The sound of that voice cut through my haze, snapping my mind back to clarity.

I quickly stood up, only to have my wrist locked in a crushing grip that sent a jolt up my arm.

Harsh light flooded the room as the overhead lamps flicked on, forcing me to squint against the sudden glare.

Once my vision steadied, Daniel's face came sharply into focus—cold, sculpted, and unforgiving, his eyes trained on me with the predatory patience of a hunter sizing up prey.

I struggled violently, trying to wrench myself free. "Let go of me! What on earth do you think you're doing?"

A thin, mocking smile tugged at Daniel's mouth as he spoke, his tone edged with ice. "Alexandra, you're impressively bold. Slipping in here, putting your hands on me, and now, you're pretending as if nothing happened?"

Shock rippled through me, and I finally looked around, only then realizing this wasn't the room Jenifer and I had reserved.

I had walked into the wrong room earlier.

Heat crept up my neck as I rubbed the back of my head, forcing an awkward laugh. "I-I drank too much. I must've mixed up the rooms. I'm really sorry."

Daniel's lips tugged into a thin, derisive smile. "The moment your scheme fell apart, you decided to blame the drinks for everything?"

The words jolted me, and with the buzz of alcohol still clouding my judgment, I shot back without restraint, even though the man standing in front of me was powerful, "You don't honestly think I'd ever be into you, do you? Don't flatter yourself. Narcissists like you are a complete turn-off. Even if every other man on the planet disappeared, I still wouldn't be with you."

The temperature in the room seemed to drop the moment my words landed, Daniel's expression hardening into something glacial. "Are you trying to provoke me?" he demanded, his voice low.

A dangerous edge crept into his voice as his eyes narrowed. "Say that again."

I didn't back down. Lifting my chin, I met his stare head-on. "You're a narcissist, and I don't like you at all!"

Just as I finished, I tried to wrench my wrist free, but his fingers closed with sudden strength, dragging me sharply toward him.

Thrown off by the force, I felt my footing slip, and I crashed straight into his chest.

Out of pure reflex, my free hand shot up and hooked around his neck, clinging to him to keep from falling.

We were far too close, the posture intimate.

Barely a breath separated our mouths, and the air between us blurred as our breathing tangled.

For reasons I couldn't explain, the scent clinging to Daniel felt familiar, as though I had smelled it long ago. But I had only met him for the first time this morning.

Right then, the ringtone vibrating from Daniel's pocket shattered the moment.

A flicker of clarity crossed his face as he reached for the device with one hand, easing himself out of the moment.

The instant he saw Emily's name glowing on the screen, the frost in his gaze thawed, replaced by a softness.

Standing close to him, I couldn't miss the small, tender voice drifting through the speaker. "Daddy, I want to see the lady from earlier today."

Those few words alone were enough to make my heart soften.

Casting a brief look in my direction, Daniel spoke into the phone with quiet indulgence. "You barely know her, and you already like her so much?"

"I don't know why," Emily murmured. "But I keep thinking about how she smelled and how she talked, and I can't fall asleep. I miss her already."

Daniel's voice lowered, patient and steady. "You'll feel better in a day or two. I'll ask the butler to tell you a story tonight."

"No, I don't want anyone else—I want her. Daddy, can you take me to see her?" Emily replied, her stubbornness evident.

A trace of authority edged into Daniel's voice as he said, "Emily."

Unease twisted through me; I was afraid his sternness would scare Emily.

Almost immediately, muffled sobs drifted through the receiver. "Fine... then I won't talk to you anymore!"

For a split second, concern crossed Daniel's face. After a brief pause, he softened his voice. "You'll see her tomorrow morning, I promise. For now, you need to go to sleep, alright?"

Emily stopped crying, her tone turning cheerful. "Don't forget your promise, okay? I'll go to bed now. Goodnight, Daddy."

Once the call ended, the warmth drained from Daniel's eyes, replaced by a cold, measuring stare as he looked straight at me.

"Come with me tomorrow to see my daughter," he said flatly. "Name your price."

Exasperation prickled under my skin, and a dry, mocking laugh slipped out before I could stop it. "Mr. Edwards," I said in a cold voice, tilting my head. "Just because you ask me to do that, you think I'll obey? Why would I do that?"

In all honesty, Emily had already worked her way into my heart. Every time I thought about her, it stirred memories of my own child, memories I usually kept tightly sealed.

We had only met once, yet she missed me so much that she couldn't sleep at night. Simply hearing that made my heart melt; there was no way I could refuse her.

