Chapter 295

Evelyn was clutching something tightly in her palm when she returned this time.

Dominic couldn't quite make out what it was from where he stood.

She placed the sample on the worktable, flicked on the desk lamp, and examined it under the warm glow. The fragrance was... extraordinary. At first whiff, it seemed artificially enhanced, yet further inspection proved it was completely natural, emanating purely from the wood grain itself. This discovery made her fingers tingle with excitement - she had to trace its origin.

But finding the source might prove impossible if that temperamental young craftsman had truly disappeared.

As for tracking him down...

Evelyn turned to ask Dominic's opinion, only to find him looming directly behind her. She gasped, nearly dropping the precious sample. "When did you get so close?"

"Where else would I be?" His voice carried a distinct edge of irritation. "Finally decided to acknowledge my existence?"

"I was just puzzling over something."

With a playful pout, she tugged at his sleeve. "I didn't mean to ignore you, really."

"That makes it worse," he grumbled, pinching the tip of her nose affectionately before his gaze dropped to the wooden fragment in her hand. "This is what's got you so distracted?"

"Mmm." She nodded eagerly.

Dominic plucked it from her fingers, bringing it to his nose for a careful sniff. His eyebrows knitted together. "Remarkable scent profile."

"Right? It's unlike any sandalwood or aromatic timber I've encountered. Completely unique in my experience," Evelyn explained, her eyes sparkling with professional curiosity.

Dominic shrugged. "The world's full of undiscovered wonders. Could be an unknown species or some advanced grafting technique."

"You think it's plant hybridization?" She shook her head. "We've worked with grafted specimens at Silverpine Valley for our new product line. This is different."

That very difference made it irresistible.

Seeing her furrowed brow, Dominic considered the problem. "Where'd you acquire this? That antique shop on Antiquarius Lane again?"

"Yes."

"Simple then. Ask the proprietor about his suppliers."

Dominic straightened, making the solution sound elementary.

"The shop owner doesn't know. I got this scrap from their part-time worker - that moody young craftsman. He's the only one who might know its origin. I asked him to save more for me, but..." Her shoulders slumped. "He vanished without notice."

"A young craftsman?"

Dominic's eyes narrowed slightly, focusing on an aspect Evelyn hadn't emphasized.

Unaware, she continued musing, "Yes. I suspect he wasn't just some apprentice. His sudden disappearance might relate to this wood sample."

She lifted the fragment, studying its grain patterns with renewed intensity. Though she lacked concrete evidence, her instincts screamed there was a connection.

"You seem... unusually interested in him."

Suddenly, Dominic caged her between his arms against the worktable, his towering frame radiating quiet menace.

"Only in his materials," she corrected quickly, though a mischievous glint entered her eyes. "Though that boy did have explosive temper - like a firecracker waiting to ignite. Quite memorable."

She recalled how the young man's eyes would darken at the slightest provocation.

"Hardly more than a child," Dominic muttered, though his possessive grip didn't loosen.