The maid clutched the gorgeous bouquet of crimson roses, muttering under her breath as she headed out, "What a waste to toss such gorgeous flowers."
She glanced up and froze. A man stood blocking her path, his face unreadable.
"M-Mr. Howard..." she stuttered.
Lionel's mouth curved into that practiced smile. "Who ordered you to dump those?"
The maid's hands trembled. "I-It was Ms. Sallie Isabelle."
Hearing Sallie's name, Lionel let out a soft laugh. *So that's her game,* he mused. *I thought winning her over was too easy. Looks like she's been playing me this whole time. Time to raise the stakes.*
Still wearing that calm smile, Lionel extended the phone he'd been holding. "Give this to Ms. Isabelle. She forgot it in my car."
His eyes drifted to the flowers in her grip. "Don't mention you saw me, or that you were about to throw these out."
——
**Sallie's POV**
