Flora’s Guide to a Second Chance at Love and Life

It looked like Jackson was onto something-Fiona definitely had some strong ties with the owner of the Golden Hotel. Turns out, the owner was her uncle. The manager led Jackson and his crew into the fanciest private room, treating them with the utmost respect, and handed them the menu.

Fiona, with an air of ease and familiarity, ordered a few dishes, catching Jackson's attention. His eyebrow lifted in mild surprise. “Fiona, do you come here often? You seem to know the menu better than me," Jackson commented.

Nash was equally surprised, remembering the chatter among the girls in their class. They always talked about how Fiona came from a modest background, supposedly from a remote village where even a decent meal was a luxury. Yet here she was, ordering with the confidence of a regular.

"Oh, your mom brought me here last time," Fiona replied smoothly, casting a quick glance his way. "Some dishes left quite the impression, so I remembered them."

Nash nodded, recalling that his mom did indeed take Fiona out for a meal once. Jackson's long lashes lowered as he mused, hiding whatever thoughts were swirling in his mind. "The owner of the Golden Hotel is such a mystery—no one knows who they really are. Fiona, with your smarts, any guesses on what they might look like?"

His tone was casual, almost like he was just making conversation. Fiona was a bit taken aback, looking up at Jackson suddenly. What was he getting at with that question? Was it some kind of test?noveldrama

Taking a sip of her tea, Fiona kept her cool. "I think the owner of the Golden Hotel must be as stunning as a fairy."

Why not? She thought she wasn't too shabby herself.

Nash, feeling a bit irked with Fiona today, couldn't resist taking a jab, "Are you serious? Everyone knows the owner's a guy. Do you really think a woman could run a hotel this big?"

As beautiful as a fairy, no less. Why not just say she owned the place herself, he thought sarcastically.

"And why couldn't it be a woman? Got something against women?" Fiona shot back at Nash. "Did you forget how I put you in your place?"

Nash's face turned pale at that. It was a humiliating memory for him, and he clammed up. Jackson watched the back-and-forth with a grin, noticing Fiona's empty water glass. He reached for the water pitcher, but someone beat him to it.

"Ms. Fiona, have some water," Tyler said, pouring a glass and setting it in front of her.

Fiona accepted it with ease and took a sip. Jackson's smile faded, leaning back in his chair, his gaze darkening slightly as it settled on Tyler.

Oblivious to the tension, Tyler continued, "Ms. Fiona, I think you're right. A talented woman can achieve amazing things. I also think there's a good chance the owner's a woman.”

He didn't really care about the hotel owner, but he trusted Fiona's insight. After all, Ms. Fiona was the one who got him out of the foster system and back into school.

Fiona smiled warmly, giving his shoulder a light pat. "You've got a good head on your shoulders."

"Here, have some of this."

A plate of pastries was conveniently in front of Jackson, but Fiona moved it over to Tyler. It was a thoughtful move. She had noticed earlier that Tyler skipped lunch to finish his

work and was probably hungry by now.

Tyler looked at the pastries, a small smile tugging at his lips.