**Chapter 21**
The Australian sunshine was always exceptionally generous.
Elara walked barefoot on the beach, soft white sand oozing between her toes as waves occasionally rushed up, kissing her ankles.
She held a freshly picked bunch of daisies in her hand, their golden petals sparkling in the sunlight.
“Slow down.”
Liam’s voice came from behind, laced with a hint of amused helplessness.
He held two ice creams, quickening his pace to catch up.
The sea breeze lifted the hem of his shirt, revealing his lean waist.
“If you go any slower, the ice cream will melt.”
Elara turned, deliberately walking backward, and playfully made a face at him.
Liam caught up to her in a few strides, holding out an ice cream.
“Then wait for me, won’t you?”
The vanilla ice cream melted on her tongue, sweet enough to make her eyes narrow in delight.
Elara secretly glanced at the man beside her, finding him intently watching the horizon, his eyelashes rimmed with gold in the sunlight.
For the past three months, Liam had been like this–quietly by her side, never crossing boundaries, yet never truly distant.
To say she felt nothing would be a lie.
“Had enough looking?”
He suddenly turned his head, a teasing glint in his eyes.
Elara’s ears flushed. She hastily turned her face away.
“Who was looking at you! I was looking at the seagulls!”
9:29 AM
<
“Oh Is that so~”
Liam drew out his words, blinking.
“Is it because that seagull looks a lot like me?”
“Liam!”
She playfully reached for the ice cream in his hand, but he easily dodged her.
They chased each other on the beach, until Elara’s foot slipped, and she tumbled straight into his arms.
A scent of mint wafted towards her.
“Actively throwing yourself into my arms? Isn’t that a bit bold?”
Liam steadied her, his voice laced with laughter.
Elara looked up, about to retort, but instead met his gentle gaze.
The sea breeze suddenly quieted. All she could hear were their pounding heartbeats.
“…The ice cream is melting.”
She mumbled softly.
Liam chuckled, releasing her.
“Let’s go home. I bought steak.”
“Steak again?”
Elara wrinkled her nose. “Is that the only dish Chef Liam knows?”
“My palate has been craving something more familiar after days of steak.”
“Today is different.”
He winked mysteriously.
“I learned a new sauce recipe.”
Their home was a small white cottage by the sea, with daisies planted in front.
The first time Liam brought her here, he said the daisy’s flower language was “love hidden deep in the heart.”
The scent of melting butter wafted from the kitchen.
Elara leaned against the counter, watching Liam, wearing an apron, pan–fry steak.
His movements were practiced. His shirt sleeves were rolled up to his elbows, revealing his sculpted forearms.
9.29 AM
<
“Try this.”
He cut a small piece and brought it to her lips.
Elara bit into it, her eyes instantly lighting up.
“You know what, this is exceptionally good today!”
“That’s good then.”
Liam breathed a sigh of relief.
“It finally worked after practicing over a dozen times.”
“Over a dozen times?”
She widened her eyes. “When did you…?”
“When you were napping.”
He said casually, turning to get red wine.
“Foreign ingredients are indeed difficult to work with; it’s hard to replicate the taste of home. Only steak is healthy and easy to prepare, but I couldn’t just keep giving you the same type of steak.”
The sunset streamed through the window, casting a soft glow on his profile.
Elara’s nose suddenly stung–no one had ever practiced a single dish over a dozen times just for her.
After dinner, they sat on the porch, watching the stars.
Liam suddenly spoke.
“There’s a dessert shop available for transfer next week. Want to go take a look?”
“Really?”
Elara sat up in surprise. “Where is it?”
“Downtown, not far from the beach.”
He handed her a file.
“The owner is Chinese. Something happened with her family back home, so she has to return quickly. She’s selling it in a hurry, but all the equipment is new.”
As she flipped through the documents, she suddenly realized something.
“You’ve been preparing this for a long time, haven’t you?”
Liam smiled, not denying it.
The night breeze swept through the daisy patch, carrying a faint floral scent.
<
Elara secretly scooted closer to him, resting her head gently on his shoulder.
“Liam.”
“Hmm?”
“I truly, truly am grateful to have you.”
He reached out and ruffled her hair, his voice gentle.
