Chapter 28

Serena Blake arrived at the fishing spot early in the morning with her trainees in tow. She had already arranged everything with the pond owner beforehand and urged everyone to get to work as soon as they arrived.

"We need to catch as many fish as possible today," she muttered under her breath, biting her lip. "I can't let Aria steal the spotlight again."

The thought of Aria's recent successes made her chest tighten. She had hoped to embarrass Aria on the show, but instead, the woman had shone brighter than ever. What made it worse was how Nolan Reed and Damian Cross treated Aria with obvious favor.

"Work faster!" she called out, raising her voice. "Let's fill as many baskets as we can before noon."

[Why is Serena in such a hurry today?]

[She seems like she's trying too hard.]

[Is she competing with Aria?]

Meanwhile, Aria and Damian led their group toward a farmhouse. Along the way, Aria patiently explained local customs to the trainees, occasionally cracking jokes to lighten the mood.

"I noticed the flowers here are especially beautiful yesterday," Aria said with a smile. "I'll show you later."

Damian added, "Ms. Bennett knows a lot about flowers."

Their seamless teamwork put the trainees at ease, and they chatted happily as they walked.

When they entered the courtyard, they found Nolan deep in conversation with an elderly man. Spotting Aria, his eyes lit up, and he quickly approached.

"Here to buy flowers too?" he asked, hopeful.

Aria took a subtle step back. "You're fast, Mr. Reed."

The old man chuckled. "Young Nolan knows his flowers. I agreed to let him take some to sell."

"That's great," Aria said, turning to the old man. "Could we take a look at the potted landscapes?"

"Potted landscapes?" The man looked surprised. "Those aren't usually for sale."

Seeing Aria's disappointed expression, he relented. "But since you asked, I'll make an exception."

"Thank you so much!" Aria's eyes curved into crescents.

Nolan's expression darkened. "Aria, we could—"

"No need," she interrupted. "You sell flowers, we'll sell potted landscapes. No overlap."

Damian smoothly cut in, "That sounds fair."

Nolan stared at Damian for a few seconds before finally conceding. "Fine. Whatever you say."

The trainees exchanged glances—this was nothing like the rumors online. Nolan was clearly the one pursuing Aria, yet she kept her distance.

[Wow, Aria is bold!]

[Nolan looks so dejected.]

[Damian protecting Aria is so hot!]

As Aria selected the potted landscapes, she explained each one in detail while demonstrating proper care. The trainees listened intently, fascinated. Damian handled the heavy lifting, their coordination flawless.

On the other side, Nolan sullenly directed his group to load the flowers onto their cart. Before leaving, he couldn't resist turning back. "Aren’t you coming with us?"

"We still have things to do," Aria replied without looking up.

Once Nolan was gone, Damian grinned. "What's the plan now?"

"I found a cherry orchard during my morning run," Aria said with a secretive wink. "We can pick some to sell alongside the potted landscapes."

Damian laughed in realization. "So that's why you were chatting with the villagers earlier—gathering intel."

"It's called being prepared," Aria said, tilting her chin up proudly.

They shared a smile, the sunlight casting a golden glow over them—a picture-perfect moment that was impossible to look away from.

[I ship this couple so hard!]

[Aria is so clever!]

[Can't wait to see their cherry business!]