My Fiancé's Scandals Never End, So I Married His Uncle Instead-Chapter 87: An Exclusive Lesson

"Our boss only has one sister," Evan Rhodes said, choosing his words carefully. "He raised her himself and has invested a great deal in her."

The implication was clear: after investing so much effort, a little more money was nothing.

Adeline Lowell thought of the girl, who was clearly the picture of a doted-upon child. For some reason, she felt an impulse to learn more about her life and asked another question.

"I presume Miss Sterling is quite skilled at perfumery?"

"She has some interest. As for her skill... I’m not involved in that side of things, so I’m not sure," Evan Rhodes replied cautiously.

Seeing that he was clearly reluctant to say more, and recalling Kian Sterling’s repeated warnings about her ’presumptuousness,’ Adeline Lowell smiled and dropped the subject.

Inside the villa.

Less than ten minutes after entering the conference hall, Celia Sterling was respectfully escorted away by two members of the Lowell Family.

"Miss Rosalyn Lowell invites you to attend a class with her."

"What class?" Celia Sterling asked as she followed them deeper inside. ’No wonder I couldn’t find the Lowell Family’s two Chief Perfumers in the crowd earlier,’ she thought. ’They went to attend a class.’

The Lowell clansman smiled cryptically. "You will see when you get there, Miss Sterling."

Ten or so minutes later, she was led to an elegant inner hall.

"Miss Sterling, please."

Celia Sterling stepped inside and saw dozens of neatly arranged, simple perfumery stations. Seated before them was a large group of young men and women dressed in the Lowell Family’s uniform, which was adorned with a lingzhi mushroom pattern. At the very front sat Rosalyn Lowell and the other Chief Perfumer, Heath Lowell.

Beside Rosalyn Lowell, there was an empty seat.

Rosalyn Lowell spotted Celia the moment she entered and waved her over. "Celia, come sit with me."

Celia Sterling walked over without hesitation, her eyes full of curiosity. "Rosalie, the grand conference happening outside is such a rare opportunity. What kind of class could be more compelling than that?"

"It’s the Lowell Family’s grand masterclass," Rosalyn Lowell explained in a low voice. "Usually, our weekly sessions only have two or three retired masters presiding. But last night, the family made a last-minute decision to hold a masterclass in the inner hall for the next two days. And they’re bringing in eighteen masters at once. This is completely unprecedented. Even during our grandest annual masterclass, we’ve never had more than ten masters in attendance."

The Lowell Family placed extreme importance on the tradition of incense making, sparing no expense in cultivating the next generation of Perfumers. The retired top Perfumers were all former Chief Perfumers themselves. Having been immersed in the art for many years, they had long since reached a master-class level of skill. A few had even reached the "legendary" tier—true titans who were revered as gods in the Perfumery Circle.

In the eyes of these titans, even the current Chief Perfumers, Rosalyn Lowell and Heath Lowell, were merely talented juniors. Whether they could one day reach such heights was still an open question.

There were no masterclasses scheduled during The Fragrance Gala. So, while the last-minute notice from the family leadership was unexpected, it was a pleasant surprise. When the announcement was made, the head of the Lowell Family, Adeline Lowell, had given Rosalyn Lowell a specific instruction:

"I see you and Miss Sterling are getting along well. Why not invite her to sit in for the next two days?"

A top-tier incense master family like the Lowells highly valued the privacy of their internal training; there was no precedent for allowing an outsider to sit in. Rosalyn Lowell gave Adeline Lowell a confused look, but seeing that she was serious, she agreed.

And whether by intention or coincidence, whoever arranged the seating had placed Celia Sterling in one of the three prime spots in the front row.

Not long after Celia Sterling had settled into her seat, the reclusive, master-class titans of the Lowell Family appeared on the teaching platform.

Celia Sterling’s focus sharpened instantly. She immediately turned off her phone. A fervent light filled her almond-shaped eyes as she sat perfectly still and upright, her gaze fixed intently on the masters.

She had never seen them before.

The Lowell Perfumer Family had endured for centuries, its true foundation being this group of elite senior incense masters who remained hidden from the world. From their profound, almost mystical auras alone, Celia could sense their incredible skill and depth of knowledge. Her heart hammered in her chest; it felt as though a golden opportunity had just fallen into her lap.

But she quickly composed herself, determined to be at her best. This was a rare opportunity. She opened the new notebook on her desk, uncapped her pen, and immersed herself completely in the masterclass.

Lunch was also delivered from outside.

The conference in the outer hall continued. Perfumers mingled joyfully, and one incense-making showdown followed another. But these were the very scenes Celia had longed to see, yet now they couldn’t distract her for even a minute.

She remained absorbed until five in the afternoon.

The masters were all elderly, and a continuous ten-hour lecture had exhausted them. They left the evening free for the students, leaving them with the words, "We’ve covered a great deal today. Use the evening to digest it on your own." Then, they all departed for the break room.

Celia Sterling walked out, her steps unsteady and her mind in a daze. The conference in the outer hall hadn’t ended yet, but her mind was too saturated and her energy too depleted for her to participate. Gently pressing her temples, she left the villa, flanked by two bodyguards.

Kian Sterling had come to pick her up in person again.

This time, he was in an executive van, and his assistant, Evan Rhodes, was also there. Celia Sterling and Kian Sterling sat in the back. In the front passenger seat, Evan Rhodes held a bouquet of lilies and carnations while giving the driver directions.

"Bro, this isn’t the way back to the hotel," Celia Sterling said, looking at the unfamiliar navigation route with some surprise. 𝙛𝒓𝓮𝒆𝔀𝒆𝙗𝓷𝒐𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝒄𝓸𝓶

Kian Sterling hummed in acknowledgment. "I’m taking Cece to visit an old acquaintance."

"An old acquaintance?" Celia Sterling asked casually. "Where are we going?"

Kian Sterling’s gaze lingered for a long time on the increasingly remote path outside the car window.

Then he gently ruffled Celia Sterling’s hair, his voice low.

"Stillwater Cemetery."

「Lowell Family - Break Room」

The eighteen master-class incense masters sat together as the smoke of a specially blended, restorative cypress incense curled through the air. Adeline Lowell personally poured tea for the highly respected elders, her tone deferential.

"Thank you all for your hard work these past two days."

"It’s no trouble at all," one of the masters replied slowly. "Family matters are our responsibility."

Adeline Lowell made her routine inquiry. "Did any of you notice any promising talents among the juniors, anyone worth investing more training in?"

Another master spoke up. "They’re still just kids who haven’t had their breakthrough. Only Rosalyn Lowell and Heath Lowell are presentable. Rosalie has shown the most progress, but her innate talent isn’t enough. Adeline, of the eighteen of us here, the youngest is already seventy. The ones who’ve reached the legendary tier, like the Grand Elder, are over ninety. We’re on our last legs. You must be mindful of the situation."

Adeline Lowell was, of course, well aware.

For decades, since the time of those legendary Perfumers now in their nineties, the Lowell Family had failed to produce another of their caliber. The sole exception had been her own older sister, Sylvia Lowell, a once-in-a-generation talent who had tragically passed away just as she was about to cross that threshold. It was a heartache not only for Adeline and the old matriarch but for the entire Lowell Family.

Frustrated by this looming succession crisis, and partly out of concern for her client, she casually asked, "And that Miss Sterling... was she able to follow along?"

Her question was met with a stark, almost unnerving silence.