Chapter 241

Vanessa Blake wasn't good enough. Her nose lacked sensitivity, and her talent was mediocre. Years of neglect had dulled her skills, but she still understood the fundamentals. She hovered on the sidelines, assisting where she could.

She had to admit—Lucien Dubois was magnetic when he worked. His movements were precise as he dripped the extracted essential oil into the mixture, blending it with other ingredients. He stirred carefully, then set the vial on the rack to settle.

Three trials. Three test tubes.

"One of these will be what we're looking for," he murmured. "And there might be a surprise."

Vanessa tilted her head. "You mean a sister-style series?"

His lips curled into a smirk as he lifted her chin with a finger. "Not as stupid as you look."

She jerked away. "Sister-style perfumes aren't practical. Consumers won't buy two nearly identical scents. They'll pick their favorite and leave the other to collect dust."

Lucien chuckled. "That's where you're wrong. It's survival of the fittest. The public chooses the winner—the bestseller. The other becomes the budget alternative. Same scent, lower price. More profit."

Her eyes widened. "That's just counterfeiting your own product!"

Perfumers usually discarded failed experiments. But keeping a flawed version intentionally? Vanessa had never heard of such a ruthless tactic.

"Piracy is when someone else copies you," Lucien said, amused. "If it's your own creation, it's just smart business." He leaned closer, his voice dropping. "Besides, you're hardly innocent. How did DR Holdings acquire its early formulas again?"

The words struck like a blade. "That's different!" she snapped.

It shouldn't have hurt—but it did. Every reminder of her past deception twisted something inside her.

"DR Holdings' products were my work. Not stolen."

Lucien shrugged. "Not my concern. But you still owe me what you promised." His arms slid around her waist, pulling her close. "And you've been avoiding me."

His pheromones hit her like a wave, thick and suffocating. She stiffened, breath catching. "I told you—I need the right opportunity. Be patient."

"Patience is running thin, Vanessa." His grip tightened. "Are you playing me?"

She gasped. "Stop—we're in a lab!"

Lucien glanced around, then smirked. "Ah, yes. The lab." His fingers traced her jaw. "How... stimulating."