Chapter 431: I'm Waiting, You're Waiting Too

At the time, Dylan didn't get it, but it didn't take long for him to figure out what Evelyn meant by, "I'm waiting, and so are you."

It was like overnight, the internet blew up with posts about the Fragrance Association. The content and titles of these posts were all over the place, but they all pointed to corruption in the industry.

Originally, the trending topics were all about the Redwood Group's perfume containing banned substances and the backlash against Evelyn. But ever since these posts started popping up, terms like "industry corruption" and "Fragrance Association scandal" shot to the top of the trends.

Even though the posts varied in content, they all had different exposés: leaders within the association embezzling funds, abusing power, setting arbitrary entry barriers, and more.

Before the association could figure out where these posts were coming from or who was behind them, a wave of people suddenly joined in to publicly denounce the association.

Not only were these denunciations numerous, but they were also signed with real names, including some high-ranking perfumers. Even some perfumers from abroad chimed in, saying that while the association's founding principles were good, over the years, bureaucratic practices had tainted it, turning it into a tool for a few individuals and hindering the perfumery industry in Vistalia.

Some perfumers revealed threats they had received, exorbitant entry fees, and unfair treatment, like having their achievements stolen by higher-ups or even being subjected to inappropriate advances.

The simultaneous explosion of these posts not only grabbed attention but also sparked widespread discussion.

The Fragrance Association was initially shocked but quickly tried to suppress the information. However, the topic was too hot to be contained.

Almost overnight, the situation blew up. There was no time to remove the trending topics or delete the numerous posts. The internet went wild, and it seemed like everyone was talking about it.

The Fragrance Association, once a prestigious organization, suddenly became the industry's pariah, with everyone calling for its downfall.

Dylan was swamped with work and couldn't focus on Evelyn's situation, but he knew deep down that she was likely behind it. Her words and her calm demeanor made sense now.

But how had she prepared all this without him knowing? How had she contacted so many people and convinced them to stand with her? And most importantly, the information in those posts wasn't made up; most of it was true.

Dylan was blown away not only by Evelyn's ability to gather information but also by the fact that there were indeed so many corrupt individuals within the association, and he hadn't noticed.

"Yeah, it's me! I also suspected it might be Evelyn, but we don't have any evidence yet."

The call was from Donovan, who sounded furious, occasionally coughing, clearly agitated.

"I'm investigating. I'll get to the bottom of this. Donovan, don't worry, if it really is her, I'll make sure she pays for it!" Dylan's emotions were all over the place as he hung up the phone.

Evelyn's words echoed in his mind, "Ask yourself, why did you join the association in the first place? Was it to become a perfumer or to become an official?"

Dylan had been full of passion when he joined the Fragrance Association, especially against his family's wishes. Getting accepted at such a young age was a huge validation for him.

In the association, he was young and talented, quickly rising through the ranks thanks to his skills and some family connections.

But as Dylan climbed higher and became part of the management, he rarely created perfumes himself anymore.

The tasks were left to his students, while his days were filled with meetings and travel for more meetings.

Social obligations, smoking, and drinking became unavoidable, and he often stayed in hotels, surrounded by various scents, which dulled his once keen sense of smell.

In recent years, Dylan had done more administrative work than actual perfumery.

Seeing the posts online, the criticisms and accusations, he realized the association might have lost its way, which explained the lack of outstanding work in recent years.

Reflecting on this, Dylan found himself agreeing with Evelyn, feeling she wasn't entirely wrong.

Was this really the outcome he wanted?

Regardless, as long as he was part of the Fragrance Association, he had to uphold his responsibilities and prevent any tarnishing of its image.

He sat at his computer, opened Twitter, and drafted a statement.

The statement emphasized that the association was under attack by malicious individuals and would use legal means to protect itself and its rights. It also mentioned sending legal notices to those responsible for the defamation.

After drafting the statement, Dylan corrected any typos and sent it to Burkwood for printing and stamping, then scanned it back to him.

This process took some time, and just as he was about to upload the statement, he hesitated and checked the current situation online.

What he saw left him stunned, his fingers frozen, and a cold sweat on his back.

In just a few hours, Twitter had nearly crashed.

The topic was so explosive that the network had almost gone down twice.

Finally managing to get in, Dylan was shocked by the trending keywords.

"Donovan"

"Association President"

"Lost sense of smell"

Each word was a bombshell.

With trembling fingers, Dylan clicked in and saw the detailed content. It revealed that Donovan, the highly respected and authoritative president of the Fragrance Association, had lost his sense of smell years ago. He couldn't distinguish between scents, let alone judge perfumes.

How could someone without a sense of smell be a professional perfume judge or the president of the association? Moreover, he had presided over several major perfumery competitions in recent years, even serving as the most authoritative judge in the country.

If Donovan truly had no sense of smell, those competitions were a farce.

The topic exploded, captivating not only the general public but also past competition participants who came forward to protest their eliminations, creating a massive social impact.