Chapter 8
"These two bottles are samples from Rebirth and MN Inc., respectively. Mr. Hall, please compare them and tell us if you see any difference," Lily said, holding them aloft for all to see.
Nathaniel narrowed his eyes. "So what if there is a difference? Even the judges said the scents and ingredients are alike. What will this charade prove?"
"It will prove why Rebirth won," Lily replied, her voice gentle but firm. "Mr. Hall, you accused me of stealing MN Inc.'s product, didn't you? You claimed plagiarism. If there is a difference, the original product should be superior, wouldn't you agree? Since you believe it's unfair, this is your chance to clear everything up for the industry and the media." She maintained a faint smile throughout.
Many harbored prejudices against Lily due to past incidents. However, her smile disarmed them. Nathaniel frowned, suspicious of her motives. He thought, What is wrong with her today? Why is she making a scene? And why doesn't she listen to me anymore?
Lily turned to Melanie, who stood behind Nathaniel. "Oh, right, you're not a professional perfumer. Understandably, you might not notice the technical details. But Ms. Thayer, as the creator of First Love, should be able to identify the differences, correct?"
Melanie clutched her wine glass, panic rising. She knew better than anyone how Lily had created First Love. Confused by Lily's actions and the sudden spotlight on her, she was unsure of Lily's intentions.
"It's unfortunate this happened," Melanie said, her lips pursed. "First Love's formula was leaked, but what's the point of determining which sample is authentic now? Lily, we were friends in college. I refuse to pursue this further." She turned to leave.
"But I want to pursue this," Lily's clear voice, tinged with amusement, stopped Melanie. Melanie whirled around, eyes wide.
Nathaniel tilted his head away from the cameras. "Lily, you're going too far!" he rebuked impatiently, lowering his voice.
Lily smirked, placing the bottles on the table and removing the corks. "Is this too much for you?" she asked, then addressed the audience. "Everyone, I created First Love based on the unique feelings between a man and a woman. I aimed for a scent evoking nostalgia and yearning. I used a sweet fragrance as a base, with a slight astringency, but a sweet aftertaste. The difference between these two samples lies in the base notes."
Some moved closer to smell; others used test strips, but remained puzzled. "The scents are similar. What's the difference in the base notes?" someone asked.
A perfume's base notes take time to develop. Lily smiled. "You've already smelled the difference in the base notes."
A moment of realization dawned. "It was on someone! The smell earlier!"
Panic flashed across Melanie's face. Did she add something to my sample?! she thought, glaring at Lily. Lily had indeed asked Olivia to add an ingredient to Melanie's sample; its base note smelled of rotting fish. Lily knew Melanie would wear the sample, and the tampered perfume's base note had appeared just in time.
"You're right. No wonder there was that stench earlier!"
"I didn't expect the base notes to differ so much when the top notes are so similar!"
The audience buzzed. Soon, doubt arose. "Shouldn't the samples be the same, regardless of plagiarism?" "It's a trap!"
Nathaniel turned to Lily, then approached Melanie. "Even a formulation error wouldn't be this drastic. Ms. Thayer put immense effort into this product. If it were plagiarism on our part, why would we create a flawed product? Someone stole our formula and tampered with our sample to frame MN Inc." He paused, his gaze sharp.
"Ms. Christian, we didn't want to hold you accountable, as a former employee. But your accusations are overbearing. To protect our reputations, I must take legal action. I will file a lawsuit. And Rebirth, I will sue you as well if you continue to protect a thief."
Nathaniel stood resolute, his logic convincing the crowd that MN Inc. was the victim.
"How shameless!"
"The organizers should have investigated properly!"
"They deliberately distorted the truth!"
"She should get out of here!"
The crowd's anger was palpable, even with Rebirth's La Beautรฉ Group backing. Reporters broadcast the scene live.
In the VIP room, a man with a noble aura, simmering with anger, watched his wife on stage, looking desolate. He reached for the door, but stopped at Lily's voice.
"That's right. I changed the formulation and the sample."
Alexander froze, then turned to the screen. Lily stood tall, calm and confident under the spotlight. He retracted his hand. Perhaps he should trust her.