Chapter 305

Despite the surrounding commotion, Frank remained unperturbed. Wineglass in one hand, a smug grin on his face, he watched the scene unfold.

"Do you know who that man is?" he asked Melanie.

Melanie shook her head, her gaze shifting between the man and Frank. As this was her first visit, she naturally wouldn't recognize anyone.

"That's Wesley Parker," Frank explained, forming the number eight with his fingers. "A top perfumer from Westwood, and this year's competition chairperson. He's one of the world's top eight—a talent that only emerges once every few centuries."

In a low voice, he continued, "Do you think that woman can just walk away from this, or make a name for herself in Westwood's perfumery industry after offending him?"

Melanie, understanding the situation, couldn't hide her glee.

"That means she's dead meat!" she exclaimed.

"Not necessarily," Frank countered, shaking his head. "Mr. Parker is bipolar; you can never guess his feelings. Either way, things are about to get interesting!"

Frank's words didn't dampen Melanie's high spirits. She thought, No one enjoys public reprimand, especially not from someone of his stature. With everyone watching, she complained about the organizer's incompetence, calling them biased. In other words, she called the organizer a snob and made herself look terrible. She's finished!

Faced with Lily's criticism, Wesley merely sneered. "I never said it would be fair."

The entire room, including Lily, was speechless. Ignoring the stunned silence, Wesley continued, "This world is inherently unfair. You're all perfumers; you understand. Some are born with heightened senses of smell, others have wealthy parents who can support their dreams. Some, no matter how hard they work, will never match those born with talent. Is that fair? No! So why ask for fairness from me?"

His honesty surprised the group, but upon reflection, they agreed. Nothing in life is truly fair; many face injustice from birth.

"I'm not asking for complete fairness," Lily responded, maintaining her composure, "but respect is essential. If I'm not mistaken, most of us haven't even met the organizing committee, have we?"

The crowd murmured and nodded in agreement, though no one dared speak out. Wesley remained silent, his gaze fixed on Lily. The tension was palpable—a pin could have been heard dropping.

Wesley's anger was unmistakable. How could a legendary figure like him tolerate public rebuke from a young woman? Giselle, beside Lily, was sweating profusely. She’d taken precautions, yet a catastrophic mistake had been made. She wished she'd let Lily skip the event.

Meanwhile, Melanie reveled in Lily's predicament. She's too arrogant! she thought. Success has gone to her head. How dare she insult Mr. Parker? He could easily destroy her career. Now that I think about it, knowing him could advance my own. His influence… if I could learn from him… A plan began to form in her mind.

Just as tension reached its peak, a melodious voice cut through the silence: "Daddy! I've been looking everywhere for you!"