Olivia hurried into the house, gathered her tools, and sent them to Lily. Lily carefully cut some buds and placed them in a tray. There were few pieces of wood, limiting the number of shoots. However, when Olivia picked up the tray, she smelled a peculiar aroma.

"The scent is so unique!" Olivia exclaimed, moving the tray closer to inhale it again.

"It's good, right?" Lily said proudly. "Be careful; don't break it. We'll start working on it immediately."

Lily had been anticipating these buds for days. If her idea worked, she would release a new, unique perfume.

The Perfumers' Society's office in Brown City had a large courtyard. Inside, Noah monitored the post's popularity. He reviewed the ban order issued by the Society, but he still needed to release it, awaiting Lily's response, which hadn't arrived.

Lily's stubborn refusal to call and give in frustrated him. Noah preferred to avoid a major confrontation; he simply wanted her submission. While Lily was undeniably talented—whether she was a genius remained uncertain—she needed to be under the Society's control. Otherwise, as an uncontrolled member, she would be eliminated. Yet, Lily still refused to yield. Did she believe Alexander could protect her?

As he pondered, someone entered. "Mr. Richards, a woman outside wishes to see you."

"Lily?" Noah asked, assuming everyone knew Lily's appearance.

The person shook their head. "No, she said her surname is Tanner."

Initially, Noah was dismissive, but after glancing at the trending list on his computer screen, he smiled. "Let her in."

He was surprised to see Arianna. She wore a fluffy mauve skirt, looking younger and more appealing than usual. Her light makeup and curled hair were a departure from her typical company image.

"Mr. Richards," she greeted him upon entering. While Noah was less captivating than Alexander, he still commanded attention. Furthermore, the Richards family's influence rivaled the Russell family's. A relationship with Noah could help her defeat La Beauté Group.

Arianna's smile widened. "We meet again."

Noah's response was neutral. "I didn't expect you to have leisure time, considering your family's current predicament."

Arianna saw the trending search list on his computer, understanding his reference to the Tanner family issues. Unfazed, she smiled. "I'm not here for tea; I have a gift for you."

"Oh?" He gestured to her empty hands, save for a small shoulder bag. "What gift?"

"A gift that can defeat our common enemy!" She sat opposite him, subtly rubbing her leg against his.