Still, Daniel's domineering attitude left a bitter taste in my mouth, and I wanted no further entanglement with him—especially not with his obvious determination to dig into my background.

Daniel's expression turned glacial at my words. "I'm running out of patience. Even if you want to raise your price, you shouldn't push it."

Only dry amusement lingered in the laugh I gave. Without another word, I straightened, turned on my heel, and walked away without once looking back.

By the time I returned to the dining room, Jenifer was already there, waiting for me.

The moment she spotted me, she frowned in concern and asked, "Alexandra, where did you disappear to? You were gone for ages."

Unwilling to confess that I'd stumbled into the wrong room and run into Daniel, I waved my hand dismissively. "I just went to the restroom."

"Is that so..." Jenifer's brows knitted together, worry tightening her expression. "I've got bad news. When I went to get the perfume, it was taken away by someone else."

My heart skipped. "Taken away? By whom?"

Jenifer's voice rose with indignation. "That person was unbelievably arrogant! She said she's the fiancée of the Jones Group's CEO. I think her name is... Lilah Harris! Do you know her?"

Slowly, I let my lips curve upward, a faint chill flickering through my eyes.

Lilah...

How could I possibly not know her?

Still venting, Jenifer continued, guilt and anger tangled in her tone, "This is on me for being careless. Your perfume was way too good—I only meant to try a little. Then, Lilah caught a whiff of it and insisted on buying it. When I refused, she outright snatched it!"

After a beat, she said anxiously, "I looked her up afterward. She is already one of the most celebrated perfumers in the country. Alexandra, you've only just come back to the country. Breaking into the industry here won't be easy if you offend her..."

A soft, amused laugh slipped from my throat.

If Lilah actually had the nerve to come after me, that would only make things easier for me.

I wanted to see how much longer she could remain arrogant.

Reaching out, I gave Jenifer's arm a reassuring squeeze. "No need to worry. Since she dared to snatch our perfume, I'll make her pay for it. As for the perfume, I can make another one anytime. It's not worth losing sleep over."

Glancing at the clock, I added with quiet composure, "It's late. Let's go home."

Jenifer gave a small nod, lowering her voice. "Let's keep this from Mr. Lewis for now. Otherwise, he'll definitely scold me for losing the perfume."

I offered an easy smile. "Alright."

Probably because of the alcohol, I slept better than expected, sinking into a rare, uninterrupted rest.

Morning light found Jenifer and me already on the road, Jenifer driving as the Apex Group's headquarters rose into view.

On the surface, I'd been invited to officially join the company and expand my perfume business domestically.

In reality, that barely skimmed the truth—this was simply the opening move of my revenge.

Once inside the office, I sat across from Brenton Davies, the project manager of the Apex Group, going over onboarding procedures and future project plans.

Just then, a sharp, disdainful female voice echoed from the doorway. "Someone who has only been in the industry for about three years thinks she can join the Apex Group so easily? And she's handed a flagship project like Heartstring Moments right away? She must have slept with some big shot to get that!"

That voice... I recognized it all too well.

It had haunted me for countless nights.

Lilah was here.

At that moment, the office door was shoved open.

Confidence oozed off Lilah as she sauntered in, wrapped in an impeccable designer outfit, her makeup flawless, with two assistants hovering behind her.

Fixing her eyes on the room, she demanded, "Mr. Davies, where's the newcomer you hired?"

With a faint lift of her chin, she continued, "I want to see her."

Rising unhurriedly, I met her stare head-on and offered a polite smile. "Hello. I'm Alexandra Harris. I hope we'll be working well together from now on."

"Alexandra Harris?"

The moment my name landed, Lilah's composure cracked. Color drained from her face as she took a step back instinctively.

Her voice tightened as she blurted, "What did you just say your name was?"

Her assistant dragged her gaze over me with blatant contempt before curling her lips into a sneer. "Lilah, just look at her. That face alone proves she can't be your missing sister. She just has the same name as her."

Relief washed over Lilah at once. She straightened and regarded me with open disdain. "You nearly gave me a heart attack," she scoffed. "It's just disturbing to have someone this straight-up hideous share the same last name as mine."

Amusement curved my lips, my tone staying calm. "Since when did a surname become your personal property? And is tearing down other people's looks just your way to hide your own insecurity, Miss Harris?"

Lilah's face twisted in rage instantly as she snapped, "You disgusting freak—how dare you speak to me like that? Do you even know who I am?"

Unfazed, I met her glare without blinking. "I know exactly what I'm seeing now—a clown embarrassing herself in public."

