Chapter 209

Nathaniel hugged Mel from behind and profusely apologized. "Don't be angry, Mel. It's all my fault! I shouldn't have gotten angry and shouted at you. I care about both you and the baby—you're equally important." He kissed her neck and continued, "If you don't believe me, look at this." He produced a small velvet box. He'd planned a formal proposal, but her smile was more important.

Melanie opened the box. Inside, a large, dazzling diamond ring caught her breath; she gasped. She stared as Nathaniel knelt before her.

"I know you've suffered by my side all these years, Mel. I know you work hard to help me. It's been hard on you. So, will you marry me? Let me take care of you and our child. Let me spoil you for a lifetime and give you happiness!"

Seeing the ring, Melanie couldn't refuse. She excitedly nodded, covering her mouth with one hand and extending the other. Nathaniel grinned, placed the ring on her finger, and kissed her hand. "I love you, Mel!"

"I love you too!" Melanie hugged him.

She admired the ring; the diamond was exceptionally large. The decision about the baby seemed temporarily on hold. Lily, meanwhile, was so busy she'd forget to eat or sleep. They were at a critical stage of her perfume formula. Based on her experience, this attempt should succeed if it passed final inspection and met her expectations.

If not for someone resenting her absence, she would have slept in the lab. She’d been granted special permission to work late. Olivia worked overtime with her, and Jenny often brought them dinner and snacks. However, the harsh weather made working all night challenging. It was so cold that even two layers of work clothes weren't enough; the temperature plummeted, feeling like an instant transition from summer to winter.

Although the lab had a heater, it was off to prevent affecting the chemicals' properties and stability. Olivia yawned twice. Seeing her exhaustion, Lily urged, "Rest a bit. I can oversee this myself."

"No, the results will be out soon. We mustn't be careless. You're the one who taught me this!" Olivia shook her head, stretching to stay awake.

"It's okay. I'm here!" Lily said. "I'll accompany you!" Despite this, Olivia was sleepy. Rubbing her eyes, she said, "I'll wash my face with cold water and come back." Lily nodded and returned to her work. A notebook lay on the table, densely filled with notes on past failures, differences, and observations.

She had a habit of drawing small smiley faces on the pages when tired—a way to encourage herself. Unless one looked closely, they were hard to see.

Looking at the time, she realized it was nearing midnight. Alexander should be asleep.

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