Chapter 103

"Oh?" Lucien arched an eyebrow, his piercing gaze fixed on Vanessa as he waited for her explanation.

Vanessa lowered her eyes, her fingers nervously twisting the edge of her blouse. "You must understand, even the slightest variation in ingredient proportions can drastically alter the final product."

She hesitated before continuing. "Evelyn modified the formula first, then secretly instructed her assistant to make additional changes. And with my recent illness—this terrible cold—they exploited my weakened state. We had no choice but to seek your help, Mr. Dubois."

Her voice trembled slightly, as if she were holding back tears. The distress in her expression was palpable, designed to evoke sympathy.

Lucien remained silent, his fingers drumming a slow, deliberate rhythm against the table. His expression was unreadable, leaving Dominic and Vanessa uncertain of how much he believed.

Dominic snapped out of his thoughts and quickly came to Vanessa's defense. "She's right, Mr. Dubois. Vanessa has been working tirelessly to resolve the company's recent issues. The stress has taken a toll on her health. Evelyn saw an opportunity and struck when we were vulnerable."

He leaned forward, urgency tightening his voice. "Our factory is swamped with orders. If we can't resolve this discrepancy in time, DR Holdings will face irreparable damage."

Lucien finally wiped his lips with a napkin and stood. "Very well. Let's inspect the lab."

Relief washed over Vanessa and Dominic. His agreement meant there was still hope. The tension in the air had been suffocating—for a moment, they feared he might refuse.

Dominic swiftly settled the bill, and the three of them headed straight for the lab.

The past few days had been grueling for the lab staff. The issue wasn't incompetence—it was the complexity of the problem. Even if they identified the altered ingredients, pinpointing the exact measurements was another challenge entirely.

To an untrained nose, the difference might be negligible. But for loyal customers who knew their perfumes intimately, even the slightest deviation would be glaring. A single misstep could tarnish DR Holdings' hard-earned reputation. Years of meticulous branding could unravel overnight.

They moved from lab to lab, finding no progress. Then they entered one that was eerily empty.

Vanessa frowned. "Where's Bella?"

One of the technicians hesitated before answering. "She said she was exhausted and went home to rest."

Vanessa's temper flared. "Does she not realize the severity of this situation? How can she just leave when the company is in crisis?"

Dominic placed a calming hand on her shoulder. "No need for anger. If she’s this irresponsible, we’ll simply replace her. It’s not worth the stress."

He turned to Lucien. "Since this lab is free, shall we use it?"

Lucien strode inside without a word. "Where’s the essential oil?"

Dominic gestured sharply to his assistant. "Bring it immediately."

Within moments, the vials were arranged before Lucien. His next demand was crisp. "The formula?"

A staff member hurried forward, placing the original formula, the latest batch, and the current analysis report in front of him.

The real work was about to begin.