Bound by Unexpected Love

Chapter 1

Lance Night had secretly loved Edward White for nearly a decade. If it weren't for the fact they had finally tied the knot, he would have surely become a lovesick puppy, spiraling into obsession.
It had only been two months since Edward met Lance through a matchmaking event and married him after a brief courtship, but Edward soon found himself questioning their compatibility. Although Lance was perfect in almost every way, he had a tendency to be a bit too intense every night. Edward, who had a fear of pain since childhood, found himself overwhelmed.
It felt like they were mismatched in more ways than one, and after much contemplation, Edward decided divorce might be the best option. After all, their relationship began with a simple matchmaking meeting, and there was no deep emotional connection to hold them together.
However, Lance was adamant about not letting go.
What transpired was a story of unexpected love blossoming within the confines of their marriage, marked by playful banter and unfiltered affection, devoid of any torment—a genuine sweet affair.
With wealth on one side and good looks on the other, both found ways to keep each other on their toes.
Lance, with his often cold demeanor and few words, had harbored feelings for Edward long before they walked down the aisle. If it weren’t for their eventual marriage certificate, he might have become a nervous wreck, forever pining after Edward.
Edward’s family had relentlessly pressured him into marriage, which was why he had rushed into this relationship after merely dating Lance for a short time. Unfortunately, this lack of communication soon led to an impending divorce.
As they navigated their differences, they began to communicate more openly, resolving the troubles that had been weighing on their hearts. With that newfound honesty, Edward discovered that Lance had been infatuated with him from the very start, and the matchmaking meeting was just the beginning of a much deeper connection that Lance had meticulously crafted.
This was a tale of love blossoming after marriage, offering warmth and healing, a sweet treat that never grows stale.
The author’s delicate prose brings their contrasting personalities to life, making readers root for their burgeoning romance. With each hidden layer of Lance’s affectionate knowledge of Edward, the narrative gradually paves the way for their heartfelt progress.
This story showcases a journey of love cultivated after vows were exchanged—heartwarming and healing, yet delightfully sweet without being saccharine. It’s highly recommended for those in search of a cozy romantic read.

