Chapter 198

Dominic's mood brightened instantly as he listened to Vanessa. Overjoyed, he lifted her up and spun her in a circle, laughing. "You're absolutely right! Vanessa, you're my lucky charm! With you beside me, I'm unstoppable!"

"Hey, put me down! I'm pregnant, remember?" Vanessa giggled, playfully swatting his arm.

"Oh, right!" He set her down carefully, his hands immediately cradling her belly. "Hey there, little one, you okay?"

"Don't be ridiculous. You can't hear anything yet!" She rolled her eyes, poking his forehead affectionately.

"Of course I can! He's already calling me 'Dad'! Vanessa, I know it hasn't been easy for you. Thank you." He pulled her close, resting his forehead against hers, his voice thick with sincerity.

"Since you know how hard it's been, you'd better spoil me rotten," she murmured, melting into his embrace.

Vanessa had her own motives, of course. Now that she was working with Lucien, she no longer had to worry about DR Holdings' outdated perfume formulas. As long as Lucien kept supplying her with new blends, she could maintain her reputation and stay ahead of the competition.

But Dominic could never find out about her connection to Lucien. With him out of Veridian City, she could finally breathe. Still, she had to nurture this alliance carefully—one misstep, and everything she'd worked for would crumble.

"Vanessa, you smell incredible," Dominic murmured, inhaling deeply. His pulse quickened. "It's been too long..."

"Stop it." She pushed him away lightly, turning her face, but he caught her wrist and pulled her back.

"Are we really not allowed to while you're pregnant?"

Her heart fluttered—not from reluctance, but exhaustion. Thankfully, without Lucien's influence and with Dominic's attentive care, her health had improved. She cupped his face, relenting. "Fine. But be gentle."

Dominic's face lit up. He swept her into his arms, carrying her like royalty. "Don't worry. I'll take care of you."

The next morning, Evelyn arrived at the office only to be summoned into Victoria's room immediately.

"Did you see DR Holdings' Twitter post yesterday?" Victoria gestured for Evelyn to come closer, pointing at her screen. "They've lost their minds! Who does something like this?"

Evelyn frowned, confused, and walked over. The company's official Twitter page was open, displaying a shocking announcement—they claimed responsibility for the recent perfume formula leaks. The scandalous formulas that had gone viral? All part of their signature collection. Their reasoning? They wanted to "foster discussion and innovation" in the industry.

Evelyn was speechless.

This was pure insanity.