Chapter 124
In the living room, as Leopold settled onto the couch, his eyes fell upon a sealed glass bottle resting on
the coffee table.
“What’s this?” he asked, his curiosity piqued, as he picked it up.
“Hands off,” Vivienne warned, reaching out to reclaim it. It was the concentrated Tranquil Aroma
perfume essence, too potent to touch the skin directly.
But Leopold, known for his mischief, quickly hid the bottle, flashing a sly grin. His eyes darted between
Percival and Vivienne, and he teased, “Let me guess, is it something naughty, like a slippery massage
oil…”
Vivienne had initially ignored his jesting, but from the corner of her eye, she saw Cecilia, who had been
pursuing Stella, returning alone. She attempted to retrieve the bottle from Leopold. With a swift move,
Leopold evaded her, accidentally tossing the Tranquil Aroma perfume out
of his hands. It landed with a crash at Cecilia’s feet.
Instantly, the strong fragrance filled the entire apartment, making it difficult for everyone to breathe
comfortably.
Cecilia hesitated for a moment, then disregarded it, stepping over the broken glass and storming in, her
voice accusing, “How could you… Achoo! Stella, she… Achoo! You… Achoo! Achoo! Achoo!”
Before she could finish her sentence, the overpowering scent triggered five consecutive sneezes,
leaving her eyes moist and red.
Vivienne, feeling an unexpected pang of guilt, glared at Leopold and handed Cecilia a few
tissues.
Cecilia’s nose was unbearably itchy; she didn’t have the luxury to disdain Vivienne. Wiping her tears
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇtand nose, she asked between sneezes, “What is this… Achoo! …smell?”
Finally unable to bear it, she ran away, sneezing all the way.
The four people left in the living room exchanged puzzled glances.
Percival had prepared himself for a day of incessant nagging from his mother, but a bottle of perfume
managed to divert her attention. He decided that this was a great solution. He thought it was a fantastic
item to have on hand. The next time his mother bothered him with trivial matters, he could just sprinkle
it around the house.
And he should prepare some for Isolde too. Lately, his mother’s repetitive complaints had been driving
the poor girl crazy. She constantly complained to him about it.
Thus, an argument vanished into thin air.
Vivienne glanced at the time; it was already 11 A.M. Unusually enthusiastic, she suggested to
Leopold and Thomas, it’s lunchtime. Let’s eat together, I’ll cook”
Douro Leopold jumped up as it propelled by a spring, ready to flee.
We Now Ive already ordered food, it will arrive shortly. You don’t need to trouble yoursel Thomas said,
his face contorted in displeasure. He swiftly placed orders on the 400 NOVING Iuch attention to the
items, as long as something was ordered.
Only Vne looked disappointed. She wanted Leopold and Thomas to experience bor improved cooking
skills, but apparently, that plan was thwarted. “Well, maybe next time.” Leopold and Thomas
exchanged a silent glance, relieved that they had escaped unscathed the time. They silently vowed
never to approach Percival during meal times. It was too
Suddeek they understood why Isolde, who had been so attached to Vivienne, hadn’t come along with
Cecilla today. The little girl was indeed clever, despite her young age, she knew how to avoid trouble
However what surprised them was Cecilia’s persistence. She regrouped in the afternoon and
When Thomas opened the door and saw Cecilia, wearing a mask, walking in, the
conversation in the living room ceased.
“Where’s Vivienne? Cecilia skipped the pleasantries and got straight to the point.
“Upstairs Leopold kindly pointed the way for Cecilia.
Cecilia walked upstairs with determined steps to find Vivienne,
Watching Percival’s stem gaze, Leopold shrugged and explained, “Well, the mother-in-law and
daughter-in-law conflict has always been a timeless conundrum. You can’t stop it.”
He suggested with a grin, “if you’re worried about your fiancée being bullied by your mother, why not go
up and help?”
I’m worried about my mother,” Percival sighed, rubbing his temples. Vivienne could be a handful. Well,
let his mother have a taste of her own medicine. He trusted Vivienne to handle the situation tactfully.
In the fragrance lab, Vivienne, having finished her meal, had retreated to the meticulously organized
room. Cecilia entered just as Vivienne was contemplating the freshly delivered Tranquil Aroma
essence.
Hearing the door open, she turned around.
Cecilia instinctively took a step back when she saw the perfume essence in Vivienne’s hands. The
morning’s sneezing fit was still fresh in her mind, making her wary.
However, noticing her own hesitation, Cecilia quickly composed herself, standing tall and confidently
stepping forward. She glanced at Vivienne’s fragrance workstation, her curiosity
Chapter 124
piqued. Suspicious, she asked, “Do you really know how to blend fragrances?”
Cecilia hadn’t come today to introduce Stella to Percival, as she had pretended. Instead, during a
morning poker game, she had coincidentally encountered Stella and her mother, Mrs. Pembroke.
Follow on Novᴇl-Onlinᴇ.cᴏmMrs. Pembroke was an old friend of Cecilia’s. During their game, she casually mentioned Vivienne’s
audacious challenge against Elijah, acting as if it was a trivial matter.
Stella chimed in, adding that Elijah was an apprentice of the internationally renowned Master Q, and he
held the title of The Perfume Prince himself. Stella couldn’t fathom why Vivienne had challenged Elijah,
considering his reputation and credentials.
Stella even showed her news articles about the incident. Indeed, the event at Cloudcrest High School’s
auditorium had made the headlines. Elijah’s high profile and Vivienne’s previous public exposure due to
Arabella Hawthorn’s accusations had quickly made it a trending topic on social media.
Elijah’s numerous fans ridiculed Vivienne online, claiming she was overestimating her abilities. Even
bystanders were doubtful about her skills. Facing the sly remarks from her friends, Cecilia grew
increasingly furious.
This Vivienne was so clueless. She had grown up in a remote place and had never been exposed to
the perfumery profession. Why did she think she could challenge Elijah?
If Vivienne were just a nobody, Cecilia might not have been so irritated. She might have found
Vivienne’s audacity admirable. But Vivienne was Percival’s fiancée, and her actions reflected upon the
Ellington family’s reputation.
Cecilia’s anger grew as she thought about it. She had even lost interest in the game and had decided
to confront Vivienne and persuade her to find a way to cancel the fragrance competition.
Stella, who insisted on coming along, was with her.
“Vivienne, I heard that you’ve arranged a fragrance blending competition with The Perfume Prince
Elijah at Cloudcrest High School next Friday?” Cecilia questioned coldly.
“Yes,” Vivienne nodded. She had seen the news today, so she knew why Cecilia was asking.
Cecilia hesitated, considering how to persuade Vivienne to comply. Her eyes were suddenly drawn to a
perfume bottle inside the glass cabinet.
“Is this… the discontinued Oriental Night Fragrance?!”