Chapter 455

Returning from the Hawthorne family estate, Alexander noticed Evelyn was more preoccupied than usual.

She spent every waking hour in the lab, often bringing her work home with her.

After days of watching her rush through meals and disappear into her makeshift workspace, Alexander finally confronted her. "What's keeping you so busy, Evelyn?"

At her request, he had cleared out a room in their home for her projects. Now, he wondered if that had been a mistake.

Home should be a place to rest. Why does she insist on working here too?

"I'm developing something new!" Evelyn answered brightly, unfazed by his concern. She thrived under pressure—this was nothing new to her.

"Is this about the Olivella soap? If it's too much, I can assign someone to assist you. We could even revisit the partnership terms. There's no need to exhaust yourself."

The dark shadows beneath her eyes troubled him.

He had checked—Phoenix Labs had no major projects underway. The team handled smaller tasks, leaving Evelyn to focus solely on the Olivella line. So why was she pushing herself so hard?

"The Olivella soap?" She blinked, then shook her head. "No, that's not what I'm working on."

"Then what is it?" Alexander frowned. "Did Gregory assign you another project without informing me?"

He made a mental note to have words with the general manager.

"No, nothing like that." Realizing she had been distant lately, Evelyn set aside her notes. "I'm creating an essential oil blend for my grandfather."

"Your grandfather?"

His first thought was why an elderly statesman like Reginald Hawthorne would need perfume. But when she specified essential oil, it clicked. "For his insomnia?"

He recalled hearing about Reginald's sleeplessness during their visit. Many older adults struggled with it, but he hadn't expected Evelyn to take it so personally.

"Yes," she confirmed. "I want to formulate something tailored just for him—something to ease his mind and help him sleep."

A thoughtful gesture, but...

"Those already exist on the market," Alexander pointed out. "Lavender, sandalwood—plenty of options. Why go through the trouble of making your own?"

If commercial blends were available, why reinvent the wheel?

Evelyn understood his skepticism. "There are plenty of products, yes. Some even work well. But according to Donovan, my grandfather refuses to see a doctor. When the family tried using store-bought oils, he noticed and demanded they stop. They had little effect anyway."

She met his gaze. "But if I make it for him, he won't refuse."

Alexander nodded slowly. "Because it's from you."

Exactly.