Chapter 81

Lily smiled silently. Jenny decided not to push the subject. "Okay then, Miss Secretive! Since you have your knight in shining armor to pick you up, I won't be your escort. I'll take my leave. See you!"

Lily nodded and parted ways with Jenny at the building's entrance. As Jenny backed out of the car park, she turned and saw Lily still standing there. She was about to ask Lily why she was still there when she saw Lily dashing in the other direction. Out of curiosity, Jenny slowed down to watch. She saw Lily run toward a black sedan and hop in. The car then sped off. The sedan's windows were dark, so Jenny couldn't see the person inside.

"Gosh! I'm just too nosy sometimes!" Shaking her head, Jenny smiled. As she accelerated, the black sedan overtook her and sped off. "W-Was that a Maybach?!" Jenny felt dizzy when she recognized the car's brand.

"You smell good today. Did you just shower?" Alexander said, stroking Lily's hair.

"Yup, I even washed my hair thrice," Lily announced, leaning against his shoulder.

Alexander adjusted his posture to make her more comfortable. He gathered some of her hair, placed it close to his nose, and sniffed. "Yeah, it smells perfect." "I finally passed my test, and I'm an official Rebirth staff member," Lily announced, recalling her conversation with Jenny. She was proud of winning Jenny's acknowledgment by proving herself. Since quitting MN Inc., Lily hadn't made any new friends in the industry. She was also weary from her ongoing lawsuit and the resulting bad press. Still, she was grateful for Alexander's support during these exhausting interpersonal challenges.

Alexander frowned. "What do you mean? I thought George already said you were a Rebirth staff member."

"S-Sorry, that's not what I meant. Anyway, this is just the first step for the company to acknowledge me." Lily knew this was only the beginning. Although she had a good start, she needed to continue growing to stand alongside Alexander.

Alexander was confused by the turn of the conversation, but let it slide. Lily's happiness was all that mattered. "Well, MN Inc.'s factories will be having some issues soon," he continued, stroking her hand.

Lily had long, slender fingers and a fair complexion, but her hands weren't smooth. Working in a lab had left them rough in places. Alexander felt a rough spot and stroked it fondly.

"What type of issues?" Lily asked, allowing him to play with her hand.

"I heard it has something to do with the essential oil used in their fragrances. Their final product failed the approval test, so they're trying to salvage it. They even called back staff members who were on vacation," Alexander explained.

"So, that's why," Lily mumbled.

"What?" Alexander asked.

"Oh, it's nothing." Lily looked at him directly. "Nate and Mel called today. They said they wanted to discuss something in person. Now that I think about it, it might be related to their essential oil problem."

"Did you agree to their invitation?" Alexander asked.

"Of course not!" Lily scoffed. "I'm the defendant, and they're the plaintiff. We're not even supposed to meet outside of court! Besides, I no longer work for MN Inc., so why should I be involved in their problems? No way I'll see them because of this."

Lily pursed her lips in annoyance. Perhaps because she had just showered, her lips looked slightly darker, with a tinge of baby pink. She still had a disdainful expression, which Alexander loved. He moved closer, cupped her chin, and kissed her.