This had once been the most familiar voice in her memory, the person on the other side of the line was the one she had once thought to be her destiny.
Their past love had faded into oblivion, but his voice had already etched a deep mark in her heart.
A mark so deep that she could recognize him from a mere murmur, and he could do the same.
Patrick sighed deeply.
He had sought her with fervor, yet, upon hearing her voice again, a strange calm washed over him.
"Flora, I know it's you.
I just want to ask... Why are you with Matthew?"
If Patrick and Flora's love story could be compared to a fairy tale, then the love story between Flora and his elder brother was something out of A Thousand and One Nights, unimaginable.
They were from two completely different worlds, like two parallel lines that would never intersect.
Flora also tried to remain calm, attempting to converse with her ex in as normal a manner as possible: "You already know everything? I'm sorry... I meant to tell you in person today, but something urgent came up and I missed our meeting.
Also, I heard about what happened tonight..."
There was silence on the other end of the line, followed by some shuffling.
And then a woman's voice, rising in pitch.
"Patrick, you're insane! Why are you talking to Flora? Are you still hung up on that woman even now? Flora is no longer the innocent girl who followed you around, do you understand? She is no longer within your reach!"
After a few clicks, the voice on the phone changed to Layla's: "Flora, you already have Matthew and Ethelbert. Isn't that enough? Please, for the sake of our long friendship, spare Patrick."
Before Flora could utter a single word, Layla had hung up the phone.
The incessant beeping echoed right into her ears, almost mocking her helplessness at that moment.
She sat on the sofa clutching a pillow, sobbing inaudibly.
Why? Everything was once so beautiful, why had her relationship with the ones she cherished become like this? Was it because she was a failure, unworthy of happiness?
No one could answer her question.
And the dawn of a new day inevitably came.
"Miss Flora..." Flora opened her eyes, encountering the worried gaze of Aunt Laura: "Why have you fallen asleep here on the couch?"
She stirred slightly, looking around the barren living room, with just the two of them: "Aunt Laura, has he not returned yet?"
Aunt Laura heaved a sigh, glanced at the clock: "At this hour, young master must have already arrived at the headquarters of the corporation.
He's a responsible man, unlikely to abandon his duties."
Hearing that Matthew might be at the headquarters of S.E.I, Flora suppressed the shivering sensation engulfing her body, rose determinedly intending to rush there to meet him.
After a couple of steps, a hand pulled her back.
"Miss Flora, you look rather pale.
Why don't you rest a bit, let me call the doctor to have a look at you before you go..." Aunt Laura suggested, yet by the look on Flora's face, she knew her advice was falling on deaf ears.
Young people these days really were... all so recklessly passionate.
Flora shook her head: "No, I can't wait anymore, I have to see him."
The S.E.I Corporation's headquarters still stood defiantly in the city center, no different from what Flora remembered the first time she set foot there.
She hurried so much she didn't even acknowledge the receptionist's greetings, rushing straight for the elevator, continuously pressing the button.
The elevator doors slowly closed, and after a long wait, she arrived at the executive floor.
What she did not expect was that Matthew's office door was open, and he was not alone inside.
Besides him, there was Selena, and a man bearing a striking resemblance to her.
"Matthew, today you must give a clear answer to our White family.
The agreed time for the wedding has passed, why haven't you made any further move? Are you trying to shirk your responsibility towards my daughter?"
Matthew remained silent.
Meanwhile, Selena nestled into the man's chest, weeping incessantly as if she was the wronged party.
The man, enraged and worried for his daughter, confronted Matthew: "Speak up! She is my daughter, the pearl of the White family, and she carries your child.
Are you disrespecting our White family to such an extent? Not even willing to give her a proper title?"
"Dad, stop..." Selena sobbed: "I love him... Please, stop blaming him... The child... it's my own willing choice..."
It was then that Matthew spoke.
His tone remained as cold as ever.
"Why are you so keen to marry your daughter to me? Surely it's not just because she's carrying my child, right?"
The man's face turned ashen, as if Matthew had hit a raw nerve.
Yet the change was momentary. After all, he was a seasoned fox in the political game, not easily manipulated.
