When His Nauseous Sweetheart Frowns, the Tycoon's Family Takes Turns Pampering Her-Chapter 97: Adriana Is in the Mall Right Now

The Devotion series perfume.

The sales clerk gave a slight bow and smiled apologetically. "Sir, the last bottle of our Devotion series perfume was just sold."

The smile on Russell Frost’s lips faded slightly. "When will you have it back in stock?"

The clerk immediately opened her work tablet to check the status of their restock order. "We’re expecting more after the New Year."

He rarely grew fixated on anything, but once an idea took hold, he found it difficult to let go until he got what he wanted.

He had used up every last drop of the perfume he’d bought before.

He had thought he could move past his dependence on her.

But he couldn’t.

He missed the scent dearly. Only by recalling that fragrance could he picture her every expression, her every smile.

Russell Frost asked, "What did the person who bought the perfume look like?"

’Purchases of this brand always come with a free sample. I can find the person and offer to buy it from them.’

Guessing what he intended to do from his insistent tone, the clerk told him what she knew.

"It was a woman, in her forties, wearing a white coat and a dark gray cloche hat."

Russell Frost’s eyes widened, lighting up again. "Thank you. Please go ahead and wrap up that home fragrance for me. I’ll be right back."

He was always so composed and poised. Even when faced with malicious questions, he could retort with calm authority.

’To see him so anxious all of a sudden... this perfume must be incredibly important to Mr. Frost.’ The clerk added, "I saw them head to the left."

Russell Frost nodded in thanks and strode off to the left.

’Dark gray cloche hat, dark gray cloche hat...’

Russell Frost’s gaze swept through the crowd as he mentally repeated the description of the person he was looking for.

The mall was packed with people on New Year’s Eve, but everywhere he looked, as far as he could see, there wasn’t a single person wearing a cloche hat.

’Did she go up to the second floor?’

Russell Frost stepped onto the escalator. Among the shoppers coming down on the opposite side, someone recognized him and waved excitedly. "Special Envoy Frost!"

As the name "Special Envoy Frost" was called out, people all around turned to look at him.

A smile touched his eyes as he nodded and greeted the crowd. "Hello. Happy New Year. Hello..."

As he stepped onto the second floor, he paused for a moment at the top of the escalator.

During the ride up to the second floor, his initial excitement had already faded into calmness.

Russell Frost didn’t bother searching the second floor. He turned and stepped onto the downward escalator.

His face was blank, one hand resting on the handrail.

As the escalator descended, his heart began to settle.

’Adriana, I can’t even buy your favorite perfume anymore.’

’Is it our fate to never be together in this life?’

’I only went away for work. Why were you gone when I came back?’

’You said we could face anything together.’

’So why are you hiding from me?’

’Without leaving so much as a word.’

Russell Frost stepped off the escalator and headed back toward the fragrance shop. He knew in his heart that finding a woman in a cloche hat wasn’t impossible, even in a huge mall teeming with people.

But he had to force himself to face reality.

’In my position as Plenipotentiary Envoy to Kamaria, as a diplomat, chasing someone down to buy a perfume sample is simply not appropriate.’

His gaze swept through the crowd, then locked onto a single spot.

’Luna.’

She was browsing a rack of clothes, a middle-aged couple watching over her from behind.

Luna Axton picked out a shirt, turning to hand it to Ms. Brooks behind her.

As her eyes shifted, they met those of the man standing just outside the shop.

Luna Axton froze on the spot. A thousand thoughts raced through her mind, a jumble of different ways to address him.

She forced her eyes to curve into smiling crescents and willed her lips into a normal-looking smile as she called out, "Uncle."

"Shopping with your parents?"

"Yes, Uncle." The corners of Luna Axton’s mouth felt numb, and she could almost feel her head starting to tremble uncontrollably.

She had to bite the inside of her lip, using the sharp pain to force herself to remain calm.

"Where’s Blaze? Why isn’t he with you?"

"His grandfather wasn’t feeling well, so he’s in the hospital." Seeing his brow furrow slightly, she quickly added, "It’s just for observation. He’ll be discharged tomorrow."

’Blaze isn’t with her, the mall is crowded, and I draw too much attention. This isn’t the right place for a conversation.’

Russell Frost raised a hand in farewell. "Bring Blaze over to the house after the New Year. Your uncles have gifts for you."

"Okay, I’ll tell Blaze," Luna Axton said with a slight nod.

Her body was so stiff and unresponsive she couldn’t manage any other movement.

Luna Axton remained rooted to the spot, her gaze glued to Russell Frost until his figure disappeared from sight.

If he had turned back, he would have seen the reddened corners of Luna’s eyes.

Luna Axton lowered her head, wiping away the tears that stung her eyes, and handed the shirt to Ms. Brooks.

"Ms. Brooks, this should be the style of shirt Mom was talking about."

Ms. Brooks’s gaze fell on the girl’s trembling hand. "Luna, are you okay?" she asked, her voice filled with concern.

Luna Axton didn’t dare look up, terrified that someone would see she had been crying.

"I’m fine. The lights in the store are just a bit too bright, and my eyes are a little irritated."

Ms. Brooks and Mr. Coleman exchanged a look. They both knew that Ms. Axton and her daughter had their share of secrets.

Since they were secrets, they couldn’t be spoken of. All they could do was offer their companionship and support.

Ms. Brooks raised an eyebrow and, with a quick glance, signaled for Mr. Coleman to keep a close eye on Luna.

She took the shirt and brought it to her daughter and Ms. Axton in the fitting room.

When Ms. Brooks saw her daughter in the fitting room, she exclaimed in delight, "I have to say, with Ms. Axton’s help, Lindsey suddenly looks so much more composed and sharp."

Mr. Coleman sat in the lounge area, watching Luna Axton without so much as a blink.

Lindsey had a carefree personality and couldn’t keep anything bottled up.

’But Luna is different. My wife told me to watch her, so all I can do is watch.’

Luna Axton wandered in front of a clothing rack. She had to do something, anything, to calm the tidal wave of emotions surging in her heart.

This was the first time she had seen her biological father since learning the truth of her parentage.

When Russell Frost returned to the shop, the clerk saw his impassive expression and knew he had failed.

"Sir, if you’d like, you can leave your contact information. I’ll notify you the moment it’s back in stock."

"I..." Russell Frost paused for a few seconds, then took a deep breath. "No, that’s alright. Thank you."

Seeing such a handsome and elegant man look so dejected made the clerk’s heart ache with a little emptiness of its own.

"Alright. Your gift is all wrapped up. You can check out now, sir."

Russell Frost followed the clerk to the checkout counter. The gift was wrapped in vermilion paper with gold ribbons—exquisite and perfectly suited to the New Year’s atmosphere.

Satisfied, Russell Frost unlocked his phone and pulled up his payment QR code.

The clerk noticed his phone’s wallpaper. ’Is that the gentleman’s wife?’

She couldn’t help but look up at Russell Frost again. "Sir, perhaps you’d like to select another gift for your wife?"

Russell Frost looked puzzled. "My wife?"

He followed the clerk’s gaze to his phone screen and realized she had misunderstood.

He began to explain, "She’s not my—"

But Russell Frost’s mind was exceptionally sharp, and it suddenly dawned on him.

He asked, his voice filled with disbelief, "The person who bought the perfume just now... was it this woman?"

"Yes, it was."

Russell Frost’s heart began to pound violently, the shock of it making his hands and feet go numb.

’Adriana is in Valoria.’

’Adriana is in this very mall, right now.’