Page 72 of Scent of Desire
“Adonis?” A bad feeling crept down my spine.
“I got to admit, Lily…” He arched an eyebrow before snapping his dimples with another one of his sharp grins. “I was surprised to not have received an invitation.”
“I—” There was nothing else to say. Adonis had lost his father, the same father that had stolen my legacy. “I thought given the actual circumstances you wouldn’t have come.”
He jerked his head backward with a laugh that drew all the attention to him. He then leaned back to me, pushing one of his women behind him as if she was nothing, his eyes shining with a mayhem of repressed emotions.
“Business is business, princess. I’m the head of Carmin—people expect me to be here.” He then whispered to the blond girl by his side, “It would be a shame to not have your pretty face exposed in tomorrow’s gossip journal, right, my dear?”
He wouldn’t steal my spotlight. Nor his bimbo. The girl in question giggled, pretending to be shy, and I felt her spicy scent of fake luxury irritating my nostrils.Unless it was that cat piss perfume of the last Carmin.
Anyway, it was as if I never knew the real Adonis. For the sake of our friendship, I remembered the man that he used to be, hoping to bring out that side of him he’d erased for this asshole attitude.
“You know I have to get my mother’s perfume back.” I fixed my stare on him, determined. “It’s not against you. I wish we could find a friendly way to deal with this. I still care about you, despite—”
“Lily.” Adonis grinned with confidence.
He inched toward me, breaking the socially acceptable centimeters separating us. With one gesture of his hands, he ordered his dolls to vanish.
“Do what you should do.” His voice brushed my ear the same way he did with the girl earlier. “But it would be a shame if another person had to die for that perfume.”
Another person? Die?His words entered every one of my cells, paralyzing me on the floor. This was a threat. Did he know about what happened to Carmin at the club and the reason for his death?
Adonis chuckled, snapping a knife-sharp grin. “You look pale. Not that I mind—I always liked the color white on you.”
I remained silent. Adonis had robbed me of the ability to speak. He snatched a lily of the valley from the bouquet, which he twirled between his fingers. “You know, just like the little white wedding bells of themuguet. It’s funny—I always used to imagine myself as your groom, seeing that flower, but now…” He crushed the flower in his palm. “Now, I don’t see anything. Enjoy your night, princess. I’ll be watching.”
Adonis passed in front of me in a draft that froze my heart, and I followed him with my eyes. He found his way back to his escorts and put his arms on their shoulders, acting like a spoiled child in an attempt to ruin my evening.
The voices around me turned blurry and distant, and I felt carried away by my thoughts, which detached me more and more from the event. Adonis’s words were sinking me back into the dark.
Radcliff…My demons called out for help.
“Doudou,” Hugo interrupted my shipwreck, and my senses resurrected to life. “It’s time for a speech. Are you okay?”
My nostrils flared, and I nodded. No one would take away my night. “Yes, I’m fine. Let’s do this.”
“I’ll call everyone in.”
Hugo did just that, acting as the host with enthusiasm. He took on the role to perfection. People listened, and all followed him into the small ballroom. It was a gilded room with tapestries and large royal windows.
Hugo stepped on the podium in the center and picked up the microphone. “And now, I’ll introduce you to the incredible and talented Lily Bellerose, who is none other than the owner of the Flower Queen and the nose of Obsession. Lily Bellerose, everyone!”
The cameras were on me, dazzling me, and the applause began. My legs yearned to flee, but I was stuck in the light. Hugo held out his hand so I’d take his place. He gave me a reassuring smile, to which I responded with a shy one. I seized my courage and stepped onto the stage in front of the microphone.
“Hi, everyone, I’m Lily Bellerose, the creator of Obsession. Thank you for coming here tonight. As you may have smelled with the Obsession sample given to you, the perfume holds a unique and personal story. One shaped by your memories and your own conception of happiness. I’m inviting you all again to try it out.”
Speaking about perfume gave me back my strength—it was my universe. The guests all tried Obsession on their wrists, their nostrils being filled with that elixir of love. Butterflies danced in my belly at the sight of their faces—their expressions betraying surprise, happiness, and amazement. They started to gossip heavily and snap some more pictures.
“Obsession is inspired by love,” I continued. “Love in its darkness and its light. Love in all its shapes. The ugly and the beautiful. Heaven and hell. The strength and power of it. Obsession is dedicated to my mother, whose passion and fire inspired me.” My eyes locked with the emotive ones of my uncle. “She taught me to never give up on my dream, to be hopeful, and she was right.”
I cleared my throat, denying the rush of emotions getting back to me. “Obsession wouldn’t have happened without the man who showed me how—”
I stopped, my eyes lingering on the imposing shadow of a man hidden in the back of the crowd. He wore an old-fashioned hat and a long coat. Dressed in full black, his aura drew me to him like a magnet. In the room, he erased everyone so that only he captured my attention. My heart pounded. It could only be him. A phantom, invisible for those he didn’t wish to appear to. Radcliff was my shadow watching over me in plain sight.
“He showed me how to express my whole self.” A beaming smile took over my face, and all my dark feelings disappeared. “To be who I am without fear. We’re all different. Perhaps we’re all outsiders, but this perfume will make you love yourself for who you truly are. Be the goddess of today, the seductress of the night, or the princess of your kingdom. Or all of them together. Don’t be limited to one category. Shine your glorious true self.”
Applause rose and thundered as much as my galloping heart. I searched for Radcliff among the crowd, but he wasn’t there anymore. He was leaving. Probably because I had seen him. I snapped my wide eyes at Hugo, who gave me a head sign that meantdon’t you dare do that, but I couldn’t ignore the aching in my heart that needed answers.
