Chapter 100 - Of Bouquets and Intentions

For what seems like a fleeting eternity, Adrian stares at Cassidy with fondness and yearning. 

Even though they're sitting right in front of each other, he looks at her longingly as if she is out of his reach. There's a soft and warm glint in his ocean blue orbs that makes him appear like a different person - different from that detached and cold man that she used to know. 

His gentle gaze makes Cassidy feel unusually absorbed. The fact that Adrian rarely displays his inner thoughts and emotions like this is probably the main reason for that. Though he already began doing that more often these days, she still found it a little hard to take everything in. 

'More like, I don't want to believe it. I'm not asking him to do these things, anyway. While it's better that we can get along instead of fighting all the time, he doesn't need to go to this extent. Really, he doesn't need to, especially since I'll just leave in the end...' Cassidy pondered silently while casting down her gaze.

'I guess I have to tell him more clearly - why he shouldn't do these things anymore, that is. I don't see him romantically like before, and I don't think I want to go back there after everything. I don't want to lead him on.'

Adrian caught how she averted her eyes and started looking withdrawn. He can tell that she isn't having any of his heartfelt confession again. But even then, he only chooses to spread an understanding smile, not blaming her for what she thinks about his words. 

After all, Adrian already knows that simply saying them will never be enough, and he has long decided to show her how he feels through his actions instead. Yet from time to time, he just finds the need to put them into words like this.

"I know this is too sudden, but... I'm so sorry for everything. I'm sorry for taking this long to realize how much I screwed up. Though I know that this kind of apology will not make up to anything, I still want to say it," Adrian continued before reaching out his hand and putting it on top of hers.

Seeing the remorseful look on his face, Cassidy can't seem to shove him away - she can't even move a finger.

When he holds her hand tenderly before squeezing it a bit, she can only look back at him in flummox, still not saying a thing. Both his loving touch and firm gaze appear to be withholding a thousand words - words of regrets, adoration, endearment, desires, and as much as she doesn't wan to admit it, there's love. 

"Just please..." he continued, sounding somewhat breathless and anguished.

"Please, don't push me away, Cassidy. I'll do anything you want. Everything you want - I'll give it to you, so please... Please, stay with me."

And all of a sudden, he becomes desperate.

Perhaps, he has read her thoughts about leaving. Otherwise, he might have felt that she would tell him to stop already, which she did plan to do. No matter what is the reason behind his uncalled-for plea, it does nothing but strike her dazed and speechless for a bit longer.

However, Cassidy needs to tell Adrian.

She's not against him turning over a new leaf, but she doesn't want to accept anything this big from him anymore. He is better off sitting with another woman right now or joining his family back at their table. 

"No. Y-You... You don't have to..." she then found herself faltering at his pleading expression. 

He appears like he is about to break at that very moment. Just as she thought, he has discerned it. He could predict what she was going to say, and from the thought of it alone, he was already shattering into millions of pieces.

If Cassidy continues, she feels like Adrian will receive quite a huge blow that can lead to big consequences that she can't even imagine. 

"Are you gonna play tag? Can I join?"

Then came little Hugo out of nowhere.

Much to their surprise, he suddenly pops up beside their table and puts his cute, tiny hand on top of his uncle's.

Thinking that they're only playing around, he beams at both of them. He seems to be completely unaware of their exchange. Now, the three of them have their hands on top of one another as if they are just about to play tag and decide who is going to be the one chasing the others. 

"Hugo...? H-Huh? When did you...?" Cassidy stuttered in nonplus as she and her husband looked down at the smiling toddler.

"We're not playing around, Hugo..." Adrian said with a sigh before glancing back at his wife and making a determined expression.

"I'm serious." 

As soon as she heard that, she couldn't help but glance back at him. It's obvious that he was talking about what he told her earlier. Wanting to end it there already, she hastily turns back to their nephew and decides to pay attention on him instead. 

