"Mr. Watson, what now? The truth is right in front of you," Claire said, her eyes gleaming with mockery. Her gaze was icy, and her voice razor-sharp.
Gilbert Watson's expression darkened. His thin lips curled into a cold, cutting smile as he ordered sternly, "Fire the secretary. Immediately."
"Alright," Emma no longer had a trace of arrogance. She nodded quickly, pretending as if the secretary was truly the one at fault.
Claire burst into laughter. "Mr. Watson, your way of handling problems is truly unique. The secretary had little to do with this from the beginning, yet you're firing her? Is that what you call fair and just?"
"She deliberately concealed the truth. That's a serious offense."
Claire let out a cold chuckle. "Even if she did, it was to protect her superior, wasn't it? That kind of loyalty is commendable. A written warning would have sufficed. Termination is excessive, don't you think? Tsk, tsk. Your attempt to protect your people is just pathetic."
"What do you want then?" Gilbert's lips curled into a dangerous smile.
Claire sneered.
So, you want to shield Emma? Then I'll make sure you can't.
"Mr. Watson," Claire raised her brows and spoke firmly, "You saw it with your own eyes. Emma was the one who splashed phthalate on my face. She clearly intended to disfigure me. That's a serious offense. I want her prosecuted."
"No, Gilbert! I didn't know the bottle contained phthalate. She said she was going to destroy the perfume I worked so hard on and claimed Zanna Perfume Shop was going under. I lost my temper and splashed perfume on her in a panic. I didn't mean to hurt her, I swear!" Emma panicked, holding Gilbert's hand as she explained, tears streaming down her face.
Claire scoffed. "No matter how you try to twist it, you can't wash away the evil in your heart. The evidence speaks for itself. Your lies are useless."
"But you slapped her too," Gilbert interjected calmly, trying to deflect.
Claire let out a breath of laughter, disbelief flashing in her eyes. "Mr. Watson, you're playing dumb now. She splashed a toxic chemical on my face. It was an attempt to permanently disfigure me. And I slapped her in rage. How is that even comparable? If you think it is, then how about this. I'll pour the same chemical on her face right now and let her slap me once. Will that make us even?"
With that, she actually turned and fetched a bottle of phthalate.
"Gilbert! I didn't mean to! You have to believe me!" Emma was terrified. If that liquid touched her face, her beauty would be gone in seconds. And without her looks, how could she ever become Mrs. Watson?
She trembled from head to toe.
Gilbert pressed his lips into a tight line, his powerful, icy presence lowering the air pressure around them.
As a seasoned businessman, he already understood exactly what had happened.
"Well, Mr. Watson?" Claire lifted the bottle, her eyes sharp as blades. "ok or not?Say something. "
"She's your sister," Gilbert said slowly.
"Sister?" Claire let out a bitter laugh. "Her? Don't tarnish such a beautiful word."
She killed my mother, stole my husband, and pushed me into the ocean. And you still call her my sister? If I had conclusive evidence, I'd have sent her to prison already. I wouldn't let her live another day.
The fury in Claire's eyes hit Gilbert like a slap.
It wasn't just anger. It was despair, heartbreak, pain, and numbness all at once. It made his heart clench.
"Gilbert Watson," Claire's voice was icy with rage. "Let me be clear. If you don't deal with Emma today, our partnership ends here. You figure it out. Either way, I'm sending the evidence to the police."
Gilbert was silent for a long moment. Then, finally, he said, "Alright. I agree."
"Gilbert!" Emma screamed, her face ashen, her expression vacant, eyes clouded with despair.
The surveillance footage today clearly proved she had lied. She had slapped Gilbert in the face and humiliated him.
She knew his temperament well. He had no tolerance for betrayal.
She had clearly underestimated Claire.
The woman standing before her now was nothing like the timid pushover she once knew. Claire had changed completely.
"Gilbert, please… you have to believe me. I didn't mean to…" Emma clutched his arm, tears streaming down her face as she pleaded.
Gilbert frowned and coldly pulled his arm away.
"Emma, you were clearly in the wrong today. You're an adult. You need to take responsibility for your actions. Go and ask Claire for forgiveness yourself," he said icily.
Emma staggered back several steps.
"Get out," Gilbert suddenly snapped.
In that moment, he had never felt more repulsed by her.
Emma froze, then quickly turned and bolted.
"Emma, don't you dare walk away! This isn't over!" Claire shouted, her eyes glinting with cold fury as she rushed after her.
But Gilbert grabbed her arm.
"You bastard!" Claire yelled in rage.
That jerk actually let Emma go!
Gilbert let out a wicked smile, lifting her chin with one hand, his icy eyes locked on hers as his thin lips parted:
"Don't worry, I'll make sure you get what's fair and just. But before that, I need to know if your actions are reasonable and legitimate. After all, to me, you're just Claire not Miss Daisy. For all I know, you could be an imposter. And your perfume formula does it even work? Can it succeed? Are you deceiving me? Right now, I know nothing. So tell me, how am I supposed to ensure fairness and justice in this situation?"
"And how do you plan to verify it?" Claire demanded angrily.
"Through the market, of course. If you truly have what it takes to make Zanna Perfume beloved by the public again, to restore its former glory, then whether you're Miss Daisy or not, I will recognize your worth."
"Fine," Claire replied coldly, gritting her teeth. "But Mr. Watson, if I succeed in reviving Zanna, does that mean Emma is mine to deal with as I please?"
Gilbert's eyes darkened as he stared at her.
"Well?" Claire pressed, aggressive and unrelenting.
"Of course. I give you my word. She made a mistake. She deserves to be punished," he nodded.
This woman once so docile, gentle, and easily bullied was now cunning, sharp, and dangerous. A true strategist hiding beneath a delicate shell.
"Then remember this, I will make her pay," Claire spat coldly, then turned and strode out.
Emma had thrown phthalate on her face today. Though the surveillance footage could prove it, Emma still held most of the power at Zanna. She'd likely destroy the evidence soon. Even though Claire had snapped a few photos on her phone, they weren't first-hand evidence.
Worse still, she had just joined the company and had no allies to back her. Even if she brought it to the police, Emma's denials would likely reduce any real punishment.
But if she had Gilbert's support, revenge would come much easier.
A quick calculation brought clarity. Claire already had a plan.
Gilbert stared at her retreating figure, his brows furrowed tightly.
In his heart, he had already chosen to believe her today.
But Zanna Perfume was now standing at the edge of a cliff, in desperate need of a transformation.
If Claire and Emma, the two major shareholders, started an internal war or worse, involved the police. It would fracture the company and destroy its public image. That would be devastating for Zanna's future.
That was why he initially chose to protect Emma.
Besides, Claire's aura carried too much resentment.
What had she gone through over the years to make her so desperate to destroy Emma completely?