"Grandma..." Claire's fingers gently caressed the bank card as tears streamed down her face.
Those years in Nocta had been incredibly hard. She had to juggle her studies while raising two children on her own. Her days were spent washing dishes at a restaurant or working as a cashier at a supermarket, and her nights were consumed by relentless studying.
Just thinking about it brought a wave of bitterness to her chest.
Now that she was back in Heidelberg, it was once again a fresh start from zero, and every step forward felt like walking on thorns.
Only her grandmother still offered her a sliver of love in this world.
She wiped her tears and carefully put the card away.
But she couldn't keep the money. Her grandmother was already unwell. How could she possibly accept money from her? Her mother had already failed in her duties, and her uncles and aunts were completely unreliable.
Just thinking about them sent a chill through her heart. She tucked the card away with care, determined to return it to her grandmother as soon as she had a break in her schedule.
Right now, her only way forward was to make Zanna Perfume Shop bigger and stronger, fulfilling her mother's wish and resolving her own dire situation.
She lowered her head and began working meticulously on the perfume formula, pushing herself to complete it as quickly as possible.
The night grew deeper, and at some point, thunder and lightning cracked the sky as a sudden storm rolled in.
Claire yawned and finally stood up, heading to the bedroom to get some rest.
The apartment was tiny, with only one bedroom and a living room.
She moved toward the bedroom.
"Daddy... Daddy..." Just as she approached the door, she heard soft cries coming from inside. Claire's heart jumped. She bent down for a look.
Dean and Hilary were sound asleep. Hilary had a sweet little smile on her face, looking soft, adorable, and peaceful.
But Dean was different. Though asleep, his small face was furrowed in distress. His mouth quivered, and tears streamed down his cheeks as he cried out in his dreams. His tiny fingers clutched the blanket tightly, as if gripped by fear.
Claire's heart clenched.
"Adam... Adam..." She gently placed her hand on Dean's forehead, stroking it softly while patting his chest with her other hand.
"Daddy... I'm scared... scared..." Dean whimpered, his eyes tightly shut.
Claire felt a sharp ache in her chest. She bent lower, gently caressing his face, her heart aching terribly.
He was calling for his daddy... in his dreams.
But where was his father?
Gilbert's cold, arrogant face flashed through her mind, and a chill spread through her chest. She climbed into bed and wrapped Dean tightly in her arms.
The child missed his father... but that man was never truly their father. He already had his own child, and another woman one filled with cruelty.
That woman would never accept these children.
Claire looked down at Dean's little face. His brows furrowed in fear, his expression far too mature for his age. Her heart throbbed with pain as she pulled him closer and lay down beside him.
That night, Dean slept nestled in Claire's arms. She comforted him again and again, her motherly warmth wrapping around him like a shield.
It was the first peaceful sleep Dean had ever had.
At the break of dawn, Claire got up.
Today, she would gather all the perfumers at Zanna for a meeting and begin the development process ahead of schedule.
She poured rice into the cooker for porridge, placed the small dumplings she bought yesterday into the steamer, and boiled a few eggs.
Once everything was set, she was just about to leave the kitchen when she looked up and was startled.
There, standing in the doorway, was Dean.
He was still in his pajamas, but looked energetic and alert, his big black eyes sparkling as they fixed on her.
"Adam, why are you up so early?" Claire immediately stepped forward, bending down with a gentle smile.
Dean lowered his head shyly.
What should he do?
He was starting to like little Hilary's mommy.
She was so beautiful and gentle. It was his first time realizing how wonderful a woman could be. The motherly warmth she gave him made him long for it endlessly.
So this is what it felt like to be in a mother's arms soft, warm, and comforting.
Last night, he slept soundly. In the past, he would often wake up in the middle of the night, frightened by the dark or by nightmares. But last night, when he woke up, he found himself nestled in her embrace.
She held him, soothed him, and he wasn't scared at all. In fact, he quickly fell back asleep, feeling safe and secure.
His bright black eyes stared at Claire's tender smile. Suddenly, the image of Emma Miler flashed through his mind, and the light in his eyes slowly dimmed.
Ah, if only his own mommy could be this gentle, this loving.
"Adam, what's wrong?" Claire gently touched his face. "Are you hungry?"
"No," Dean shook his head, then suddenly gathered his courage and asked, "Can I kiss you?"
Claire froze for a moment, then laughed.
This little one must've had a nightmare last night.
"Of course you can," she said warmly, scooping Dean up and setting him on her lap on the couch. With a playful squint, she teased, "Come on, kiss Mommy."
Dean closed his eyes, puckered his little lips, and cupped her cheeks with both hands, placing a light kiss on her forehead before trying to climb down.
"Haha!" Claire laughed in delight. She pulled him into a tight hug, peppering his face with kisses and burying her face in his chest to make him laugh.
For the first time, Dean burst into joyous laughter.
After a long moment of tender affection, Claire finally set him down, gently stroked his hair, and coaxed him back to bed for more sleep. Then she grabbed her bag and hurried off to work.
At the break of dawn, Claire took the bus to the front of the company. There, she found a crowd gathered outside, and one man was shouting furiously:
"Get your boss out here! Your perfume is toxic! I had a terrible allergic reaction last night almost died! You need to compensate me!"
"Unbelievable! A century-old brand pulling stunts like this? I'm going to sue you!"
…
The man grew more and more agitated, suddenly lifting his foot and kicking at the glass doors.
With a loud crash, the glass shattered, sending shards everywhere. The crowd screamed in panic.
Claire's face turned pale. This was karma swift and brutal!
Panic rose in her chest. Just as she was about to speak, she looked up and saw Emma hiding inside, peeking out. When she saw the man acting out, she quickly turned and ran deeper inside.
Claire shook her head and stepped forward to intervene.
Just then, the roar of an engine thundered through the air.
Everyone turned their heads.
A limited-edition Rolls-Royce had just pulled up.
Gilbert Watson.
The most powerful and influential man in all of Heidelberg.
He had actually arrived this early, sitting inside his luxury car.
The noisy crowd fell instantly silent.
No one knew what would happen next. Everyone stood frozen, breathless.
But instead of being intimidated, the man grew even more hysterical when he saw Gilbert's car.
"Mr. Watson! Who would've thought the great tycoon himself would be behind something so despicable? Let me tell you, I don't care how rich or powerful you are. I'm not afraid of you! If you don't give me a proper explanation today, I'll drag you down with me. I've got nothing to lose!" he shouted, spreading his arms and blocking the car, his curses ringing out loud and clear.