Vol. 9 Ch. 16: I Am Yours

Claudia Ashley leaned against the sofa, spreading gloom around her. She looked so utterly depressed that if someone told you a family member had died that very day, you might actually believe them.

Yet no matter how much gloom she gave off, her perfect beauty remained untarnished. To men blinded by love in particular, even her gloomy appearance seemed wistful and fragile.

"Miss Claudia, would you please accept my rose?"

The man kneeling before Claudia and offering her a rose ornament was her ninth challenger of the day.

Behind her fan, Claudia let out a soft sigh.

"........I'm almost in the double digits."

"Pardon?"

She was talking about the number of flowers that would end up in the trash.

Claudia slowly straightened from where she had been leaning against the armrest and stared intently at the red rose being offered to her.

"........I do like flowers."...