Chapter 185 The Showdown
"What are you gonna do?" Vivian asked, panicking a bit as she looked at the police.
She had heard about Evelyn's kidnapping, but the police didn't say who did it. She read all the news but only knew that three international fugitives were involved. The reasons weren't clear.
She felt a bit regretful. Since Evelyn was kidnapped, why wasn't she killed? Even if she wasn't she should've been rescued later, stopping her from joining the final.
However, Evelyn got lucky. She was rescued unharmed, which made Vivian angry!
Plus, Rosen was unreachable, worrying her even more. She thought it might be related to Rosen, but there was no solid info.
Even if it was related, it didn't matter. Vivian had realized Rosen was unreliable and useless.
She used to think staying close to him would help her enter the international scene and meet famous perfumers, but she discovered he had a bad reputation in Francis and couldn't make it there. He was just deceiving people in other countries, which wouldn't help her status.
After thinking it over, Vivian decided to ditch him and find someone more influential.
Matthew seemed perfect. He was older, had high status, and was a top perfumer. If she got close to him, she'd have many future opportunities!
So, before heading to the final, she had dressed up carefully. Even if she didn't win, catching his attention would be a win!
But before she could leave, the police stopped her.
"Vivian Reed, right?" The police showed their IDs. "We suspect you're involved in a kidnapping case. Please come with us to assist in the investigation. You don't have to speak, but anything you say can be used in court."
She was stunned. Forcing a smile, she said, "Are you mistaken? Me? Involved in a kidnapping? How is that possible!"
"Whether it is or not, you'll find out once you come with us." They already had handcuffs out.
Seeing the handcuffs, she panicked. "No! I have to be in the finals today. It's very important to me! You must be mistaken. I've been at the hotel these past few days, so how can I be involved?! Who did I kidnap? Oh, right, Evelyn! It must be Evelyn who told you, right?
"Let me tell you, she has a grudge against me. She's framing me. It really wasn't me! Please let me go to the final. This competition is very important to me. I beg you! Even if you have to take me, do it after the competition!"
She kept retreating, saying everything she could think of to convince the police.
As soon as they mentioned the kidnapping, Vivian guessed it was about Evelyn!
Although she had previously took Rosen's advice and followed his suggestions, she hadn't finalized the entire plan. This time, it really had nothing to do with her!
"I'm sorry, but you must come with us!" She was handcuffed, leaving her no room to refuse.
"No, no..." Vivian wanted to say more, but she had no chance with the police. So, before the final, she was taken away.
The finals began, but the exam question wasn't revealed. Instead, hostesses entered, each carrying a tray with a polite smile.
Everyone was puzzled until they placed trays in front of each participant.
The tray covers were lifted almost simultaneously, revealing two bottles of perfume that looked identical on the outside but had different labels.
The host said, "Everyone, please be quiet. Congrats on making it to the final round. Those who made it this far are already outstanding, but becoming a top perfumer in Francis is still a long journey. Today is the last round. Take it seriously and give it your best!"
He paused, then continued, "Each of you get two perfume bottles; one by a mid-level perfumer, and the other by Mr. Thompson. Analyze the components, write them down, and mention their strengths and weaknesses. The one with the most correct answers wins.
"If there are ties, the one who finishes fastest wins."
He then picked up a timer and said, "Begin!"
As the timer started, the competition officially began. Almost everyone picked up the two bottles but didn't rush to open them.
Being professionals, they first observed the color, sniffed through the bottle, and finally opened the lid to smell the fragrance. Lastly, they sprayed a bit on their wrists to experience the scent after it evaporated.
Everyone followed these steps. Evelyn picked up a bottle and first looked at the label.
She could see the bottles in front of others, all with the same label. The names of the mid-level perfumer and Matthew were clearly written on them.
It was rare to be told explicitly who made the perfumes. Usually, this info was concealed to prevent bias and let participants discern the essence themselves.
Reaching the top in this industry was tough, so there was an instinctive admiration for the masters.
Some admired masters, while others aimed to surpass them.
Now that the examiner had clearly stated one bottle was from an ordinary perfumer and the other from Matthew, and the labels indicated this, it would influence the participants' judgments.
Evelyn glanced at the examiner, who was surveying the room seriously, and then at Vivian's empty seat.
After some thought, she brought one of the bottles close to her nose, gently sniffing it. It had a subtle and elegant fragrance, gently wafting over.
Log in with Google Account
Chapters
Favorite
Settings
