Chapter 2

The awards ceremony ended, and I walked away with the Perfumer of the Year trophy.

But the launch of "Azure Veil" was completely overshadowed by the hype surrounding "Frost Kiss."

By the time I returned to Theodore's villa, it was already past midnight.

The living room lights were on. Theodore was sitting on the couch, a velvet jewelry box resting on the coffee table.

Hearing me come in, he looked up, his brow furrowed. "Why are you back so late? Why didn't you answer my calls?"

I took off my heels, my voice flat. "I had to do a few interviews after winning."

He stood up, walked over to me, and handed me the velvet box.

"I'm sorry I couldn't walk the red carpet with you today. This is a makeup gift. See if you like it."

I opened the box. Inside was a brilliant diamond necklace.

But near the clasp, there was a tiny, barely noticeable scratch.

Moreover, the box still smelled faintly of that cloyingly sweet "Frost Kiss."

I looked up at him. "You originally bought this necklace for Audrey, didn't you?"

Theodore’s face stiffened for a second, replaced quickly by irritation.

"Audrey said the necklace was too expensive and didn't suit her."

"I thought it matched your style, so I brought it back. Amber, do you really have to be this petty?"

"You're giving me something someone else rejected?" I tossed the box back onto the table. "Theodore, I don't take leftovers."

"What is your problem?" His voice rose. "Am I not here with you now?"

"Audrey has no parents, and she's new to the company. What's wrong with me looking out for her a little?"

"As my future wife, can't you show a little more grace?"

"Future wife?" I laughed, tears practically pricking my eyes.

"Theodore, when you stood on that red carpet today and told the cameras that Frost Kiss was Audrey's original creation, did you think of me as your future wife?"

Theodore’s eyes flickered with guilt, but his tone remained defensive.

"It was just a discarded base note. You weren't going to use it anyway."

"Audrey needed a solid release to establish her career. What's wrong with me letting her borrow it?"

"If it makes you feel better, I'll have accounting transfer a million dollars to your account tomorrow to buy out the formula."

A million dollars.

Three years of my hard work, countless nights of boiling and extracting, was worth only a million dollars to him.

Looking at the man I had loved for seven years, he suddenly felt like a complete stranger.

Years ago, to help him build the Vance Group's fragrance line, I had smelled hundreds of raw ingredients a day until my nose almost lost its function.

He had held me close with teary eyes, swearing he would never let me down.

Now, for the sake of another woman’s career, he casually erased all my efforts.

"I'm not selling," I said, staring straight into his eyes.

"Theodore, the formula for Frost Kiss belongs to me. I'm releasing a public statement tomorrow."

"Amber!" He grabbed my wrist, his grip painfully tight.

"Do you have to take things to such an extreme? If you release that statement, Audrey's career will be ruined!"

"She's so young. Why are you trying to destroy her?"

Looking at his face, twisted with anger, I pried his fingers off my wrist, one by one.

"I'm not destroying her. You are."