Unexpected Fiancée

Chapter 96: Plagiarized

Chapter 96: Plagiarized

Jane should have anticipated this outcome. If finding Candy were that simple, Patrick would have located her years ago. Yet, Candy remained elusive. Jane pondered why Candy was so challenging to find. What had happened to her after she fell off that cliff? Whether she was alive or deceased, there should be some traces or evidence of her existence. How could she vanish entirely? Jane couldn't fathom it and had no leads left to pursue. For the time being, she would need to set it aside.

In the following days, Jane delved deep into her work, determined to complete the Ice and Fire shoot. The press conference to officially launch the Ice and Fire collection was only a few days away. Jane believed her design would make Ice and Fire an instant hit, propelling Pansy Group to the forefront of the jewelry industry.

However, just two days before the press conference, disaster struck.

Jane arrived at her workplace early, making final preparations for the upcoming event. That morning, her phone received a news alert that captured her attention.

Love Jewelry was preparing to release a new collection, "Let Yourself Go."

Jane clicked to read the main article, which stated: "Love Jewelry, the leading jewelry brand in the country, has partnered with Madeline, a globally renowned jewelry designer, to create an astounding new collection called 'Let Yourself Go.' This collection features pieces that change colors based on the lighting they are exposed to, giving women the opportunity to express themselves like never before. Imagine dazzling people at any party with your color-changing gems."

Jane quickly skimmed through more details about the upcoming "Let Yourself Go" launch. The jewelry in the new collection was strikingly similar to her design, with gems that changed color

according to the lighting conditions. It was precisely Jane's concept and a major selling point for the Ice and Fire collection. Unfortunately, the public was unaware of this feature, as Pansy Group had kept it a secret until the press conference.

Now, someone had beaten them to the punch.

Evidently, Love Jewelry had stolen her idea. They were a prominent domestic jeweler and widely recognized. They had long held a comfortable monopoly in the industry, which was disrupted when Pansy Group entered the scene. Jane believed that if the Ice and Fire launch proceeded as planned, it would propel Pansy Group ahead of Love Jewelry.

This blatant plagiarism wasn't surprising, considering what was at stake, but Jane was taken aback that even someone as renowned as Marilyn would resort to such tactics. Just then, Patrick called.

"Come to my office."

Jane agreed and made her way to his office. After the night when everything became clear between her and Patrick, she felt more comfortable in his presence. In his office, Patrick leaned back in his chair, speaking in a deep voice.

"Did you see today's news about Love Jewelry?"

Jane acknowledged, "Yes, I did."

Patrick's brow furrowed. "How did this happen?"

Jane sighed and said, "If I told you that Marilyn plagiarized my design, would you believe me?"

Without hesitation, Patrick replied, "Yes." His unwavering trust warmed Jane's heart. © NôvelDrama.Org - All rights reserved.

However, he quickly added, "But the current situation poses a problem for Pansy Group."

Patrick tapped his knuckles on the table, creating an oppressive atmosphere. Jane concurred, "I know."

Jane rubbed her temples, "Love Jewelry has introduced this design as their own. When we hold the press conference in two days, everyone will believe that we were the plagiarizers."

The public would naturally assume that the company who unveiled a new product first was the original creator. Love Jewelry's announcement preempted Pansy Group's, resulting in a damaging assumption of plagiarism. However, Jane had one concern: How did Marilyn obtain her design idea? Was there a spy within Pansy Group?

Sharing the same suspicion, Patrick smiled and suggested, "I'll do my best to find out how and why your design was stolen, but the press conference must be postponed. We can't proceed until we have solid evidence. If we go forward before that, Pansy Group's reputation will be severely damaged."

Jane, however, didn't agree with postponing the press conference. "There's no need to postpone it."

Patrick gave her a surprised look, and Jane reassured him, "If you trust me, then don't postpone the press conference."

Again, Patrick replied without hesitation, "Then you will be in charge of the press conference."

Jane accepted the responsibility, "No problem." She left the CEO's office, feeling confident in her plan.

As she left the office, she encountered Sherry, who was approaching with an aggressive demeanor. Sherry immediately accused Jane of plagiarism. Jane calmly asked, "Did you witness this?"

Sherry slammed a newspaper on the table, insisting, "Look, your Ice and Fire is a copy of Marilyn's design."

Sherry believed that Jane was the one who had committed plagiarism. Jane briefly examined the newspaper article, which was the same one she had seen on her phone earlier. Even Sherry believed that she was the plagiarist. Jane

retorted, "I didn't plagiarize."

Sherry grew louder, challenging Jane's claim. "The evidence is right here. Why are you denying it? Do you understand the trouble you've brought to this company?"

Sherry raised her voice, hoping more people would overhear and spread the gossip. As the head of the design department, she had been previously humiliated by Jane, causing her to lose face in front of Patrick. Jane had even bypassed the design department to present the Ice and Fire design directly to Bruce, leaving Sherry feeling slighted. Jane was an outsider, and in Sherry's eyes, it was impossible for her to be exceptionally capable. In Sherry's mind, Jane was being accused of plagiarism because she couldn't differentiate between the original and copied designs. With an ironic smile, Jane responded, "I don't know if the company is in trouble, but I think you might be in trouble."

Sherry was taken aback, asking, "What kind of trouble am I in?"

"You're the head of the design department, and yet you can't distinguish between an original and a copy. Doesn't that make you feel embarrassed?" Jane retorted, still smiling.