Chapter 103: Chapter 103: Peach Blossom Lake

The 13th and 14th floors of the Nimbus Hotel were connected, specially designed with a couples’ theme to symbolize "a lifetime together."

Before the cataclysm, many young couples would save up just to propose at this high-end, romantic location and commemorate the occasion.

But now, it was no longer a place that ordinary young couples could afford.

The hotel’s floors and walls were covered in red silk and vibrant red roses. The air was filled with the scent of roses, with a faint finish of red wine.

The prolonged high temperatures and drought had dealt a devastating blow to the nursery industry. These roses were specially commissioned by the Nimbus Hotel from a company that specialized in indoor cultivation, and each flower cost a fortune.

Clara Hayes held her head high. Dressed in black high heels, she stepped onto the red silk and rose petals, walking straight into the private room where she was to meet Flynn Adler.

After entering, Clara Hayes tossed her handbag directly at a nearby waiter. She lifted her chin, shot a glance at Flynn Adler, who was already seated, and sneered, "Mr. Adler, you’re quite something. You know full well that the Oceanus Hotel is my family’s business, yet you invite me to dinner at our rival, the Nimbus Hotel."

Seeing Clara Hayes’s haughty demeanor, Flynn Adler cursed her under his breath. ’Bitch.’ He couldn’t stand women who gave him attitude for no reason.

But on the surface, he maintained the facade of a gentle and refined man. He stood up and said with a smile, "Yes, that was an oversight on my part. I hope you don’t mind, Miss Hayes."

Flynn Adler had been completely against this date. He detested women like Clara Hayes, who looked down on everyone. But his father, Kenneth Adler, was intent on a marriage alliance with the Hayes Family and had repeatedly ordered him to at least try spending time with Clara.

No matter what, Flynn Adler had to give his old man some face, so he had forced himself to come.

"Claire, I don’t think Mr. Adler did it on purpose," a gentle female voice said as Sylvia Lancaster walked in behind Clara Hayes. "He probably just wanted your date to have a romantic atmosphere, which is why he chose this place."

Flynn Adler’s gaze shifted to Sylvia Lancaster.

Sylvia Lancaster was clearly dressed with care today. She wore no jewelry, just a simple off-white silk slip dress. The smooth fabric accentuated her delicate curves, and since she had lost a lot of weight recently, she looked particularly pitiable and alluring.

Meeting Flynn Adler’s assessing gaze, Sylvia Lancaster offered a slightly shy smile and explained, "I’m sorry, Mr. Adler. Claire said she was a little nervous today, so she asked me to come with her. You don’t mind, do you?"

Flynn Adler chuckled softly at her words. He gave Sylvia Lancaster a thoughtful look and replied, "Of course not. Thank you both for gracing me with your presence. It’s my honor. Please, have a seat."

Clara Hayes snorted, not even glancing at Flynn Adler as she sat down. Sylvia Lancaster, however, gave him a gentle smile and sat beside Clara.

Flynn Adler took a seat across from them, his eyes lingering on Sylvia Lancaster for another moment. He had lost interest in her before, but now, perhaps with Clara Hayes as a foil, he found Sylvia somewhat captivating again.

Compared to Clara Hayes’s flamboyant and domineering personality, Flynn Adler much preferred women like Sylvia Lancaster. In his view, a woman should be gentle, docile, and obedient. That was what truly piqued a man’s interest.

Throughout the meal, Clara Hayes continued to give Flynn Adler the cold shoulder. Every time he tried to start a conversation, she would shut him down with an impatient retort. Flynn Adler wasn’t exactly patient himself; several times, he almost lost his temper and stood up to slap her across the face.

Meanwhile, Sylvia Lancaster subtly came to Flynn Adler’s rescue multiple times, trying her best to smooth things over and prevent the atmosphere from becoming too awkward.

Flynn Adler couldn’t help but narrow his eyes, studying Sylvia Lancaster more closely. She had her long, dark hair loosely pinned up, revealing a slender, elegant neck. For some reason, Flynn Adler found himself wanting to know what it would feel like to wrap his hand around it...

*

On the way back, Clara Hayes let out a long sigh of relief. She said to Sylvia Lancaster, "Sylvia, thank you for coming with me today. I really didn’t want to have dinner with that man alone. My family forced me to go."

Sylvia Lancaster shook her head. "Don’t mention it, Claire. It’s not like I had anything else to do at home anyway."

Clara Hayes asked, a little puzzled, "Sylvia, are you and Ethan Sutton still fighting?"

At the mention of his name, Sylvia Lancaster sighed, her gaze falling. "With my family in this state, I’m not good enough for him anymore. It’s only natural that he’d look down on me."

Hearing this, Clara Hayes paused for a moment without saying anything. ’Actually, my feelings about Sylvia are complicated,’ Clara thought.

They had been friends since elementary school, growing up together. Despite their different personalities, they had always enjoyed each other’s company for some reason.

Like Sylvia Lancaster, Clara Hayes was the only daughter in her family, with both an older and a younger brother. Having no sisters of her own, Clara had always felt that Sylvia was like a real sister to her, possessing a natural warmth.

