chapter 17: whispers in petals

[Next day]

"Sir, these are the six culprits," Asaph informed, his voice steady yet cautious.

Kenan's piercing gaze landed on a man restrained before him. "Who is your boss?" His tone was ice-cold, void of patience.

The man struggled against his restraints, his face twisted with defiance. "UNTIE ME…!! THEN I'LL SEE HOW YOU DARE TO SPEAK IN FRONT OF ME…!!!" he roared like a caged beast.

Kenan arched a brow, his eyes narrowing slightly. "Isn't he that boxer?" He turned to Asaph, his voice almost bored.

"Yes, Sir. He smuggled crystal ice into pubs and boxing clubs," Asaph confirmed.

Kenan exhaled through his nose, his patience wearing thin. "Untie him."

A smirk played on the boxer's lips as Agent Ron hesitated before finally releasing the cuffs.

The moment his wrists were free, the boxer lunged—his massive fist swinging toward Kenan's face with brute force.

But Kenan… Kenan was faster.

With a movement so swift it was almost effortless, he dodged the punch, pivoting with calculated precision. The boxer's fist sliced through empty air.

Before the man could react, Kenan's leg shot out, striking the back of his knee pit. A sharp grunt echoed as the boxer collapsed onto the floor, catching himself on his palms.

He barely had time to push himself up before—

CRACK!

A sickening sound filled the room as Kenan twisted the man's neck with merciless precision, sending him straight to hell.

Silence.

Thick, suffocating silence.

The others—witnesses to the brutal execution—stiffened in horror. The man who had swallowed the capsule. The woman from the club. Both gulped, their bodies trembling at the sight of the lifeless corpse.

Kenan stood up, adjusting his cuffs as if nothing had happened. Then, without a trace of remorse, he smashed the dead man's head against the concrete floor one last time. Blood splattered like ink on paper.

He dusted off his shirt. "I swear, I hate violence," he mused, his voice eerily calm. "But if you provoke me…" His grey eyes darkened. "Your fate will be nothing but death." His gaze sliced through them like a blade.

One of the men broke first. "I... I will tell you everything! Please... please don't kill me!" he sobbed, shaking like a leaf.

A woman followed, her body convulsing in fear. "I'll confess! I'll confess everything!"

Kenan's lips curled into a smirk, but there was no warmth behind it.

"Agent Ron."

"Yes, Sir," Ron responded, his posture stiff.

"Record their testimonies," Kenan ordered, his voice returning to its usual icy indifference.

Then, without sparing another glance, he strode out of the room, leaving behind nothing but fear and the scent of death.

[Kenan's Study Room]

Kenan leaned back in his chair, rubbing his temple briefly before shutting his laptop. His work for now was done. With a swift motion, he logged out of his ID and closed the device.

"Sir, lunch is ready. Should I ask the servant to serve it here or in the lounge?" Asaph inquired.

Kenan adjusted his jacket with a smirk. "I have other plans."

Asaph nodded knowingly. "Sure, Sir."

Kenan strode out of the study, his steps confident and purposeful.

Asaph watched him leave, shaking his head with a small chuckle.

Ron, who had just walked in, smirked. "Should I arrange a vase again?"

"I guess so," Asaph replied, watching as Kenan's car sped away.

[Outside Charlotte's Cottage]

Kenan parked his car in front of the small yet elegant cottage, the sight of it bringing a strange sense of calm. As he stepped out, he reached towards the doorbell—

But before he could press it, the door swung open.

Jiri stood there, blinking in slight surprise. "Oh, hello again. How may I help you?"

Kenan gave a polite nod. "Good afternoon. Actually, I have some work with Charlotte."

Jiri tilted his head before nodding. "Sister Chéri is in the greenhouse."

Kenan arched a brow. "Greenhouse?"

Jiri turned, gesturing for him to follow. "Come, I'll take you there."

Kenan followed the boy's lead, his hands casually shoved into his pockets.

"Chéri" he silently repeated her nickname under his breath, the syllables rolling smoothly off his tongue. A subtle smile tugged at the corner of his lips as he walked forward.

