Chapter 116


    Mind Vi.


    "Are you guys sure this Vivienne chick doesn''t know jack about perfumery?" Elijah cast a doubtful


    nce at the Hawthorn family members standing in front of him. Not only was Arabe present, but


    Beatrice, Michael Hawthorn, and Joseph Hawthorn were all present too.


    After the Hawthorn Group went belly-up, they were cornered by their creditors. They originally nned


    to lean on Dorian, but Elijah surprisingly popped up, cleared their debts, and even promised to help the


    Hawthorn Group rise from the ashes.


    So now, they were all over Elijah with gratitude. They followed his orders to the letter.


    Upon hearing his question, Beatrice rushed to shake her head and answer. "No way! Her mom might


    have known about perfumery, but she kicked the bucket when she was just nine. How much could she


    have taught her? She grew up in a convent, so there''s no way she had a chance to learn about


    perfumery."


    "Why would she challenge me then?" Elijah asked, looking puzzled.


    "She must be relying on the perfume form her mom left behind." Beatrice replied.


    Elijah had the same thought, but he still asked, "Didn''t you say the form your third son gave you was


    thest one?"


    "He said so, but I think that''s bull." Beatrice scoffed. "Evelyn made eight perfume forms when she


    was with the Hawthorn family. She''s always been one to cover her bases, so why would she only leave


    one form for my son? It''s just that he refuses to cough it up!"


    Even the one that he did was only given on the condition that they cut ties.


    Thinking about the perfume form in Dorian''s possession made a hint of greed and coldness sh in


    This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?.


    Elijah''s eyes.


    He waved at the Hawthorn family. "Alright, take a hike."


    "But Mr. Elijah, ourpany..." Beatrice hesitated to ask.


    "I''ve told you that as long as you follow my lead, I guarantee the Hawthorn Group will rise again." Elijah


    dismissed Beatrice nonchntly.


    Beatrice pursed her lips in discontent but didn''t dare say anything more and left with the other two.


    "Arabe, stay." Elijah suddenly spoke up.


    Arabe, who was already at the entrance, stiffened. She turned to Beatrice pleadingly. But all Beatrice


    whispered was, "Do whatever it takes to get on Elijah''s good side. The future of the Hawthorn family,


    your future, might depend on him."


    The Hawthorn Group was bankrupt. If Elijah hadn''t publicly taken Arabe as his apprentice today, her


    reputation would have been toast.


    Beatrice had always hoped to use Arabe''s beauty and talent to gain a higher status or profit. But


    now, with Arabe like this, all ns and ambitions were moot. It was already a blessing that Elijah was


    interested in her.


    After watching Beatrice and the others leave, Arabe bit her lower lip, unable to hide the hatred in her


    eyes.


    "What? Not happy to stay with me?" Elijah sneered.


    "No, not at all." Arabe quickly turned around and approached Elijah.


    Of course, she wasn''t happy. Although Elijah now had an extraordinary status, she still remembered


    how he had once groveled to win her over.


    Even if Elijah was talented, he was still far from matching Percival.


    She had always hoped to snatch Percival back from Vivienne. How could other men possibly catch her


    eye?


    "Have you forgotten? If it weren''t for me, you''d still be rotting in jail." Elijah squinted his eyes, pulling


    her onto the couch. "What''s the matter? Am I not good enough for you?"


    "No, it''s not like that." Arabe was unhappy inside, but she stered on a pleasing smile and softened


    her body against his. "You''ve been so good to me, and I haven''t even had a chance to thank you yet."


    "Ha! That''s not what you said when you were rejecting me before." Elijah was instantly irked at the


    thought of his past unsessful pursuit of Arabe. His grip on her waist tightened.


    "At that time, you were such a big shot. The daughter of the Hawthorn family, the talented beauty of


    Havenwood. You were so stuck up."


    "I was shallow then." Arabe felt the pain in her waist from his grip but didn''t dare show it on her face.


    Beatrice was right; everything depended on Elijah now. Until she could use him topletely change


    her fate, she had to submit to him.


    "If you hadn''t kicked up a fuss today by insisting on having Vivienne as my apprentice, I wouldn''t be in


    this mess." Elijah was visibly upset when bringing this up.


    "With your abilities, there''s no way you''d lose to Vivienne." Arabe spoke softly to soothe him. "You''re


    the famous Perfume Prince after all."


    Elijah''s eyes flickered, his expression darkened, and he pushed Arabe down under him.


    "Not here. There are people around!" Arabe screamed and struggled, ncing at the bodyguard


    close by.


    "You guys, out." Elijah followed Arabe''s cue and shooed everyone else out.


    Then he began to forcefully make out with Arabe on the couch.


    Little did Elijah know that their every move was being watched by another person.


    Vivienne was hiding in a storage room under the staircase, peeping through the door crack at the


    scene in the living room.


    Arabe kept pleading throughout, but Elijah showed no mercy.


    Five minutester, themotion stopped.


    Vivienne raised an eyebrow slightly. That was quick.


    Elijah''s phone started to buzz. After catching a glimpse of the caller ID, his expression changed


    instantly, and he shoved an untidy Arabe to the ground. "Out!"


    Arabe sat on the floor with her cheeks burning with embarrassment. Not only had she made a fool of


    herself, he had the nerve to humiliate her like this.


    Yet she could not defy him, so under Elijah''s icy stare, she made a beeline for the door, fixing her


    clothes on the run.


    Once he answered the call, it seemed like the other end had news for Elijah.


    "There is indeed a form. I’m not sure if it’s rted, but I''ll get my hands on it." His response carried a


    hint of respect.


    Vivienne pondered in silence. Were they talking about her mother''s perfume form?


    She waited quietly. Once he hung up, she saw Elijah heading to the basement of the vi.


    She could follow him down there.


    The basement of the vi was converted into a secret room, which Elijah had already entered.


    She observed the door for a while, noticing that the lock had not only a pass code feature but also iris


    recognition.


    She took out a small spray bottle, gently misting it over the pass code lock, revealing clear fingerprints.


    She memorized the six numbers imprinted by fingerprints, nning to work out the pass codeter and


    then consider how to crack the iris lock.


    Suddenly, she heard footsteps at the entrance of the basement room. She immediately hid, scaling the


    wall like a gecko. Even though there was nothing to hold onto, she managed to ascend easily, making


    her way up to the ceiling and watching the situation below.


    A bodyguard came into view, scanned the ce, and then left. He should count himself lucky for not


    looking up; otherwise, he might be dead by now.


    Once the coast was clear, Vivienne, like a ghost, evaded all surveince equipment and left the vi.


    As she was about to leave, she nced at the massive banyan tree in the vi. No one but her noticed


    the figure hidden among its dense branches and leaves.