Chapter 74

"Yeah, I set that target for myself," Lily said.

"Are you crazy?" Alexander loosened his grip on the towel, letting it fall from Lily's shoulders to the couch. This was unusual, so he'd had Edward talk to George. According to George, they were researching new products and experimenting with odor suppression using fragrances. The plan was to get results within ten days, with three people in charge. Lily, however, wasn't one of them. George was surprised and promised to investigate immediately. Lily, however, told Alexander she'd get the data within a day—that she'd set the target herself. He could only conclude she was crazy.

Lily didn't understand his reaction. Looking up, she said, "I'm not crazy. It's not that difficult."

Alexander was speechless. He wasn't sure whether to call her overconfident or arrogant. The company distributed tasks systematically to avoid overworking employees, but also to ensure a reasonable challenge. Since management gave the team ten days, they clearly felt it was necessary. "That means you're going back to that stinky place for a whole day tomorrow?" Alexander asked, inhaling sharply.

Is he worried I'll smell bad again? Lily thought. Then she said, "Don't worry. I'll bring essential oils and fragrance. I'll clean up there before I come back."

"That place is far from the city, and you have long hours. Don't go tomorrow," Alexander said. He felt, for the first time, that the company's decision to locate the labs so remotely was stupid. Getting cabs after work was difficult, and Lily had sprained her leg there.

"Why do they work until 8 p.m.? The hours are too long!" Alexander thought.

"I…" Lily started to argue, but seeing Alexander's serious expression, she realized this was his way of caring for her. Warmth filled her heart, but she also found it funny.

She stood from the couch, then knelt on one knee. Leaning forward, Alexander instinctively reached out to hug her, preventing a fall.

"Dear boss," she said, "you set the location and hours. Why are you upset now? Everyone else works these hours, why can't I? Plus, it's not that long. I could have left at 6 p.m., but I was focused on the experiment and lost track of time. How about this? I promise to finish quickly and return earlier, okay?"

Alexander's brow remained furrowed, clearly disapproving.

"This side of Alex is so adorable!" Lily chuckled, leaning in to kiss both his cheeks. Then she cupped his face, leaving feather-light kisses on his nose and lips. "Pretty please! It ends tomorrow anyway. You promised to let me work freely."

Alexander, initially sullen, succumbed to her coaxing. He was helpless against her charm. Sighing, he held her head and kissed her hard. He always gave in eventually!

At 11:30 p.m., a call from the factory woke Nathaniel. He was annoyed at the interruption, but even more so by what he heard. "What? Repeat that!" His voice was so loud it woke Melanie. Rubbing her eyes, she sat up. "What happened? You're so loud, I can't sleep!" Nathaniel shoved her aside and got out of bed, roaring, "Can't you restock when you run out of ingredients? What's the Purchasing Department doing? Find a supplier! Can't you do that?" "Mr. Hall, but the ingredient is… the essential oil from the lab."