Chapter 54

The room fell into stunned silence as Evelyn Carter stood her ground. Eyes darted between colleagues, suspicion hanging thick in the air about who might have betrayed company secrets to her.

Victoria Sterling studied Evelyn's composed expression with narrowed eyes. "These three fragrance lines—or should I say, variations of the same formula—each contain one unique ingredient differentiating them." Her manicured nail tapped against the glass bottles. "Subtle distinctions an untrained nose would miss, but seasoned perfume enthusiasts would eventually detect."

"Really?" Victoria's lips twisted in a mocking smile, attempting to undermine Evelyn's credibility.

Unshaken, Evelyn continued with quiet confidence. "Precisely. The rightmost formulation will outperform others among women aged eighteen to twenty-three."

A heavy silence blanketed the conference room. No one confirmed or denied her claim. The scent evaluators exchanged uneasy glances.

Victoria's gaze turned calculating. "You're certain?" Her voice dripped with condescension.

"Absolutely." Evelyn's steady nod sent a ripple through the observers. The disdain in Victoria's eyes morphed into something more complex—appraisal mixed with wariness.

"I recognize this as part of my evaluation." Evelyn's fingers hovered above the bottles. "If further proof is required, I can detail each ingredient's molecular structure and sourcing origin." Without waiting for permission, she began reciting the precise chemical compounds.

By the third ingredient listing, the room's atmosphere shifted palpably. Skeptical expressions gave way to reluctant respect. Even senior perfumers couldn't distinguish these nearly identical formulations without lab equipment, yet this supposedly disgraced newcomer identified them at a glance.

Victoria had orchestrated this public test intending to humiliate, but Evelyn transformed it into a masterclass. Discreet thumbs-up gestures flickered among junior staff as perceptions realigned.

Yet Evelyn's demeanor revealed no triumph. Her victory came too easily. Knowing Victoria's reputation for ruthless games, this couldn't be the endgame. "Impressive," Victoria conceded at last. "Your ingredient analysis matches our lab reports perfectly." A calculated pause. "Though I do wonder—how could you possibly know such specifics without even uncapping the bottles?" Her fingers brushed a stopper meaningfully. "Unless someone... tipped you off?"

The unspoken accusation hung like poisoned perfume in the air.

Evelyn's laugh rang clear as crystal. "Ms. Sterling, what an amusing theory. You designed this challenge spontaneously. Our wager wasn't premeditated." She swept her gaze across the rapt audience. "Unless someone here possesses clairvoyance?"

Murmurs of agreement rose from the team. Victoria's responding smile didn't reach her eyes. "Well then," she said slowly, "let's proceed."