“That’s nonsense! Of course Mr. Russell smiles!”“No, that’s not what I meant. He smiled a genuine smile!”“Of course it’s real! Why would his smile be fake? Watch your words. If Mr. Russell hears this, you’re done for!” “I’m trying to say that Mr. Russell usually smirks, and it’s scary. When he does that, it’ll most likely lead to something bad. His smile just now was real though, like one we’d all have. It was lovely, didn’t you see?” He looked at everyone in the room, trying to find someone else who would agree. The others in the room remained silent, but they all had the same thought. It also surprised them that Alexander had smiled during the meeting and that the same smile was entirely… out of character. … Lily waited for a long time, but she had not received a reply from Alexander. She kept checking her phone, her face turning a darker shade of red as she read the embarrassing text between Alexander and her. Gosh, she was acting like him. How could she have s
After taking a cold shower, Nathaniel came out feeling calmer. He noticed Melanie was lying on the bed, fast asleep, and the food he had ordered remained untouched on the table. He moved to her side, covered her with a blanket, and then went to eat dinner. He arrived in a hurry and did not have time to eat. He had been busy with work recently, so having proper meals was the least of his concern. Nathaniel had been having stomach problems for some time now. If he ate too much or too little, his stomach would hurt. He swiftly gobbled down some food, not daring to overeat, and turned toward the sleeping Melanie. She was snoring softly; this was Nathaniel’s first time hearing her snore after dating for a long time. It was apparent that the recent happenings had worn her out. Melanie was also newly pregnant, so her body conditions might have changed. Nathaniel could make out the dark circles forming around her eyes. She was particular about her appearance, yet she had allowed
Melanie shook her head, “Maybe it’s just too stuffy in here. Let’s go for a walk and have something to eat outside?” “Okay, let me change. Where do you have in mind?” He stood up and asked. “I’m still quite tired, so I don’t feel like going somewhere far. Why don’t we just go to the hotel’s restaurant?” Melanie lowered her head, acting as if she was exhausted. “Sure!” Nathaniel replied without giving it much thought. After getting changed, Melanie went to the hotel’s restaurant with Nathaniel. Since her mind was filled with thoughts of Frank, the moment she entered, her eyes immediately found Frank’s table. Her grasp on Nathaniel’s arm tightened as she tried to put on a calm exterior. “A table for two,” Nathaniel said to the waiter. They were led to a table at the back when Melanie pretended to notice something. She nudged Nathaniel and said, “Isn’t that Mr. Moreau over there?” Honestly, Nathaniel was not at all happy bumping into Frank. However, he was a fami
The waiter served the food, and Melanie kept staring at the steak in front of her, slowly cutting it with her utensils and patiently cutting it into small pieces. In comparison, the two men seemed much more casual.“I haven’t had the time to thank you for your help, Mr. Moreau. You were right. After we adjusted the formula according to your note, we fixed the essential oil. Now the factory is back in full swing, even though the incident delayed our deliveries for a few days.“It took time, but we made up for it. Fortunately, the customers were understanding. It’s all thanks to you, and I appreciate it,” Nathaniel raised his glass as he said sincerely.Frank smiled faintly, "It’s no big deal." He also raised his glass.Melanie straightened her back abruptly when the two glasses clinked.Keenly aware of Melanie’s reaction, Nathaniel immediately put down his glass and asked concernedly, “What’s wrong?”Melanie shook her head and smiled. "I'm just a little tired, that’s all. You guys
Nathaniel thought, ‘Frank has the fame, status, power, and wealth, so he surely has access to all the beautiful women he could ever want. Also, my mother introduced Frank to me, so he must be a friend of hers. Why would he lust for Mel?’With that thought in mind, Nathaniel felt relieved. He smiled at Frank, raised his glass, and said, “Thank you!” Then he downed his wine.Frank smiled inconspicuously. His eyes flashed behind his gold-framed spectacles."By the way, Mr. Moreau, how long will you be in the country? I’m unsure if you’re inclined to develop your career here." Now that Nathaniel had eliminated his doubts, he changed the subject, wanting to keep Mr. Moreau’s talents for his use."I’m not sure," Frank answered as he refilled his glass. Then he stared at the wine in his glass."Since you’re not sure, does that mean you’re up for consideration?" Nathaniel deliberately misunderstood his response. "If so, may I know which local company you like? Will it be possible for you
Ignoring Nathaniel’s embarrassed expression, Frank gestured with three fingers, “Thirdly, what I dislike the most, is making friends." After speaking, Frank adjusted his jacket, stood up, and said, "I'll go get the bill. Enjoy your meal."That was a proper insult from Frank. Nathaniel was still full of hesitation earlier, trying to negotiate, but now he became furious. Considering their relationship, Nathaniel initially thought he could easily reach a consensus with Frank. Still, he did not expect Frank to be so callous and not give him any courtesy at all.‘Indeed, Frank is capable but does he think he’s the only great perfumer? He’s still far behind compared to the absolute top perfumers,’ Nathaniel downed his wine with this bitter thought in mind. Wanting to see if Frank had left, he turned around and saw a familiar figure. ‘Is that Lily?!’ He had almost forgotten she was here too. On the first day Melanie arrived, she ranted to him about it. Nathaniel squinted and saw Lily’s
"No, but it's annoying. Still, you don't need to come and help me chase the dog." "Are you sure you want me to help? Then I'll head over." Alexander was more than happy to come and even more eager to announce their relationship to the world. "No! No thanks! I refuse!" Lily repeated three times, and he laughed out loud. "I'll be there for you anytime!" Alexander replied. Of course, it was impossible to ask him to help, and Nathaniel would not dare to do anything in such a public setting. However, hearing those words from Alexander made Lily feel at ease, and she smiled sweetly.Seeing her smile, Nathaniel was a little dizzy for a while. Given their long history together, he was used to having Lily by his side. He had grown accustomed to her busy schedule in the lab while dressed in work clothes daily, the peculiar aromas that permeated her body, and her unwavering expression and tone. However, these were the same reasons that made him feel very tired. How
Lily sat up and looked at Nathaniel with an amused expression. She questioned him patiently, "Mr. Hall, if I remember correctly, you've been telling people that Ms. Thayer created your company's perfumes. Then, how could I have done something to your formula? “Besides, since Ms. Thayer created the perfume, she could just make alterations. How could I possibly be able to do anything to your formula? How was this my revenge?" Nathaniel had expected her to react this way, so he lowered his voice, "Lily, there isn't anyone around, so could you drop the act? We all know what's the deal with the formula. I admit I've used you, and I'm sorry. Still, you've almost destroyed my company. Now that you've left for Rebirth and doing well there, I won't ask much of you. I hope we can forgive and forget. How about that?" This was already his most significant concession. He would not press charges on what Lily had done, and she should not continue to hold grudges against him for his past mis