Chapter 21

Evelyn sank into the chair, her gaze lifting to meet Sophia's. "Bella, if you had to choose between DR Holdings and me—"

"Always you!" Sophia cut in before Evelyn could finish, her voice ringing with conviction.

The immediate response caught Evelyn off guard. A slow smile spread across her face.

It would have been ideal if Sophia could stay at DR Holdings. The company offered stability, and Sophia thrived in the lab—her temper flared in crowded rooms, but she was a genius when it came to perfumery.

Evelyn couldn't stay, but her departure would inevitably affect Sophia. The guilt gnawed at her. Yet, she hadn’t expected such unwavering loyalty.

Maybe DR Holdings gave me something after all, Evelyn mused.

Silence settled between them, warm and understanding. No words were needed.

"Oh, right," Sophia blurted, shifting the mood. "Are you really joining Phoenix Labs?" She hesitated, then added cautiously, "Could I… come with you?"

Job-hopping usually meant going solo or bringing an entire team. Bringing just one person—especially someone still establishing herself in the industry—was unusual.

Evelyn hadn’t discussed it with Phoenix Labs yet. Alexander Kensington had arranged her position. If she asked to bring Sophia along…

"Don’t worry if it’s not possible," Sophia said quickly, forcing a casual shrug. "I’ll find something else. It’s not like I’m helpless."

"No, it’s not that," Evelyn reassured her. "I’ll talk to them. If you want to come, I’ll make it happen." Sophia was more than an assistant—she was family.

"When do you start?" Sophia asked.

"Still negotiating. And I have loose ends to tie up here first."

"The documents?" Sophia’s expression darkened. "I have backups. But they took the hard copies!"

Evelyn waved a dismissive hand. "Dominic’s planning a press conference. He wants me to admit I lied during the competition."

Sophia shot up from her seat. "What?" Her voice trembled with outrage. "After everything we poured into those formulas? He steals the credit, and now he’s trying to ruin you? Does he have no shame?"

She knew better than anyone the sleepless nights, the skipped meals, the experiments they monitored for hours, napping on lab benches just to ensure the data was perfect.

They had bled for those fragrances.

And now Dominic was twisting the knife.

Sophia’s hands clenched into fists. "We won’t let him get away with this."