Chapter 6: A Long Day
976 Words
Chapter 6: A Long Day
The moment they arrived in New York, a completely different sparkle appeared in Claire's eyes. After so many days, she was finally thinking about business again. The confidence that had once made her one of the most successful young businesswomen was slowly returning. Meanwhile, Adrian quietly followed behind her, watching her every expression. He was happy to see her gradually becoming herself again. Their first stop was a busy shopping district in Manhattan. Stores lined both sides of the street while countless people moved through the crowded sidewalks. Spotting an empty storefront, Claire immediately walked over to speak with the owner.
"Sir, is this place available for rent?"
The elderly man smiled kindly.
"Yes, young lady."
"It's twelve thousand dollars a month."
"And I require ten months' rent in advance."
The smile on Claire's face disappeared instantly. She forced herself to smile politely before walking away. Adrian followed behind her.
"Don't worry."
"The day has just started."
He smiled reassuringly.
Afterward, the two continued searching throughout the city. Some locations were too small, while others had terrible surroundings. At one point, Claire discovered a place she genuinely loved. There was a beautiful park across the street and several luxury hotels nearby. Her eyes immediately brightened. But the moment she asked about the rent, the owner proudly answered,
"Only ten thousand dollars a month."
Claire tried to maintain her smile, but as soon as they stepped outside, she let out a long sigh.
"We don't even have that much money for the entire business right now."
Adrian walked beside her and smiled.
"We have time."
"We'll find the right place."
Claire looked at him and smiled before they continued walking together.
A while later, they discovered an older store. It was small, but the neighborhood was nice and peaceful. Claire began liking the place immediately. She spent nearly half an hour chatting happily with the old owner, and the man seemed equally delighted by her enthusiasm. But when he mentioned that he required six months of rent in advance, the excitement on her face faded again. Politely declining, she stepped outside. Adrian noticed the disappointment in her eyes.
"Giving up already?"
He teased playfully.
Claire laughed.
"No, Mr. Delivery Boy."
"I haven't given up."
"But dreams alone aren't enough."
"We need money too."
Time passed quickly. Before either of them realized it, afternoon had begun turning into evening. They had spent almost four hours searching continuously, but none of the locations fit both their budget and expectations. Claire was exhausted, but she refused to surrender.
"One last place."
She smiled stubbornly.
Adrian simply followed behind her with a faint smile. However, his expression had begun to change. His breathing became heavier, and weakness slowly spread throughout his body. Sweat formed on his forehead while his steps became slower and slower.
Eventually, Claire noticed.
"Adrian?"
She looked at him with concern.
"Are you okay?"
Adrian forced a smile.
"Yeah."
"I'm just feeling a little weak."
"A little weak?"
Claire immediately handed him a bottle of water.
"We've been walking around for hours."
"That's probably why."
Adrian drank the water, but it changed nothing. The uncomfortable sensation inside him only grew worse. The sunlight was becoming increasingly unbearable.
"Can we come back tomorrow?"
He asked softly.
Claire stared at him for several seconds before nodding.
"Okay."
"You really don't look well."
Soon, the two returned to the motorcycle. Adrian tried starting it, but weakness was obvious in his hands.
'Tonight, I have to bring the other ring.'
'First, I need to get back to the flower house.'
'Then, after Claire falls asleep, I'll return and retrieve it.'
Just then, Claire walked over and handed him another bottle of water.
"You look terrible."
"Here."
"And I'm driving."
Adrian's expression changed instantly.
"No."
"No, I'll drive."
Claire immediately crossed her arms.
"Oh really?"
"You can barely stand."
"And you still want to play the hero?"
"I'm driving."
"And don't even think girls can't ride motorcycles."
"Never underestimate women, okay?"
Inside, Adrian silently prayed.
'Please let this woman know how to ride properly.'
A moment later, he sat behind her. The truth was, he no longer had the strength to drive anyway. His entire body felt weak under the sunlight. Suddenly, an old story surfaced in his mind. Long ago, he had heard about a legendary Vampire Lord who was immune to sunlight itself.
People called him…
The Shadow King.
But over the centuries, he had become nothing more than a myth.
Meanwhile, Claire drove the motorcycle while occasionally glancing at Adrian through the side mirror. She was genuinely worried about him. For the first time in her life, she realized that perhaps nobody had cared about her as much as this man did. At that very moment, Adrian's hand unconsciously wrapped around her waist. He didn't even realize it. Claire noticed immediately through the mirror, and a mischievous smile appeared on her lips.
"Hello, Mister."
She laughed softly.
"Are you taking advantage of me?"
"Or are you flirting with me?"
Adrian looked at her in confusion. He had no idea what she was talking about. Then Claire glanced downward with her eyes. Adrian followed her gaze and immediately froze.
His hand.
The next second, he jerked it away.
"I…"
"I didn't do it on purpose!"
He stammered nervously.
Claire burst into laughter.
"Relax."
"I know."
"I was just teasing you."
Hearing her laughter, Adrian couldn't help smiling as well. It had been days since such a warm and cheerful atmosphere had existed between them. Before long, the endless flower fields finally appeared in the distance. The sun had already begun setting, painting the sky orange and gold.
At last, they returned to the Flower House.
Neither of them realized that this ordinary day…
Would one day become one of the most beautiful memories of their lives.
- Writer
