After the encounter

"If you utter one more word, I'll make sure you lose your ability to speak," Damien said threateningly, but Julia just glared at him despite the fear on her face.

"You should leave now," Dahlia said in a calm voice, and Damien turned to look at her. He realized that unlike her friend, Dahlia wasn't looking at him with fear; rather, she appeared completely detached from the situation.

He doesn't know what to make of that, but he knows he has to please her, and scaring her friend is not the way to go about it. So he regulated his breathing to control his anger, and his eyes returned back to their normal shade of blue.

When this happened, Julia took one more step away from him. He figured there's no point in scaring them, so he'd just come back later when the witch has had time to adjust to the idea of who she is.

"I'll give you time to think about it; I'll come back when you are ready," he said to Dahlia before he turned and left the room. When he was gone, Dahlia slumped against her work desk, looking worn and tired.

"Julia, is something wrong with me?" Dahlia asked in a quiet voice, and Julia quickly got off the wall and approached her friend.

"Hey…Hey, cut it out. You are supposed to be the calm one. We will figure it out. Nothing is wrong with you. In fact, you are perfect," Julia reassured, even though thoughts about what just happened whirled around in her head.

Dahlia hugged her friend hard as the way Damien's eyes had changed colors played repeatedly in her head.

"Do you want to talk about this now?" "No…no, I'd rather we focus on sales today," Dahlia replied, and Julia nodded in agreement, and they both prepared to get back to work.

~~~~

Kayla stood by the window display as Damien walked over to his ride; he seemed to have cleaned himself up from the drench earlier, and he was walking with the poise of a man who knows his place in the world.

"Kayla, what are you looking at?" Leila asked as she approached Kayla, but her eyes got caught on the scene outside.

"Oh…I see, he is a real eye candy. I wonder what business he has with Dahlia."

"Leila…there's something about him; he looks hauntingly familiar, like I have seen that face before," Kayla murmured mostly to herself.

"Everyone had seen THAT face before; I mean, that's Damien Valendy from the one show," Leila replied, laughing.

"Yes…yes, you are right; it must be my imagination," Kayla said, shaking her head and turning away from the window, but Leila stopped her with a hand on her shoulder.

"Kayla, you are right; I see it too now. Remember that man, the one that bought you lilacs?"

"Which man are…," But Kayla did not finish the question before her brain came into focus.

"Damn Leila, you are sharp, yes, he is the one I was talking about, they bear a striking resemblance."

"Do you think they are related?" Leila wondered aloud. "Who knows, but it seems strange to me,"

"Talking about strange, has the man contacted you since then?" Leila asked, her eyes speculative, but Kayla shook her head.

"No, he did not. I mean, the man did not even ask for my number, nor did he drop his. I bet he has even forgotten me now."

"Oh darling, you don't have to look so melancholic; I am sure he is coming back for you soon enough. Now let's go gossip and find out why VJ was here," Leila said mischievously and turned back from the window, but they stopped when they came face to face with Julia.

"I see the work around here is going to get itself done as the workers are busy spying on a visitor," Julia said with a strict voice, and Kayla manages a trembling smile even though she knows the look on Julia's face is anything but close to a laugh.

"We will get to work now," and with that, Leila headed back to her spot while Kayla resumed the window dressing.

Despite the number of customers that came that day, the employees noticed that the mood was quite melancholic as Dahlia did not step out from her office all day and Julia kept checking in on her.

So, for some reason, Kayla kept remembering the man that had given her the lilies and how much he looks like VJ, and she feels like those visits are intertwined and there must be a reason for them.

And she won't rest until she finds out why the two men had come to Floral Fantasy after each other.

"Goodnight everyone, we will leave early, Kayla. I hope you don't mind closing up," Dahlia said that evening.

"Of course not, have a nice night," Kayla replied with a smile, as a thought occurred to her; Dahlia leaving early had just presented her with the opportunity to find clues as to why the men had visited.

~~~~

THE PRINCE'S RESIDENCE

Tristan was standing before the fireplace with a wineglass in hand while Zuriel was in his usual spot with a forearm over his eyes when Damien bustled in, his body vibrating with anger.

"Oh brother, how did you get yourself wet?" Tristan asked, his expression only half serious.

But Damien did not reply to him, just shot him daggers with his eyes; Zuriel, on the other hand, only lifted his hand long enough to see his brother come in before settling back in his usual position.

"I met the witch today," Damien said through gritted teeth, and Tristan sat down with a look of interest on his face.

"I guess it didn't go too well, seeing as you came in here all wet and vibrating with anger," Tristan asked in a mild voice.

"It's rather the opposite, but why didn't you tell me that you have been there?" Damien asked while pacing in front of the fireplace.

Tristan wasn't surprised that his brother found out; his smell probably still clung to that flower shop. "I didn't tell you because we were supposed to work on our own from now, according to you," Tristan replied, a stubborn look on his face, and Damien stared him down for a while before breaking eye contact.

"Zuriel, what about you? Why haven't you gone to see her?" Damien asked, directing the question to Zuriel.

"It's not my business; hasten up with her and let's return to Ezra," Zuriel replied in a quiet voice.

"The witch looked quite like your lost lover, I'll say," Damien commented with a calculated look on his face, and Zuriel sat upright instantly, his face a turbulent expression.

"What did you just say?"