Lilah's teeth ground together at my words, her stare sharp enough to cut. "Alexandra Harris, right? Fine. We'll see how long you'll last in Atokton. If you survive here, I'll eat my hat!"

Pivoting sharply, she fixed Brenton with a cutting stare and said, "Your judgment has really gone downhill. You'd grab some nobody off the street and hand her Heartstring Moments? If you let her touch that project, you'll drag the entire company straight into the ground. You'd better reconsider!"

Calm as ever, Brenton didn't rise to the provocation. He adjusted his posture and answered, "I stand by my decision. There's no need for you to concern yourself with this."

With a practiced flick of her wrist, Lilah reached into her designer bag and produced a crystal-clear perfume bottle, the glass catching the light.

"Before you decide anything," she said, lips curving with smug certainty. "You might want to smell this."

After a brief hesitation, Brenton accepted the bottle and released a careful mist into the air.

At once, a cool yet intricate fragrance unfurled through the office, crisp layers blooming one after another.

Surprise flashed across Brenton's face, then melted into unmistakable appreciation, and before he realized it, he leaned closer, breathing it in again, unable to hide his fascination.

His voice shook slightly as he looked at Lilah. "Did you make this?"

"That's right," Lilah replied smoothly, lifting her chin with a proud expression.

Eyes shining with excitement, Brenton leaned forward. "This is extraordinary. I completely underestimated your talent in perfumery before. If you could join the project, it would surely succeed!"

At his enthusiasm, satisfaction bloomed across Lilah's face, the corners of her lips arching higher.

Without saying a word, I stepped in, took the bottle, and let the scent settle against my senses before speaking calmly. "Thank you for the generous compliment, Mr. Davies. I'm honored you think so highly of the Lunar Blossom perfume I created."

Brenton's smile froze in an instant. "W-what did you say? You're saying... this was made by you?"

Meanwhile, Lilah's confident composure cracked, panic flashing briefly through her eyes.

In the very next second, Lilah snapped completely, her composure shattering as she shrieked, "What kind of nonsense are you spewing, you ugly freak? I was the one who brought the perfume here. Who else could've made it if not me?"

Whipping her head to the side, she looked at her two assistants, Delores Craig and Emberly Ford. "You two were there when I made the perfume. Tell them. This is my work, isn't it?"

Delores reacted instantly, nodding. "Of course it is! We watched you make it with our own eyes! What kind of shameless person will try to snatch someone else's work and claim it as their own?"

With a smug huff, Lilah folded her arms across her chest, chin tipped high as she faced Brenton. "Mr. Davies, just look at this farce. I can't believe she'd dare steal the results of my hard work right in front of me!"

After a pause, she added sharply, "Have security kick her out. I don't want to see her ever again!"

Her voice then dropped into a cold, calculated threat. "Otherwise, I'll take this public. I have hundreds of thousands of followers online now—one post is all it takes. If this turns into a scandal, your company won't come out unscathed."

Meanwhile, I kept my expression steady and casually reached for my phone, thumbs moving with unhurried precision as I sent a message to Jenifer, who was waiting downstairs in the lobby.

"I have a witness as well. Please give me a moment," I said.

A sharp sneer twisted Lilah's lips, her eyes dripping with scorn. "You have a witness?" she said, letting out a mocking laugh. "You think you can just drag some random person here and call them a witness?"

She angled her body toward Brenton, her expression tinged with disdain. "Honestly, this woman is clearly here to cause trouble, Mr. Davies. There's no need to waste time on her—let's sign the project contract first. I can't stay here for long. I have a meal scheduled with my fiancé, Karson Jones."

She deliberately emphasized Karson's name.

The moment she finished speaking, the room door flew open, footsteps sharp and urgent echoed as Jenifer strode in, her voice cutting through the tension. "Alexandra!"

Still basking in her certainty, Lilah turned with a curl of contempt on her lips. "Oh? Let's see what kind of joke you've dragged in here..."

Her smugness disappeared the instant she recognized Jenifer, her features locking stiffly as if someone had flipped a switch.

Keeping my tone even, I said, "That's my friend—Jenifer Moore. Last night, at Nova Club, you took the perfume I created from her. I am sure you still remember that."

With a small nod, Jenifer met Lilah's gaze and said, "Miss Lilah Harris, what a coincidence. We meet again."

The shock flickering across Lilah's face vanished almost instantly, hardening into razor-sharp fury. She said, voice rising, "So this is it—you two planned this together, didn't you? You are just trying to set me up."

