11. Roses and Regrets

|| Lilac’s POV || The morning sun streamed through the curtains, casting a warm golden glow across my room. I stretched lazily, savoring the rare moment of peace. The events of the past few days had left me emotionally drained, but I was determined to stay focused. Today was a new day, and I had a plan to execute. Or so I thought. The doorbell rang, shattering the tranquility of the morning. I frowned, glancing at the clock. It was too early for visitors. I padded downstairs, my bare feet silent against the cool marble floor. As I opened the door, my breath caught in my throat. Kael stood on the doorstep, his golden eyes gleaming with a warmth that made my stomach churn. In his hands was a massive bouquet of roses, deep red, velvety petals that seemed to glisten in the sunlight. The sight of them sent a wave of nausea crashing over me. In my past life, this had been his go-to move. For every wrong, every misstep, every betrayal, there had been roses. At first, I had thought it was his