“Chloe, you really shouldn’t have come into the office today.
There’s a lot of gossip going around about this situation right now.
I’m just thinking of your best interests…”
“Team Leader Miller, I know you’re looking out for me, but my head is clear.
I don’t need to take the day off.” Chloe Austin glanced at the people around her, all of whom were watching her with eyes hungry for gossip.
“Chloe, I’m very sorry about what happened with the design drafts, but today is the day Tess Company is coming in to select a proposal.
Amore will also have representatives here.
It’s simply not appropriate for you to be present.”
“Why isn’t it appropriate?
Since I’m being accused of plagiarism, shouldn’t I meet their designer?
We can exchange thoughts on what was going through our minds when we created our designs.
Is that not allowed?”
Chloe’s words carried such an imposing aura that Zara Miller found herself entirely at a loss for words.
“Fine,” Zara finally conceded, “but you cannot cause a scene during the meeting.
You are not to say a single word.
President Hayes will be there, and this project is crucial.
Tess Company is a major client of ours.”
“I know, which is exactly why I care so much about proving my innocence.
I’ve already produced a new design draft.
I’ll have to trouble you, Team Leader, to hand it over to President Hayes for me.”
Chloe handed the documents to Zara right in front of everyone.
Glancing down at the drafts, Zara suddenly hesitated, unsure if she should take them.
However, as she looked closer, she let out a gasp of amazement.
“Chloe, this design is truly excellent.
It aligns perfectly with Tess Company’s philosophy.
I’m certain they’re going to love it.”
“As long as they like it.
The inspiration came to me last night.
I suppose I also have to thank the people from Amore for giving me that spark.”
Shortly after Zara took the drafts back to her office, the suspicious intern from the surveillance footage walked in carrying a file.
Through the glass window, it was clear that he was discussing work with her.
Although Chloe couldn’t see everything from her angle, it was enough to confirm her suspicions.
“The design and product departments can head into the conference room now.
The representatives from Amore and Tess Company are already seated,” someone announced.
“Alright, let’s go, everyone,” Zara instructed, leading her department toward the conference room.
Inside, the space was already packed tightly with people.
“Well, what do you know?
The great celebrity Vivian Sullivan has graced us with her presence,” Winona Hayes remarked, shooting a sharp glare at Vivian.
“It seems this deal is quite important to you all as well.”
Vivian simply flipped her hair and stayed silent.
“Hello, President Hayes.
I am the person in charge of Amore today,” another woman chimed in.
“I have full authority to make decisions on any matters.”
“Then could you ask how she plans to handle it if her brand is caught plagiarizing?” Chloe interjected as she took her seat.
Vivian’s expression darkened.
She was clearly furious but managed to swallow her anger.
“Plagiarism?
Excuse me, but aren’t you the ones currently being exposed for plagiarism?” She shot the Amore representative a warning look, silencing the woman instantly.
“And who are you?” Chloe demanded, staring directly at Vivian.
“Are you Amore’s spokesperson, or does this brand have some special connection to you?”
“We are here today to see which side’s design better meets our needs, not to watch you argue,” one of the representatives from Tess Company interrupted.
They were visibly impatient; having been in the industry for years, just hearing the word “plagiarism” gave them a headache.
Whether one was the perpetrator or the victim, it was never a glorious matter.
For at least the next few years, people would inevitably bring it up.
“If you need time to resolve this conflict today, we can reschedule.”
“We are ready to start whenever,” the Amore representative quickly announced, and Winona nodded in agreement.
Amore’s team eagerly presented their design drafts first.
Chloe’s expression remained perfectly calm, while Vivian looked at her as if waiting to watch a joke unfold.
“These are the new styles created by our designer today,” the Amore representative explained.
“We incorporated Tess Company’s philosophy and corporate culture.
While it might be subtle, it’s definitely discernible.
We’ve also refined some of the details.
Our product department will have the new prototypes ready for your review soon.”
The attendees smiled and applauded.
However, as Winona examined the new design, her eyes lit up as if she had spotted something extraordinary.
“Excuse me, I’d like to ask, what does this mean?” Chloe raised her hand and stood up.
She walked up to the screen and pointed at several faint symbols.
“Chloe, stop talking!” Zara was absolutely terrified.
She glanced nervously at Winona’s expression and then at the Tess Company representatives, not daring to breathe too loudly.
“Our designer couldn’t make it today.
Later, we’ll have our designer explain the creative process and the ideas behind it,” the person in charge of Amore explained to the room, bracing herself and placing special emphasis on the word “our.”
“You’re awfully stubborn,” Chloe sighed.
She then applied a quick image filter to the screen, and the vague symbols instantly resolved into clear letters.
“Representative from Amore, and this random nobody here for who-knows-what reason, I heard one of you majored in English in college.
Why don’t you tell me how to pronounce this word?”
Vivian shot to her feet.
Displayed starkly on the screen were the four letters of the word “copy.”
“What is the meaning of this?” The representatives from Tess Company were utterly confused, looking back and forth between Chloe and Vivian.
“Chloe Austin, we are in a professional meeting right now!
Are you trying to make a fool out of Tess Company, or are you just trying to assert dominance over Amore?” Vivian spat through gritted teeth.
Chloe just smiled; Vivian had already walked right into her trap.
“I handed this exact design draft to Team Leader Miller just this morning.
Barely an hour later, it has somehow miraculously become Amore’s design.
You didn’t even bother to change a single detail.
So, I have to ask: does this count as theft?”
“What proof do you have that this is your design?” Vivian challenged.
Winona chuckled.
It was obvious Vivian hadn’t been in the design industry for very long at all.
“Most people have a habit of leaving something behind when they submit a raw design draft,” Chloe explained.
“It could be their name, a logo, or some obscure watermark.
As for me, I, Chloe Austin, leave my initial.”
She magnified the center of the design draft on the screen.
Right in the middle, she had drawn a stylized letter “C.”
Faced with such irrefutable evidence, Vivian was completely at a loss for how to defend herself.
“I…
I was just standing up for the Amore brand.
After all, they’re a newly established company, unlike you guys…” Vivian’s voice trailed off, completely stripped of its former confidence.
The awkward, panicked expression on her face was painfully obvious.
Everyone present was left wondering what exactly she was doing there in the first place.
Initially, Vivian had only come to watch Chloe be put on trial and see her humiliated.
She never expected to shoot herself in the foot.
Fortunately, Amore wasn’t publicly known as her brand yet, or she would have truly suffered the consequences.