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
'Keegan had completed his postgraduate studies. Even though he didn't pursue a Ph.D., he did spend a year studying abroad at a prestigious institution... It's true that Keegan lacks conversational skills. But, even so, his tongue can be quite sharp. As for kind-hearted?'Stella pondered for a moment. Before she officially met Keegan, Wenham had visited their home under the pretext of seeing Luna. There, he encountered Keegan, who managed to keep Wenham standing for a solid twenty minutes with a slant board.'Well, being kind-hearted isn't exactly Keegan's strong suit.'Stella struggled to find any strong arguments in his favor considering these aspects.Wenham's friend could not help but wonder, "With all these points against him, why did you agree to let your child date him?"Wenham waved a hand dismissively. "It's not like he doesn't have any merits. He's reasonably good-looking and on par with Trevor. He runs a successful chip-making company, which is no small feat. While he's
Keegan gritted his teeth and said, "Did Uncle Wenham say that, or you?"Stella held onto his arm and whispered."Of course it's him who said that. I'm crazy about you. Why would I make up something like that?"Keegan was a bit dazed by her words. He bit his lip and asked, "Does Uncle Wenham really think that of me?""Yeah. And, he's got a point, you know? I couldn't even find a way to defend you. He also said that his calf is still trembling because of your little prank," she explained.Suddenly, Keegan recalled his unkind actions. He almost instantly trusted Stella's words. He frowned and said, "I thought he was there as a matchmaker for Trevor. I just wanted to get some information from him. I'll find an expert later to give Uncle Wenham a proper evaluation of his legs."Vermont could not believe what he was hearing. 'What is Keegan thinking? How could he fall for such a crude lie? Is his intelligence slipping due to his age?'Thinking of that, Vermont said, "Keegan, I have a