Chapter 85 Meredith's Speech

• "If your sister doesn't turn up, those flowers you bought will just be wasted, won't they?" Anastasia eyed the bouquet of pink roses cradled in her arms, a tinge of disappointment creeping in. She sat beside James in class, and earlier that morning, he'd invited her to catch the competition together, a proposal she'd readily accepted.
• Before they headed to the auditorium that afternoon, James whisked her off to a flower shop nearby. He picked out a large bouquet of pink roses, which he then presented to her. At that moment, a wave of excitement mingled with shyness washed over her. Does James harbor feelings for me, too? She entertained visions of a romantic, modern wedding and imagined raising two children together. But...
• "After my sister wraps up her speech later, you can go on stage and hand her the flowers," James declared before muttering, "It's too ridiculous for a grown man like me to hold flowers." Anastasia remained silent, the realization dawning upon her that she was merely a tool to him. "You can even chuck them away for all I care," James added, his tone nonchalant.