Chris whispered, "He's claiming that Maggie's design...""Are we just going to believe what he said without seeing any proof? You've worked with Maggie for so many years, yet you still don't know what kind of person she is?"Chris was stunned upon hearing what Stella said. Then, he tried to defend himself, "What if it turns out to be true? What are we going to do then? I'm just doing this for our company's interests."Stella ignored him and walked directly to the man who stirred things up. Then, she introduced herself, "I'm the owner of The Velvet, and my last name's Hall. First of all, I'd like to thank you for attending The Velvet's new product launch event today. Secondly, did you mention that our designer is copying someone else's work?"Plagiarism is a very serious accusation. We have stated that this is our original design, and we would not resort to such methods to deceive the public. If you can provide evidence of the plagiarism committed by our designer with the product sh
Wenham remained silent, clearly agitated by the comments about his daughter.No matter how compelling the evidence on the screen was, he refused to accept his daughter would resort to plagiarism. Even if it were true, he wholeheartedly believed that Stella was completely unaware. But things could escalate, and it could stain her reputation if the plagiarism were confirmed.As Wenham was about to speak, Trevor cut in and said, "What do we do? If we don't address this now, people will think our designer is a thief."Darcie shot Trevor a glance, "The other party has shown their drafts. They wouldn't have made a scene at this press conference if they didn't have concrete proof. I also find it hard to believe Stella would instruct a designer to do this. But if the designer is guilty, Stella will be implicated since she is organizing this event."Trevor calmly added, "What if it's a set-up? What if the other party is intentionally trying to frame us? We'll miss the optimal time for a com
The crowd burst into a discussion as they watched everything unfold."I can't believe she stole another designer's work.""Isn't this a clear case of plagiarism?""She trusted her with her designs, yet she betrayed that trust. How shameless!""How did someone with such questionable integrity be appointed the team leader? It seems Stella hires anyone into her company."Felicity fumed, "This video doesn't prove a thing! If the design drafts were so crucial, would she just leave them casually on a chair?""The method may be crude, but it's effective. No one can prove whether Maggie glanced at them during that hour. And similarly, no one can prove she didn't. They can spin any narrative they want," whispered Vermont.Felicity became nervous, "What do we do? How do we clear her name?"Vermont glanced at Keegan and said, "Don't you have anything up your sleeve? What kind of partner are you? "Keegan shot him a sharp look. "Shut up," he said.Vermont stayed quiet. He was initially q
Keegan observed the triumphant figures on stage with a wry smile."You cheeky rascal. I've been asking for that new Frontier drone for ages. You couldn't bear to let me use it even once, but you let Stella use such a high-end gadget for this? I see you're prioritizing love over our friendship," Vermont muttered under his breath.Keegan shot him a glance, "And what would you do about it?""I would escort Miss Bandit to work. Duh. Sounds cool, right?" Vermont defended himself.Keegan gave him a disdainful look."What's that thing?" Felicity asked curiously.Vermont explained, "It's a new drone developed by Keegan's company. It has biometric recognition, target locking, and tracking capabilities. It was originally meant to assist search and rescue teams, but Keegan let Stella use it to catch liars. Quite the waste, isn't it?"Felicity's eyelids twitched at that, 'Didn't he just say he was going to use it to escort me to work? How dare he mock Keegan? But that's not important right
Maggie did not give Barbara's request much thought at first. It was not until Barbara abruptly left the design drafts with her after answering a call that Maggie sensed something was amiss.While a lot of design work is done on computers these days, most designers still prefer hand-drawn sketches.Maggie was familiar with Barbara's habits after knowing her for many years. When Barbara had to step away from her desk in the office, she would always keep her drafts in a drawer and lock it. There was no way she would leave the drafts to pick up a call and have Maggie safeguard them.So, Maggie contacted Stella without hesitation.Stella happened to be with Keegan at the time. He promptly drove her to the scene and used the drone to capture footage. Originally, Maggie had intended to leave the design drafts untouched and wait for Barbara to retrieve them herself.However, Stella believed Barbara would undoubtedly have a backup plan if this were a set-up. It was better to be proactive i
Chad was not pleased with Stella's retort. Unable to outwit her, he redirected his frustration toward Maggie, whom he saw as an easier target, "Maggie, you've been fighting this lawsuit for so many years and still haven't won. So, nursing a grudge, you orchestrated this appalling spectacle to make us all uncomfortable, didn't you?"After setting the microphone down, he lowered his voice and issued a veiled threat, "I'm telling you. If I can make you slip in this industry back in the day, I can do it again."Stella stood close to Maggie and heard every word. She stepped forward to shield her and said in a cold and determined voice, "I sure want to see you try."Maggie looked at Stella and felt her heart racing.Stella turned, thinking Maggie was scared, and whispered, "Don't be afraid. He's all bark and no bite. He wouldn't dare lay a finger on you."Maggie smiled, took the microphone, and addressed the audience, "I have a way to prove which one of us is the true plagiarist."Her
Maggie calmly pointed to her own draft and said, "Unlike your work, mine doesn't feature an openwork design."Barbara responded with a mocking laugh. "That's precisely why I'm saying you're a skillful plagiarist. You would be accused of copying my work if you hadn't tweaked a few things."Maggie's lips curved into a sardonic smile, and her eyes were glinting with resolute determination. She proceeded to highlight a few subtle distinctions. Barbara's impatience grew, and the crowd began to murmur."What kind of standoff is this? It feels like they're just spotting the differences.""I doubt this proves anything. It only shows she's capable of making changes.""I have to admit; Barbara's design does look better after this comparison.""Well, duh. How can plagiarized work be compared with the original?"Barbara was getting upset. But, when she noticed that the audience's sentiments were gradually swaying in her favor, a sense of smugness began to creep in, and she relaxed a little.
Barbara panicked, and she quickly looked to Chad for help.Chad wore a stern expression and remained unyielding. He scoffed at Kenneth's assertion. "You weren't directly involved in the production, Mr. Green. How could you be so certain that this design can't be produced?"Kenneth's face turned pale. "I've been crafting jade for over forty years. I can discern at a glance which designs are feasible and which are not. You can bring someone here to create that piece if you doubt my judgment. If I'm wrong, I'll personally tarnish Emerald Skies Jeweler's reputation!"For a craftsman to stake his own reputation, he must be confident.Tension permeated the room. The audience below murmured, exchanging their thoughts."I'm not following here. What's the issue with not being able to produce it?""If it can't be produced, it means this design is merely a conceptual sketch. To put it bluntly, it's a draft. It's like scoring a hundred on an exam while someone next to you scores zero, and th