Page 68 of The Omega Switch: Part 2

"I have more,” I said, my breath coming quicker as my mind raced. “I know how to prove it."

She looked at me, then motioned for me to sit down. “Go on.”

"We're asking the wrong questions." I grabbed a legal pad and began writing down all the things I thought of that were relevant. "Don't ask who wrote the formulas. Ask why they were written, and more importantly, why they were changed." My lawyer watched as I continued writing. "The scent replica. Ask Arabella why the original prototype contained omega pheromone isolates."

She sat back, looking at what I wrote. "Are you sure?” She asked.

"Arabella won't know. No one at Nestwell will know." I said, circling the pad with my pen.

"How can you be sure?" She asked.

"Because she never understood why I made it. And I never told anyone." I said, pointing to a list of products.

My lawyer slowly smiled. "What else?"

I didn't stop writing. By the time court reconvened, my lawyer carried an entirely different outline than the one we'd entered with that morning. We gathered into the courtroom, and Pack Vale looked at me, their faces still showing concern. My family slowed their walk, passing by me and almost begging me to look over. I glanced at them, and Arabella looked triumphant. Clara ushered her along, while my fathers either glared or shook their heads in disappointment. They were more cold than anything. But I’d already grieved that. Today was about me taking back what was mine, and getting justice for myself and my mom.

My attorney called Arabella back to the stand, approaching calmly. "Miss Carrington, I'd like to discuss several of Nestwell's products." Arabella smiled confidently.

"Of course," she said, not even looking at me.

"The company's prized scent replica, the one that put Nestwell on the map," my lawyer said, strolling casually back and forth.

"Our bestseller," Arabella said.

"It certainly is. Can you explain why the original formulation contained isolated omega pheromone compounds?" My lawyer asked. Arabella's smile faltered, and she glanced over at her legal team before answering.

"It was to improve realism."

My lawyer stood still.

"What specifically made the pheromones necessary?"

"They..." Arabella glanced toward her attorney. "They enhanced the experience." She said, and looked at her nails as if this was beneath her.

My lawyer waited. "How exactly?” Arabella shifted slightly.

"I don't remember the exact chemistry."

My lawyer nodded, then picked up another document.

"Why were those pheromones later removed from the commercial version?" she asked. Arabella paused again. I knew Arabella likely had no idea pheromones were even included in the original formula.

"They weren't necessary," she finally answered.

"Why not?" my lawyer pressed.

"I - it was just safer to have no pheromones.” She said, looking toward the research team seated by my family.

My lawyer moved on. "Let's discuss the calming lotion." She displayed an early development sheet. "Why did Prototype Three contain twice the concentration of oat extract as the final retail product?"

Arabella frowned. "I don't know; we go through several formulations for each product," she said with a shrug.

"Alright. Why was Prototype One designed as a leave-on overnight treatment instead of a daytime lotion?" My lawyer pressed.

"I wasn't involved in every laboratory decision," Arabella said, her voice rising as she got snappy. My lawyer smiled.

"I thought you directed product development."