Chapter 221 - Shooting Star (1/2)

When he learned that Anya really cared about the vanilla plants in her garden, Aiden immediately ordered Harris to install CCTV in a secret place.

He knew that when the vanilla grew, it would make a lot of money. He was afraid that someone would steal it and made Anya feel disappointed, so Aiden decided to install CCTV without Anya's knowledge.

But no one thought that even before the vanilla had grown to perfection, someone had done something to cause the plant to wilt. The CCTV must have recorded who did it.

The employees then stared at each other. They looked surprised and said, ”Assistant Harris, why didn't you tell us that there is CCTV installed in this park?”

”Why are you afraid if you haven't done anything wrong?” Aiden stared at the two of them.

”Bu Anya, this vanilla, we didn't do it. We are embarrassed because when we want to pee, we usually do it on the spot because we don't know there is CCTV,” said one of the employees with a stiff face.

When she heard this, Anya's face turned red with shame. Then she looked at Aiden. ”I don't have to go see the CCTV footage.”

Aiden looked at Harris and his assistant immediately understood. ”You two please come with me to check the CCTV footage.”

Anya crouched on the ground, looking at the vanilla plant that had lost its freshness. Her heart felt tight as she tried to suppress the pain she felt. ”Can I save this vanilla?” Anya whispered in a low voice.

”Wait for the agricultural experts I contacted to come and take a look. Maybe there is something we can do,” Aiden came crouching beside Anya and stroked her head.

Anya tried to hold back her tears, making her eyes sting. ”My mother used the money for the sake of this vanilla garden, so she couldn't visit the doctor. This vanilla would eventually grow for the first time. Do you know that I'm looking forward to it?”

”Anya, I know you are in a bad mood. This vanilla is the result of your and your mother's hard work over the years. Be patient, I'll try to help you,” said Aiden.

Anya got up and headed to the other side. Not all the vanilla in the garden was exposed to the herbicide water, so there were some plants that still looked green, in contrast to the dying vanilla.

”Aiden, did you know that this vanilla is very fragile? Vanilla needs a special environment with a temperature that cannot be lower than 20 degrees. During the day, the temperature should not exceed 30 degrees and the humidity should not be less than 70 percent. This vanilla is supposed to grow for the first time. I've taken care of it for three years and now almost all of them have died. My heart...”

Anya's gaze was blank, as if she had run out of pain in her heart. She struggled and endured so as not to cry.

The vanilla wouldn't even cry. Then what should she do?

Aiden grabbed Anya's body and hugged her.

”Everything will be alright. Trust me!” Aiden took Anya out of the vanilla garden. There, the air was so humid that it was increasingly difficult to breathe.

Standing in front of the vanilla garden's door, Anya felt her heart was torn and bleeding. Her gaze was fixed on the yellowing plants.

The vanilla should bear fruit in just a few days, as she had been dreaming of.

She felt her heart die along with all those plants. Her chest felt tight.

The result of her and her mother's hard work for three years...would be in vain...

She had nothing left ...

”Aiden, I feel like I can't breathe,” Anya held her chest that felt sore.

Aiden tried to pull Anya, keeping her away from the place. But Anya refused to go. She was still standing in front of the door, looking at all the dying plants.

”This vanilla garden is the hope of my mother and me. This plant is very hard to grow. They bloom around two or three in the morning and wither before noon. My mother and I worked for seven or eight hours without stopping, without eating or drinking, without sleeping, to do artificial pollination...”

Anya continued with wet eyes, ”We work from morning to noon. My back is very sore and my eyes feel very sore. This vanilla is the result of my hard work. Who could do this to me...”