CHAPTER 463: CHAPTER 463: THE SCENT OF LOVE

Ethan Sterling gently kissed the tip of her ear, "Let’s sleep."

He knew how important Nirvana was to Ruby Sullivan, and he understood how much Ruby, the impulsive boss, valued every employee in Nirvana. However, she hadn’t asked him for help or even mentioned the issue. On one hand, he felt a secret sense of disappointment; on the other, he worried about the impact this matter might have on her. After pondering for a while, he couldn’t think of a better way to comfort her than cooking her a meal.

But as it turned out, making a meal that’s visually appealing and delicious wasn’t an easy task.

Ruby Sullivan was exhausted today. She hadn’t slept well the previous night and had left the house early. Her mind had been tense all day, making it hard for her to relax in such a fast-paced rhythm. Mr. Sterling’s deep voice and mild body fragrance had a miraculous calming effect on her. As he spoke, her eyelids grew heavy, and once closed, she didn’t want to open them again.

Suddenly, Ruby Sullivan recalled L’s phone call and turned to face Ethan Sterling, asking, "Did you... do something to The Lawson Group?"

She felt embarrassed to mention anything related to L in front of him. Even saying it out loud made her heart twist a little.

Ethan Sterling didn’t expect her to know about this, and was momentarily surprised. He dodged the question, saying, "It was planned a long time ago."

"I see..." Ruby Sullivan felt she had no say in business warfare. The Sterling Group aimed to increase its presence in the international market, and a rivalry with The Lawson Group was inevitable. Perhaps L was doing it on purpose.

She thought for a moment and decided that it was better to be clear about everything.

This topic was sensitive between the two of them. If she didn’t explain clearly, a misunderstanding might occur.

"L called me today and said your attack on The Lawson Group is also dangerous for The Sterling Group. I asked him about the insider issue, and it shouldn’t be his doing."

Ethan Sterling furrowed his brow slightly. He was a bit displeased with Ruby Sullivan’s confident tone, but he quickly suppressed this childish emotion, "Hmm."

The room was dimly lit, and Ruby Sullivan couldn’t see his face clearly. But she felt his subtle change from that faint "Hmm," which prompted her to hug him and kiss his face. "I didn’t tell you about the insider issue because I feel it’s my work, and I want to handle it myself." She knew how challenging it was to acquire The Sullivan Group, yet she hadn’t given up on proving herself.

The Sullivan Group was taken away from her, which was not only a betrayal of family ties but also a doubt about her personal abilities. She knew whether she could win it back was inconsequential, and reclaiming The Sullivan Group might add more trouble to her life, but she just couldn’t compromise on this issue.

People live for dignity, and she felt she had fought for herself too little. She wanted to become strong, not to prove it to anyone but just to become strong.

"I understand." Ethan Sterling patted her back. "I believe you can handle it well."

Yes, they both understood and truly believed, but before she voiced these words, he didn’t feel at ease.

At night, Ruby Sullivan had a dream. In it, Ethan Sterling was cooking in the kitchen, wearing a gray apron with pink floral patterns and frills. It was incredibly ugly, but the moment Ethan Sterling tilted his head and smiled, he seemed to stand within a golden bubble, looking as handsome as an angel.

"Got it!" Ruby Sullivan exclaimed as she suddenly awoke from her dream. The room was still dark, with a bit of light filtering through the curtains. She glanced at the clock; it was not even five o’clock.

Ethan Sterling woke up, too, seeing her sitting up, he quickly grabbed her hand, "What’s wrong?"

"I need to go to the office right away," she said as she got out of bed and rushed into the bathroom.

Ethan Sterling thought something was up, and he fully awoke, following her to the bathroom, "What’s wrong?"

Ruby Sullivan rubbed her face while saying, "Go back to sleep, I just suddenly had an idea, I need to go to the lab and blend the fragrance while I still remember it."

Ethan Sterling breathed a sigh of relief, his tense expression relaxed, "Alright... then, let me drive you to the office."

"No need, go back to sleep."

"You can organize your thoughts on the way," Ethan Sterling said as he turned to change clothes. Having married an artist, he was ready to fully support her when inspiration struck.

Previously, Ruby Sullivan’s thoughts were immersed in various sweet floral scents like roses, lavender, and tuberose, thinking that sweetness was enough to represent love. But seeing Ethan Sterling in her dream, she realized that for a girl, love should be about the person she loves.

She used the scent of pine needles mixed with citrus as the main note, which felt like a refreshing morning after a night rain in spring, standing in a park and taking a deep breath. The crisp air was filled with a faint woodsy scent, followed by the gentle fragrance of flowers, as if it were the first ray of sunshine.

And he, standing in the sunlight, in a white shirt and jeans, with short hair covered in golden hues, smiling at you.

Ah, love.

As Ruby Sullivan added each essential oil, her mind kept replaying the previous scene. She knew every girl would like different boys, but for her, this boy was definitely the most wonderful. That’s what her perfume aimed to convey.

After arriving at the company, Ruby Sullivan locked herself in the lab and didn’t emerge even during lunch. She wasn’t particularly smart, so the best way to capture inspiration was to work tirelessly the moment it struck, using the most practical means to retain it.

When she finally breathed a sigh of relief, she realized it was already past quitting time. All day, she hadn’t eaten anything, not even had a sip of water, and her lips were so dry they were about to crack.

Ruby Sullivan stretched her arms but was immediately urged by a sudden need to relieve herself, forcing her to rush out of the lab.

Outside, Ethan Sterling sat waiting for her to finish work. Watching her dash past him, he couldn’t help but laugh.

After addressing life’s pressing matter, Ruby Sullivan returned to see Ethan Sterling and was startled, "When did you arrive?"

Ethan Sterling glanced at the time, "About four hours ago."

"Oh..." Ruby Sullivan suddenly felt embarrassed.

Ethan Sterling gestured to his cheek.

"Hey, this is a company."

"It’s already late." Ethan Sterling’s lips curled to one side, stubbornly gesturing at his cheek.

Ruby Sullivan had to lean over and give him a smooch. Before she could move, her wrist was grabbed, and Mr. Sterling tilted his head for the other side.

Ruby Sullivan hadn’t seen Mr. Sterling act so adorable for a while and couldn’t help but laugh. She kissed him again on the other side, "Alright, let’s go home."

The milk tea Ethan Sterling had bought her was already cold, but it still tasted good. After getting in the car, Ruby Sullivan found herself ravenous and took a big gulp, feeling immensely content.

"I didn’t expect it to go so smoothly this time, all thanks to you." Ruby Sullivan smiled with sly eyes, looking like a little fox hiding many secrets.

"Me?" Ethan Sterling was puzzled, "Why?"

"Not telling you."

Ethan Sterling chuckled and freed a hand to pinch her cheek.

After he escorted her upstairs, Ethan Sterling didn’t follow her in, "Go to bed early, I’m leaving."

Ruby Sullivan was surprised; didn’t he usually find all sorts of excuses to stay?

"I still have some work to finish," he explained.

"Then rest early when you’re done." Ruby Sullivan said, standing on tiptoes to give him a kiss before closing the door.

Given the time of this work, it must be related to the overseas connections. Ruby Sullivan recalled L’s call and felt a bit uneasy.