Sean had wanted to leave earlier. He’d already cut his time with Liana short once to help Rosalind, and now he wanted to return to her and finish the game they'd started—complete their outing properly. But Nova’s offer gave him pause.The more labs he had access to, the more likely he was to stumble across rare medicinal research that might help him find a cure for his sister.Still, being able to use a lab without access to the actual research made no sense to him. He was about to refuse the offer, but Nova spoke up first.She stepped closer, lowering her voice just enough to make it clear she wasn’t bluffing. “We both know you’re not the type to care about titles or credit. But you’ve been chasing answers. Our research might help you find them. You want to know what they’re really using that formula for? What else has been buried under classified folders? Stay. Help us. And I’ll make sure you get access to everything.”Sean’s jaw tightened slightly. He didn’t speak right away. He gl

It was just past 6 PM when Sean arrived at the Springfield estate.Evening light bathed the mansion in gold, casting long shadows across the pristine driveway. The house looked just as he remembered—grand and quiet.The sky had deepened into indigo as Sean stepped out of the taxi, hands tucked into his coat pockets. Garden lights glowed softly, and the fountain murmured in the stillness.The air was cold, but it didn’t faze him.Rosalind was waiting.She stood by the fountain, calm and distant, her long hair loosely tied back. Her hand was still wrapped in a neat white bandage that stood out against her lavender sweater. Her lips parted slightly when she saw him approaching, but she didn’t speak.Sean saw her.He noted the bandage, the clarity in her eyes, and the way she stood firm. She wasn’t pale or frail. She looked… fine.So he kept walking.Didn’t stop.Didn’t speak.Didn’t look again.He brushed past her like she wasn’t even there.“Wow,” Rosalind said sharply, spinning around.

Pulling out the box, Sean set it gently on the table with a soft thud. And just like that, the laughter stopped.The sleek, dark wooden box gleamed under the chandelier, drawing every eye in the room. It looked expensive—tastefully crafted and entirely unexpected.For a moment, no one spoke. They were all too stunned by the sight.Even Rosalind’s brows lifted slightly. She hadn’t seen him holding anything earlier when they met by the fountain.‘How could he have carried that without me noticing?’ she thought. Then she remembered—he’d been wearing that oversized coat. He must’ve had it tucked beneath. Or maybe… she’d just been too focused on how cold he was, how distant, how he’d walked past her like she didn’t exist.Maybe she hadn’t been paying attention at all.Nate, on the other hand, was curious about Sean’s gift. When he heard Sean would be attending, he rushed to get his own gift ready. And now, with Sean claiming he was better, Nate felt a prickle of paranoia.For a moment, he

Edric was quiet. He stared at the bottle again, lifting it to the light.“Yes,” he said finally, the corner of his lips curling into a smile. “It’s real.”Seeing the look on Edric’s face, Rosalind’s eyes widened in shock. She hadn’t expected Sean to bring anything of value. But still, she wanted to be sure. Maybe her uncle was mistaken.“Are you sure the wine is real, sir?” Nate asked, still not convinced. He clung to the hope that Edric had made a mistake.“More than real,” Edric said, still admiring the bottle. “I haven’t seen one in years. They only produce about 400 bottles a year. And it’s never exported.”Curious now, he turned to Sean. “How did you even get this?”“I bought it.”“How?”“I asked for it… and had it delivered,” Sean replied simply. “Someone recommended it to me.”Edric blinked, stunned. How could Sean have gotten his hands on something this rare with a simple request? Still, he didn’t push. Maybe the wine had finally started appearing overseas, though he doubted i

Sean paused, his gaze shifting to Nate, who had just spoken. He couldn’t understand why the man had chosen that exact moment to speak right as Sean was about to leave. From what he could tell, Nate had plenty of time to talk during dinner but had chosen to wait until the end, like he’d been planning it.“You wouldn’t want to leave before I make my announcement, would you, Sean?” Nate asked.At that, all eyes in the room turned toward Sean. Feeling their gaze on him, he let out a quiet sigh and slowly sat back down.Nate cleared his throat and began. “As you know, the company my family owns—Rowe & Co. Parfumerie—”“Yes?” Julian cut in, his curiosity piqued. “Is there a big event happening at the company?”Sean’s brows lifted. All the times he’d heard Nate talk about his company, Nate had never started off like that. It felt... off. Suspicious. But Sean didn’t say anything. He just waited.“That’s no way to listen to someone!” Eleanor snapped at Julian. “Be quiet and let him speak!”Pou