Chapter 1274

Suppressing her laughter, Lily wiped tears from her eyes. "You see, due to the nature of our work, Olivia and I have been exposed to all kinds of plants and bugs. How could we mistake a mosquito bite for a hickey?"

"Then why did she..." He frowned. "She did it on purpose!"

Nodding, Lily said, "I remember Olivia complaining last month about a girl who kept pursuing Edward. I'm not sure if she was overreacting, but she was upset. I guess she's using the mosquito bite as an excuse to vent her anger."

Alexander finally understood. He and Edward had mistakenly assumed a mosquito bite could make a woman jealous.

"But..." He still had a question. He watched as she applied a facial mask at the dresser, her back to him. "How come you've never gotten jealous?"

"Why should I?" Lily asked, lifting her face to adjust the mask.

Alexander reflected. He'd had many suitors, and Brittany had been infatuated with him. Yet, Lily had never shown jealousy.

"Don't you worry that—"

She interrupted. "Nope!"

Turning, Lily revealed only her eyes and mouth—the mask still on—but her gaze was unwavering.

"Although we haven't been together long, unlike couples who've been together for eight to ten years, you've given me a sense of security. Every day, you kiss and hug me before leaving. No matter what happens, you tell me and protect me first in danger. Why should I be suspicious of someone like you? What's there to worry about? Alex, I used to lack security. But since meeting you, I've never felt safer!"

Lily spoke calmly. When she finished, she looked ridiculous struggling to keep the mask from falling, yet Alexander was overcome with emotion. He suddenly felt utterly stupid and childish. Why must she get jealous to prove she cares? She trusts me; that's why she's never been jealous.

"Lily..." Calling her name softly, Alexander pulled her gently into his arms. "I love you!"

"You're making my facial mask fall off!" At that sentimental moment, she pushed him away. Alexander was taken aback. Well, this is the woman I love!

Aside from the two floors of labs, the elevator to the top floor required an access card. Lily had only been there twice, and Thompson had dealt directly with her since. Three individuals sat in the top-floor office.

Furrowing his brow, Thompson clutched his head. "We received news from La Beauté Group that they will divest." His deep voice showed exhaustion and helplessness. "They're our main investor. Once they divest, our working capital will be insufficient, and the experiment must stop immediately."

"At what stage is the experiment now?" A man, legs crossed on a large leather sofa, remained relatively calm.

"It's at a late stage. I believe we're very close to success!"

"Close is never enough. Even one step from the goal is still failure!"

The blunt statement made Thompson flush.