The Flower That Grew from Ashes novel Chapter 134

The entire room seemed to instantly brighten from that one small jar of flowers.

Alyssa stood at the door watching the scene, her mouth dropping open in shock.

"Oh my god! Ms. Sargent... have you studied floral design?"

Annelise looked up at her, a faint, shy smile gracing her lips.

She shook her head at first, but then gave a soft nod.

"My mother did."

After Alyssa left, Annelise stayed in the apartment alone for the rest of the day.

She didn't act like someone who had just endured a massive trauma—wallowing in bed or letting herself drown in inescapable grief.

Instead, she focused on several concrete, practical tasks.

First, she opened her laptop and researched everything she could about the Norwegian floral industry, diving into local market trends, popular aesthetics, and the legal requirements to open her own flower shop in Oslo.

Second, she threw on her coat and headed down to the grocery store Alyssa had mentioned. She picked up some basic ingredients: a few tomatoes, a box of pasta, and a small cut of beef. Back in the apartment, she cooked herself a steaming bowl of beef and tomato spaghetti.

It was the first time in four years she had cooked a meal just for herself—not for anyone else, not to please anyone, but purely to fill her own stomach.

It tasted surprisingly delicious.

Third, after dinner, she went back to the store. This time, she didn't buy any food; she simply picked up three standard terra-cotta pots.

She lined up the three empty planters next to the picture frame on the windowsill.

She made a silent promise to herself in her heart.

When spring arrived, she would fill them all with white daisies.

Around dusk, Annelise went downstairs to take out the trash.

Among the row of antique brass mailboxes in the lobby, she spotted the small box designated for her apartment.

Guided by some inexplicable instinct, she used her key to open it.

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