Chapter 5

"In the interest of fairness, we've decided to delay announcing the top three winners. Instead, we'll reveal them after further investigation."

The moment the host made this declaration, Dominic Reeves and the entire audience erupted in protest.

"Why postpone the awards? This is unfair to everyone!"

"Disqualify both companies involved in this scandal!"

"At least tell us the names of the two companies!"

The room buzzed with heated arguments, and the reporters, sensing a breaking story, grew even more excited. What was supposed to be a smooth competition had suddenly turned into a controversy—one that would dominate headlines tomorrow.

Dominic, however, remained unshaken. He stepped forward confidently, raising his voice above the chaos. "You're all right! Given the circumstances, the committee should disclose the results immediately. Let the representatives of the accused companies face their peers. That’s the only way to expose the truth!"

While the screen displayed the commotion, Alexander Kensington’s attention was fixed on the woman beside him. Evelyn Carter held a wine glass but hadn’t taken a sip. Her lips curved into a faint, knowing smile.

After years of waiting, she was finally his. Alexander had endured three long years, watching Dominic—a man he deemed unworthy—cling to Evelyn. He would have never allowed their marriage to happen.

But fate had intervened. Evelyn had finally seen Dominic for who he truly was.

The woman who had once been timid, who had shrunk into herself under Dominic’s influence, now sat with quiet confidence. The fire in her eyes hadn’t dimmed. She was still the fierce, untouchable woman he remembered.

"I'm going out," Evelyn said, setting her glass down and meeting Alexander’s gaze.

He nodded. "Remember, I’m here."

She didn’t need his intervention, but his words steadied her. With a grateful glance, she pushed open the VIP room door and stepped into the fray.

The venue was still in chaos, with Dominic leading the charge. He was the loudest voice in the crowd, rallying others to his cause. Beside him, Vanessa Blake struggled to hide her nervousness. She had never stood so close to Dominic before, never been the center of attention like this.

The host frowned until someone whispered in his ear. His expression shifted, and he turned to Dominic. "We intended to handle this discreetly, but given the public demand, the committee has agreed to reveal the names of the two companies—along with their competition entries."

"A plagiarist is a thief who deserves no respect!" Dominic declared passionately, certain he wasn’t the one under scrutiny. If anything, this was his chance to tarnish his competition and elevate DR Holdings’ reputation.

The host adjusted his microphone. "Both companies submitted identical perfumes—both named Eternal Bloom."

Vanessa stiffened. Dominic feigned shock. "Eternal Bloom? That’s DR Holdings’ creation. I’d like to know which company dared to copy our work." Vanessa scanned the crowd as if searching for the culprit.

The host wasted no time. "The other company that submitted the same fragrance is Phoenix Labs."

"Phoenix Labs?" Dominic blinked. "I’ve never heard of them." His tone was humble, but inwardly, he was triumphant. It didn’t matter who they were—as long as he secured his victory.

"Phoenix Labs?" someone in the crowd murmured. "Isn’t that Celestia Group’s subsidiary?"

"Yes, they’re new to the industry, but Celestia backs them."

Dominic scoffed. "Well, my team worked tirelessly for months to perfect Eternal Bloom. I’d love to know how Phoenix Labs got their hands on it."

At that moment, a composed man stepped onto the stage. "Good evening. I’m Preston, PR manager for Phoenix Labs. We, too, were surprised by tonight’s events. Initially, we agreed to resolve this privately, but since the other party insists on public scrutiny, we welcome an on-site verification."

His calm demeanor and Celestia Group’s influence earned nods of approval from the crowd.

Dominic, sensing the shift, quickly interjected, "I agree! DR Holdings may be smaller than Celestia, but we stand by our integrity. We can prove our originality!"

Vanessa chimed in, her voice trembling with conviction. "I created Eternal Bloom myself. I don’t understand how someone else could have copied it."

The audience wavered, unsure whom to believe.

Preston remained unruffled. "We’ve submitted Eternal Bloom’s complete research data to the judges. The committee will make a fair decision."

Dominic scoffed. "We’ve done the same. The truth will come out."

"There’s no need to wait," the host interrupted, holding an envelope. "Mr. Reeves, can you confirm that Ms. Blake solely developed Eternal Bloom?"

"Absolutely!" Dominic declared. "Vanessa is DR Holdings’ top perfumer. She’s responsible for all our bestsellers."

The host turned to Preston. "And who at Phoenix Labs created your version?"

Preston smiled. "As it happens, our perfumer is here tonight. We’d be honored to introduce them."

With a sweeping gesture, he motioned toward the back of the venue.

A figure stepped forward.