Chapter 829

Unwilling to give up, Joseph sent Elizabeth's perfume for another lab test. The results, as expected, revealed a problem. Simultaneously, they discovered the perfumer was an imposter—not a real top perfumer, or even a genuine imposter. Damian, intending to hire Charlie McKenzie, had instead employed someone with a slightly different spelling of the name: Charlie Mckenzee. This seemingly minor difference proved crucial.

Such low-level deception was common in the country and frequently exposed. However, this was the first instance of someone falsely claiming to be an internationally renowned perfumer using a fabricated name. The deception was easily detectable with closer scrutiny. Nevertheless, Damian, having spent a considerable sum to contact Charlie's team, assumed he'd hired the right person. After returning home, Damian's online research revealed Charlie's numerous awards and industry acclaim. Although there were no photos of him online, Damian remained unconvinced and added him to his team.

The imposter possessed only basic fragrance knowledge, suggesting his products shouldn't be harmful. However, inexplicably, he added an illegal substance, triggering chaos. Tanner Corporation's fragrance development branch recently had its license revoked by the relevant authorities. This wasn't an internal matter; the scandal's publicity made it difficult for Joseph to protect Damian.

"Ari, think of a solution! Your brother can't go to jail!" Derrick exclaimed anxiously. He'd initially believed suppressing the issue and compensating consumers would resolve the problem, but the situation escalated.

"If he can't go to jail, how about you take his place, Dad? Someone has to take the blame," Arianna replied casually, glancing at her documents. Aware of recent events—including Joseph's outburst and assault on Eloise—she remained unconcerned, observing his continued pleas for forgiveness.

"Ari, what are you saying? How could I go to jail?" Joseph asked, bewildered.

"If Damian can't go to jail, and you won't replace him, should I take one for the team?" Arianna asked, half-jokingly.

Joseph hesitated. His silence spoke volumes. While he immediately rejected the idea of Damian or himself going to jail, his hesitation regarding Arianna suggested it was a viable option. Arianna, unsurprised, smiled wryly.

"Dad, it's easier to manage the media now. We should issue a public apology, offer sufficient compensation, and demonstrate our sincerity. The court will be the hardest hurdle. Failure here means game over for Tanner Corporation!"

Joseph acknowledged her logical analysis. "Yeah, I know. What should we do then?"

Arianna smiled. "It's not necessary for anyone in the Tanner family to take the blame."

"What do you mean?"

"We can't find the perfumer anymore, right?" Arianna asked lightly. "In that case, no one will know the truth. Where did he come from? Was he instructed to sabotage us? Was he sent to destroy our company? We can explore that angle, and perhaps become the victims in this case!"

Joseph's eyes lit up. He understood; her suggestion made perfect sense. "You're right! We're victims too, but who would order the perfumer to do this?"