Holding his trembling daughter in his arms, he looked at Matthew disdainfully.
"I thought the heir of the Charles family was someone significant, turns out he's just a coward who won't take responsibility and blames others."
Selena held onto her father, weeping inconsolably.
He tenderly stroked her hair, his brows furrowing as he looked at the man who was almost his son-in-law.
"Do not dare to insult me! That girl is my precious daughter, and were it not for her insistence on marrying you, I wouldn't have even dreamt of giving her to you... Even though we, the Whites, don't possess much power or influence, I would never exploit my daughter for profit!"
"Is that so?" Matthew responded with a light chuckle: "Well then..."
Hidden behind the door, Flora held her breath, awaiting his next words like one waits for a court's verdict.
And Matthew's decision did not disappoint the Whites: "The initially planned wedding day has long passed.
I'll have someone look into new dates, and then we'll discuss it with the Whites, alright?"
As his words came to a close, Selena's father's face slackened.
She too swiftly changed her demeanor, transitioning from a wailing mourner to a beaming delight.
"I knew it! I knew that woman meant nothing to you! Matthew, I love you to death!" Selena suddenly lunged forward, tightly embracing Matthew.
A faint furrow of the brow, Matthew felt a twinge of discomfort within him, but this fleeting feeling of loss quickly passed.
He couldn't quite understand it.
He gave a nod: "I will make sure our child is born in wedlock."
What on earth?
Flora couldn't believe her own ears.
The man she loved was promising to marry Selena.
Then what was she in his eyes? And what about their two children?
Promises meant nothing.
Right, she should have seen her place long ago.
An unwed pregnant woman, disgraced, could never compare to the genuine and valuable heiress, Selena!
Her eyes moistened, the pent-up frustration and pain welled up in her throat.
Suddenly, she thought back to yesterday when Matthew had asked her if she was hiding anything from him. If she had been frank about recent events, would the outcome be different? Sorrowful, angry, and regretful, she turned around and sprinted out of the office building.
Unexpectantly, she ran straight into the sturdy chest of a man.
"Boss, the person responsible for guarding Miss Flora reported that she..."
"Discuss Selena's issue first." Matthew curled his fingers, drumming on the table: "What has she been skulking around my mansion for?"
Today, the boss's mood was exceptionally foul.
His subordinates could only tread with more caution than usual.
"Miss Selena is frequently seen around the mansion, but she never enters.
At the moment... our people are still unsure if this is a plot by the Whites or not.
However... it seems she's currently not too far from there."
Matthew shook his head: "It's definitely not a coincidence.
Investigate further!"
The man nodded and then returned to the matter regarding Flora.
"Miss Flora met Patrick on the street.
They had some rather intimate interactions..."
"What?" How could Matthew's woman have intimate actions with Patrick? Hadn't she herself claimed they were a thing of the past?
His subordinate handed him a photograph, depicting a man and woman in a tight embrace.
Indeed, quite intimate.
At that moment, after a minute of passionately hugging Flora, Patrick had realized his behavior was inappropriate.
He stepped back politely to avoid making her uncomfortable, but his voice betrayed his concern.
"Flora... You've become so thin!" Looking at the frail figure before him, he couldn't hide his sorrow: "Last time... Matthew didn't make things difficult for you, did he?"
Flora shook her head: "No, he treated me well."
"Really? Don't lie to me anymore! If he had treated you well, you wouldn't have become this thin.
Or... or you should come back to me!" Patrick blurted out.
They were just words spoken in the spur of the moment, yet he bore no regret.
Those were the exact words he yearned to share with her.
Yet all he received in return was her resolute rejection, no different from seven years ago: "It's too late, Patrick, we can't go back to the way we were..."
Now, Patrick had Layla by his side.
And she had already given her heart to another man.
She had changed, no longer the Flora he once knew.
"If there's nothing else... I'll be taking my leave." No sooner than her words had faded, she turned on her heel and walked away, fleeing the scene.
Patrick didn't stop her.
He merely stood in silence, his voice trailing after her: "Even if you're not the Flora of the past, I'll always be your Patrick!"