As one of Rivermoon’s few super-bases, the facility in Kaelen covered a vast area, stretching out as far as the eye could see like an ocean of raw ingredients. The moment the group of perfumers set foot on the grounds, they squinted in sheer bliss, looks of fascination filling many of their eyes.

It was an occupational hazard for perfumers.

As a result, the conference originally scheduled for noon was pushed all the way to the evening. The group of perfumers wandered through every corner of the base, unable to tear themselves away. Hardly anyone touched the prepared lunch; they gathered in small groups, discussing the growth of each ingredient, extraction methods, and what fragrances they would be suitable for. The more they talked, the more excited they became, and eventually, even Eldest Young Master Warren and Celia Sterling couldn’t resist joining in.

The base had a large lounge area that served as the venue for the conference. It was filled with local delicacies, drinks, and a wide array of already-extracted perfume ingredients.

But right now, the area was quite empty. Besides Silas Norwood, who was something of a layman in this field, and Miles Trenton, who had rushed over early that morning, no one else was there.

Silas Norwood sat in a chair, a placid expression on his face as he watched the perfumers scattered throughout the base. He casually picked up a few of the base’s documents and began flipping through them.

Miles Trenton was beside him, fetching him tea. With Celia Sterling nowhere in sight, Miles couldn’t be bothered to play along with the role-playing charade and simply handed him a pen.

"Boss, it’s getting harder and harder to get a moment to talk to you about a project. The next time you’re on a date with her, could you maybe squeeze in a little time to meet with me privately?"

"It’s not easy for me to see her."

"Seeing her seven or eight days a month, you’re right, that’s not easy at all. Unlike me, who’s lucky to get two hours of your time over several months."

There was a hint of sarcasm in Miles Trenton’s tone, but he didn’t dare make it too obvious.

He dutifully pointed at the documents. "These are for the dozen or so newly acquired bases. The process is almost complete; we’re just waiting on your final approval. Since she’s not here yet, you should hurry up and sign them."

Silas Norwood nonchalantly signed his name on each document.

Miles Trenton watched his flamboyant signature and couldn’t help but click his tongue. "Boss, with you playing games like this, when are you ever going to hand all these bases over to her? Honestly, I think she and I probably have more to talk about when it comes to the bases."

"So what if you have things in common?" Silas Norwood shot him a sidelong glance. "I’m not going to let her pour all her energy into the bases. Didn’t I allocate funds for you to build your own management team?"

"I’m not lacking a team; I’m lacking a like-minded boss." Having spent years on the road, Miles Trenton didn’t hold Silas Norwood in the same intense awe as Assistant Thorne or Assistant Chambers, so he spoke more freely. "To date, I’ve already compiled all the information for eighty-six bases. How about we take this opportunity, while I’m here, to transfer those eighty-six into her name?"

"And how would we do that?" Silas Norwood countered softly. "If she asks why the transferor’s signature is mine, what am I supposed to tell her?"

’Serves you right,’ Miles Trenton cursed internally. ’Why didn’t you think about these consequences when you started this whole role-playing charade?’

On the surface, however, he offered a serious suggestion. "You could just say you bought them from Rivermoon first, and now you’re gifting them to her. You’ve always been incredibly generous with her, so she probably wouldn’t suspect a thing."

"It’s too contrived. Besides, the amount of money involved is enormous. My Celia is no fool." Silas Norwood elegantly lifted a cup of tea to his lips, moistening his throat. He felt a faint sense of unease.

The title of the world’s number one ingredient base mogul alone represented immeasurable wealth. A commercial empire that held a near-monopoly on the global supply of raw perfume ingredients involved a sum of capital equal to the cumulative fortunes of several mid-tier elite families in Metropia.

The bases—along with their associated industrial, supply, and market chains—were not comparable to a few billion in fancy diamonds or the equity Silas Norwood handed out so freely. For an asset transfer of this magnitude, the preliminary accounting alone had taken Miles Trenton and several teams of actuaries and lawyers months to complete. Even if he dared to make such a casual gift, Celia Sterling would never accept it blindly.

Miles Trenton gave him a tactful reminder. "You can’t hide this forever. It might have been fine before, but lately, she’s been complaining to me about you. She says you have no sense of personal boundaries and are getting too flirty with her. Boss, aren’t you afraid of this whole thing blowing up in your face?"

Silas Norwood lowered his eyes, saying nothing.

He had already changed his approach, shifting from online flirting to in-person romantic gestures. From the looks of it, the transition had been a great success, and she seemed quite pleased.

’If I slowly phase the Rivermoon persona out of her life, it probably won’t blow up in my face.’

The real trouble was still the bases.

So many bases, all originally intended as a gift for her, were now stuck in his hands with no way to give them away. 𝑓𝑟ℯ𝘦𝓌𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝑐ℴ𝓂

Miles Trenton was unaware that beneath his calm exterior, Silas Norwood was deeply conflicted.

He was still muttering, "If you don’t present them now to win her smile while she’s in her prime, are you going to wait until she no longer has the spare energy to focus on perfumery? What surprise or meaning would the gift have for her then?"

Finding him too noisy, Silas Norwood said, "Go on, get busy. I need to think about this."

"One more thing." Miles Trenton didn’t leave. "The heads of the Aurelian Family and the Valois Family have requested to discuss a partnership with you. As two of the three legendary perfumery houses, their resources are beyond anything outsiders can compare to. They’re interested in signing several long-term strategic cooperation agreements with us."

"You handle it."

"Me handle it? I’m just the guy who runs errands. I’d be lucky to even sit in on the negotiations for a strategic contract like this. You have to be there in person, Boss."

Silas Norwood did a quick mental calculation. "Alright. Tomorrow at three p.m. in the private conference room at the international airport."

"Got it. I’ll notify both families."

Silas Norwood thought for a moment. "Invite the Miller Clan of Aeridor as well."

Miles Trenton nodded. "Right. Can’t let those foreign bastards hog all the benefits. We should do more to support our domestic strategic partners."

Silas Norwood added another reminder, "Don’t let her find out about this meeting."

But he had no idea that just an hour later, Rosalyn Lowell, the Chief Perfumer from Port Sovereign, was secretly calling her good friend.

"Cece, are you free? I want to take you to see something major."

Celia Sterling was taken aback for a moment. "I’m not in Port Sovereign; I’m out of the country. What’s up, Rosalie?"

There was unconcealable regret in Rosalyn Lowell’s voice. "Oh, that’s too bad. You know who I mean, right? The mogul with the world’s top ingredient bases?"

’Oh, I know him all too well.’

Celia Sterling raised an eyebrow. "What about him?"

"He’s joining forces with the world’s three legendary perfumery houses to sign several long-term strategic partnerships. We’re talking ’strategic,’ so this is no small matter. This meeting will likely reshape the entire global perfumery world. It’s a landmark event, the biggest in years."

Celia Sterling’s heart sank. If that happened, a large-scale monopoly was inevitable. Brands like Delia Caine and the Starlight Group of Seraphina would all take a major hit.

"Where are they meeting?" she asked pensively.

"Kaelen. My aunt, Adeline Lowell, was invited and she’s already packing. Since this is such an important strategic meeting, the major legendary perfumery houses are all bringing their heirs along for the experience. They’re all sending a few members of the younger generation. This time, my cousin Heath Lowell and I will be accompanying my aunt."

’Adeline Lowell is coming too?’

’And the meeting is in Kaelen?’

’This is too much of a coincidence.’

Celia Sterling took a deep breath. "Can I tag along? As it happens, I’m in Kaelen right now."