Chapter 2

Julia Green sat behind the counter with her arms crossed, a teasing smile playing on her lips as she observed each customer in The Florist Guild.
The man standing by the rose display was familiar—he had signed up for a monthly subscription but insisted on picking up his flowers in person every day, as if he could move into the shop.
The young woman presently examining a curvy bouquet was a new customer from a couple of days ago. She had walked in and immediately invested in a $5,000 membership. Strikingly beautiful and charmingly sweet, Julia had taken an instant liking to her.
Of course, Julia recognized more than just those two; hardly anyone in the shop was a stranger to her anymore. She counted seven customers who had already walked in within the first thirty minutes of opening on this busy weekend.
They wandered through the flower displays, appearing to consider their options seriously, but their eyes would wander to the door periodically, clearly waiting for someone.
Julia was used to their unsophisticated ruse, so she relaxed back in her chair, tapping her foot lightly.
Before long, a shadow flickered past the glass of the shop's front window.
Julia's eyes lit up, and she straightened in her seat.
The star of the show had finally arrived.
The previously subdued customers were now buzzing with energy, and Julia even caught sight of someone adjusting their bangs in the wall mirror.
The bell above the door chimed as a tall, slim young man with a warm smile walked in.
“Edward, good morning!”
“Edward, hey!”
“Wow, little Edward, you're in early today!”
…
Watching the customers brighten at Edward White's arrival made Julia cover her mouth to hide her own smile, her heart swelling with emotion.
He was here—the source of her daily happiness.
Edward, with his twinkling eyes, nodded as he greeted, “Welcome! Good morning!”
He strode up to the counter, resting his two large paper bags at the foot of the table before stepping back out. “How can I help you today?”
The previously laid-back customers wasted no time, eagerly lining up to ask him about the best flowers for different occasions, their meanings, and which bouquets combined beautifully together.
Edward was a master at floral arrangements, effortlessly introducing and recommending flowers, leaving every customer satisfied and ready to checkout in under three minutes.
As Julia rang up sales, she couldn't help but marvel; they weren't just selling flowers—they were selling beauty.
The man with the subscription intentionally positioned himself last in line, anxiously eyeing Julia with hesitation until he finally got his wrapped bouquet. With a hesitant voice, he managed to say, “Edward.”
“Hmm?” Edward looked up, ready to change the water in a vase.
Their eyes met, and the man stammered, “Uh… is it okay if I add you on WeChat?”
Julia stood close enough to see the man's face turn a shade of red.
She knew instinctively that he had feelings for Edward, and today he finally made a move.
Edward directed him to a sign on the counter with a QR code. “You can find it over there; feel free to message anytime. Julia handles our WeChat daily.”
That was a polite brush-off.
The disappointment was evident in the man’s eyes.
After he scanned the code, he left dejectedly.
“That's the fifth person this week,” Julia said, shaking her head. “Good thing you weren't born in ancient times; you’d definitely be one of those enchanting but dangerous beauties from a tale.”
Edward White merely shook his head, deftly switching out flowers in the vases.
Surrounded by blooms, bathed in sunlight, he looked like a fairy-like figure.
Julia rested her chin on her hand, admiring his profile with envy.
There was a reason their shop did so well; after all, the owner was a certified heartthrob.
Edward had an arresting type of beauty—his ends of his eyes and the corners of his mouth lifted effortlessly, and that delicate beauty mark only added to his charm.
His hair was slightly longer; after being talked out of a haircut during his last appointment, he’d left with a hint of soft, buttery blonde color instead.

Chapter 3

At that moment, Edward White's hair was casually swept up, accentuating his long neck. The tips curled slightly, giving him a look that was both sexy and undeniably charming.
