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
"Do you think Barbara earned her reputation on her own? I heard she was the head of the design team at The Velvet before she left. With that kind of authority, who would dare to question her actions? Just look at the jewelry she designed for Kayla. It lacks creativity. It's just a jumble of tacky elements," said someone from the crowd."I find Chad to be the most shameless one in this scenario. When Maggie was plagiarized in Grandeur Gallery and exposed the culprit, he blacklisted her. Now that she left them and joined a new company, she still gets plagiarized by his associates. Did Maggie kill someone in her past life or something? Why do they keep targeting her?""Birds of a feather flock together. None of them are good people.""The integration of the logo is rather smart. Maggie sure is something special. Are these pendants only for old clients? What about potential new clients?""I want one too."Barbara's expression turned ashen. She could not fathom why Maggie had not broug
"I-I let my emotions get the better of me. I didn't think it through. And, Barbara manipulated me. She's the one who plagiarized Maggie's work. If you want to hold someone accountable, she's the one."Chad shifted the blame onto Barbara, trying to distance himself.Stella did not believe his nonsense. She knew that Barbara would not act brazenly if no one backed her up behind the scenes.Barbara grew anxious before Stella could say anything. "Mr. Benson, I came here at your request. Why are you pushing everything on me?"'What a fool! Does she think that her previous outburst wasn't enough?' Chad's voice was stern. "What do you mean you came at my request? Don't be silly. When you gave me the design, you told me it was your original work. That's why I put my position on the line and help you fight for your rights. But, it turns out that you have deceived me. I literally said so many good things about you to the boss earlier. Now, you need to go back and explain everything to him yo
"Guys, that piece is made of alloy, and the jade on it is just leftover scraps. It's so thin that the raw materials probably cost only a few hundred bucks. This is just a marketing strategy to entice people into spending. What's there to brag about?" Someone from the crowd said."Well, someone's bitter. We have to factor in labor costs. Sure, this thing isn't worth much, but they're giving away thousands of it for free. It still costs over a million dollars. And besides, it's not like they're forcing you to buy from them. There's no need to be so petty.""Cartier uses alloy material too. Why didn't anyone think that was cheap? The Velvet is considered high-end jewelry in Hustuabourg with its impeccable quality. Why does everyone put foreign brands on a pedestal but quick to criticize a local brand?""Exactly. Why not donate a million dollars to show your wealth if you think it's too little?"The person's face turned ashen. He was unable to utter a single word in response to the peo