Chapter 4 Strong Smell of Male Hormone

The night fell, and the lights were on.

Vivian came back from the company and took the subway back to the small apartment she shared with a friend.

"Coming..." With a mask on her face, Penny Philip trotted over to get the door.

The moment when she saw Vivian, she was taken aback, "Oh my, you look so pale... haunted by ghosts? Where did you go last night? You didn't go to Attlee's house, did you?"

Exhausted, Vivian bypassed her and got in.

Holding her mask, Penny followed and gabbled from behind, "I have to warn you. You cannot be soft, but Hudson is a jerk! You cannot endure everything just because you are indebted to his family!"

Vivian smoothed her hair back, opened the fridge, and took a bottle of water, but she didn't speak...

Vivian didn't have any memory of her mother. She had difficult labor and passed away before Vivian could sip her breast milk. Her father and she were left to rely on each other to live.

Misfortune didn't strike just once. When she was in junior high, her father, Zane Swift, went on a business trip and had a car accident due to fatigue driving. His life was saved, but he was paralyzed.

Zane had no relatives in Durban, and his boss, Derek Attlee, kindly adopted Vivian, so she grew up with the Attlee family.

Vivian was docile, sensible, kind, and quiet. Older than her, Hudson was mature, steady, and nice to her. Their bonds formed naturally and smoothly. Before she went to college, the Attlee family already engaged them.

Originally, they planned to marry them upon Vivian's graduation. But when the graduation was drawing near...

Angered by the thought, Vivian couldn't help crunching the water bottle in her hand.

"Don't just drink water!" Penny came up, patted her on the shoulder, and warmed food for her.

At the same time, she didn't forget to warn Vivian, "Remember, don't believe in Hudson's lies..."

"For the company? How high-sounding! For approval documents, dignity must be sacrificed? He is worthless! What is the mistress called? Valerie Stone, right? She isn't good-looking and has the nerve to be a mistress! A Land Bureau Chief dad, that's all she's got! Yet she's throwing her weight about. Let's see how long their relationship can last!"

Hearing this, Vivian couldn't help but laugh.

Vivian walked up, held Penny, and rubbed against her shoulder like a spoiled child, "Pen, if you are a man, I'll be your love!"

"Of course, girls will be infatuated with me." With a smile, Penny took a glance at her and nudged her, "Take a seat, dinner is ready."

"Mm!"

When Vivian was just about to turn around, Penny sniffed abruptly, "Wait, I smelt something on you!"

"What smell?" Vivian squinted at her and somehow felt guilty, "Sweat? I haven't taken a shower for two days."

To watch over Jonathan and get the headline! In the end, she not only failed to get the headline but also got herself in trouble.

"No, no." Penny sniffed, suddenly curled up her mouth, and smiled deviously, "Hmm... the smell of man! Strong hormone! It's wild and intense!"

"Poof..." Vivian was gulping down water. As soon as she heard that, the water spurted out, spraying Penny straight in the face. She smiled awkwardly, "Sorry, but you... you were talking nonsense!"

Penny squeezed her delicate features. The skin on her small face looked tender. All of a sudden, she screamed, "Poor Vivi, do you know how expensive this mask is? Ah... you wastrel!"

"Ha-ha..."

Vivian smiled and dodged. Her displeasure of the whole day seemed to have dispersed. But the male scent on her? Was Penny's nose so keen? Was there Jonathan's scent on her body? At the thought of his strong arms and robust chest, Vivian felt upset...

The Pond Villa.

In the living room, the crystal chandelier was sparkling.

After a shower, Jonathan sat on the sofa with only a bathrobe on. Now he looked indolent and harmless, but the Special Assistant Zack knew it was just a false impression.

Zack handed an iPad to Jonathan, "Sir, this is Vivian's info..."

"Mm." Jonathan nodded slightly, took it, and skimmed it through.

Vivian Swift, 20 years old, a senior majoring in journalism at Durban University. Now she worked with SINO Web as an intern. Her father, Zane Swift, was paralyzed from a car accident seven years ago and living in a sanatorium. At the age of 13, she was adopted by Derek Attlee, boss of Antaeus Enterprise...

"Antaeus Enterprise?"

His eyelids drooping, Jonathan raised his tone without lifting his head.

Zack immediately explained, "A small business with dozens of employees. Their operation is okay and sort of profitable."

Jonathan was not impressed. For the Luke family, a company like Antaeus didn't deserve their attention.

"Humph." Jonathan curled up his lips and read on. Suddenly, his brows furrowed, and he fixed his eyes on a photo of Vivian and Hudson. His tone turned unpleasant, and his face was filled with disdain, "Fiancé? What the hell?"

Zack had been following him for years and thus sensed his fury, "Sir, on your command."

"Humph!" Jonathan snorted and tossed the tablet back to Zack. Now his eyes went dim and gloomy.

"Sir..." Not sure of his real thought, Zack asked hesitantly, "Do you need a therapist here? You haven't slept well in the past few days. Although the therapeutic effect is limited, you could sleep for a while after all."

He lifted his arm, put his slender finger on his temple, wearily rubbed it, and shook his head in the end, "No..."

As a patient of insomnia, he knew the sufferings too well. When he held Vivian that night, he had a sound sleep... Those so-called therapies were nowhere near her.

"Anything news about him?" Jonathan waved his hand and asked Zack about another matter.

Stunned, Zack then lowered his head, "Sorry, nothing for now."

"Mm." With a straight face, Jonathan stroked the antique lighter with his right palm and fell into silence for quite a while, "You can go now!"

"Yes, sir." Zack bowed and left the villa.

The place was all quiet. Jonathan got up, walked to the floor-to-ceiling window, and pulled open the curtains. There were dots of lights outside. While Jonathan stood there, his eyes looked deep and reserved, and his eyebrows knitted.

He didn't have much time left. Could he... eventually find 'him'?

His head throbbed, and Jonathan raised his head to rub his temple. His gaze landed on the hot spring pool in the courtyard, and his mouth curved up involuntarily. His mind flashed back to that night. In front of him, Vivian looked distinctly scared but still adamant.

Setting his slender fingers against his forehead, he opened his thin lips and murmured.

"That girl's smell... why does it smell so familiar and sedate?"