Chapter 66:

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“Pleasure doing business with you.”

Kellan’s handshake was firm but unhurried. “You had your hesitations earlier, but now you’ve agreed because of my grandmother, right?”

Allison gave a slight nod, her eyes steady. Family was a powerful motivator, and she understood his guarded approach. “That’s right. Your grandmother’s work in perfumery is renowned, and I’ve always been drawn to her techniques. Whenever I encounter something I can’t quite master, it becomes an obsession. Her ability to balance contrasting scents, mixing warm and cool notes, is remarkable. I’ve tried, but I can never quite capture the same harmony.”

A gentle, unassuming smile curled on Allison’s lips. “But if you’re willing to mentor me, Kellan, that might save me a lot of trial and error.”

Kellan had always been a man who noticed the smallest details. His instincts were sharp, finely tuned to detect hidden motives, yet Allison remained an enigma—careful, composed, and never one to lay all her cards on the table.

She wasn’t foolish either. No need for a formal visit to his grandmother just yet. As long as she could find a way into their world, there were countless ways to unearth the truths she sought.

“You’re too modest, Ms. Clarke.” Kellan’s voice remained even, though the warmth of her skin lingered on his fingertips, and before he realized it, his fingers curled ever so slightly.

“I honor any deal I make, but gaining my niece’s approval won’t be simple. Children are rarely easy to win over. Perhaps you’d prefer to ask for something else instead?”

He shifted the conversation with ease, his tone casual yet deliberate. “Whatever’s within my power, consider it a token of gratitude—for saving my life that night.”

Allison raised a brow, amusement flickering in her eyes. “Which night are we talking about here? The cruise or the cave?”

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Her voice was playful, hinting at something more unsaid. She took a step closer, shrinking the space between them, enough to blur the line between business and something personal.

Kellan could feel the warmth of her breath. Her lashes, long and delicate, fluttered as though they were brushing against his mind, leaving a subtle, stirring effect.

Before he could respond, she added, “So, anything I want?” Kellan instinctively broke eye contact, glancing aside.

His heartbeat faltered for a moment, unfamiliar with the way she unnerved him. No woman had ever affected him like this. “Of course, within reason,” he managed to reply. Allison’s smile widened, and the charged atmosphere dissipated as quickly as it had formed. She stepped back, the earlier closeness evaporating into the air. “I’ll keep that in mind. If I run into trouble, I’ll be sure to call on you first, Mr. Lloyd.”

In one seamless motion, Allison plucked a strand of hair from Kellan’s shoulder, hiding it in her palm with expert precision.

According to her intel from Cobweb, Kellan was around her age, and the timeline of his mother’s passing suspiciously matched her own mother’s disappearance. And his grandmother’s perfumery skills? Identical to what her mother had once mastered. There was a slim chance they might share more than just a business relationship—possibly even blood. That thought, while still speculative, left her unsettled. Yet any clue, no matter how far-fetched, was worth pursuing.

Just then, a knock interrupted them, and Kellan’s assistant entered with a respectful pause. “Sir.”

Sherman froze for a moment, his words caught in his throat as the sight before him made him pause. His boss, who was notoriously aloof around women, was standing unusually close to Allison. The air between them wasn’t businesslike—it felt almost… intimate.

For a moment, Sherman questioned what he was seeing. Was this the same woman who had discovered Kellan’s secret about faking his disability? Now, the tension between them seemed entirely different, more familiar than he had ever imagined possible.

Despite the questions swirling in his mind, Sherman regained his composure and cleared his throat, maintaining a respectful tone. “Sir, there’s a large crowd of media outlets waiting outside. Our car can’t even get through. Ontdale’s biggest TV network is there, along with two major international news outlets. They’ve been waiting for quite a while now.”

Sherman had never seen such a media frenzy. But when he thought about it, it made perfect sense. Kellan wasn’t just the CEO of the world’s most prestigious luxury brand; he was also the heir to the Lloyd Group.

And now that the news had broken that he was the CEO of Charisma Company, along with his alliance with the Everett Group in the perfume industry—any one of those headlines would have been enough to spark a media storm.

“Several outlets with ties to the Lloyd Group have also sent interview requests,” Sherman continued. “They’ve even mentioned that if you can’t do a full interview, a simple photo would suffice.”

“Well, it looks like Mr. Lloyd has his hands full, so I’ll step aside,” Allison chimed in with a warm smile. She casually grabbed her bag, her movements graceful as she discreetly tucked away the strand of Kellan’s hair she’d snatched earlier.

“Here’s to our future ventures!” Kellan paid no mind to Sherman’s words, his focus instead trailing after Allison as she walked away, deep in his own thoughts. It was a long moment before he blinked himself back to reality. His expression turned dark, inscrutable, before he finally muttered, “Get me the list of reporters.”

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