The day after Manami submitted her proposal to her boss, the office buzzed with excitement.
“Yukari’s presentation was incredible!”
“Looks like she’s the next project leader for sure.”
Hearing those words, a seed of doubt sprouted in Manami’s mind. The content of Yukari’s presentation bore an uncanny resemblance to the proposal she had been meticulously refining until yesterday.
Feeling a surge of unease, Manami pulled open her desk drawer—only to be met with emptiness. Her documents were gone.
Yukari—her best friend since university and a colleague she had shared countless hardships with. The thought of betrayal seemed impossible, yet the evidence was undeniable. A storm of anger and disappointment churned within Manami, but she forced herself to take a deep breath and steady her thoughts. “I can’t let emotions control me. I need proof.”
The following week, Manami stood confidently at the head of the conference room. In her hand were samples of the perfume she had developed and copies of the patent application.
“The product Yukari presented last week—its fragrance patent has now been finalized,” she announced calmly.
A tense hush fell over the room as the employees flipped through the documents. Their expressions shifted as they reached the section that listed the originator of the idea—clearly stating Manami’s name.
Yukari’s face paled. She clenched the papers tightly, her lips trembling as she struggled to find words. But before she could speak, Manami continued, her voice steady but firm.
“I have the complete development records here,” she said, projecting her computer screen onto the wall. The detailed data showed the countless trials she had undergone—iterations of scent compositions, meticulous notes on the adjustments she had made at each stage.
Their boss turned to Yukari, his expression stern. “Explain yourself.”
Without a word, Yukari rose and left the room. The confidence and poise she once carried were nowhere to be seen as she disappeared down the hall.
In the days that followed, Yukari was removed from the project, and Manami was officially appointed as the new project leader.
As she inhaled the scent of her success, she couldn’t shake the bittersweetness that lingered in her heart. She had never sought competition—what she had truly wanted was a partnership that pushed them both to greater heights.
Looking out of the conference room window at the vast sky, Manami whispered to herself, “The scent of success… it’s more bitter than I imagined.”
And with that, she took a step forward, ready to lead with integrity, even if the path carried the faint traces of betrayal.
