14.26
288 Vouchers
Chapter 38 Her Design Was Plagiarized
In the morning, Isabelle, Glenda, and their assistant, Lauren Kelsall, walked into the exhibition hall carrying a laptop.
As the three approached, they saw the car of Luck Jewelry stopping at the entrance. Tonya stepped out on her 12–inch high–heels, followed by the design team of Luck Jewelry.
Compared to Tonya’s grand entrance, Isabelle’s team seemed rather small.
The eyes of the two Spencers fused.
Tonya walked past Isabelle, smiling, “Isabelle, you actually showed up. Good luck with winning first place!”
Tonya’s smile seemed particularly relaxed.
Glenda said indignantly, “What is she insinuating? I’m surprised that she can still smile like that. She knows how good you are. She should have been nervous to see you here.”
Isabelle furrowed her brows, pondering. Glenda just spoke her mind.
Even if Tonya used Isabelle’s past designs for the competition, Tonya was unlikely to beat her, who was using a design surpassing all her previous works. But why did Tonya look so confident? Something was off.
Suddenly, Glenda’s phone rang, and she awkwardly argued with the person on the other end. Isabelle knew it was her fiancé and said, “You should go.”
0.00%
E
14:26
Chapter 38 Her Design Was Plagiarized
288 Vouchers
“He insists on having lunch with me right now,” said Glenda. “Fortunately, Sue is having a business meeting nearby. Bella, you can go in without worries.”
Isabelle nodded and entered the venue with Lauren.
As Isabelle glanced at the judges‘ stand, she was surprised to find that Warren, her arch–nemesis, was not there.
Wasn’t he the head judge?
For some reason, Isabelle felt apprehensive. Why wasn’t Warren attending? He’d mentioned the other day that he would conquer her with his power. Did he lose his interest in her already? Isabelle had planned to show him her strength, but maybe this was for the best. They didn’t see eye to eye anyway.
Then, the judges asked all the contestants to submit their designs at the same time.
Isabelle went on stage to hand in her work. As she came down, she saw Tonya smiling at her. Isabelle was flustered.
What did that smile mean?
Isabelle forced herself to calm down and sat down with Lauren.
After a while, all the works were displayed on the big screen, but the judges suddenly fell silent.
The audience was also stupefied.
Isabelle jerked her head up. When she saw Tonya’s work, which was displayed side by side with hers, her almond eyes stared in shock.
Next to her, Lauren was dumbfounded. She grabbed Isabelle’s hand, saying, “Bella, what’s going on? How come your work would be…”
16.67%
14:26 D
Chapter 38 Her Design Was Plagiarized
288 Vouchers
Tonya stood up and looked at Isabelle in disbelief. “Isabelle, why is your work the same as mine?”
Tonya’s words caused an uproar among the audience, who had been staring at two identical designs.
“How come there would be identical works? Who copied whom?”
“One of them must be a plagiarist!”
“But Tonya is a renowned genius designer…”
Isabelle’s eyes turned icy as Tonya had plagiarized her work without any change. Isabelle sneered and finally knew why Tonya hadn’t been nervous before.
Isabelle stood up abruptly and said coldly, “Judges, this work is my creation. Tonya stole my idea.”
Tonya looked aggrieved. “Isabelle, what are you talking about? This is my creation.”
The audience and media reporters all stared with interest.
The judges had no idea which one of them was telling the truth, so the head judge, Gabriel Chesworth, said, “Since there are two identical works, one of you must be a plagiarist. You both claim to be the original designer, so please pull out the original file from your laptop to show us the time you started creating the work.”
Isabelle gave Lauren a glance.
Lauren quickly turned on Isabelle’s laptop and accessed the file history.
But the next moment, Lauren tensed up. She jerked her up to look at Isabelle. “Bella…”
35.26%
14.26
288 Vouchers
Lauren pointed to the screen, and Isabelle looked down. Instantly, Isabelle’s face turned pale.
There was nothing in the folder! The original file was gone!
Isabelle clenched her fists, her heart sinking. She looked up, only to find Tonya walking up to the judges with a laptop. On the way, Tonya gave Isabelle a gloating smile.
Everything became clear to Isabelle at that moment. She had fallen into a trap.
Tonya said to the judges, “Respected judges, this can prove that I’m the original designer. Please take a look.”
Gabriel nodded and connected the laptop to the large screen. The staff immediately pulled out Tonya’s file. The date Tonya drafted the sketch was October 2nd.
Gabriel nodded and looked at Isabelle. “Ms. Isabelle Spencer, what about your proof?”
Isabelle clenched her hands, her face stern. She said sharply, “There’s a. tech problem with my laptop. But I came up with the traditional–style concept by myself. I can elaborate on how the idea was developed to prove that I’m the original designer!”
Gabriel frowned and had a brief discussion with the other judges. They agreed to hear Isabelle out.
Isabelle began to elaborate, “This work is the pioneering piece of the traditional–style design in the jewelry industry. The general idea is to integrate classic elements from the past with jewelry romance. The relief on the 33–carat diamond ring is an element from 1st B.C….”
The judges started to nod one after another, looking amazed.
52.81%
14:26
Chapter 38 Her Design Was Plagiarized
288 Vouchers
However, Tonya suddenly stood up and interrupted, looking aggrieved, “Isabelle, those are my thoughts. You are going to say next that you researched the entire history of ancient relief and chose the best vintage element to match the diamond. The clash of modern romance and the traditional element creates the spark of perfection.”
Having said that, Tonya looked at the judges, who were shocked to see that she could elaborate on each detail as well.
Isabelle’s face turned colder. Not only had Tonya stolen her design drawing, but Tonya also knew how she’d conceived the idea.
Tonya must have help from the inside!
Isabelle didn’t miss the malicious glint in Tonya’s eyes.
Tonya gave a bitter smile. “Isabelle, stop denying it. When you called me for advice, I told you everything. I didn’t expect that you would steal my design.”
“Tonya, you know that’s not true. I started creating the design on the 28th of last month, much earlier than you!” Isabelle snapped.
Tonya took a few steps back feebly, looking hurt. “Isabelle, I can forgive you for stealing my design before because I know you were eager to return to the company. But you can’t keep copying my work! After you got into trouble, you ignored my and Dad’s numerous calls. And now, you not only stole my design but also tried to frame me. What is the public going to think of our family? You’ve gone too far!”
Tears streamed down Tonya’s face.
She listed all of Isabelle’s “crimes“.
The judges were shocked. It was widely known that the Spencer family had recently faced a scandal involving their elder daughter.
73.08%
14:26
Chapter 38 Her Design Was Plagiarized
288 Vouchers
The Spencer family didn’t expel Isabelle, but she stole her sister’s design and framed her sister.
The media and audience below were also in an uproar. Isabelle had
previously been reported for using her sister’s design to secure her position as the general manager of Luck Jewelry.
And now, she was doing it again!
“This woman is so wicked and malicious!”
94.99%
”
6
