Flora’s Guide to a Second Chance at Love and Life

Fiona really didn't feel like attending the live broadcast event, so she decided to pull out of the selection process altogether. The producers, who were banking on her newfound fame, must have been pretty frustrated to see their plans take a nosedive.

This opened a door for Yvenne, though. She skillfully painted a piece during the live stream, one that was a dead ringer for an early work she had swiped from Fiona. With H out of the picture, it was no shocker that Yvenne snagged first place.

The next day, Fiona returned to her villa only to see someone lingering by the security booth. It was Yvenne.

"Fiona, we need to talk," Yvenne said.

Fiona found it all a bit funny. She stopped short in front of Yvenne, a sly grin curling her lips. “And what exactly do we have to chat about?" she asked.

"You know I stole those designs from you for the competition. I know you're H." "So?" Fiona chuckled lightly, not even a hint of worry crossing her face.

"Here's six hundred thousand dollars. No strings attached-it's all my savings. I want you to drop out of the designer competition."

Six hundred grand was nothing to sneeze at. For Yvenne, raking in that kind of cash so quickly was quite the feat.

"Six hundred thousand wouldn't even cover a fraction of the dress costs," Fiona shot back.

She grabbed the bank card and started to walk away, figuring she might as well take the cash.

Yvenne stood there, dumbfounded, her hands empty. She couldn't believe Fiona had just upped and left with the money. What was Fiona thinking?

"Fiona, stop! Give me back my money!" Yvenne yelled, but she wasn't a resident and couldn't follow Fiona into the villa community.

...

Fast forward two months, and Fiona bumped into Jackson at a bar. She was there searching for someone-Evelyn, the rising star Jasmine had mentioned, who could stand toe-to-toe with the Larkin family.

Evelyn's only flaw was her love for the nightlife.

"Fiona, how long are you planning to dodge me?" Jackson grabbed her wrist, just hard enough to leave à red markon her fair skin. "I've been searching for you all month."

"Hey, big brother!" Fiona called out amid the bar's lively hustle and bustle. She smiled, but it lacked the warmth it once had.

"I haven't been avoiding you," she said, frowning and pointing to her wrist. "That hurts."noveldrama

The distance between them felt even wider.

"Come back with me, Fiona. I can't be at peace with you out here alone."

"But you're engaged to Zoe now. It wouldn't feel right for me to come back. Plus, I'm an adult now." Fiona kept smiling, not really sure what other expression to use.

Some things, if not talked about, just stay fuzzy, leaving no room even for jealousy.

Soon enough, Jasmine had managed to drag Evelyn out, practically shoving her into the car before calling out to Fiona and sliding into the driver's seat.

"Big brother, I'm off."

Fiona showed no signs of hesitation, stepping into the car. As it vanished into the night, Jackson finally snapped out of his daze, her words about being an adult echoing in his mind.

He clenched his fists. If Zoe hadn't been dangling threats, insisting he get engaged before handing over the evidence, he wouldn't be in such a bind.

In the car, Jasmine handed Fiona a file.

Fiona flipped through it, her expression growing more serious with each page, her grip crumpling the document's edges.

"The Woods family... has it really come to this?" she murmured.

In the two months she'd been away, the Woods family had turned upside down. Beyond Jackson and their mother still wielding power, Gerald had also stepped into the fray.