Chapter 1 Need Help?
The master bedroom on the second floor of the villa had this cool, almost icy vibe. The bright, cold light from the fancy fixtures made the big room feel kinda oppressive. The only thing that stood out was a pot of gardenias on the floating table, adding a bit of life to the place.
Evelyn Taylor stepped out of the bathroom, cold water still dripping down her temples, trying hard to forget what she had just seen.
But the more she tried to forget, the more nauseous she felt. She ran back to the bathroom, feeling like she was going to be sick. Evelyn never thought she'd have a day like this.
She never thought she'd see something like that. She and Liam Scott had been in love for three years. They had agreed that once her perfume "First Love" was a hit, they’d get married.
But now, her perfume "First Love" was a success, and Liam was hooking up with her good friend Vivian Reed in the new house they had just bought.
She never believed a close friend would betray her. She thought she and Vivian would be friends for life, but Vivian had deceived her.
Through the slightly open door, the scene that met Evelyn's eyes struck her, leaving her stunned and bewildered.
From the next room, she could hear the man's voice, mixed with heavy breathing, while the woman's voice was soft and sultry.
What they said next made Evelyn feel even more disgusted.
"Don't worry, that foolish woman Evelyn has no charm whatsoever; I have no interest in her," Liam's voice grated on Evelyn's ears, making her feel nauseous.
"Are you sure Evelyn won't come back tonight? What if she comes back and sees me with you? What should we do then?" Vivian's voice was soft and sticky, making Evelyn feel sick.
'Vivian, Liam, you are truly shameless,' Evelyn cursed inside, a wave of anger washing over her heart.
Evelyn splashed her face with cold water, trying to regain her composure. As she approached the door, she felt an overwhelming urge to kick it open and confront them, eager to see their expressions in that moment.
Evelyn was disappointed that her wholehearted dedication would result in such an outcome.
"Liam, do you think Evelyn would be furious if she discovered that the company's name is an abbreviation of our initials?" Vivian said, sounding quite delighted, with a playful tone in her voice.
Liam replied, "Someone who spends all day in the lab like her would never think of such a thing."
"That's true. Liam, thank you for tampering with Evelyn's perfume formula during the rookie competition. Without you, I wouldn't have achieved what I have today." Vivian's soft, sticky voice came from the room.
"So, Vivian, where's my reward?" Liam asked, looking at her with a look of affectionate indulgence.
"Honey, your place, your rules," Vivian responded with a blushing face.
Evelyn gritted her teeth, her eyes wide open. For a moment, she felt like she couldn't hear anything, as if someone had struck a heavy bell next to her ear.
Evelyn remembered winning first place at the state-level perfumery competition three years ago, which catapulted her to fame. She received countless offers, including from major companies like Seraphian Group.
At that time, her relationship with Liam was stable, and his career was just taking off. To support him, she turned down offers from major companies like Seraphian Group.
It wasn't until two years ago, when she competed in a major tournament again, that she discovered something was off with her perfume at the venue. She was utterly perplexed, unable to comprehend where things had gone wrong, especially since she had personally handled every aspect of the perfume's formula. She suffered a crushing defeat and felt despondent for a long time, but throughout that period, Liam was by her side, continually comforting her.
Gradually, she let it go. Liam convinced her to work behind the scenes, focusing on developing and blending perfumes, leaving the public appearances to Vivian.
She agreed without a second thought. Since then, Vivian became the face of Liavian Perfumes, soaking up all the glory, while Evelyn faded into the background.
No one remembered the Evelyn who had made a splash in the fragrance competition three years ago.
Facing the truth of Liam's betrayal, Evelyn felt like a complete fool for being played by Liam and Vivian.
Tonight, she was supposed to be in the company's lab working on "First Love," but an hour ago, she finally perfected it. She wanted to share the good news with Liam first.
She never expected to walk into such a nightmare. At first, she wanted to burst in and scream at them, but she had always valued decorum. Evelyn couldn't bring herself to act out, but she wasn't going to let herself be a doormat either.
It was only now that Evelyn realized she had been the fool all along.
With a heart full of despair, Evelyn left the villa. She walked alone under the sycamore trees on the empty street, wrapped in the stillness of the night.
Her heart was heavy with sorrow, but when she touched her face, she found no tears. She realized she couldn't even cry.
Now she understood the feeling of betrayal, like someone had taken a knife and carved a deep hole in her heart. The pain was beyond words.
Evelyn knew the new fragrance competition was tomorrow. Liam would have Vivian present "First Love," and all the praise and recognition would go to Vivian, leaving Evelyn with nothing.
Evelyn felt weak, her body cold as ice. She had spent countless hours in the lab developing "First Love," practically living there. There was no way she was going to let that deceitful woman, Vivian, take credit for her work.
Evelyn kept walking until she couldn't anymore. She sat under a streetlamp.
At that moment, she felt like everything between her and Liam had been a joke. She gazed at the nearly deserted street, where only a few cars passed by in the dead of night.
Evelyn sat by the roadside, her eyes vacant as she watched the passing cars, as if waiting for someone to come and help her.
It was late autumn, and the rain was becoming more frequent. The ground was covered with golden sycamore leaves. It had rained earlier, and the air was full of moisture.
Evelyn was wearing a pair of black leather high heels, very delicate, but she deliberately stepped on the wet sycamore leaves, feeling a strange sense of satisfaction.
Evelyn stomped on the sycamore leaves in anger, not knowing where to go or what her future held.
Not far away, a man in a car, dressed in a suit and a black coat, his nose sharp and well-defined, his long eyes slightly narrowed, was watching the woman in the distance.
He intended to drive over, but then he saw the woman sit down on the ground, looking confused, as if something terrible had happened.
The man opened the car door with a faint smile.
Evelyn had twisted her ankle while stomping on the leaves in anger and had fallen to the ground, feeling the pain.
As she was about to get up, a shadow covered her, and a scent of cedar mixed with sage wafted over. A deep, magnetic voice sounded in her ear. "Need some help?"