The two engaged in small talk until Nicolai pulled over in front of the hospital.

“Thank you——”

“Why hyacinths?” Nicolai asked all of a sudden, causing Ariana to pause in the middle of her words.

“What?” Ariana did not understand what Nicolai was trying to ask her and showed a confused expression.

Nicolai glanced at her and repeated his question but this time around he was much clearer, “Why did the stalker send you hyacinths?”

There must have been a reason for the man to choose those flowers.

“The..they were my favorite,” Ariana answered with a reminiscing smile on her face. She recalled the very first time she met Noah after years of separation,

Eight years ago,

Ariana, who had turned just fifteen, was working at a small flower shop. Her mother had once again refused to pay for her school fees, leaving Ariana with no choice but to pick up a part-time job.

Fortunately for her, the flower shop which was two lanes away from her home was hiring a special assistant. And Ariana was quick to take it.

However, the job was tiring as she had to hold a large basket of flowers while wearing a mascot suit that had a big sunflower head and brown body. But with no money in her hands, Ariana didn’t dare to be picky.

‘Alright,’ Ariana picked up the large basket of hyacinths and strode out of the shop that was situated at the corner of the alley.

Because there was no shelter, the sun’s rays fell right on top of the streets which sizzled under the heat.

The summers were hot, to begin with, but with the suit that Ariana was wearing, the warmth of the sun was ten times hotter than it was without it.

While the people on the street were carrying umbrellas and wearing coats to protect themselves, Ariana walked around the streets while holding the basket of flowers.

She waved and played with the kids while enticing the men into buying flowers for their better halves.

It was a difficult job, with the sweltering heat and the thick suit, Ariana’s clothes soon stuck to her back with sweat dripping down from her forehead continuously.

‘Hey, are you selling those hyacinths?’ A voice called from behind. Ariana immediately turned around to greet the customer but when her gaze fell on the man who stood behind her, her face, which still held its naive youth, turned red.

It was Noah.

He seemed to have returned after finishing his extra classes.

Ariana nodded as she waved the wooden board in her hand and pointed at the prices that were written on it.

With the thick mask that she was wearing, she couldn’t speak clearly.

Noah looked at the wooden board and carefully read the prices of the flowers that were inside Ariana’s basket.

He smiled before taking out ten dollars from his pocket.

‘Here, take this and sell these flowers to me,’ he said to her with a sweet smile on his face. ‘I like hyacinths and their smell, as you don’t have much of the roses and lilies. I will take them as well.’

‘He likes hyacinths as well?’ Ariana’s face turned even redder as she realized that even if Noah forgot her face, he still remembered the scent on her clothes that she wore on the day when the two of them were kidnapped.