Without missing a beat, Delores rushed to her defense, nodding emphatically. "That's right! Miss Lilah Harris can have anything she wants. She'd never lower herself to taking things from others!"

Emberly also spoke, her lips curling in contempt. "Exactly. You two are shameless. Apologize to Miss Lilah Harris right now!"

I had expected this response already; someone like Lilah would never admit the matter easily.

Fortunately, I had come prepared.

"So, you're determined to deny it until the evidence is right in front of you," I said lightly, a soft laugh escaping me. "Fine—then take a look at this."

I linked my phone to the room's projector, and surveillance footage flickered onto the massive screen.

The recording had been pulled from Nova Club after I had reached out to them the previous night.

In the footage, Jenifer could be seen, her voice firm as she said, "I'm sorry, but the perfume was created by my friend. It's not for sale."

Despite Jenifer's words, Lilah stretched out a manicured hand and snatched the bottle, her lips curling as she announced, "Then pass along a message—this perfume belongs to me now. It's your friend's honor that I even like it. If she dares to cause trouble over this, the Harris and Jones families will not let her off!"

When the footage finished playing, I lifted a brow and calmly studied the embarrassment flickering across Lilah's face. "Miss Lilah Harris, you certainly know how to talk big. Now, tell me how you are going to explain this."

As soon as the video ended, Brenton's face tightened with anger while he turned sharply to Lilah. "I never imagined you were this kind of person," he said in a glacial tone. "The Apex Group won't work with anyone whose integrity is this disgraceful. You're done here. Leave."

Rage twisted Lilah's face into something sharp and ugly.

Behind her carefully crafted image, her standing in the perfumery world rested on little more than aggressive marketing and a flood of money, with no genuine skill to support it.

In her mind, landing a partnership with the Apex Group would have cemented her status and silenced every critic.

However...

The sight of Lilah cornered, seething yet utterly powerless, sent a quiet thrill through me. As she brushed past me to leave, she leaned close and said through clenched teeth, "This isn't over."

***

Delores and Emberly scrambled after Lilah without hesitation. The deserted corridor swallowed their footsteps as Delores spun toward Lilah, her face tight with outrage. "So that's it? We're just supposed to swallow this and walk away?"

A crooked smile tugged at Lilah's lips, sharp and smug. "Of course not."

Without hesitation, she pulled out her phone, her eyes glinting. "I'll call Daniel from the Edwards Group right now. The Heartstring Moments project has to end up in my hands. I'd love to see who's stupid enough to try and take it from me."

Emberly stiffened, her voice dropping in alarm. "But... Daniel isn't just anyone. He's the kind of ruthless man no one in Atokton dares to provoke. You really think he'll help you?"

Lilah let out a laugh, twirling a strand of hair between her fingers. "It's all thanks to my dear sister. I don't know what tricks she used to worm her way into Daniel's favor, but after she vanished five years ago, he has kept a close watch on everything connected to her. And he helps my family now and then because of her."

She lifted her chin, confidence radiating from her posture. "And since I'm her only sister, he's never turned me down."

Delores' expression instantly shifted, admiration replacing anger as she flashed a thumbs-up. "Then you can really do anything you like in Atokton!"

A satisfied smile curved Lilah's lips, her arrogance plain. "Of course. That hideous freak doesn't even know her own place; she had the audacity to come at me. I'll make her pay!"

***

After the contract was signed, Jenifer and I gathered our things and prepared to leave.

We had just reached the ground floor when Brenton rushed over, his steps uneven, his breath coming fast.

"Miss Harris, I-I'm afraid there's bad news," he said.

A sharp knot formed in my chest as I stopped. "What happened?"

Dragging a hand down his face, Brenton let out a weary sigh. "Not even a minute after we signed the contract, the Edwards Group called. They insisted that Miss Lilah Harris take charge of the project..."

He paused, his voice apologetic. "I'm truly sorry."

The words struck me like a sudden lightning bolt, leaving my thoughts momentarily blank.

Daniel's open protection of Lilah, the person I hated deeply, could only mean one thing—their ties ran deep.

Memories I had tried to bury surged back without warning. Five years ago, I had been powerless and injured, eight months pregnant, trapped in despair, crying until my voice gave out...

That night, and the pain branded into it, was something I would never forget.

The resentment I felt toward Lilah burned just as fiercely as the rage I harbored for Daniel now.

Jenifer's face flushed with fury as she snapped, "Why the hell would Daniel do that? We never crossed him!"

