Devil's Prisoner of Love by Prefer

Chapter 447: I'll Only Say This Once When lan appeared in the office with a completely new look, everyone was stunned. Previously, lan was known as a nerd-plain and awkward in his old-fashioned clothes, with long, unkempt hair that made him look far older than his age.

But after Aurora helped him with a makeover, the change was striking. When lan walked in, all eyes were on him. Even Gemma, who was in the middle of applying lipstick, dropped it onto the table in shock. If this lan had pursued her back in their first year of college, how could she have possibly said no? lan's tall and athletic figure, honed by years of basketball and exercise, had always been hidden beneath his frumpy sportswear. Back then, he wore oversized glasses with thick black frames, and his messy hair obscured much of his face.

Now, dressed in a sharp suit that highlighted his physique, with his hair styled neatly and contact lenses replacing his glasses, lan looked like an entirely different person- like a refined young gentleman from a wealthy family.

"lan, you look like a completely new man!" Gemma greeted him enthusiastically, even going so far as to link her arm with his.

lan frowned and pulled his arm away. "This has nothing to do with you." Leonard also cover, visibly impressed. "Wow, man, what happened? You're like a new person overnight!" "I have work to do," lan replied curtly. He remembered what Aurora had told him- trouble was likely brewing for the company soon. Determined to help her, lan had already bought several books about perfumery the day before.

NE's actions against Aurora had filled lan with self-reproach. If he had the skills, he could have created the perfect perffor her.

lan was the kind of person who acted on his thoughts immediately, regardless of his lack of experience. As long as he had a goal, he would start pursuing it without delay.

"Why are you buying so many books on perfumery? That's not even your field," Leonard asked, puzzled.

"I'm just browsing. Things are slow lately anyway," lan replied casually.

"How do you know it's going to be slow?" Leonard and the others weren't yet aware of the issues with the order. "It's nothing. You guys should get back to work," lan said. By now, he had fully aligned himself with Aurora and considered himself one of her trusted confidants. There was no way he would casually reveal company secrets. Leonard and Gemma both noticed that lan had changed-not just in appearance but also in demeanor. He was no longer the shy, self-conscious guy who couldn't even make eye contact with people.

Now, lan often sat by the window with a cup of coffee and a book. He read diligently, looking up anything he didn't understand and taking notes as he went.

For the first time, Gemma noticed how attractive lan's hands were and how his sun-kissed skin radiated a subtle charm. He was undeniably an exceptional man. How had she not seen it before? Heather had also transformed, cutting her hair short and adopting a more polished appearance. Like lan, she had started researching perfumery and was teaching herself the craft.

Both lan and Heather were completely different from their past selves, attracting attention from their colleagues. Heather had evolved from being a timid assistant in the Montgomery Group, often overlooked and ordered around, to becoming an independent, confident woman admired by many.

Unlike Gemma, who relied on feigned weakness to attract men, Heather's independence and warm personality drew genuine admirers. Flowers began appearing on her desk, and colleagues offered to stand in line for her meals or accompany her hafter work.

But Heather didn't let it go to her head. She knew she still had much to learn and aspired to becsomeone like Aurora.

lan shared the sambition. Both he and Heather had found a mutual goal in Aurora. Though they never spoke much-just exchanged polite smiles when they happened to meet on the subway-they had becallies in their shared pursuit of growth and excellence.

For two days, lan hadn't seen Aurora. Her absence left him with an inexplicable void.

That day, he spotted Mona and finally worked up the courage to ask, "Manager, why haven't I seen the boss around lately?" "The boss is in New York for training," Mona replied. "Why? Did you need her for something?" "No, I was just worried she might be upset about not landing that order and decided to stay away," lan said, masking his true thoughts.

"Don't worry about her. The boss didn't get to where she is by being fragile. She's been through things you can't imagine. This is just a minor setback. She's in New York learning perfumery from a master. When she returns, she'll be better than ever," Mona reassured him.

Mona knew that lan was someone Aurora valued, so she didn't brush him off and instead told him the truth.

lan admired Aurora even more. Despite her status, she was still willing to humble herself and learn from the best, even leaving her two companies behind to do so.

"Got it, Manager. Thank you. I'll head out now," lan said, feeling much lighter after learning Aurora's whereabouts.

"Alright, take care." lan was about to take the subway hwhen his phone rang. It was Leonard. "Leo, what's up?"

"lan, let's hang out tonight! It's been ages since we all got together," m Leonard said, "Not tonight. I need to go hand study," lan replied instinctively.

"Con, man! You've gone crazy with books, and it's not like you're Samdy's preparing for an exam It's the boss's birthday today. If you don't come, it'll look bad. We've been through so much together-skipping classes and all that. Don't letdown," Leonard pleaded. "Alright, fine. Where's the place?" Leonard gave him the address, and lan reluctantly headed over.

When he arrived, he immediately noticed Gemma was there. His expression darkened. He had grown to despise her.

"Why is she here?" "We invited your goddess, of course. Surprise, huh?" Everyone still thought lan had feelings for Gemma.

"You ran all the way here, didn't you? Look at you, sweating all over," Gemma said, acting sweet and attentive as she reached out to wipe his sweat.

The more she acted like this, the more repulsed lan felt. Her manipulative nature reminded him of how naive he had once been.

Grabbing her hand, lan addressed the group seriously, "Since everyone is here today it's tto clear the air betweenand Gemma. Listen up-I'll only say this once." mmMwWLlilofiflo&1 mmMwWLlilofiflo&1 mmMwWLlilofiflo&1 mmMwWLlilofiflo&1 mmMwWLliIofifl0&1 mmMwWLlilofiflo&1