In the past, the Lancaster Family had been better off than the Hayes Family, and Sylvia Lancaster had always outshone Clara Hayes. Clara had always been a little jealous of her.

But now that the Lancaster Family was facing bankruptcy, Clara’s jealousy had completely vanished, replaced by a touch of pity. As a result, she found herself liking Sylvia more.

Sylvia Lancaster had previously worried that Clara Hayes would blame her for Hugh Hayes’s disappearance, but lately, Clara had actually been in a good mood because of it.

Having lost a son, Hector Hayes had suddenly remembered he had a daughter and started showing her more concern. Because of this, Clara was less anxious about her brother’s disappearance and felt a secret, inexplicable sense of glee.

Just then, a text message suddenly appeared on Sylvia Lancaster’s phone. It was from Flynn Adler.

Sylvia Lancaster glanced at Clara Hayes and quietly opened the message: "8:00 PM tonight. The Crestview Hotel, B1108."

Sylvia Lancaster’s cheeks instantly flushed red, her heart pounding like a drum. She knew exactly what Flynn Adler’s message meant.

She also knew that once she took this step, there would likely be no turning back for her and Ethan Sutton...

After returning to the Lancaster estate, Sylvia Lancaster thought for a long time before finally deciding to go to the meeting.

*

Just as dawn was breaking, Melody Summers felt something pawing at her face in her sleep.

She jolted awake with a start and opened her eyes to see Albus.

Melody Summers breathed a sigh of relief. "White, what is it?" she asked groggily. She had been busy in her space until the early hours of the morning and was still half-asleep.

[Host, the diamonds have all been sold! We can ship them now!]

Melody Summers was instantly wide awake. She quickly grabbed her phone, logged into her shop, and saw that both the blue diamond and the Pink Diamond had been purchased.

"They finally sold!" Melody Summers exclaimed. The two diamonds had been listed in her shop for almost a month with no buyers, and just yesterday, she had been considering lowering the price.

Thankfully, they had finally been sold today.

Melody Summers checked the order details. Both gems had been bought by the same user. As for the shipping address, it was the familiar Nimbus Hotel again!

Melody Summers asked Albus suspiciously, "The Nimbus Hotel again? Is it their auction house?"

Albus was also a bit baffled:

[Our price is so high. Can they still make a profit?]

But that wasn’t their concern. Melody Summers quickly entered her space with Albus to pack and ship the order.

The package, containing one billion in assets, was then airlifted out by a drone.

The girl and her cat watched the drone’s monitor nervously, only sighing in relief when a security guard at the hotel caught the package.

Watching the guard escort the diamonds into the hotel, the two waited anxiously. Melody Summers was so nervous she didn’t even go down for breakfast.

Two hours later, the buyer confirmed receipt, and one billion in funds was deposited into her account.

"This is great!" Melody Summers cheered, scooping Albus into her arms. "Quick! White! Unlock the new area!"

Overjoyed, Melody Summers entered the space, still holding Albus.

[Understood. Funds have been deducted. Unlocking new area: "The Arcadian Lake."]

The white mist dissipated, revealing a vast, shimmering lake at the end of the stream. Its azure surface merged with the distant blue sky, stretching out as far as the eye could see.

"WOW!!!..."

The lake’s surface and the verdant green grass complemented each other like a beautiful painting. Melody Summers was so stunned by the beauty of the lakeside scenery that she couldn’t snap out of it for a long time.

Seeing Melody Summers in a daze, Albus spoke up to remind her:

[Host, if you follow the wooden path along the lake, you’ll reach a dock. You can park the yacht you bought earlier over there.]

Following Albus’s instructions, Melody Summers walked along the wooden path to the deep-water area of the Arcadian Lake. She maneuvered the yacht from her space onto the lake’s surface, then boarded it with Albus in her arms.

Melody Summers climbed up to the open-air terrace on the yacht’s third deck. Gazing out at the distant azure lake, she felt completely refreshed, as if all her recent troubles had been washed away.

"It’s a shame I don’t know how to pilot a boat yet, or we could go for a cruise around the lake," Melody Summers lamented. "This lake is huge! I wonder what its total area is. It’s magnificent!"

After a moment’s thought, she disembarked and ran back to the Arcadian storage warehouse, where she rummaged through the seed shelves and found some lotus seeds.

She cordoned off an area in the Arcadian Lake and planted the lotus seeds. If they sprouted successfully, her family would be able to eat lotus seeds and roots in the future.

The water of the Arcadian Lake was crystal clear, and the shore was dotted with beautiful pebbles. Melody Summers strolled along the lakefront with Albus, downloading yacht-piloting tutorials on her phone as she walked. She was determined to learn how to operate the boat as soon as possible!

The girl and her cat played by the lake until noon before leaving the space and returning to her bedroom. Just as Melody Summers was about to take a shower and have lunch, her phone rang.

Melody Summers answered the call, and Zane Simmons’s cheerful voice came from the other end:

"Melody Summers, are you free tomorrow? Want to come to the Nimbus Hotel for my son’s one-month celebration?"