Wither

The night drenched in the heavy rain as the cold breeze surrounded her.

Her wet hair ruffled as she sat there, on her knees. Her eyes never got off of the letters that are engraved on the stone—Nicholas Rean.

A name that never felt so far from her lips, is now the very name that is hard for her to even think of.

A glance down at her hand, her eyes trembled at the sight of it.

The imprinted sunflower on her ring finger.

“You see this?”

A sunflower in his hand, he said while leaning against the door.

Her eyes didn’t move off of her laptop as she sighed, grinning.

“Mmm, what? Your stupid sunflower?”

His dark hair ruffled due to the thick breeze, his shirt flew aside and the T-shirt he wore inside hugged his muscles. His hand slowly lowered the fresh sunflower he picked from the field nearby.

A small smile forming on his lips, his eyes on her, he softly gazed at her within a sigh leaving his lips.

“Yes, My stupid.. Sunflower.”

Her eyes immediately averted and their eyes met, before her cheeks flushed as she smiled wide.

“You stole a sunflower again!?”

He chuckled as she exclaimed aloud.

As her hand took a hold of it, he grabbed her hand, pulling her back from walking away.

Their lips inches away, he gently raised her wrist, placing the sunflower in her hand.

“It’s not stealing if you grow it out.”

Her grin widened when he argued with a raised eyebrow.

“Of course, Mr. Farmer, who am I even kidding?”

A smug smile on her lips, her arms wrapped around his neck as she murmured.

His lips tracing the scar down her arm, Nicholas can’t help but smile at her fastening heartbeat.

“What are you doing..?”

A look at her flustered face, Nicholas shook his head, with a gentle smile on his lips.

“Nothing, Nothing you don't want to do it yet.”

Her lips neared his, making him pull her close, leaving her body to tiredly lean over his.

Their lips collided, while the cold breeze pushed her further into his arms.

A hum of warmth left her lips before he broke the kiss, taking a look at her face that is now red.

His hands holding both of her cheeks, he eyed her face. From the slightest–teary eyes to her trembling red lips, everything warmed his heart.

A sad smile, admiring every inch of her that he loves, Nicholas heard a giggle leave her lips.

“Why are you looking at me like that? Am I pretty?”

Nicholas hummed at her words before leaning closer.

“No, you’re not that pretty.”

The smile immediately was off of her face as he said.

“C’mon, seriously?” She said in disbelief before he took a seat.

“My Doris, Sunflower,”

He cooed as he pulled her onto his lap, wrapping his arms securely around her waist.

Maintaining a strong eye-contact with Doris, Nicholas continued to say,

“Do you know why flowers look pretty?”

Doris looked at him, trying to come up with an answer before sighing.

“Why?”

Nicholas raised her hand that held the sunflower before gaping at the sunflower softly.

A smile on his face, he responded, “Because they die overnight. They bloom brighter, knowing that they will only live a day.”

Doris’s eyes watered as he sadly smiled at the sight of the sunflower.

Looking back at Doris, Nicholas gently stroked her cheek.

“And I, I don't want you to be pretty. I don’t, Doris.”

A layer of tears blurring his eyes, he clutched them close as he laid his forehead against Doris.

“I don’t.”

Her hands fisted her dress as her lips trembled.

“You don’t.”

She whispered as she gazed at the sunflowers that were placed over his stone.

“You don’t look pretty, Nicholas. You.. You..”

Her hand over her chest, she felt it ache as she tried so hard to not shed tears.

“You don’t.”

As soon as those words left her lips, her eyes closed within her body collapsing on the spot.

The tires of the cars screeched before the black Mercedes stopped at the gates of St. Clinton’s Orphan Cemetery.

As the driver ran towards the gates, his eyes sharply took a glance towards the presence of a being, near one of the stones.

As the driver stepped near the window seat, where the middle aged man sat.

“Mr. Black, do you want me to—”

He raised his hand, making the driver pause.

Mr. Black stepped out of the car as the driver stepped aside, taking the umbrella.

His emerald eyes falling over the women who laid there near one of the gravestones, he entered the cemetery.

The closer he got, the more he captured her in his eyes.

Rolling his sleeves up till his elbows, he bent on his knee.

“Mr. Black? What a powerful man like him is doing in a cemetery?”

One of the sister’s said as she noticed Mr. Black from afar making her friend take a glance towards where she was looking at.

Her eyes widening, she gasped, running towards others to inform.

“Oh my! Mr. Black has come on his own this time!”

Looking back at her friend then at the scene, Mary, the sister, sighed, walking away after.

Mr Black picked Doris up in his arms, making the driver hesitantly step closer to cover them both with the umbrella.

Mr. Black took a glance towards her face, which was pale and her trembling skin that leaned over his made him look back at the stone.

It read a name he never had wished to see—Nicholas Rean.

Mr. Black sighed, turning around.

“No! Nicholas!”

Doris gasped, with her hand taking a strong grip of Mr.Black’s shirt collar, making him look down at her.

As tears, mixed with rain drops rolled down her cheeks, Mr. Black’s eyes averted from her face to her hand, that held his collar ever so tight.

The ring finger, with a imprint of sunflower, made it all come back to his mind.

How she was recklessly thrown in an auction by her own parents.

And how that led her to him—Wayne Black, the most successful business tycoon of the world.