“Elara, I’m also very happy that I can be with you, always, in the years to come.”
Elara closed her eyes. This time, she finally felt that those nightmarish past events could truly become a thing of the
past.
**Chapter 22**
The Australian sunlight streamed through the dessert shop’s glass windows. Elara’s fingers gently brushed the smooth marble countertop.
“My name is Reed, you can just call me Mr. Reed.”
“All this equipment was just replaced last month.”
The shop owner, Mr. Reed, pushed up his glasses.
“If not for family issues, I really wouldn’t bear to part with it.”
Liam stood behind Elara, naturally taking the brochure from her hand.
“You said this shop mainly features French desserts?”
“Yes, I studied in Paris for three years.”
Mr. Reed smiled, then suddenly noticed Elara’s stiff posture.
“Miss, what’s wrong?”
Elara snapped out of her daze, forcing a smile.
“Nothing, just… did you just say your name is Reed?”
“Yes, from the Reed family in the capital. I don’t know if you two have heard of it.”
Mr. Reed sighed. “But I’m just a distant relative, I’ve always loved traveling around…”
Liam’s eyes immediately sharpened.
“You’re returning to the country in such a hurry, did something happen to the Reed family?”
Mr. Reed hesitated, then suddenly seemed to find a listening ear, pulling out a chair.
<
“Have a seat. I’ll make you some coffee.”
As the coffee machine hummed, his voice lowered.
“The Reed family this time… they provoked a lunatic.”
Elara’s fingertips unconsciously traced circles on the rim of her cup.
“My cousin, Seraphina Reed.”
Mr. Reed gave a bitter laugh.
“That lunatic from the Sterling family sent her to the operating table, they said… to perform a forced paternity test.”
The coffee cup suddenly slipped from Elara’s hand, dark liquid splashing across the white tiles.
“I’m so sorry! I didn’t mean to!”
She frantically knelt to clean it up, but Liam stopped her.
“I’ll do it.”
He gently took her trembling hand and handed her a tissue.
Mr. Reed continued. “That lunatic found out my cousin faked her pregnancy and forced her into surgery. Now she’s already…”
He pointed to his temple.
“Something went wrong here. She’s in a mental institution, talking nonsense every day.”
An outside seagull suddenly let out a sharp cry.
Elara stared at her reflection in the coffee, vaguely seeing her own trembling, foolish self from the past, who once naively thought she could escape.
He was a lunatic. If, if one day he truly came after her, regardless of the consequences, what would she do?
A gentle knock sounded from outside the door.
“Elara?”
Liam’s voice was gentle and firm.
“Are you alright? Can I come in with you?”
She took a deep breath, pulled open the door, and walked into his embrace.
The scent of mint enveloped her, bringing a sense of peace.
“I’m fine.”
<
She said, muffled.
“It’s just… I didn’t expect to hear about their ending like this.”
“Although they later… targeted me because of Brooke, for the twenty years before that, they truly loved me like their own daughter.”
Liam stroked her back. “But they don’t deserve your sympathy, Elara. In those twenty years, your excellence also brought them considerable prestige. You owe them nothing…”
“So, do you want to buy this shop now?”
Elara looked up, meeting his worried eyes.
The sunlight streamed from behind him, giving him a golden outline.
“Yes.”
She suddenly smiled, her gaze growing firmer.
“I don’t want to run anymore. Whether he finds out where I am because of this or not, I don’t want to hide anymore.”
“It wasn’t my fault. Besides, I have you now, don’t I?”
Returning to the front, Mr. Reed was organizing his documents.
“Have you thought about it?”
He asked, trying to sound cheerful.
Liam put an arm around Elara’s shoulder.
“We’ll buy it. But…”
“This price is 20% more than the quote. The condition is that once you return to the country, you never mention who the buyers are.”
Mr. Reed paused, then glanced at Elara’s signature on the contract and suddenly smiled.
“It seems my confidants today… are very special indeed.”
“But don’t worry, I’m very good at forgetting.”
**Chapter 23**
The morning sun streamed into the bedroom through the sheer curtains. Elara stretched, the scent of toasted bread lingering in her nose.
She padded barefoot to the kitchen, wrapping her arms around Liam, who was cooking.