He seemed perfectly suited to play a character full of allure.
But this "enchantress," as graceful as her appearance was, had a personality that was surprisingly gentle and endearing.
This contrast between her exterior and inner self made her all the more captivating.
“Why don’t you add him on social media?” Julia Green remarked regretfully after admiring him. “That guy’s pretty handsome. I heard he’s a fitness trainer; he’d probably look even better without a shirt.”
Edward turned his attention to her, ready to speak, but Julia continued, “Come on, don’t tell me you’re not looking for a boyfriend. Just last month, your family called our shop, urging you to settle down. If all the matchmaking hasn’t worked out, why not give a hopeful suitor a shot?”
Edward had been on four blind dates, none of which had turned out well.
“Honestly, if someone is truly good enough, they wouldn’t need to go through a matchmaking service. You’re the exception. It’s tough to find someone exceptional among the others," Julia fretted, her tone maternal. “There are so many guys around you who like you—why insist on matchmaking? You turn them down so quickly; isn’t there anyone who catches your eye?”
“I…”
“I know. You just want to get registered for marriage and skip the wedding ceremony—the blind dates are all about talking practical matters. But what if someone doesn’t mind? You could treat it like a date with someone who’s pursuing you.”
Edward patiently arranged the flower branches while listening to her ramble.
Once she finished, he smiled softly and said unexpectedly, “I’m getting married.”
Julia was taken aback. “...To whom?”
“To someone I met during a blind date on Monday night—Lance Night. He seems nice and has good prospects.” Edward played with the leaves, his fair fingers glinting in the light. “He hopes to build feelings after marriage and has similar expectations as mine. We’ve been having a wonderful conversation, and I’m planning to register at the civil office soon.”
Julia was stunned for a moment before she exclaimed, “Getting a marriage license so quickly? Is that really wise?”
She used to worry when Edward came back without success from blind dates, but now that he had found someone, her concerns only grew.
“I trust my instincts,” Edward said after a moment of thought, still smiling.
After ensuring everything with the flowers was in order, he tossed the cut leaves into the trash and turned to the counter. He retrieved a beautifully crafted sandalwood box and handed it to Julia. “This is for you.”
“What?” Julia, still reeling from the news about his marriage, accepted the box in confusion.
Inside was a delicate and ethereal hair crown, the kind that had caught Julia’s eye long ago as a fan of Hanfu. Edward had commissioned it at the beginning of the year for over eight hundred; she had no idea he would suddenly gift it to her.
Julia squealed with excitement, “You really gave it to me! Oh my God!”
Edward nodded.
“Ahhhhh!” Julia jumped up and down with the wooden box in her hands, her cheeks flushed with excitement. “Edward, I love you so much!”
Once her excitement simmered down, she noticed the array of costumes in the paper bag. “Why did you bring so many cosplay outfits with you?”
Cosplay outfits referred to costumes worn for character portrayal.
Edward was a cosplayer. Julia had introduced him to the community in college, but after she graduated, she gravitated toward Hanfu. Though Julia had recommended that he shoot in Hanfu style, Edward’s passion for cosplay remained unwavering.
With his striking looks and high costume fidelity, he had portrayed characters from both genders excellently. His photo shoots were meticulously crafted, and he boasted three million followers on social media, making him quite well-known in the scene.
The costumes in the bag were outfits he had used and had once stored neatly in a large wardrobe at home.
“I’m moving next week and can’t take these with me,” Edward explained. “I’ve already sorted through some of them, but I can’t bring myself to sell the rest just yet. I’ll keep them upstairs for now.”
The flower shop had a second floor with two rooms and a living area, accessible via an indoor staircase.

