Chapter 19

The Almanac of Air perfume was Eleanor’s creation, crafted by her own hands, drop by drop. She guarded it as fiercely as a mother would protect her child- there was no chance she’d let anyone else take over.
Especially not the one person she despised most.
“I’m not asking for your opinion. I’m telling you how it’s going to be.” Daniel’s eyes were as cold as winter steel. “If you refuse to go, then you can just stay home and rest. Indefinitely.”
With that, he turned and headed upstairs, not sparing her another glance.
Aurora watched his retreating figure, feeling the crack inside her heart widen until all that was left was a barren wasteland.
She sank back into her chair, utterly defeated. The lavish dinner spread across the table in front of her might as well have been invisible-she had no appetite left.
She wasn’t sure how long she sat there, numb and shivering. Eventually, she rubbed her arms, trying to chase away the chill.
It was June, but the cold still seeped into her bones.
“Ma’am,” a housekeeper approached with a blanket, “Mr. Chambers said you shouldn’t catch a chill.”
Aurora lowered her gaze, eyes glistening with unshed tears.
For Eleanor, Daniel had forced her out of the company.
He had taken her child. Now he wanted to hand over the other thing she’d poured her soul into.
He truly was cruel.
“Ma’am, are you all right?” The housekeeper was startled to see tears slipping down Aurora’s cheeks. She didn’t understand Mr. Chambers seemed to care so much for his wife, so why did Mrs. Chambers look so heartbroken?
“I’m fine. You can clear the table,” Aurora murmured, clutching the blanket tighter around herself. Exhausted, she dragged herself back to her room.
Over an hour passed before her phone began chiming relentlessly, message after message pouring in.
Everyone was asking about Eleanor joining the development team.
Only then did Aurora realize Daniel had already announced that Eleanor would be taking charge of the department.
The sudden arrival of a new leader sent shockwaves through the team, and speculation ran wild about what was happening inside the company.
Aurora typed a brief message in the group chat: *Stepping down soon.*
She was planning to divorce Daniel anyway. Once the divorce was settled, she’d resign. Now, she was simply moving up the timeline.
She drafted her resignation letter and sent it off to HR, then silenced her phone to shut out the noise.
The next day.
Chambers Group headquarters.
Top floor, executive office.
The HR director dabbed at his sweating forehead as he handed Daniel the resignation letter Aurora had sent the night before.
Daniel’s expression was unreadable, but anger simmered beneath the surface. Did she really think she could threaten him by quitting? As if the perfume division couldn’t run without her.
Childish games.
The HR director spoke up hesitantly, “What would you like to do?”
Everyone in the company knew Aurora wasn’t just Mr. Chambers’ wife-she was
the backbone of the research and development team.
Now the backbone wanted out, and he didn’t dare make that call alone.
“Process her resignation,” Daniel replied, his tone icy.
He wasn’t about to indulge her stubbornness. Follow current novᴇls on.net
“And the head of R&D position?” the director asked.
“Give it to Eleanor.”
“Yes, sir.”
When Aurora woke up later that morning, she saw the notification that her resignation had been approved.
She sat on her bed, phone in hand, staring blankly for a long time before reality finally sank in.
Daniel had agreed to let her go.
Good.
But she had never felt so cold inside.
She messaged her team, asking them to pack up her things so she could collect them later.
But the reply came back: Daniel had forbidden anyone from touching her belongings. She would have to come in herself.
So Aurora pulled herself together, put on her makeup, and drove to the office.
Chambers Group had its hands in many different industries, but the fragrance division had always been stagnant—until Aurora joined and launched The Almanac of Air. Only then did the whole department come alive again.
Now that Aurora was leaving, her colleagues in R&D were bewildered.
They couldn’t understand why Mr. Chambers would replace a dedicated and proven leader with an unknown newcomer.
A heavy gloom settled over the entire team.