“How could it be, Mom? Am I not here to see you?” He wanted to get up, but Elizabeth tightly held onto his wrist. “Don’t go! If you’re gone, I would have nothing.” Damian frowned. “Mom, I’m not leaving. I’m just going to get you a glass of water. Your lips are so dry that they’re flaking.” Elizabeth touched her lips and realized they were dehydrated. She sighed. “Flaking? Who would give a d*mn even if my lips start bleeding?”“Mom, don’t say it like that. Do I not care about you? Dad too!” “Your dad? Please!” She snorted, still looking upset. “After all these years, all he does is pay us lip service. Deep down, he only cares about that woman.”“You’re just upset, Mom.” Filling up a glass of water, he handed it to her and helped her to sit up. While she sipped the water, Damian said, “You’ve been with Dad for so many years. I’m sure you know how he feels about you. Besides, from my perspective, Dad still loves you.”“He loves me, yet he couldn’t bear to part with 10 million dol
Elizabeth took the perfume and gave it a look. “It looks great!” She took the bottle out from its packaging and sprayed some perfume onto her wrist. “What do you think?” Damian asked smilingly, ready to receive her praises. Elizabeth took a deep breath and nodded. “It smells great! Truly great! It’s the best perfume I’ve ever used. You did a marvelous job!” With his mother acknowledging the product, Damian grew even more confident. “This is why I asked you to wait for my good news.”Elizabeth was happy, too. With a smile, she sprayed two more times to fill the air with the fragrance. She closed her eyes with her head tilted upward and took in the scent. Damian looked on quietly. To him, he was witnessing the start of a beautiful future. “Hmm…” Elizabeth sniffed and frowned. She took another sniff. “What’s the matter?” Seeing his mother’s unusual reaction, Damian asked hurriedly.“Nothing. I just feel it’s a bit weird.” She sniffed the scent again as if making sure. “W
Early in the morning, Arianna knocked on the door to Nathaniel’s house. Nathaniel yawned and rubbed his sleepy eyes. He was upset when he answered the door. “Can you not knock on my door so early next time, please? Even if you don’t need sleep, others do.”“I need every bit of information on Lily Christian.” Arianna stepped in and went straight to the point. Nathaniel was stunned, stopped saying what he was about to say, and looked over at her. “What?”“I want a detailed report on Lily, as detailed as possible.” She went to the sofa, sat, and put her handbag down, looking severe.Having heard her instruction clearly, Nathaniel laughed as he took a can of beer from the refrigerator and handed another to her. Arianna held up her hand and frowned, rejecting the beer. “How can you stay awake drinking this in the morning?”“Don’t worry. I’ve always been awake.” He gulped down his beer and burped, looking satisfied.” Why would you suddenly ask me for such a report? Besides, Lily is f
Although she did not admit it, her reaction proved otherwise. Nathaniel chuckled meaningfully. “I see.”“Whatever it is, I do it for our mutual interest. Don’t interfere with my plans,” Arianna grabbed her handbag, stood up, and said, “When you’re ready, send it to my email.” Nathaniel smiled, non-committal.Arianna took a few steps, then stopped and turned around. “Oh, I heard the company’s first perfume will launch soon, and its production is almost complete. Don’t you want to go to the factory to check on things?”“Why should I? Someone has kept a close eye on it. The credit will go to him anyway, so why would I bother to steal the limelight?” Nathaniel said casually. The truth was that he knew exactly how many times Damian had gone to the factory. Arianna raised her eyebrows and reminded him out of goodwill, “Are you certain your plan will work? If he discovers the problem before the perfume’s official launch, wouldn’t your arrangement go to waste?” “If he can easily disco
As the workers moved the new equipment into the studio, Lily was on the sidelines taking inventory, somewhat distracted.Olivia was busy at work and moving around. She loved the new studio, not just because it was ideal, but because it belonged wholly to them, and they could do anything they wanted.“Put this over here and that over there. Hey, be gentle, okay?” Olivia was in high spirits as she instructed the workers. She looked over at Lily and found her holding a pen and a notepad without writing anything, seemingly in a daze.“Lily, what’s the matter?” She waved. “You’ve zoned out for quite some time.”Lily caught herself. “Oh, I’m fine. Is everything here and accounted for?”“Almost. The equipment is complete, and we have more stuff here than at our last workplace. Most of the tools here are the latest and have truly amazing designs.” Olivia was too satisfied with the studio and could not stop singing her praises.“Well, I initially thought the stuff we had was complete, but
“The hospital.” Jenny got straight to the point. “I mean, you should verify it, right? At least you’ll know what to do.” After a moment of silence, Lily said quietly, “I didn’t go to the hospital.”“You were afraid to? Do you want my company? This is so unlike you, though. No matter what, it’s better to know, right?” Lily bit her lower lip. “It’s not that. I already tested it myself.” Jenny asked immediately, “Then? Are you really… pregnant?”The answer was obvious in Lily’s hesitant expression.“Yes.” Lily nodded her head. She felt conflicted since knowing about it, and her thoughts were a mess. “Oh my God! That means I’m supposed to…” Jenny paused to think before saying, “…congratulate you?” Under normal circumstances, Jenny would congratulate her, but now that Lily had just started her studio and had begun accepting orders. Being pregnant meant giving up all of that. Should Jenny congratulate her or lament that the child had come at the wrong time? “I have no idea
Since production at the studio had only just begun, there was little to do. Lily spent a few days deliberating over the series theme, and that was just for Lisa's order. She could only begin developing the fragrance once she settled on a theme and basic concept.In the early afternoon, Lily suggested that Olivia go home and rest while she stayed around to tie up some loose ends and outline the preliminary concept for Lisa's order.She sat for nearly an hour trying to think of solutions, but all she could think about was whether she should give up the child or her job.In the meantime, she could not stop twiddling the piece of wood Benedict had given her because of how it smelled. Interestingly, its scent was not strong but had steadily lingered for a long time.“Your business hasn’t even started officially. Do you have to work so hard?” Having the key to the studio, Alexander went straight in and saw her zoning out. Lily was surprised. “Why are you here? Got off work early?”“I’
Lily stared up at him, unable to respond. “Frankly speaking, I’m not patient, and children are troublesome. However, I’d be looking forward to them if they were our own.” He held her hand and asked, “Why? Do you want a child now?”Gazing into his eyes, Lily wanted to let out a sigh. Whether she wanted the child or not, it was already here. Having her hands held between his, they felt warm, and she gradually relaxed. After all, he was the one who had made her feel safe for over a year. He had a right to know, just as Jenny had emphasized earlier.She gulped and mustered her courage. “I have something to tell you.”“Yes?”“I might be…” She paused and chose her words carefully. “I might be… I might be pregnant.”Having said it out loud, she felt a sudden relief. She looked nervously at him, anticipating his response. To her surprise, Alexander was neither shocked nor overjoyed. His response appeared overly calm as if he was listening to stories that had nothing to do with him.