Chapter 798
"Lily, what's going on?" Olivia asked, tilting her head. She watched Lily get up to close the door, but she didn't return for some time, and then only partially closed it.
"Shush!" Lily gestured. "I'm watching a show."
Olivia was speechless. Wasn't Lily the one who always said not to meddle in other people's business? Olivia didn't understand Lily's interest until, amidst the yelling, Lily recognized the man: Damian, Joseph Tanner's illegitimate son. That Lily had even heard of him was purely coincidental.
Jenny had previously told Lily that Nathaniel had taken a job with Tanner Corporation and proposed starting a perfume line. He even opened a new department to develop perfumes, with himself as head. Lily had no idea when he became a project manager at Tanner Corporation or how he became involved.
However, Jenny warned Lily that their complicated relationship might lead Nathaniel to sabotage her. Jenny suspected his perfume department proposal at Tanner Corporation was a direct attack on Lily.
At the time, Lily hadn't worried, simply smiling. She'd never considered anyone a rival in perfumery. Her love for the craft had sustained her until now.
However, things took an interesting turn. Shortly after the perfume project launched, the project manager changed. Damian was now in charge—openly a move by Joseph to advance his son's career. Joseph was creating opportunities for Damian, and Nathaniel was the scapegoat.
Lily no longer cared about Nathaniel's affairs and didn't follow up on what happened to him. He was a victim of a power struggle and, given his nature, likely found compromise difficult.
The two rooms were close. With the door ajar and the relatively empty floor, Lily easily eavesdropped. This was a skill honed from her kickboxing training; she could hear clearly when concentrating.
In Naomi's ward, she lay on the hospital bed, tears streaming down her face, looking pitiable. Her reddened eyes and silence in the face of Damian's accusations suggested she'd been wronged. The rash on her face remained, further diminishing her appearance. Compared to her stage persona, her current state evoked even more sympathy.
"Naomi Schiffer, who paid you to slander the Tanner family? I haven't mistreated you—from initial contact to payment. Why are you doing this, and who paid you?" To Damian, Naomi was the source of all problems. A confession of defamation would resolve everything.
"Say something! Do you think I'll believe your tears?!" he growled. "Who paid you? Is it someone I know? Are they trying to besmirch my company?!"
A reporter, also a Naomi fan, couldn't stand it any longer. "Mr. Tanner, Ms. Schiffer is still recovering from her allergies. Don't you think this interrogation is excessive?"
"She's trying to slander me! Do you understand what that means? Who will compensate my company while she recovers?" Damian yelled, whirling around to face her.