“Morning.”
She nozzled his back. Why are you up so early today?”
Liam turned and kissed her forehead. We have a photographer booked for today, remember? To take promotional photos for your dessert sho
Bara only then remembered the important schedule for the day
The dessert shop they had bought three months ago was now fully renovated and would officially open tomorrow.
She and Lam had also been together for three months
Hor phone suddenly vibrated it was a message from Mr. Reed, whom she had added on SnapChat.
She casually opened it and her smile froze for a moment.
Damion Sterling somehow found your address, but you know that the Sterling family cannot leave the country due to special circumstances. So he went to great lengths to take someone else’s identity bought a flight, and was preparing to My to you today]
But he underestimated the Reed family a bit. His desire to go down with our family completely enraged my family patriarch. He united with several families who had been oppressed by the Sterling family, and together they gathered a lot of evidence of Damion Sterling’s crimes, including illegal detention, intentional assault, and seven other charges. He’s likely to be sentenced to life imprisoners]
He was still struggling, even kneeling and begging the police to let him leave the country to see you one last time, but there was no way they would let him go. So he’s been taken to the station]
Miss Blars, you can finally rest easy
Attached were news photos of Damien being escorted by police, his eyes frantically fixed in the direction of the boarding gate, the handcuffs on his wrists glinting coldy
“What’s wrong?”
Liam noticed her unusual behavior and leaned in acting softk
Elara handed him her phone. Surprisingly, all she felt was immerse relief, no other emotion stirred.
Liam quickly scanned the messge, then gently clasped her hand.
“Do you want to cancel today’s photoshoot?”
“Why would I cancel?”
Elara smiled, shaking her head. “Our new life has just begun.”
She stood on her tiptoes and kissed his chin. “Wait for me. I’m going to change. Dich’t we say we’d take photos on the
beach?”
The daisies at the flower shop near the beach were in full bloom.
Elara wore a cheerful yellow dress, her bare feet playing in the wavers
“Elara.”
After taking the last set of photos, he suddenly lowered his camera, a hint of nervousness in his eyes.
“Can you come somewhere with me?”
He led her to a rocky area at the end of the beach.
Elara was surprised to find that a white floral arch had been set up there, adorned with blooming daisies.
She felt her heart pounding rapidly in her chest, like a small drum, reminding her of the feelings surging within her.
“Liam, you, you’re…”
Before she could finish, Liam had already knelt on one knee, pulling out a diamond ring from his pocket.
“Elara.”
His voice trembled slightly from nervousness, but his eyes were filled with unwavering determination.
“Will you…
“I will!”
Elara didn’t let him finish, throwing herself into his arms, tears soaking his shirt.
Liam fumbled to put the ring on her finger, almost putting it on the wrong hand because of his nervousness.
“Elara, I haven’t even finished…”
“I’ll say yes no matter what you say.”
Elara buried her face in the crook of his neck, warm tears rolling from her eyes.
“I’ve always been so grateful to have you by my side, from back home to now.”
“I think I’ve decided, or perhaps I decided a long time ago, that I want to be with you forever.”
“So I’ve been looking forward to this moment for a long time too.”
The sea breeze carried the distant chime of a church bell.
Liam cupped her face and gently kissed her lips.
That evening, Elara updated the dessert shop’s social media account:
[Our dessert shop, “Marry Me,” officially opens tomorrow.]
The post was accompanied by a silhouette of the two of them embracing against the sunset, and a close–up of the shimmering ring.
That evening, Elara updated the dessert shop’s social media account:
[Our dessert shop, “Marry Me,” officially opens tomorrow.]
The post was accompanied by a silhouette of the two of them embracing against the sunset, and a close–up of the shimmering ring.
The comment section was instantly flooded with well wishes. One comment, in particular, stood out:
[Congratulations! This shop will become the sweetest place in all of Australia. If I ever get the chance, I will definitely come and taste it myself.
-Mr. Reed]
Elara smiled as she put down her phone, looking towards Liam, who was in the kitchen, already experimenting with a new dessert recipe.
The moonlight streamed through the window, casting a silver glow on his profile.
Everything from the past had completely faded away, and she, too, now held her own future.
