Chapter 1502

After sending Olivia away, Lily pressed a hand to her chest and sighed. She felt guilty about the small lie she'd told earlier. Her immediate priority was meeting Alexander to learn about Edward's situation; she wanted to be prepared before Olivia found out.

The persistent requests from the Yudonian royals for a custom perfume baffled her. While she'd gained international recognition in the past two years, many other accomplished perfumers existed. Why her? Massaging her aching temples, she went to her study and turned on her computer. She'd initially planned coffee, but opted for milk instead. Returning to her desk, the computer was already booted.

She opened her inbox to find numerous unread emails. Few knew her personal address; the Yudonian royals, for example, typically contacted her office. Olivia usually managed these, forwarding only complex issues to Lily.

Lily opened the top email—a forwarded message from Olivia. Sipping her milk, she scanned it. As Olivia had noted, subsequent emails were more forceful than the initial request; perhaps frustration fueled their persistence. The email again insisted she accept the commission, threatening an in-person meeting if she refused. The sender stressed his subordinate role and hoped she understood his predicament.

Lily still didn't understand why a personal meeting was mandatory. It felt wrong. She set down her milk, her fingers flying across the keyboard. Her reply respectfully acknowledged the royals, explaining her inability to accept the order due to her pregnancy. She proposed revisiting the matter after the birth, prioritizing it then. A personal meeting, she wrote, was unnecessary; however, if they insisted, it must be in Kingsland due to her limited mobility. She concluded with apologies and well wishes.

After proofreading, she forwarded the reply to Olivia, instructing her to respond via the office email. This allowed her to refuse temporarily, while leaving room for future negotiation. She doubted they’d wait until her delivery—months away—let alone the postpartum recovery and the year or more required for perfume development. Few royals would wait that long. This, then, was a different kind of rejection.

She employed a similar tactic regarding the meeting location. As the royals were Yudonian, she couldn't travel to them; they'd have to come to Kingsland. It was her territory, offering better protection should their intentions be malicious. She'd already clearly refused; they were unlikely to journey to Kingsland only to hear that refusal repeated in person.

Finally finished, she stretched, sighing in relief. Several unread emails remained in her inbox.