“No, no, he doesn’t care about being loved by everyone. He only wants the people he loves to love
him back.”
Ron’s words kept reying in my head as I left the office.
For some reason, my curiosity about this mysterious CEO was starting to get the best of me. What
did he even look like? What kind of person was he?
It was weird that thepany files had nothing on him. Was he hiding something sketchy?
Or maybe, like one of those billionaire romance heroes, he was crazy private–so much so that he
dodged photos and stayed out of the public eyepletely?
These questions swirled around my mind as I drove toward Inkwell Atelier, the boutique with all the
fancy hand lettering supplies. By the time I got there, I was still trying to figure out who this elusive
CEO really
was.
I parked the car but didn’t get out right away. Instead, grabbed my phone and called Hayden.
Of course, no answer–he was probably busy. So, I opened up the chat app and shot him a
message: [Can youe with me to the Johnston residence tonight? Is that cool for you?]
Since he didn’t pick up, I wasn’t expecting a quick response to the message either. After sending it,
I slipped my phone back into my bag and finally headed into Inkwell Atelier.
“Ms. Kay, great to see yo
u!” Mr. Parker, the shop owner, greeted me the second I stepped through the door.
I’d been a regr here for years. Every year, I ordered a custom set of hand lettering supplies, and
yeah, they weren’t exactly cheap.
In Kehlmark, hand lettering was considered an art form, especially among the upper ss, admired
for its elegance.
Matthew loved hand lettering and painting. He went through tons of ink and brushes every year, so
getting him this kind of gift was always a safe bet–I knew he’d actually use it.
“Mr. Parker, do you have any new premium sets this year?” I asked, the same question I asked
every time, just to make small talk while I browsed the shelves.
“Of course, of course! But don’t waste your time with those, you’re not gonna like them. The best
ones are over here,” he said, motioning me over.
Even though he said that, I still took my time scanning through everything, mostly out of habit.
Eventually, I followed him to the section he was pointing to.
And there it was–a stunning set of emerald green supplies that instantly grabbed my attention. “Let
me check this one out.”
“Sure!” Mr. Parker carefully lifted the set off the shelf. This is thetest release, just came in.”
He wasplimenting my taste in the subtlest way.
+25 BON
I took a closer look. The craftsmanship was top–tier, the materials were exactly what I had in mind.
Without hesitation, I made my decision. “I’ll take this one, Mr. Parker.”
But instead of the usual easygoing smile and quick agreement, he paused. I nced up and noticed
a troubled look on his face..
“Ms. Kay… this set has already been reserved by someone else.”
Ah, of course. That exined it. There was only one set.
For a second, disappointment flickered through me….
But honestly, life’s full of them, right?
Unrequited love? Disappointment. Wanting something you can’t have? Yeah, another one. Seasons
changing, time slipping away–it’s all tinged with regret. Even kings probably wished for a little more
time at the end of their reign.
I let the thought go, ready to move on. Just as I put the set back on the shelf, I heard footsteps at
the shop’s entrance.
“Take your time. I’ll go attend to the other customer,” Mr. Parker said.
“Yeah, sure,” I replied, not thinking much of it. But from the corner of my eye, I saw him grab the set
I’d been eyeing and head toward the door.
I turned back to the shelves, trying to focus on the other options, sifting through the remaining sets.
“Mr. Parker, has my order arrived yet?” Tanya’s voice suddenly broke through my concentration,
making me freeze.
I turned my head just in time to see Mr. Parker handing the emerald green set–the one I wanted–to
her. Tanya had been the one to reserve it?!
This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?.
I did not see thating.