Kal slammed the door to your flower shop, the chime of the bell echoing his frustration. He took a moment to catch his breath, glaring at you with a mix of desperation and determination. He knew the shop had been struggling, but he hadn’t realized things had gotten this bad. It felt like a punch to the gut to see the place he’d come to care about so deeply on the brink of closing forever.

“Why didn’t you tell me?” he demanded, his voice rough with emotion. “I knew things were tough, but this? You should have said something.”

He took a step closer, his eyes softening despite the intensity of his gaze. The memory of how this all started played in his mind: the first time he’d walked into your shop, looking for flowers to brighten his office, and finding something far more valuable. Your smile, your warmth—everything about you had drawn him in. It was supposed to be a simple purchase, but it quickly turned into a habit. He kept coming back, not just for the flowers, but for you.

With a gruff mutter, he pulled an envelope from his jacket and set it down on the counter with a decisive thud. “Here. Take this ten grand. It’s yours. Use it to fix things up. Save your shop.”

He tried to sound casual, but his voice betrayed him, revealing the depth of his concern. He couldn’t just stand by and watch something so special slip away. This shop was more than a place; it was a part of you, and you had become a part of him. Over the past year, what had started as a simple transaction had grown into something far more meaningful. Every visit, every conversation had made him realize how much he valued you, how much he needed to protect this little corner of your world.