Chapter 285: It’s You

Chapter 285: Chapter 285: It’s You

Vesper Grayson looked up, her gaze falling upon the Agarwood resting in the cabinet.

The entire room was filled with a natural, elegant fragrance. A cool, clear sweetness intertwined with a dense, honeyed richness, all veiled in a soft, milky aroma. It was subtle and reserved, yet calming to the soul, its scent long-lasting and persistent.

"I’m sorry, but I can’t sell this Agarwood. I have other plans for every piece of the material."

She intended to keep it for her own use. Her personal stock was already insufficient, so selling it was out of the question.

There were plenty of people in the world who needed Agarwood for medicinal purposes, but she had no deep connection with Shawn Payne. There was no need to make an exception and part with it.

Shawn Payne hadn’t expected such a direct refusal. ’A person willing to save a stranger without a second thought won’t even agree to such a small request?’

"Miss Grayson, even a piece the size of a fingernail would do. My friend is in desperate need. He was at The Azure Gallery’s auction yesterday, but something unexpected happened, and he unfortunately couldn’t place a bid."

By the time he learned that Seth Shepherd needed the Agarwood, it had already been listed in the auction house’s catalog. The auction preview had been publicly announced, and the entire process was set in stone. There was no way to withdraw it at the last minute.

If they were to withdraw an item without a valid reason, the public would speculate that The Azure Gallery was hoarding its goods or engaging in shady dealings. The auction house’s years of accumulated reputation would plummet.

Vesper Grayson’s brow furrowed slightly, her tone unyielding.

"Boss Payne, I’m afraid I can’t agree."

After hanging up, she went downstairs to eat.

She scanned the living room but saw no sign of Jared Hawthorne.

Renee Rhodes happened to be walking out of the kitchen and teased with a smile, "Jared went out with your father. You’ve only been apart for a little while and you already miss him?"

Vesper Grayson’s cheeks flushed. It was just a habit, an instinct to look for him.

"Where did they go?"

"Your father heard he’s a good golfer, so he insisted on taking him out for a game." Renee Rhodes’s expression was gentle. "Don’t worry about them. After breakfast, we’ll go shopping, just the two of us."

Ever since her daughter returned to Veridia, Jared Hawthorne had been by her side constantly. The two spent all day together, leaving little opportunity for mother and daughter to be alone. Today, she had specifically asked Jenson Whitman to take Jared out to create some time for just the two of them.

Vesper Grayson didn’t overthink it and walked straight to the dining room to have breakfast.

"Chadwick mentioned you’re planning to build a medicinal plant cultivation base and develop your own high-end skincare line?"

"Yes, I’ve always been interested in pharmacological skincare, and the soil and climate here are suitable. Once the new products are successfully developed, I’ll definitely give you the first set to try."

"That would be wonderful. When the time comes, Mom will help you promote it everywhere."

"Aren’t you afraid I’ll fail and all this effort will be for nothing?"

Renee Rhodes’s eyes were filled with trust. "My daughter is so intelligent and perceptive, she can succeed at anything she puts her mind to."

Feeling her family’s unconditional understanding and support, a warmth spread through Vesper Grayson’s heart, and the corners of her lips lifted into a small smile.

"Yesterday, Jared and I won a rare piece of Agarwood at The Azure Gallery auction. I plan to make a batch of Calming Incense in the next few days. You can try it then and see how it works."

"Oh, good. I could use that."

As she got older, her sleep was far from as sound as it used to be. She had tried various calming incenses from the market before, but their scents were pungent and cheap. Instead of helping, they made her feel tight-chested, so she eventually set them all aside.

"Let’s skip the shopping. How about I take you to see my medicinal plant cultivation mountain?"

She didn’t have anything she particularly needed to buy anyway.

Besides, she was pregnant. Her belly would be showing soon, so buying new things would just be a waste.

"I’ll follow your lead. Wherever you want to go, we’ll go!"

After breakfast, the mother and daughter left together. The driver took them straight to Bramwell.

