Chapter 101:
“Sorry for interrupting your celebration,” Elyse said, biting her lip and hesitating before finally speaking. “Ms. Hayes, I need to apologize. I never intended to miss my submission deadline. It’s just that… my design vanished.”
Monica narrowed her eyes, trying to gauge Elyse’s intentions. “Let it go. The exhibition is over, and everything went smoothly,” she replied dismissively. “You can step down now.”
But Elyse wasn’t finished. Her gaze shifted toward Elena.
“At first, I thought I had simply misplaced it. But then, after seeing the winning design today…” She trailed off deliberately, her eyes lingering on Elena—suggesting without saying it outright.
But the implication was clear: she was accusing Elena of theft. For a designer, allegations of copying someone else’s work could destroy an entire career.
Monica grew stern as she perceived the undertone in Elyse’s comment, setting her wine glass aside with a grave look.
“Elyse, could you clarify? Are you accusing Elena of stealing your design?”
Lowering her head in a display of hurt, Elyse murmured, “I’m not entirely sure; it might be a coincidence, but Elena’s design mirrors the draft I lost exactly.”
Shaking her head in disbelief, Monica retorted, “That’s absurd! Designs may share similarities, but they can’t be identical. Are you absolutely certain you haven’t mistaken it?”
Monica could not believe that Elena would ever take Elyse’s design. She was intimately familiar with Elena’s design prowess. Known for her extraordinary talent, Elena had even declined the position of chairperson offered by the Design Association of Houis. The idea that a respected designer would plagiarize a novice was unthinkable.
Elyse’s qualifications were not even enough to make her Elena’s apprentice.
With frustration evident in her reddened eyes, Elyse said, “I’m not mistaken—I spent several nights perfecting this bracelet. If it weren’t an exact match, I wouldn’t have spoken up.”
The crowd that had been admiring Elena suddenly shifted their gaze with skepticism. Every designer held a deep contempt for plagiarism. If Elena had truly copied Elyse’s design, it would be unforgivable.
“Why does Elena remain silent? Could she be feeling guilty?”
Explore captivating tales on gα ℓ ησ ν𝒆 𝓁s․com
“Elyse doesn’t seem to be lying—who would make such a claim without solid evidence?”
“If a plagiarism scandal erupts, won’t that put our bonuses in jeopardy?”
The murmurs of the crowd grew until even Monica and Elena could hear every word.
Displeased with the growing whispers, Monica interjected sharply, “Enough! We will not entertain baseless allegations!”
Turning her attention back to Elyse, she asked, “You claim this design is yours—do you have any evidence to back it up?”
Elyse bit her lip and shook her head softly, saying, “My draft is missing…”
“And how could she prove her innocence if her original draft was stolen?”
“Elena must prove this design is truly hers; if she fails, then it was never her work to begin with!”
Elyse shivered, her tears garnering the empathy of onlookers as she portrayed a figure of fragility. With her head bowed, Elyse’s lips briefly curled into a sly grin.
