Chapter 10: CHAPTER TEN:THE THORNY PROPOSITION.

Kalina's eyes widened in shock, her mouth agape as Dominque's unexpected proposal hung in the air. Her initial reaction was disbelief, followed by a burst of laughter that bubbled forth uncontrollably, echoing through the flower shop.

As she doubled over in amusement, her laughter filled the space between them, punctuated by gasps for air. "That was a good one," she managed between fits of laughter, her hand waving dismissively in front of her. "That was a really good joke. With your kind of demeanor, somebody might think you don't know what a joke is."

But as her laughter subsided, Kalina's eyes met Dominique 's flat stare, her amusement faltering in the face of his unyielding gaze. The humor drained from her expression, replaced by a mixture of shock and incredulity. The audacity of this man, she thought, to make such a proposition and then expect her to take it seriously.

Her hands dropped to her sides, her body stiffening as Dominique took a step back, his expression remaining impassive. With chilling sincerity, he reiterated his proposal, his words hanging in the air like a heavy cloak of uncertainty.

"I'm not joking," he stated bluntly, his tone devoid of emotion. "Let's get married . If you marry me, I will make all your problems go away. I can even help you look for that little boyfriend of yours and make him return the money he has stolen from you, till every last dime."

The implications of his words hit Kalina like a punch to the gut, her shock quickly giving way to indignation. How dare he think that she could be bought or that money could solve all her problems? She believed in the power of love, in the sanctity of marriage as a bond built on mutual respect and affection.

With a glare thrown at his face, Kalina's voice dripped with venom as she delivered her final verdict. "Get out."

"Excuse me?" Dominique's voice cut through the tension, his tone laced with disbelief and a hint of anger as Kalina demanded he leave her flower shop. His eyebrows furrowed in confusion, he couldn't comprehend why she was reacting this way to his proposal.

"Did I stutter?" Kalina's voice was sharp, her frustration evident as she stood her ground, arms crossed defensively over her chest. Her words were punctuated by sharp gestures, emphasizing her anger and determination. "I said get out. What makes you think I want to have anything to do with the likes of you? Talk less of getting married to you."

Dominique's expression darkened with irritation, his jaw clenched tightly as he struggled to contain his frustration. How dare she reject him so blatantly? In his mind, he couldn't fathom why she would refuse such an enticing offer. This is an offer any other woman would jump at, he thought, his disbelief evident in the sharpness of his tone.

But Kalina remained resolute, her fiery gaze boring into Dominique 's with unwavering determination. As she continued to assert her independence, Dominique's frustration grew, his brows knitting together in a deep furrow.

With a dismissive snort, Kalina added, "That was a rhetorical question." Her words dripped with sarcasm, her lips curling into a sneer as she delivered her retort.

Taking a deep breath to steady herself, Kalina fixed Dominique with a steely gaze. "Listen, Mr. Dominique," she began, her voice trembling with suppressed anger. She planted her feet firmly on the ground, her body language exuding strength and defiance. "I don't know what this is and I don't know what the game plan is here. But I am not interested in getting married to you. I want you to get out of my life and my shop and never show your face at me again. I don't want to ever see you ever again. Just leave me the hell alone."

But despite her fierce words, Kalina couldn't help but feel a pang of uncertainty as Dominique stared at her with newfound interest. She cursed under her breath, her patience wearing thin as she moved to open the door, intent on ushering him out of her life for good. Picking up a stray bouquet on her way.

However, before she could make her escape, Kalina's world tilted on its axis as she stumbled, her foot catching on a stray flower Stem she had cut earlier. With lightning-fast reflexes, Dominique reached out and caught her in his arms, their bodies pressed together in an unexpected embrace,their eyes locked for a couple of heartbeats.

Kalina's blue eyes shimmered, reminiscent of a cloudless sky, while Dominique's stormy grey gaze mirrored the tumultuous emotions swirling within him. In that fleeting moment, time seemed to stand still as they were drawn to each other, caught in the intensity of the unexpected closeness.

But as reality slammed back into Kalina, she instinctively pulled away from Dominique her heart pounding erratically. Her cheeks flushed with embarrassment as she hastily adjusted her dress, attempting to regain her composure. Swearing profanities under her breath, she glanced around the room, avoiding Dominique's gaze, and muttered, "What the hell was that?"

Dominique, however, remained unfazed, his expression a mix of amusement and intrigue as he observed Kalina's flustered state, with a subtle smirk playing on his lips.

Kalina's resolve solidified, and she moved towards the door to usher Dominique out. But as she reached for the handle, Dominique surprised her by taking a step forward, halting her movements. He turned back to face her, his gaze piercing as he delivered his parting words.

"I'll be back," Dominique declared with a smirk, his tone laced with confidence and a hint of mystery. "But I'll give you time to think about it and absorb the whole information."

Kalina's heart raced with uncertainty as she processed Dominique's words. She watched him intently as he walked out of the flower shop, his smirk never faltering, leaving her alone with her thoughts and a whirlwind of conflicting emotions.

With a surge of frustration, Kalina slammed the door shut behind Dominique , her hand trembling with emotion as she turned the lock with a sharp click. "I don't need to think about anything, my answer is a big fat no!" she yelled after him, her voice echoing through the empty flower shop.

Dominique chuckled in response, his smirk widening as he glanced back at her over his shoulder. "We shall see, darling, we shall see," he retorted with a hint of amusement, his tone confident and enigmatic.

As he disappeared from view, Kalina watched with a mixture of anger and disbelief as Dominique entered his sleek car, the engine purring to life before it glided smoothly into the sunset. Left behind in the fading light, Kalina seethed with frustration, her mind whirling with unanswered questions and unresolved emotions.