Since she had bought the mountain, her older brother, Chadwick Whitman, had been working at full capacity to transform it according to her plans. Returning now, she found it completely transformed.

The perimeter of the mountain was now fortified with a raised, reinforced high-voltage wire fence. The road leading up the mountain had been repaved and widened, allowing vehicles to drive directly to the laboratory halfway up. The complete set of cultivation equipment had been overhauled and refurbished, all the office desks and chairs had been replaced, and a private office, lounge, and an open-air scenic tea room had been sectioned off.

To have completed such a large-scale renovation in such a short time... Vesper Grayson was secretly amazed at her brother’s efficiency.

Renee Rhodes strolled slowly through the entire base with her, then offered a light comment.

"Aside from its remote location, this place is quite peaceful and elegant."

Vesper Grayson replied with a smile, "Being remote isn’t a drawback. The soil and climate here are suitable for all kinds of medicinal plants. It’s quiet, secluded, and free from disturbances—just perfect."

"I’ll have Chadwick send more security personnel later. You’re a young woman coming here often; it’s hard not to worry."

"The entire mountain is covered by surveillance cameras, motion-sensor alarms, and a high-voltage grid. The security measures are very thorough."

"Veridia isn’t Northolme. An extra layer of precaution means an extra layer of security. You can never be too careful."

"I won’t be spending long periods of time here, so you don’t need to worry."

She would handle the core research and development at home. The daily cultivation and management would be entrusted to a professional R&D team, and she would only come up the mountain occasionally to check on their progress.

Hearing this, Renee Rhodes reached out and squeezed her hand tightly, her eyes filled with reluctance to let her go.

"Prue, are you planning to go back to Northolme after this? Can’t you stay for a little longer?"

After so much trouble finding her long-lost daughter, she really couldn’t bear to be separated.

Vesper Grayson’s heart warmed, and she soothed her mother in a gentle voice.

"Mom, Jared and I have been in Veridia for a long time. A lot of business has piled up for both of our companies, so we really can’t stay for an extended period. If you miss us, you can come visit us in Northolme anytime."

Renee Rhodes nodded slowly, a gentle smile blooming in her eyes.

"I understand. When your baby is born, your father and I will fly to Northolme to be with you."

...

Shawn Payne walked to the sofa and sat down, shrugging. "Did you hear that? I got rejected."

He had thought the Whitman family’s heiress would be easy to talk to. It seemed he’d been mistaken.

Seth Shepherd’s dark eyes narrowed. "It’s the way you’re asking. Call again. I’ll talk to her myself."

"..."

’My attitude was polite, and my words were clear. What was wrong with that?’

Nevertheless, he dialed the number again.

The phone rang for a while before it was finally answered.

"Miss Whitman, this is Shawn Payne, the owner of The Azure Gallery."

"Boss Payne, I’ve already made myself very clear. I have my own plans for this Agarwood and really don’t have any extra to sell to your friend."

"I understand, but my friend would like to have a word with you himself."

Before Vesper Grayson could refuse, Shawn Payne had already handed the phone to Seth Shepherd.

"Miss Whitman, it’s me."

Vesper Grayson frowned, puzzled. "And you are?"

The voice sounded a little familiar, as if she had heard it somewhere before.

"Thank you for saving my life last night, Miss Whitman."

"It’s you."

’No wonder the voice was so familiar. It was the man who was shot last night.’

"Yes. Because of the incident last night, I missed my chance with the Agarwood. I hope you might be willing to part with a small piece, Miss Whitman. My sister suffers from chronic insomnia and heart palpitations. She desperately needs this Agarwood to save her life."

’So he was at The Azure Gallery last night for this Agarwood too.’

’If it weren’t for his accident, I might not have won the Agarwood so easily last night.’

She pondered for a moment.

"This Agarwood is also very important to me. I can’t promise you anything right now. I’ll have to wait until I’ve finished making what I need to see if there’s any left."

"However, while Agarwood is effective for heart palpitations, it’s not a cure. It can only alleviate the symptoms. To truly cure it, you need to know the root cause of the illness."

