Chapter 31

Nathaniel preemptively turned the microphone to his side, saying, "Of course, it's not considered stealing. Lily is a member of our company. She's worked as Ms. Thayer's assistant and has contributed to fragrance creation for many years. I don't want to label it stealing or plagiarism; it sounds harsh. In our industry, we can't control everything. We're giving Lily a chance, and we hope MN Inc. will receive better compositions from her in the future."

Nathaniel, experienced in media relations, delivered his remarks with sincerity, neither humble nor arrogant. He understood and protected the employee who had betrayed his company. Reporters, casting contemptuous glances at Lily, understood the situation: Lily, unwilling to remain an assistant, had stolen company creations and resold them. She'd sought refuge, but failed. The situation was dire, yet MN Inc. was protecting her. However, some noticed loopholes.

A reporter stood, asking, "Lily said she's not an employee and hasn't signed a contract." Anticipating this, Nathaniel calmly replied, smiling, "Yes, it was an oversight on our part. Not that we didn't want to sign a contract, but Lily and I are university classmates and friends; we didn't consider the contract thoroughly. I paid her salary directly—my mistake. We've prepared a contract with excellent terms. I believe MN Inc. will have a brighter future after this misunderstanding!" The crowd applauded warmly. Nathaniel, secretly relieved, smiled; his quick thinking had averted a worse outcome.

Before he could catch his breath, another reporter asked, "Ms. Christian, shouldn't you apologize publicly? Does the freshman class know the full story? If not, what will you tell them? Is this fraud? Will the freshmen sue you?"

The questions intensified, gazes on Lily piercing. Nathaniel wiped his brow. "That's…"

Before he could answer, Lily took the microphone, stood, and said, "Excellent questions. First, I don't need to apologize because I don't need to." Her clear voice resonated, causing an uproar. The audience, previously agreeing with Nathaniel, recoiled at her refusal to apologize, seeing it as an admission of guilt.

"How shameless!" "How could she say that!" "Exactly!" A commotion arose, though muted, Lily remained calm, unflustered. She scanned the crowd, then stated, "First, 'First Love' is my creation, refined over three months with my assistant. Second, I created most of MN Inc.'s perfumes, besides 'First Love.'"