The Flower That Grew from Ashes novel Chapter 163

On a sunny afternoon in early May, the flower shop was as busy as ever.

Sophia was swiftly assisting a customer who had pre-ordered the Ephemeral Collection, explaining the day's featured bloom—an incredibly rare black calla lily with a velvet-like texture.

Meanwhile, Annelise was at the workstation in the back room, constructing a massive floral arch for an outdoor wedding scheduled that weekend.

Just then, a young man in a postal uniform pushed open the door and walked in.

"Excuse me, which of you is Ms. Annelise Sargent?" the postman asked in Norwegian, holding a thick manila envelope covered in airmail stickers.

She stepped down from her ladder, wiped her hands, and walked over. "That's me."

As she took the envelope, her heart suddenly sank.

The sender's address was written in English.

Cresthaven, the Lehman Group Headquarters.

And the sender's name was Elias Lehman.

She stood behind the counter for a long time, just holding the letter.

It wasn't until Sophia peeked over curiously and asked, "Anne, who's the letter from? Family?" that she finally snapped out of it.

She shook her head and slipped the envelope into her pocket. "An... old friend."

"She was ultimately granted custody of Manuel. The court also ruled that Hackett Lehman, as the child's biological father, must pay child support in full every month until the boy turns eighteen. As far as I know, she has already taken the child back to her hometown in the south. At the very least, the boy's future basic needs are secured."

Reading this, Annelise felt no emotional ripples. It was exactly as she had expected. Elias handled things cleanly and efficiently—punishing the guilty while protecting the innocent child.

She turned to the second page.

"Second, regarding the Lehman Group. With the injection of your funds and some of my overseas connections, the company has temporarily survived its most critical financial crisis. Two weeks ago, my father officially stepped down, citing 'health reasons.' Currently, I have temporarily taken over the daily operations of the group."

At the very bottom of the page was the third matter.

In that final paragraph, Elias's handwriting seemed to press a bit harder into the paper, the strokes betraying a complex, heavy emotion.