"And even if I sold some to you, it would only treat the symptoms, not the underlying problem. Once she uses it all, the condition will just return. It won’t solve the fundamental issue."

She wasn’t making excuses not to sell it to him, but rather offering him a reasonable piece of advice from a physician’s perspective.

A strange glint flashed in Seth Shepherd’s eyes, but he quickly returned to his calm demeanor. "For her condition, even just alleviating it would be a great help."

"I’ll get back to you in a week."

With that, she hung up the phone.

Seth Shepherd looked up at Derek Kane. "What do you think?"

Derek Kane nodded in agreement. "She’s right. It would only treat the symptoms, not the root cause—just an alleviation. From how clearly and logically she spoke, she might actually have a better way to treat it. When she calls back, maybe you should ask for her advice?"

...

Knowing Vesper Grayson planned to have the rare Agarwood carved into finished pieces, Chadwick Whitman specially introduced her to Winston Hayes, a top carving master renowned in the industry.

At the carving workshop, she pushed open the door. A middle-aged man dressed in simple cloth garments, his hands covered in the thin calluses formed from years of holding carving knives, immediately came forward to greet them.

"Chadwick, what a rare visit! What brings you here today?"

"My sister has a precious piece of material and was hoping you could carve it personally." Chadwick Whitman stepped aside to introduce her. "Hayes, this is my sister, Prue Whitman."

Winston Hayes nodded with a smile, his gaze naturally falling to the brocade-lined wooden box Vesper Grayson held in her arms, a hint of curiosity in his eyes.

"What kind of fine material is it? Let me broaden my horizons."

Vesper Grayson lifted a hand and slowly opened the lid.

On the soft cushion lay a complete, raw piece of wild Agarwood weighing nearly three kilograms. Its texture was oily and translucent, shimmering with a delicate, gentle, pale-gold light. A rich fragrance—a blend of cool, clear sweetness and mellow, milky honey—instantly flooded out, filling the entire workshop with its elegant, long-lasting, and soul-soothing aroma.

Winston Hayes stopped in his tracks. He hurried forward, bent down to examine it closely, and unconsciously held his breath. His eyes surged with utter shock and reverence.

"I have dedicated myself to carving for over thirty years and have seen countless fragrant woods, but I have truly never seen such a large, complete, and heavy piece of wild Agarwood!" His voice was thick with emotion. "Finding even a few dozen grams of fragments on the market is incredibly rare. A whole piece this large, with such rich oil content and pure fragrance, can be called a top-tier treasure of the world. I wonder, what does Miss Whitman intend to have carved?"

Vesper Grayson handed him a pre-written list of carving specifications, her tone calm and composed.

"Just follow this plan."

Winston Hayes took the paper and read it carefully. The more he read, the more impressed he became, and he couldn’t help but exclaim in sincere admiration.

"Miss Whitman, you are meticulous. This plan is comprehensive down to the last detail. Carving it this way, not a single bit of the material will be wasted, from start to finish."

Vesper Grayson’s lips curved slightly. "Agarwood is inherently rare and precious. Every inch of it is hard-won, so of course it must be utilized to the fullest."

"You can rest assured on that point!" Winston Hayes promised solemnly. "I will personally handle the carving, making precise cuts and sculpting with caution to preserve the raw material’s quality as much as possible. The main body of the material will be finely crafted into a Meditation Dharma Ornament and a Plain-faced Bodhi Bracelet. The thinner edge pieces will be cut into Peaceful Tokens and personal pendants. All the leftover scraps and fine wood shavings from the carving process, I will collect and seal them all separately, leaving nothing behind. They’ll be perfect for grinding into powder for making incense or for medicinal use."

"Then I’ll have to trouble you, Master Hayes." Vesper Grayson nodded her thanks.

Winston Hayes laughed heartily. "Chadwick’s sister is family. No need to be so formal. I’ll postpone all my recent orders to focus entirely on carving this Agarwood, ensuring both quality and quantity. You can come back in half a month to pick up the finished pieces."