His confession is the least that she expects to happen tonight, and she is not prepared for such an emotional moment at all.

"Well, if we're not gonna play, can we go get ice cream now, Aunty?" Hugo chimed in before rushing to her side and leaning his head on her lap. 

"Desserts are for later, though. Did you eat enough already?" Cassidy asked with a smile while patting his hair.

"We just finished the appetizers. Of course, he didn't. Don't listen to him, Aunt Cassidy..." Joshua interjected, appearing beside his uncle out of nowhere.

"Oh, and also, Uncle Bossman?"

"Uhh... Yeah?" Adrian blurted out, a bit taken aback when he called his notorious nickname so casually.

"I think that the delivery man over there is looking for you."

That's when Joshua points at someone near their table. Adrian immediately recognizes the package and excuses himself for the meantime. With that, he leaves Cassidy with their nephews and goes ahead to get what he ordered last night.

"Adrian?" Sophie mumbled in confusion after she noticed him approaching their table again.

Since she and everybody else had gone back to eating their dinner and talking with one another, they failed to notice the arrival of another delivery man. The blonde is the first to see the scene before being followed by the others. They all watch how a fancy bouquet full of red roses is handed over to the person they least expected to be the receiver.

"Adrian ordered a bouquet too?" Irish thought out loud with a brow lifted.

"Isn't that delivery man the same person who also brought a bouquet to Edward...?" Olivia trailed off incredulously, already piecing the puzzles together.

"Just what in the world is up with our brothers?"

Now that Adrian has the bouquet in his hands, he's about to turn away and go back to their table when Edward approaches him out of nowhere. His eyes then widen in surprise as soon as they catch sight of the bouquet that his elder brother is holding. He slightly flinches as he recalls their conversation last night.

With the two gentlemen facing each other, their respective bouquets in hand, everyone only spectates in silence as if a showdown is taking place.

"Don't start glaring at me now, Adrian. You know that I got your permission," Edward started with a small chuckle.

"Yeah, right, I know," Adrian begrudgingly muttered before taking a look at his bouquet.

Discreetly, he stares at the flowers and checks their meanings. He knows a thing or two about floriography, and with that knowledge, he assesses if his intentions are permissible. Fortunately, he only has orchids to express apologies, bellflowers for gratitude, and pink roses for appreciation. 

"Such a child. Did you just really check the floriography of my flowers?" Edward chuckled once more, finding his possessiveness somewhat amusing. 

"Something wrong with that?" Adrian retorted, frowning.

"Well, it's just that-"

"Daddy! Daddy! Are the flowers for Uncle Bossman all along?" 

Once again, little Hugo popped right in, cutting off their exchange.

While he bounces ecstatically like the toddler that he is, he looks up to both of them with curiosity. It seems like he has left Cassidy for the meantime to take a look at the scene they're making. Both Damien and Joshua are standing right behind their brother, also wondering what is up with their bouquets showdown.

"No, Hugo, they're for your aunt," Edward corrected with a smile. 

"Huh...?! Then, Uncle's flowers are for?" Hugo continued before looking at his uncle this time.

"Your aunt," Adrian plainly answered.

"What?! That's unfair! Why didn't you say that you're gonna bring gifts?! Is it Aunty's birthday?!"

"No, not really-"

"I wanna give her flowers too!" 

With an excited and bubbly grin on, Hugo reaches out to get a red rose from Adrian's bouquet before rushing all the way back to Cassidy. His two brothers only laughed at his antics and watched how their uncle reacted flabbergasted. Joshua then decided to follow suit and took a pink rose from Edward before sauntering back to his aunt, grinning in amus.e.m.e.nt all the while.

With both of the children snatching their flowers away and beating the a.d.u.l.ts to it, all they can do is remain still and dumbstruck. Damien snickers at their hilarious expressions of defeat before taking one red rose from Adrian and one pink rose from Edward.

"Don't underestimate children, dear gentlemen," Damien then called them off before making his way to Cassidy.