Chapter 4

Edward White rented a small storage room along with his new retail space, which would be a convenient spot for keeping odds and ends as well as taking breaks now and again.
"You're moving next week, right? So your deposit on that apartment is going to be forfeit?" Julia Green asked, arching an eyebrow.
Edward lived in a nearby studio apartment on a one-year lease, with five months still to go.
"Yeah, I've worked it out with the landlord. I'm officially moving out next month."
Julia's eyes sparked with realization. "You're going to live with that Lance Night guy, aren’t you?"
He nodded.
Julia glanced at the paper bag in his hands, then back to him. The costumes inside were a testament to Edward's journey from novice to pro, having been collected over several years. Yet now, he was selling so many of them off.
"You're really stepping back from all this."
"Not a chance," he replied confidently.
Julia was about to pry further when she suddenly recalled Edward's recent experience with online dating and quickly bit her tongue.
That had been Edward's third blind date.
They had seemed satisfied with one another, but when the other person discovered Edward's passion for cosplay, they requested he quit.
The cosplay community had received negative attention recently for casual hookups and transactional relationships, giving it a somewhat unsavory reputation. It seemed excessive to spend so much on a hobby anyway.
Of course, Edward refused, and that date fizzled out.
Julia asked, "So, you didn’t mention your love for cosplay on this date, did you?"
"Not at all." Edward remained cheerful. "It dawned on me that I can’t expect everyone to understand. Honestly, I’ll probably quit in a few years anyway, so whatever."
Julia felt a pang of sadness and hastily changed the subject. "Are you two planning to rent or buy?"
"He bought a new place just this year."
"How's the location? Is it far from our store?"
"Not too far—it's the Royal Waters Apartments on my way home."
"Whoa."
In major cities, property prices soared skyward. Even a quick glance at them felt like it shaved six months off your life.
The Royal Waters Apartments were in a relatively upscale neighborhood, and the rents were no laughing matter.
Edward had graduated just two years prior, and with another $30,000 saved, he might be able to afford a modest down payment on a small place. Julia was in no position to do the same.
Her chest tightened. "What kind of work does he do? Is he a trust fund kid or something?"
He must be rolling in money.
Edward chuckled. "Trust fund kids don't need matchmaking services. And when I approached the matchmaker, I specifically told them to avoid anyone from a well-off background."
Julia paused, considering. "He works at an investment firm, so don’t jump to conclusions."
"I’m just worried you might get hurt," she retorted, slapping her thigh. "What if some rich guy is just pretending to be ordinary to marry you for a quick score?"
It wasn’t unfounded for Julia to worry.
Same-sex marriage had only recently been legalized, and legal protections were still shaky.
Many families struggled to accept their children having same-sex partners, and very few were willing to contribute to weddings, which typically meant that the costs of same-sex marriage could be astonishingly low.
This cheapness of marriage led to high divorce rates.
Many dishonest partners exploited this situation, making a mockery of feelings and commitment.
And Edward, with his good looks, financial savvy, and warm personality—he could easily attract toxic people.
"And that place isn’t even jointly owned by you. If you get divorced, you won't get a square inch of it," Julia continued, emphasizing her point. "Someone could be in your bed, then just up and leave, and it'd be you taking the hit."
She was genuinely afraid of how quickly this seemed to be moving.
Edward smiled as he double-checked the orders for the day. "He added my name to the property deed just yesterday. And to make sure he isn’t left hanging, I’m planning to get a new car in a couple of days."
Julia was taken aback, momentarily speechless.
"He even wanted to add my salary card to our joint accounts, but I turned it down."
Sounds like solid intentions, Julia thought, relaxing a little.
Edward was confident he wouldn't be deceived, but there was one detail he had withheld from Julia.
Lance Night's apartment was spacious—three bedrooms and a study. The master suite was complemented by a stately dressing room that could easily be mistaken for a boutique, complete with a minimalist vanity by the window.
It was almost as if it had been designed for a fashionable woman.
After all, how many men really needed such a vast dressing room just for seasonal clothes?
Edward chuckled to himself, imagining Lance as possibly bisexual, and wondered if he had recently been through a breakup with a girlfriend, but he didn’t know the specifics.
Given that Lance had put so much effort into the dressing room’s design, it seemed likely he had been the one who got dumped.
There were plenty of people on blind dates who, after a rough patch, would just throw caution to the wind.
Edward didn't mind if Lance had some baggage; he just needed to be loyal and grounded once they were married.
But if Julia found out, she’d certainly want to defend him.
So he kept that part silent.
With the image of that empty dressing room in his mind, a pang of regret hit Edward as he thought of the costumes in the paper bag. What cosplayer wouldn't want enough space to store all their gear?
However, his future husband seemed much more straight-laced than the one who had pressured him to quit.
Maybe in time, he could test the waters.
As Edward mused over the dressing room’s emptiness, Julia finally concluded her thoughts. "You’ve got someone rich, a lovely apartment, a stable job. Needs a matchmaker, wants to rush into marriage; he's genuinely interested in you."
She hesitated, curiously asking, “...He’s not much older than you, is he?”
With such great conditions, why was he in such a rush to tie the knot? Was that Lance guy… older and ugly, worried his “pretty face” would disappear?
Edward couldn’t help but laugh heartily. "He's only three years older than me."
Julia relaxed. "Well, at least not ancient."
She teased, "He isn't hideous, is he?"
Edward pulled out his phone, grinning as he flipped through his photo gallery. He selected a picture and showed it to Julia.
Peeking over, she absorbed the sight of Lance and her breath caught sharply.
Wow. He was ridiculously handsome.

