Chapter 1368

Lily stared blankly at the shattered glass, anxiety rising like a sharp shard piercing her heart. She crouched to pick up the pieces before Olivia quickly intervened.

"Don't! Let me do it!"

"I'm sorry..." Lily mumbled, appearing almost in a trance.

"What are you apologizing for? This is your studio," Olivia joked, attempting to lighten the mood. She'd noticed Lily's absentmindedness but hadn't commented. Seeing how distraught Lily was, Olivia knew she couldn't continue working.

"Go and rest. Leave this to me!" Olivia said, gently ushering Lily away before cleaning the spilled perfume-making materials. Fortunately, the broken ingredients weren't harmful.

Once finished, she found Lily calmly seated on the sofa, engrossed in her phone.

"Has Mr. Russell not replied?" Olivia asked, discovering the flask on the table was empty. She began boiling water to refill it.

Alexander and Edward were on a business trip—a fact Olivia knew. She understood Lily's apprehension.

"Did Edward call you?" Lily asked.

Olivia shook her head. "I think it should be fine. This isn't their first trip. They're used to it. But this trip… it's different. If things weren't serious, they'd have returned by now. It's been two days." Lily understood, yet the unease persisted.

Lily's grip on her phone tightened. An unexplainable unease lingered.

"Edward texted. They arrived safely. He said the incident is significant, but not unprecedented. They're investigating the poisoning, identifying those responsible, determining compensation, and will return once it's settled," Olivia explained.

While waiting for the water to boil, she continued, "Something similar happened before. In cases of mass poisoning, whether accidental or malicious, the person in charge is held responsible until the perpetrators are found and punished. It's complicated. Don't worry too much."

"People are dead," Lily whispered, her voice heavy with grief. The news of casualties had shaken her deeply. The disparity between fatalities and injuries was jarring. They were La Beaute Group employees, even if she didn't know them personally. They had lives. It was natural to feel unsettled.

Olivia, too, lowered her eyes and sighed. The kettle clicked. She prepared two cups of tea, bringing them to Lily. "Here, this will calm you. You're pregnant; you shouldn't stress."

Lily placed a hand on her abdomen. She knew the stress wasn't good for the baby, but controlling her emotions proved difficult.

"Let's talk about something else. I heard you're helping a chubby girl lose weight?" Olivia asked, trying to lighten the mood for both of them.

Lily nodded. "I suppose so."