Chapter 380

Chapter 380:

The room erupted into chaos. Esteban gave Jada a sharp look. Jada’s fists were clenched, her face covered in cold sweat. In a flustered tone, she said, “Dad, don’t jump to conclusions. I took this perfume bottle home before… could Susan have touched it?”

A look of disappointment crossed Esteban’s face. He said coldly, “Both of you come to my office. The rest of you, continue with the assessment.”

Esteban then led Jada and Susan to his office. Susan knew that Esteban would definitely be biased towards Jada. She thanked the experts from the lab and followed Esteban to his office without showing any emotion.

In the office, Esteban sat behind his desk, his expression stern.

Jada, teary-eyed and biting her lip, said firmly, “Dad, I swear, I don’t know what’s happened.” Susan felt disgusted to see Jada like this. This woman had really gotten used to using this tactic. Would Esteban be fooled by Jada? Susan waited quietly for his reaction. If Esteban was easily deceived, she would need to rethink her approach.

“Okay. Now tell me the ingredients of this perfume. I will have someone fetch them, and you will recreate it,” Esteban instructed.

It was clear Esteban wasn’t foolish; otherwise, the Riggs Group would not have lasted this long.

Upon hearing this, Jada was unfazed. Having studied perfume making abroad for years, she was confident she could replicate Susan’s perfume.

They each wrote down their perfume formulas. Esteban quickly had someone gather the necessary materials and then took them to the perfume-making room, where his assistant watched the two women intently.

Jada proceeded methodically. She glanced at Susan and said, “Susan, you might as well admit it. Dad will only be happy if we get along.”

Susan ignored her.

Jada lifted her eyebrow and kept working on the perfume.

Hours later, Susan completed her perfume.

Shortly after, Jada also finished hers.

Though Jada knew her creation wasn’t an exact match to the original, it was similar enough. She believed that even Susan couldn’t have replicated her own perfume exactly. Confident, Jada felt she wouldn’t be suspected.

Esteban took both perfumes and began to assess them. “Jada, is this yours?” he asked, his face devoid of expression.

“Yes, Dad,” Jada answered.

Without a word, Esteban tossed her perfume into the trash can.

Startled, Jada exclaimed, “Dad!”

“Come here.”

As Jada approached, seeing Esteban’s stern face made her uneasy. He handed her Susan’s perfume. Jada sniffed it and was taken aback. The scent was nearly identical to the original!

How had Susan managed that?

In perfume making, even a one percent variation in the ingredients’ proportions could change the fragrance significantly. Yet, Susan’s version was indistinguishable from the original.

Jada’s face went pale, and she was at a loss for words. Esteban’s eyes showed deep disappointment. “Jada, is this really your best effort? I sent you abroad to enhance your skills, and yet you’re not even half as good as your sister!”

Jada knew that continuing to argue would only make things worse. She bowed her head, tears forming in her eyes. “I’m sorry, Dad. I regret what I did. I was just upset because Susan bragged about how close she is to you, so I wanted to compete with her.”

With tears streaming down her face, Jada added, “I haven’t been home for a year. I’m really scared of losing your affection. Honestly, the company doesn’t mean as much to me. I just can’t stand the thought of losing your love.”

“Shut up!”

Esteban scolded her sharply. “Jada, when I say you’re not as good as your sister, do you know in what aspect?”

“Is it my perfume-making skills?” Jada asked, her voice breaking with emotion. “Dad, please, give me another chance. I don’t want to lose to her again.”

“It’s your character,” Esteban said coldly.

Jada’s face drained of color, a cold shiver running through her. His words cut deeper than any critique of her professional skills.

“Dad, I truly realize my mistake. Please, punish me however you want,” Jada pleaded through tears. “I swear it won’t happen again.”

“What should we do?” Esteban turned to Susan.

Susan’s expression was cold. “We should follow the company’s rules. According to those rules, anyone who committed such an offense would be fired.”

Jada felt her world crumbling. Was she going to be forced out of the company before even getting a promotion?

“Well, Jada, given your misconduct, you should leave the company!” Esteban declared.

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