Chapter 5

The man in the photograph had high cheekbones and deep-set eyes, his expression serious—an unmistakably elite visage. His meticulously groomed hair and sharp attire radiated an aura of success that was hard to ignore.
Julia Green gazed at the image, a mix of thoughts swirling in her mind. She mused to herself, "I guess this is what it’s like in finance—just sitting there and giving off a vibe of ‘Look at me, I’m successful.’"
Tilting her head slightly, she examined the photo for a moment longer before exhaling sharply, “He doesn’t seem too easy to get along with. You think you can handle him?”
Liam Sword certainly had the demeanor of someone who preferred to keep his distance; there was an air of coldness about him.
“Not at all. He has a great temperament and knows how to read other people's feelings,” Edward White replied, standing by with a reassuring smile.
Julia raised an eyebrow, her skepticism clear. “Really? Am I seeing things wrong here?”
“Alright, since you have such high praise for him, I’ll ease up a bit about ‘marrying’ you off to him,” Julia said with a playful hand gesture, creating a mock ‘just a little bit’ shape. “This high-hearted, aloof guy paired with—you, at least it’s a visually striking match!”
Despite her teasing, she knew that “visually striking” merely masked the charming sheep in wolf’s clothing.
Edward had grown used to his friends poking fun at his looks, laughing it off with, “Careful, or I’ll dock your pay for that!”
---
A celebrity of sorts from their shop was getting married.
Julia initially planned to wait until Edward left for the day to spill the beans to the other staff and discuss what wedding gift they might offer. But unexpectedly, Liam Sword made an appearance that evening.
The Greenhouse was located near St. James Square, nestled between The Merchant's Lodge and a bustling residential area, attracting a crowd.
That weekend, foot traffic was particularly heavy—from shopping and dating to those who came just to see Edward. It felt like twice the usual number was in the shop.
As evening fell, the flow of customers never let up. When Liam Sword entered, Edward was surrounded by several young patrons inquiring about their monthly flower subscriptions. Upon spotting his friend, he glanced over and said with a friendly wave, “What brings you here?”
Liam Sword had an even more imposing presence in person, towering over Edward by almost a head: “I came to take you home.”
His voice was calm and rich, and though he spoke well, his lack of emotional inflection combined with that sharp demeanor made him seem almost unapproachable.
Fortunately, his eyes were strikingly deep, and when he looked at Edward with that serious focus, it was as if a majestic but rare wolf were drawn out from the shadows.
Edward paused for a moment, processing Liam's words.
Just a few days ago, they had made plans to dine together, and Liam had dropped him off afterward; it hadn’t felt out of the ordinary.
But receiving a special visit later after Edward had turned down Liam's invitation felt unexpected. He hadn’t anticipated that Liam would go out of his way just to bring him home, especially given the busy situation at the shop.
“I’m really sorry, but I’m swamped with customers. I probably won’t be able to leave for a while,” Edward explained, gesturing for Liam to go on ahead.
Liam gave a small nod, as if he had expected this outcome. “No worries, I’ll wait for you.”
Before Edward could further insist, a staff member who had been eavesdropping jumped in, “C’mon, boss! Go on your date; we got this covered.”
“Yeah, if you’re trying to win over our gem here, just taking him home isn't enough—you’ll need to buy flowers too,” another chimed in with laughter.
“If you get us dinner, we’ll gladly help you out,” someone else added, causing ripples of amusement among the others.
The playfulness of it all sparked a wave of laughter erupting throughout the shop.
Edward momentarily wanted to assume his authoritative role and tell them to cut it out, but Liam surveyed the shop, noticing that all the gift boxes were nearly sold out. He smiled ever so slightly, opened his wallet, and placed a stack of cash on the counter. “Next time for flowers, but tonight let’s treat you all to dinner.”
“Liam Sword,” Edward said, warningly.
Liam turned with a grin, “Well, someone has to treat them.”
“Wow—”
The excitement among the staff grew loud, unabashed cheers in the air as they understood the boss hadn’t objected.
Typically easygoing, Edward couldn't hold back either. He quickly pulled Liam by the arm, wanting to escape the overzealous chatter.
Once they stepped outside, those who had an eye for Edward couldn’t contain their curiosity, turning to Julia Green to ask, “So, who was that? Is he Mr. White’s admirer?”

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