The Million-Dollar Heart (Percival and Vivienne) novel Chapter 117

It seemed like Vivienne had a tail on her even before she reached Midland Villa. She was on high alert, trying to figure out this man’s game plan, but he never showed his face.

She grinned while reaching into her fanny pack, where she casually snatched a wasp's nest while climbing over a wall earlier.

The wasps she had drugged were mostly awake by now and were stirring in the bag.

She opened the bag and, as she passed a tree, tossed the wasp's nest onto the mysterious guy, and quickly bolted.

The wasps caused quite a ruckus, but surprisingly, the guy didn't flinch.

She stood outside the villa's wall, listening for a while, only hearing the bodyguards shouting about wasps but no mention of an intruder.

She smirked and disappeared into the darkness, laying low.

...

In the basement.

This was no secret lab or prison cell.

It was a fragrance room piled high with spices and glassware. Even the ventilation system was top-notch to prevent the scents from mixing up.

Upon entering, Elijah saw a young man in a white coat playing with toys with a little girl around twelve.

The girl sat on the floor, quietly focusing on her toys.

Both of them had striking Eurasian features.

After Elijah's entrance, the little girl didn't look up. Instead, the young man turned to glare at him.

They had been held captive by Elijah for over a year.

Elijah ignored his hostility and examined the half-completed perfume on the fragrance table.

"I need her to create a new perfume within a week." Elijah ordered as his gaze rested on the quiet little girl.

He placed nine bottles of perfume in front of them. "The perfume she creates must surpass these nine scents."

The bottles were perfumes that Beatrice originally had Evelyn create. He suspected Vivienne would use Evelyn's recipe to challenge him, so he needed a scent that could outdo Evelyn's.

"You were trained in perfumery. You should know that coming up with a new scent requires inspiration."

The young man paused and responded coolly, "I can't guarantee Riley will have new inspiration within a week. Besides, perfume is subjective. You can't just compare them willy-nilly."

"If you two don't want to die, you'd better do as I say." Elijah chuckled. "I believe in her. Isn't she the master perfumer, Master Q? Her creations 'Hallucination,' 'Abyss,' and ‘Fading Dream’ prove she can create a perfume that surpasses all others."

Their argument was heated, but the girl seemed oblivious. She was still engrossed in her toys.

"I've told you already that Riley is not Master Q." The young man, full of anger, retorted. "Master Q is Riley's mentor."

"Raymond Fairfax, you still deny it after all this time." Elijah didn't believe a word of it.

"When I was in Graslandia, I started investigating. The house you two siblings lived in was where Master Q resided. When you two left Graslandia, Master Q vanished from Graslandia. Moreover, Master Q only made twenty bottles of 'Hallucination.' Each bottle has an owner, so why do you have a bottle?"

Only twenty bottles of the infamous 'Hallucination' perfume were made, causing much disappointment to those who couldn't get their hands on one in the perfume world.

"Most importantly..." Elijah's eyes fell on Riley Fairfax's ring. "Why is she wearing Master Q's ring?"