As Kenan stepped towards the greenhouse, his eyes were instantly drawn to the vibrant scenery around him.

The rich scent of fresh earth mixed with the delicate fragrance of blooming flowers, creating an almost intoxicating atmosphere. He had seen many grand places in his life, but there was something about this little haven that felt different—peaceful, untouched, and strangely inviting.

"You can meet her there," Jiri said, breaking Kenan's silent admiration. "I need to water the plants. See you later."

Kenan gave a nod. "Thanks."

With slow, measured steps, he moved toward the glass-walled room, pausing at the entrance when his gaze landed on her.

Charlotte was busy tending to the plants, her delicate fingers gently pruning the leaves,

Her soft white hum blending with the rustling of the wind through the greenhouse. Strands of her dark hair framed her face, glowing slightly under the filtered sunlight.

Kenan found himself mesmerized, his feet rooted to the ground as he watched her work with effortless grace. She was so lost in her task that she hadn't even noticed him.

He should announce his presence, but instead, he just stood there, watching. Just as he was about to take a step forward, she turned, her gaze landing on him.

"You?" She frowned, stepping toward him. "When did you get here?"

Kenan parted his lips to answer, but before he could, she folded her arms and arched a brow. "Wait—before that, tell me, why are you here?"

Caught off guard, he blinked. "Uh... I..." He hesitated, scrambling for an excuse.

Charlotte tilted her head, an amused glint in her eyes. "Let me guess—here to buy flowers again?"

Kenan exhaled, rubbing the back of his neck. "Yeah..."

She scoffed. "I was about to leave for the seashore with bouquets. You could have just bought them there."

"That's true, but—" His gaze flickered around the greenhouse, desperate to land on something useful. And then, his eyes settled on a cluster of leafy plants.

"But I also wanted to buy some plants," he said quickly. "I saw some yesterday, and they caught my attention."

Charlotte narrowed her eyes, crossing her arms. "Really?"

"Yes, trust me," he said with a disarming smile. "I'm here to buy plants. And some flowers."

She stared at him for a moment, as if trying to detect a lie. "Fine," she relented. "Which ones do you want?"

Kenan's gaze flickered around again before landing on her.

"You—"

Charlotte's brows furrowed. "What?"

He cleared his throat, his voice steadying. "I mean, you help me choose. Everything here is divine, and I can't decide."

She exhaled, clearly not buying his reasoning, but she played along. "But you said you already picked some yesterday."

Kenan let out a nervous chuckle. "Oh... yeah. I did."

"Then pick what you came for."

"Okay," he muttered, pointing to the first plant he saw. "This one."

Charlotte nodded, plucking a small notepad from her apron. "Alright."

"And... this one." He gestured toward a flower jardiniere.

She gave him a long, scrutinizing look but jotted it down.

"And that one too."

She pressed her lips together. "Anything else, Sir?"

Kenan hummed thoughtfully, scanning the greenhouse before pointing toward a row of lush green plants. "Those three as well."

Charlotte sighed, tapping her pen against the notepad. "Sure, Sir," she muttered, barely hiding her suspicion.

Kenan simply smiled. He knew she wasn't fooled—but that didn't matter. At least, he had a reason to stay a little longer.

Jiri carefully placed the last plant pot into the trunk of Kenan's car, dusting his hands off as he straightened up.

"Looks like you have a real fondness for flowers and plants," he remarked, shutting the trunk.

Kenan glanced at the neatly arranged pots before offering a small smirk. "I guess so."

Standing by the greenhouse entrance, Charlotte had her arms crossed, her gaze unreadable as she watched him.

Kenan turned to her, his expression softening. "Thank you, Ms. Aldrich," he said warmly.

"Wait." She stepped forward, closing the distance between them.

Kenan stood still, watching as she approached with an unreadable expression. And then—

She reached out and tucked a delicate hibiscus flower into the pocket of his jacket.

Kenan glanced down. His fingers brushing over the vibrant petals. "This?"

"A gift, Mr. Dragomir," she said, a playful glint in her eyes.

His lips curved slightly. "Thank you, Ms. Aldrich."

With that, he turned and left, sliding into his car while Charlotte watched him go.

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