Chapter 10: Echoes from the Old Kitchen
Chapter 10: Echoes from the Old Kitchen
To expose the Park family’s underground network, Naomi decided on a bold move: organizing a live culinary demonstration and safety inspection right in the heart of the city’s largest wholesale market—the exact place Helen’s henchmen were trying to distribute the illicit inventory.
The event was branded "The Truth Behind the Taste."
Jae-min used the Kang Group’s media influence to invite top culinary critics, prominent food bloggers, and, most importantly, independent health inspectors. When Naomi arrived, a swarm of reporters surrounded her. They no longer saw her as a tragic victim of Vivian's assault, but as a formidable force reshaping the industry.
A Battle of the Senses
On a large stone table set up in the middle of the market, Naomi laid out two plates of ingredients that looked identical to the naked eye: strips of dried beef and jars of vibrant red chili paste.
Comparison CriteriaPark Group's Smuggled IngredientsBrooks-Kang Foundation StandardColorArtificial bright red (Industrial preservatives)Natural deep crimson (Sun-dried chilis)AromaPungent, chemical smell when heatedRich, warm aroma of fermented garlic and spicesAftertasteBitter at the back of the throat, causes thirstClean, savory sweetness from bone broth and natural acidity
Naomi turned on the stove, placing a heavy cast-iron skillet over the flame. She dropped a spoonful of the Park family's chili paste in first. Within seconds, a harsh, acrid smoke billowed upward, causing nearby onlookers to cough and cover their faces.
"This is what Helen Park calls the 'secret family recipe' that cuts production costs by 40%," Naomi spoke clearly into the microphone, her voice echoing across the market stalls. "They used chemicals to force-ripen and color their products, completely disregarding how it ravages the human stomach. My father, Samuel Brooks, was framed and ruined simply because he refused to sign the safety certificates for these shipments."
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Audrey stepped up beside Naomi, holding the legal files detailing the exact batch numbers of the smuggled goods discovered in the secret warehouses. The seamless alliance between the discarded adopted daughter and the rightful heir of the Park bloodline sent a wave of public outrage through the crowd.
By that evening, the hashtag #TruthBehindTheTaste was trending globally. The authorities were forced to act immediately, sealing off all four clandestine warehouses Audrey had exposed. Helen Park was pushed into a corner once again as new economic crimes were added to her indictment.