Hearing that, Brenton explained, "This really has nothing to do with the two of you. For years, people in Atokton have whispered that Lilah is backed by the Edwards family—that's where all her arrogance comes from. Everyone knows how formidable the Edwards family is, so it's best not to offend them."

He paused for a moment. "That said, Miss Alexandra Harris, even if you don't take on this project, the Apex Group is still open to working with you if you're willing."

Drawing in a slow breath, I forced my emotions back under control. "I'll think about it. Thank you for letting us know, Mr. Davies. We'll be leaving now."

Brenton gave a small nod of courtesy. "Alright then—take care."

After Jenifer and I slid into the car, Jenifer immediately launched into a stream of irritated complaints.

Noticing how quiet I'd gone, she finally glanced over at me and asked, confusion edging her voice, "Alexandra... aren't you angry about this?"

How could I not be angry?

No one despised Lilah more deeply than I did, and the fury clawing at my chest burned so fiercely that it threatened to swallow me whole.

Drawing in a long, measured breath, I swallowed the rage churning inside me and said, "What good does getting angry do right now? Mr. Davies isn't wrong. Going up against Lilah is one thing, but crossing the Edwards family is totally different."

Jenifer gave a subtle nod, her tone steady. "It's fine—they've got power, sure, but we can afford to be patient. There'll be opportunities for us to get back at them."

A quiet dip of my chin was all I offered in response.

After dropping Jenifer off at her place, I headed home.

The moment I neared my front door, my steps slowed. Two figures were waiting there.

One of them was a tall, commanding man, exuding an oppressive aura.

His sharp features were carved with cold precision, and his slightly lowered gaze made his eyes seem unfathomably deep.

A flawlessly tailored suit traced his broad shoulders and lean frame, amplifying his grace.

Recognition struck me instantly—he was Daniel.

Cradled in his arms was Emily.

The instant she spotted me, Emily waved enthusiastically as she called out in a sugary voice, "Hey!"

A faint crease appeared between my brows.

The moment Daniel helped Lilah, he made himself my enemy.

Never in my life had I imagined he would actually show up at my door in person.

Suppressing my emotions, I kept my expression glacial and said sharply, "Why are you here? You should leave right now!"

Staring at me in disbelief, Joshua said, "How dare you talk to Mr. Edwards like that?"

Emily shrank back like a startled little rabbit, her eyes instantly glossing over with tears.

The sight of Emily's distress tugged at me despite myself, and after a quiet breath, I reined in my temper and softened my voice. "Do you need something?"

With an icy gaze, Daniel replied, "Emily wanted to see you—that's why she's here with me. Otherwise, I would never come to your place."

Without bothering to soften my expression, I said, "Mr. Edwards, I already turned you down last night."

Even at her age, Emily grasped the meaning of my words immediately. Her small face crumpled, tears spilling over as she looked at me. "You don't like me... do you?"

A tight line formed at Daniel's mouth as he passed Emily to Joshua, flicking him a look, signaling him to take her away.

The moment Emily disappeared from view, the temperature around him seemed to drop, his gaze turning razor-sharp. "Emily hasn't done anything wrong," he stated icily. "She only wanted to see you. How can you be so cruel as to turn away a child?"

A short, cold laugh escaped my mouth. "After everything you've done to me, this is already me being courteous."

Fatigue weighed heavily on my shoulders, and I had no patience left for Daniel. Turning away, I was ready to open the door to go inside.

But just then, Daniel's hand snapped around my wrist, his grip firm, eyes dark with confusion. "What exactly have I done to you?"

I tried to wrench myself free, but his grip was unyielding.

Letting out a slow, tired breath, I forced myself to meet his stare. "Mr. Edwards, are you really pretending not to know what you did?"

My voice sharpened as I continued, "Didn't you use your pull to force the Apex Group to hand the Heartstring Moments project to Lilah?"

At that, a subtle shift flickered through Daniel's eyes before he masked it, his tone casual. "It was nothing important. She wanted it, so I let her have it."

That calm response wrung a sharp, humorless laugh from my throat. "You make it sound so simple," I said, bitterness slipping through my tone. "Do you have any idea what Lilah and I..."

Without warning, old memories surged in my head, crashing through me like a rising tide, stealing the rest of my words.

Unwilling to let it drop, Daniel held my gaze, his expression unyielding. "What exactly happened between the two of you?"

Something inside me finally snapped. Heat rushed to my face as my control crumbled, and I yelled, my voice shaking with fury, "Everything I went through was because of Lilah! I am actually..."