Chapter 6 - Heliotrope

The air in Lillian’s greenhouse was thick with the sweet, powdery scent of heliotrope, a fragrance that always reminded her of old-fashioned handkerchiefs and whispered secrets. It was a scent that evoked a deep, abiding devotion, a love that lingered long after the bloom had faded. Today, as Adrian sat beside her on the worn wooden bench, the scent seemed to settle around them like a warm embrace. He wasn't breathing it in, not really, not in the way she did, but he saw it. He saw the delicate, tiny purple flowers clustered on their stems, the way they tilted their faces towards the glass roof, basking in the filtered sunlight.

"They look like tiny velvet stars," Adrian murmured, his voice soft, almost reverent. He traced the outline of a bloom with a fingertip, careful not to touch. "It’s the way the light catches them. Like they’re holding something precious inside."