Chapter 142

The warm water cascaded down Evelyn's body as she finished her shower. Stepping out, she noticed Victoria had already drifted into sleep, her soft snores filling the quiet bedroom. The poor woman looked utterly exhausted.

Evelyn moved silently across the plush carpet, draping a cashmere throw over Victoria's sleeping form. With one last glance at her peacefully sleeping friend, she switched off the bedside lamp and slipped out of the bedroom.

The adjoining living area of her business suite offered a cozy space with a leather sofa and minimalist furnishings. Evelyn gathered the remnants of their late-night snack, stacking the containers neatly in one corner of the glass coffee table.

Sleep eluded her tonight. The day's perfume sampling session had been unexpectedly productive. While the new fragrances showed only subtle variations, they maintained remarkable consistency with the collection's overarching theme.

But it was Lucien's creation that truly captured her attention. The sample provided by the organizers had intrigued her immediately. To an untrained nose, it might have passed for chrysanthemum, but Evelyn's expert senses detected something far more sophisticated. The French perfumer had clearly employed a refined spice that mimicked the flower's essence - a clever ruse to test the participants' expertise.

Evelyn smirked. Lucien probably thought none of the attending perfumers could discern his little trick. His arrogance was showing. Which made his sudden deference to Vanessa all the more puzzling...

Her phone vibrated against the tabletop, pulling her from her thoughts. Alexander's message blinked on the screen: "The wolves will eventually eat the naughty shepherd."

It took Evelyn a moment to decipher his meaning. Ah, "The Boy Who Cried Wolf." She'd promised to meet him earlier but got caught up in work. Now she was the dishonest shepherd in his playful analogy.

Leave it to Alexander to concoct such an elaborate way to scold her for standing him up. The mental image of him pouting while crafting this message made her lips twitch with suppressed laughter. Ridiculous man. Adorably ridiculous.

A glance at her watch showed it was well past midnight. But when had time ever stopped Alexander Kensington?

Peeking into the bedroom, she confirmed Victoria remained deeply asleep, now curled on her side murmuring something unintelligible. Satisfied, Evelyn gathered their trash and slipped out quietly.

The elevator ride to Alexander's floor seemed to take forever. The corridor lights dimmed to a romantic glow as she approached room 1808, her pulse quickening with each step.

Her knuckles barely grazed the door when it swung open. Strong hands yanked her inside, pressing her back against the wall as the door clicked shut. Alexander's familiar cologne enveloped her as his lips claimed hers in a searing kiss that left her breathless.

"When have I ever broken a promise?" she gasped when they finally parted. "I'm here now, aren't I? Instead of the girl who cried wolf, shouldn't you call me Pinocchio?" Her fingers tangled in his hair as she tried to catch her breath.

Alexander's deep chuckle vibrated against her skin. "Noted for next time," he murmured, nuzzling her neck. When she playfully swatted his chest, he caught her wrist, pressing tender kisses along her knuckles. "I missed you," he confessed, his voice rough with emotion.

The simple admission melted her defenses. "I missed you too," Evelyn whispered, her forehead resting against his. "So much."

Their lips met again, this time in a slow, worshipful kiss that spoke of longing and sweet reunion. Alexander cradled her face as if she were the most precious treasure, his touch conveying what words could never fully express.