Chapter 6
The figure, in a simple white dress, was bathed in light. Her graceful entrance dazzled the audience. Lily’s attire was understated; she wore no jewelry and minimal makeup, which nonetheless accentuated her natural beauty.
“L-Lily?!” Nathaniel’s eyes widened in disbelief. He instinctively took a few quick steps forward, facing her. He lowered his voice. “What are you doing here?”
“I came to participate in the competition, of course,” Lily replied, glancing at him with a mischievous smile as she continued to move forward.
“Lily!” Nathaniel grasped her wrist, his voice low and exasperated. “Stop fooling around! This isn’t the occasion!”
In the VIP room, Alexander squinted at the screen, his gaze sharpening as he watched Lily’s restless hand.
The next second, Lily forcefully pulled her arm free. “Mr. Hall, since you know this is an important occasion, I suggest you behave yourself!” Her words echoed through the venue as she reached the stage.
Nathaniel’s surprise was palpable. Lily, always so well-behaved… how?
“Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. I’m Lily, Rebirth’s perfumer, and the creator of ‘First Love’,” Lily announced calmly, her words clear and audible to everyone. Melanie, in the audience, gripped her wine glass, a strained smile masking her gritted teeth. She glared at Nathaniel, silently urging him to intervene. He, however, remained fixated on Lily, wondering what she would do next.
“The organizing committee informed me of a supposed creative clash with ‘First Love.’ I was surprised, but I believe the judges will reach a fair decision. I am, however, willing to cooperate with any further investigation.” Lily stepped back from the microphone, her demeanor elegant and seemingly honest.
Whispers rippled through the audience.
“L-Lily? I think I’ve heard that name before.”
“Yeah. She won Best New Perfumer in the provincial contest, but I haven’t heard from her since.”
“Oh, that’s right! I remember now! She made a terrible blunder at a competition in Finland two years ago; everyone called her a perfumer with no sense of smell.”
“That’s her!”
The audience’s expressions shifted, revealing disdain, amusement, and anticipation. The competition’s standards were lower than others; many influential companies hadn’t participated, leaving only smaller and medium-sized firms. Nevertheless, winning could significantly boost a company’s and perfumer’s profile and profitability.
Rebirth, while affiliated with La Beauté Group, had recently established its own reputation. Notably, it hadn’t used La Beauté’s senior perfumers in this competition, making its participation seem fair to the judges.
Melanie, calming her racing heart after hearing the murmurs, approached the stage with a smile. “I apologize for the delay. I’m Melanie, perfumer for MN Inc., and I’m honored to be among such esteemed colleagues,” she paused, maintaining her smile. “I’m relatively new to the industry—only three years—but I’ve studied perfumery for a long time. I never expected… someone to steal my work. I… it’s…”
Melanie scoffed, shaking her head. “How can I put this? I suppose I should thank whoever stole my work, as it means others have recognized it.” She playfully winked at Lily, her composure unwavering.
Lily watched Melanie’s menacingly cheerful smile, silently admiring her effortless deception. Despite the polite smiles and words, the situation was undeniably tense.
The host intervened. “Both sides seem to have reasonable claims. Is this truly a case of creative clash?”
The audience erupted again.
“I’ve never heard of a clash of this magnitude!”
“Exactly! A similar name might be coincidence, but the scent itself? That’s too much!”
“It’s plagiarism!”
“We can’t tolerate plagiarists! It’s a disgrace to the industry!”
Melanie seized the microphone. “I, too, despise plagiarism, but I trust the judges will deliver justice!” Her confidence contrasted sharply with Lily’s calm demeanor.
“And what is your opinion, Ms. Christian?” the host asked Lily.
“I trust the organizing committee and my work,” Lily replied, her bland smile belying her determined eyes.
The host attempted to mediate, smiling. “In that case…” He paused, his brows furrowing as he twitched his nose twice. “Uh…”
A wave of recognition swept through the audience. Most people twitched their noses, reacting to an unfamiliar, unpleasant odor—a bizarre mix of stench and fragrance. Disgust rippled through the crowd.
“What’s that smell?”
Accustomed to a variety of scents, the audience couldn't tolerate the sudden, offensive odor.
“Organizers, didn’t you clean the venue? Why does it stink?!” someone demanded.
The host stammered, “We ensured the venue was spotless… it’s impossible…” He took a step to the side, glancing at Melanie with obvious conflict.
Before Melanie could speak, the host avoided her as if she were contagious, leaving her stunned and confused. The audience followed suit, their avoidance clear.
“T-The stench is coming from her!”
“What a horrible smell! Open the windows!”
Melanie’s face paled under the wave of condemnation. She had also smelled the odor but hadn't connected it to herself. Humiliation and confusion paralyzed her.
“Lily!” Nathaniel cried out, his voice filled with bitter pain. “W-Why did you betray me?!”