Devil's Prisoner of Love by Prefer

Over the past three years, Aurora had navigated the competitive world of business, learning its rules through hard-earned experience. Her foray into perfume-making, however, had been a spur-of-the-moment decision.

If not for the provocation she had endured at Marcos' place, Aurora might never have chosen to study perfumery. From the initial inspiration to the final product, only a few months had passed. She was far from confident-she wasn't a miracle worker, after all- and the fear of failure loomed large.

When production began, Aurora deliberately avoided large-scale manufacturing. She wanted to test the market's reaction first, reducing risks and minimizing potential losses. As she often said, "Scarcity creates value." Limited-edition items held greater allure. Vanity drove people to covet things others couldn't have, elevating their sense of status.

Knowing the power of competition and pride, Aurora decided that a thousand bottles would suffice. Even if they didn't sell as expected, the loss wouldn't be too great. Yet, as she stood before the overwhelming demand, even she was taken aback.

The plaza, already packed with thousands of people, became even more crowded as Marcos' customers were drawn to her stall. The entire square was a sea of humanity, and pre-orders had already surpassed ten thousand-a number far beyond her initial expectations.

"It seems we don't have to worry anymore. We'll take our leave," Irene said with a light smile. The event was over, and it was time for her to go.

"All right, Irene. A small token of my appreciation-I hope you like it," Aurora replied warmly. Apart from the thousand bottles for sale, she had prepared ten limited-edition bottles as gifts for family and friends.

Irene's eyes lit up at the sight of the special packaging, her joy as pure as a child's. "You've really outdone yourself," she said, clearly delighted.

Aurora smiled. "I still have some work to finish today, so I won't see you off."

made public appearances unless absolutely necessary. This was precisely why many had heard of Mr. Coleman but few had ever seen him in

he watched her with an

of the perfume behind her ear. Forgetting

beside her, she asked absentmindedly, "Does

barely left her mouth when Nick leaned in, closing the distance between them.

her in, his arms braced on either side of her, surrounding her completely with his presence. His nose brushed against the delicate skin behind

smells nice," he murmured, his voice low and intoxicating. After a moment, he added, "But any

had shared in the past, moments she thought she had left behind. Though two years had passed, the familiar scent, the familiar presence, the familiar voice-they all drew her in

grown more significant

as though he wanted to say something, but the weight of their shared history and the pain

overwhelmed with the chaos of the event. Though some guests

Montgomery, did you expect such an overwhelming response?" one reporter

sense of relief but kept her expression neutral. "To be honest, I'm a little surprised. I'm just starting out in

debut has been remarkably successful. Interestingly, today also marks Mr. Giron's perfume launch. You chose the same

was clear. The reporter was trying to

I planned this carefully. Christmas is a time for numerous events, and after much consideration, I decided it was the perfect time for a