Chapter 793

Arianna had been exceptionally quiet during the meeting, barely speaking, so much so that her presence was almost forgotten. Donovan's pointed question brought everyone's attention to her. Damian, however, remained calm, a smug smile playing on his lips. Despite the chaos, he felt blameless, and Donovan's accusatory tone angered him.

"Who does he think he is, questioning me like that?" he muttered.

Arianna, after a moment's thought, spoke. "Mr. Elm, everything happened so suddenly. It feels premeditated."

"I think this woman is quite suspicious as well," she added.

"Exactly! Something's fishy about her! She's trying to frame the company and me!" Damian exclaimed.

"Maybe La Beauté Group sent her," Damian interrupted. "I'll investigate immediately!"

Donovan's sharp look instantly deflated Damian's arrogance. Though dissatisfied, he knew he wasn't yet president of Tanner Corporation and lacked the power to challenge the veterans.

"We must investigate," Arianna said. "However, the priority is a self-inspection."

"Self-inspection?" Damian and Joseph both looked confused.

"Ari, what do you mean?" Joseph asked.

"We should check for prohibited ingredients in the perfume and test for allergic reactions before the media arrives," Arianna explained. "If everything's fine, we'll be confident and won't fear their investigation. Then we'll cooperate fully."

Most agreed. Facing criticism, self-examination was crucial; confidence bred fearlessness. Donovan nodded thoughtfully. Joseph, however, remained unconvinced.

"Of course there's nothing wrong with our perfume! Why would our own people sabotage us? A self-inspection would imply guilt. Someone could use it against us!"

"Yeah, there's no problem! I oversaw the entire production process—nothing's wrong!" Damian insisted, defending himself hastily. He was responsible for the project, including hiring the perfumer and overseeing production, even selecting the model. A problem with the perfume would implicate him directly, or at least highlight his negligence. "I think…"

Arianna pointed to the projector. "Did you notice this hospital test report? While it confirms Naomi's allergy, it doesn't definitively state prohibited ingredients. The hospital will conduct further tests. If we want to defend ourselves, we should prepare a favorable assessment report before their results are released."

Her proposal was well-received.

"I agree!" Donovan said.

Others echoed their agreement.

The chorus of approval unnerved Damian; he looked to Joseph for support.

"Dad…"

Joseph, unable to blindly support his son, conceded. "Count me in!"

Donovan turned to Arianna. "Ms. Tanner, would you oversee this?"