Chapter 24

Melanie was inadequate; her sense of smell was deficient, her talent insufficient, and her lack of practice had further degraded her skills. However, she understood the basic principles and processes, assisting from the sidelines.

Frank, she had to admit, was captivating when engrossed in his work. He meticulously dripped extracted essential oils and other ingredients, stirred the mixture thoroughly, and then placed it on a rack to settle, patiently awaiting the results.

He conducted three trials, producing three test tubes of samples. "One of these," he declared, "will be what we're looking for. There might even be a surprise."

"Do you mean a similar-style series?" Melanie asked.

"Looks like you're not entirely stupid," Frank remarked, raising an eyebrow and lifting her chin with his hand.

Melanie turned her head to avoid his touch. "However, similar-style series are not very useful. Consumers rarely buy two perfumes with similar scents; they choose their favorite, rendering the others obsolete."

"Nonsense," Frank countered, smiling meaningfully. "It's survival of the fittest. The public's choice becomes the best-selling product, while the others can be marketed as imitations—similar scent, lower price—generating considerable profit."

Melanie's eyes widened. "Isn't that equivalent to producing counterfeit versions of your own product?!"

Perfumers typically discarded defective products. This was the first time Melanie had heard of intentionally retaining them, and Frank's suggestion appalled her. While imitation and counterfeiting generated profit, reputable producers avoided such practices, as it damaged their brand.

"No, no, no! It's only piracy if someone else imitates you. Why would it be considered theft if it's your own creation?" He paused, then laughed mockingly. "Besides, you're hardly one to talk. Aren't you aware of how you acquired MN Inc.'s previous products?"

Frank's words struck her deeply. "Don't talk nonsense!" she retorted.

Though it wasn't a significant event, any mention of her deception stung. "MN Inc.'s products are the result of my hard work. There's no imitation or counterfeiting involved."

"That's none of my business," Frank replied, turning to her and putting his arms around her. "But you've been avoiding me lately!"

His proximity overwhelmed Melanie with his scent, making it difficult to breathe. She stiffened. "As I said, I need the right opportunity. Wait for my news."

"I'm losing patience! Are you playing games with me, Mel?"

"Ah!" she gasped. "Please don't! We're in a lab!"

Frank looked around. "Now that you mention it, this is the laboratory."

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