Titus slammed his hand on the table with a loud crack. “What did you just say?”

Mikayla instantly feigned panic. “Please calm down, Mr. Sterling. I must have spoken out of turn. This might all be a misunderstanding. I probably heard it wrong.”

However, Titus’ face only darkened further. He said nothing more, though his hand on the table trembled with rage.

Theon chuckled under his breath, glancing at Mikayla with quiet admiration. He thought, “Impressive. When it comes to playing dirty, women truly have a gift for it. Mikayla is clearly among the best!”

After that, Titus, still simmering, made a few more administrative arrangements before abruptly ending the meeting.

As Theon left with his students, he shot Mikayla a smirk. “You’re good. Mixing truth and lies like that, you made Madam Baxter and Andrew sound completely tangled up in scandal.”

Mikayla replied calmly, “Mr. Orben, what I said wasn’t entirely false. Madam Baxter does treat Andrew differently from others. Sometimes, there’s an odd tension between them, something you can’t quite put into words. I think their connection might run deeper than anyone realizes.”

Theon frowned deeply. “Are you implying Andrew and Brielle are having an affair? That’s impossible. Madam Baxter is a direct disciple of the Divine Alchemists’ founder, and rumor has it she’s also close to Mr. Julius Bowen, the current leader. Before Julius took over, he’d already made it clear that once he became head of the Divine Alchemists, Brielle would be his partner, the matron of their order.”

He continued, “But when Julius finally took the position, Madam Baxter left the Divine Alchemists and came here to manage Sovereign’s Apothecary on their behalf. No one knows what happened between them, but it’s obvious their relationship fell apart. My guess is that she never wanted to become Mr. Bowen’s partner. If Andrew dares to get involved now, he’s walking straight into disaster.”

Mikayla sneered. “Perhaps, but a woman’s instincts are rarely wrong. There’s no way Madam Baxter and Andrew don’t have something going on. I think she’s using her charm and influence to make him hers. Beauty and power are a woman’s deadliest weapons, and she’s got both.”

She added, “Andrew’s a man women naturally fall for. I wouldn’t be surprised if they’ve already found some… mutual benefit.”

Theon gave a dismissive laugh. “You’re overthinking it. Madam Baxter’s age is hardly a secret. Sure, high-level cultivators age more slowly and stay young-looking, but still… If she’s involved with Andrew, that’s just an older woman chasing a younger man. And besides, she’s practically the Divine Alchemists’ dream woman. Half the elders, including Mr. Sterling himself, used to have a crush on her.”

He continued, “You saw Mr. Sterling’s face just now, didn’t you? He looked ready to explode. If Andrew has any sense, he’ll stay far away from her. The man’s sly, and he’ll keep himself out of trouble.”

Mikayla clenched her fists, her eyes flashing with hatred. “Then I’ll make sure he has nowhere to hide in Chetvine. Only then can I wash away the humiliation he gave me."