Chapter 8

• Love of mom
• George had decided to go on a trip to visit one of his children, unable to bear the absence of his wife. This left Johanne completely alone. He had become her support, and his absence was keenly felt.
• The days passed, and Johanne knocked on every door she could to find a job, but no one would accept her with her baby. Resigned to the idea that she wouldn't find anything, she decided to do what a determined woman would do.
• "Let's see, little one, we have to go to work. Do you know what your grandmother's dream was? She wanted to have a big flower shop. Well, we're going to fulfill that dream," Johanne told her son. Angel only smiled; he had no idea what his mother was talking about. However, she bundled him up against the cold. She had bought a small cart and a bunch of simple flowers to sell, investing her last bit of capital with the hope of making enough money to eat.
• At some point in her life, when her husband was around, going out to sell on the streets would have been utterly embarrassing. But shame was a luxury Johanne couldn't afford as a desperate mother. On the first day, she sold only a little, but she didn't lose hope. After enduring the harsh winter cold and the rejection of many passersby, she would try again the next day.
• Johanne had been in her new independent job for a week, and though sales hadn't grown significantly, she persisted. With what she earned, she managed to feed herself and cover the expenses for her little son.
• She was arranging the flowers when a car parked at the traffic light. She approached with a smile, but that smile vanished when she saw who it was.
• "Ah, the little thief. I figured you'd end up doing a job like this. I always suspected my boss couldn't make an exception like that when he hired you."
• "Well, Marianne, I don't know why fate has brought us face to face, but if it happens again, I demand that you show me respect. I'm not a thief," Johanne said, her anger apparent. This time, she wasn't as vulnerable as before.
• "Yes, you are. What you did in poor George's store is considered theft. You can't fool me. But I'm glad you've redeemed yourself; otherwise, you'd be setting a bad example for that little boy of yours." Johanne blushed with anger at the last remark. She would not let anyone speak of her son like that.
• "Listen, Marianne, don't you dare get involved with my son, or else…" Johanne threatened, but Marianne interrupted her.
• "Or else what? Thief!" Marianne looked at her defiantly.
• "Or else, I swear I'll grab you by the hair, and I don't care if I do it right now!" Johanne threw the bouquet of flowers she was holding aside and returned Marianne 's menacing stare. Marianne returned the look with contempt, then spat at Johanne before speeding away.
• Johanne quickly picked up her baby from the stroller as he started crying, and the onlookers watched in shock. She realized that Marianne had ruined her sales for the day. It was best to go home.
• Meanwhile, Marianne, seething with anger and hatred and nursing physical discomfort from Johanne's attack, arrived at the company and headed straight for Eduard's office.
• "What happened, Marianne? What's wrong? Are you okay?" Eduard stood up from his chair and approached her, concerned.
• "No, I'm not okay. I'm going to file a complaint. That woman tried to kill me!" Eduard was puzzled; he didn't understand who Marianne was talking about.
• "Which woman? What happened?"
• "Do you remember your nanny?" She reproached him with irony.
• "Which nanny? I've had so many."
• "The stupid one, Johanne. That wretch is selling flowers on the roadside. So, I approached her, and she attacked me!" Eduard was surprised. He hadn't stopped thinking about Johanne since the day she left his house, and he still hadn't found someone as reliable to take care of his son.
• "She's selling flowers. Unbelievable!"
• "What?! Do you feel sorry for her? You should know that she's a criminal! Look at what she's done to my face. She didn't even care that I had a child with me. She just attacked me." Marianne 's words drilled into Eduard's head. He felt a bit of compassion for Johanne; he knew her situation wasn't ideal, but he still couldn't fully trust her.
• "It's not that I feel sorry for her. I just think that you must have done something to provoke her for her to react that way."
• Marianne looked at him incredulously and left his office. Eduard called her back.
• "What's going on, sir?"
• "Don't report her."
• "What? Are you crazy, sir?! She nearly killed me. That woman shouldn't be free. I'll call my lawyer right now to take care of her."
• "You won't. Let me handle it, and you stay calm."
• "I will report her, sir, and you won't stop me."
• "If you report her, I'll deduct a month's salary from you." Eduard knew that Marianne was only motivated by money and lacked empathy for others.
• She scoffed and cursed under her breath. She couldn't understand why Eduard was acting this way. She clenched her fists and left his office. Eduard felt terrible about firing Johanne, but he couldn't let his curiosity about where Marianne had mentioned she was going go unanswered. So, the next day, he passed by the spot, and sure enough, there was Johanne with her baby in the stroller.
• Her petite figure moved between cars, offering beautiful bouquets of flowers in various colors. Her radiant smile made her look beautiful and empowered. Even though he was a billionaire with an education, just seeing her awakened some feeling in him, but it was too deep for him to acknowledge.
• When he pulled up to her window, Johanne couldn't recognize his car, as he had several, and this time, he was driving a Mazda she hadn't seen before. She opened her window just a bit, and he handed her a $50 bill, which surprised her.
• "Sir, it only costs $5. Do you have any more change?" She extended the lovely rose she had in her hand, and with a bit of effort, she made it fit through the small gap between the windows. Eduard changed his voice and didn't allow her to recognize him.
• "Keep the change for yourself! Goodbye." The traffic light turned green, and he drove away without revealing his identity. She stared at the car, then rushed back to her son, knowing that the $50 had just made her day, thanks to the mysterious man who hadn't even let her see his face.
• Eduard felt remorse, anguish, and confusion. He couldn't understand why such a beautiful woman and her little baby had to endure hardships on the streets, but it was something that was beyond his ability to fix.