As Allison walked out, Rebecca happily put an arm around her shoulder.
âMr.
Blakelyâs chef? That man could give any top-notch kitchen a run for its money! And while I was savoring the food, I also got some juicy information,â Rebecca boasted, her eyes shining with satisfaction.
âI found out that Kellanâs stepmother was his fatherâs mistress, the one who pushed his real mother to the edge.
And his father? No better.
Heâs got his children locked in a twisted battle royale, practically making them fight for survival.
And whatâs worse, Kellan is competing with his illegitimate siblings.
â
Rebecca shook her head, her eyes wide in disbelief.
âThank goodness Iâm an only child.
None of that sordid family drama for me.
â
Allison smiled, her eyes piercing.
âYou spent so little time with Mr.
Blakely, and yet you learned so much.
Iâm sure you two got along.
â
Rebecca shrugged indifferently.
âIt was fine.
Ferdinand is easy on the eyes, Iâll give you that, and he doesnât waste time on nonsense.
But please, Allison, I have a line of men waiting.
I donât need to chain myself to one.
Relationships? Theyâre a cage.
Youâre much freer on your own.
â
Allison laughed softly.
Rebecca's carefree attitude was as daring as ever.
Then, as if remembering something, Rebecca leaned closer.
âSo, how did it go with Kellan? Any progress on the perfume thing?â
Allisonâs face darkened slightly at the question.
She explained her suspicions and carefully pulled the lock of hair out of her purse, now sealed in a plastic bag.
âRebecca, I need you to help me with a DNA test.
This is too much of a coincidence.
â
Rebecca took the bag with a wave of her hand.
âDonât worry.
I know a top-notch, discreet lab.
â
Rebecca also sensed the strangeness of the situation.
The coincidence between Allison's mother's disappearance and Kellan's mother's death was eerily close.
Even their methods of perfuming themselves bore an uncanny resemblance.
The theory seemed plausible, butâ¦
âLetâs hope this doesnât end up being one of those weird âsoulmates who happen to be brothersâ situations,â Rebecca joked with a sly grin.
âAnd donât pretend you didnât notice.
There was quite a spark between you two.
â
Allison rolled her eyes at the mockery, but eventually threw her hands up in defeat.
âItâs nothing.
Just two people who happened to cross paths.
Thereâs no way weâre going to end up together.
â
Rebecca raised an eyebrow, clearly not believing it.
âDonât be so quick to dismiss fate.
It has a way of throwing curveballs.
â
Later, in the lab, Rebecca cheerfully handed over the hair samples.
âDoctor, take good care of this.
And make sure your team doesnât say anything.
This could affect your funding for the rest of the year.
â
His words were wrapped in a smile, but the underlying threat was unmistakable.
The doctor nodded respectfully.
âOf course.
In reality, Ontdale's lab operations were largely funded by the Green family, and they only served high-level clients who needed the utmost confidentiality.
In their world, discretion wasn't just a courtesy; it was survival.
Rebecca smiled.
âRelax, honey, weâll have the results soon.
How about a celebratory dinner? Itâs been a hell of a day.
â
âWhy not? Letâs go to Jasmine Restaurant,â Allison agreed, though her appetite wasnât particularly strong.
It had been years since she had visited, and Rebeccaâs excitement was hard to refuse.
As soon as she sat down in the car seat, tiredness took over and she fell asleep.
When she opened her eyes again, they were arriving at the restaurant.
The elegant private dining room was just as she remembered it: classic, refined and serene, with lush gardens and pavilion-like décor that gave it an air of exclusivity.
Only the elite dined here.
âNothing has changed,â Allison said, smiling as she followed Rebecca upstairs.
They had planned a quiet evening to catch up over a good meal, but as soon as they walked in, they were greeted by an unpleasant sight.
In a corner, looking as fragile and pitiful as ever, was Melany, her eyes full of tears.
âColton, after all these years, how can you still doubt me? I never claimed to be Scarlet Snake, and I didnât know Allison was the legendary perfumer.
â