Chapter 113 Lolly's Design Draft Has an "X" Mark
Zack had to call the police to disperse the troublemakers downstairs.
Nathaniel didn't go home that night; he slept in the office's lounge instead, as he was alone wherever he was.
This night was destined to be restless.
On the other side of the world, Melicia was in the midst of the day, with a new press conference being held fervently.
Nathaniel, who was already sleepless, became even more restless after watching the video shared by Zack.
In the video, Swan presented detailed explanations using Lolly's previous manuscripts. Each of Lolly's designs had a mark on the chain's interface loop, which was not visible without careful observation.
Staff members used a magnifying glass in front of the camera to show a distinct letter mark "X."
After showcasing Lolly's historical works, the Swan team enlarged the printed design draft that Chelsea had posted on Instagram, revealing the same 'X' mark. They mockingly questioned, "Is the Chief Designer of Heilbronn Group proving her plagiarism?"
With solid evidence, Chelsea was now nailed to the pillar of shame for plagiarism.
Nathaniel turned off his phone and lit a cigarette.
He wasn't concerned about public opinion; at this moment, he was more annoyed at himself for misjudging Chelsea. She had not only fooled him but also the entire Heilbronn Group. Nathaniel had already fired the last person who had done something like this.
He had trusted her so much that even when the whole nation sided with Lolly, he hadn't doubted Chelsea for a moment.
Reality shattered his trust in Chelsea.
He opened the window, letting in the cold air, his mind unusually clear.
After finishing his cigarette, he picked up his phone and called Chelsea. She answered promptly,
"Nathaniel, why are you calling at this hour? Are you sleepless? Let me keep you company."
A hint of anger flashed in Nathaniel's eyes as he coldly asked, "Chelsea, why did you plagiarize?"
He couldn't understand why she would sabotage her career. As a designer, she should understand the industry's taboos. He was curious about how she had obtained Lolly's original design manuscript. His mind was full of doubts.
The design draft that Chelsea had posted on Instagram was identical to Lolly's historical manuscripts in terms of paper quality, strokes, and various other aspects displayed by Swan.
He found no way to argue against the facts, although he wanted to believe her and defend her. The evidence was clear, and he couldn't continue to be stubborn.
After a few seconds of silence, Chelsea replied, "I didn't plagiarize. 'Eternal Heart' is my design. Nathaniel, why don't you believe me?"
Frowning, Nathaniel couldn't believe that even at this point, she was still lying and refusing to admit her plagiarism.
He hung up and immediately contacted Zack, instructing him to draft an apology letter. Swan had held two press conferences in a row to denounce the Heilbronn Group online, indicating they weren't interested in a peaceful resolution.
Chelsea had unjustly dragged the Heilbronn Group into this dirty plagiarism scandal. The Heilbronn Group's century-old reputation couldn't be tarnished, and it seemed that Chelsea's sacrifice had become an inevitable outcome.
Nathaniel had made up his mind.
It was late at night, and many night owls had already seen the video of Swan's press conference. The Heilbronn Group Jewelry's official account was flooded with insults.
And this was just the beginning.
The next day, the Heilbronn Group's stocks fell another ten percent, causing the shareholders to raise their blood pressure collectively.
Soon, everyone saw the apology letter posted on the official website in the early hours of the morning:
[To all customers, fans, and friends who have supported the Heilbronn Group, good morning. Due to our senior management's mistake in hiring, which has hurt our fans, we sincerely apologize to everyone.]
[We solemnly declare here that the Chief Designer of Heilbronn Group, Chelsea, acted on her own in committing plagiarism, and we were unaware of this deplorable behavior. She has severely violated our regulations and has been dismissed, effecting now.]
[Any actions by Chelsea are unrelated to our company. In the future, if anyone defames the reputation of the Heilbronn Group due to Chelsea's foolish actions or engages in insults or harassment, we will take legal action to hold them accountable.]
[Thank you for your understanding.]
Upon reading this apology letter, everyone approved of the CEO's actions.
The shareholders had long been displeased with the Chief Designer, who was always plagiarizing, but due to Nathaniel's special relationship with her, they had been reluctant to speak out.
They felt relieved when they saw the official statement announcing her dismissal and the company's clean break from the plagiarism scandal.
It was truly a satisfying turn of events.
While the stock drop was painful, removing the troublemaker brought relief to everyone. With the capabilities of the Heilbronn Group, as long as they didn't make any fundamental errors, they believed their market value would quickly rebound.
Discussions among employees on the company's intranet were heated.
Given the sensitivity of the topic, no one dared to use their real IDs; all posts were made anonymously:
[Mr. Heilbronn is wise; Chelsea should have been fired long ago! Our future at the Heilbronn Group looks promising.]
[I've never seen someone trying to prove their innocence like this. @Chelsea, you are proving that you plagiarized, aren't you? Ha-ha.]
[You're still trying to deceive us at this critical moment, @Chelsea. Dare to plagiarize but not admit it? From now on, we'll call you the Chief Plagiarist. After all, each piece you plagiarize is more impressive than the last. How did you even get your hands on Lolly's original manuscript before she even published it? Care to explain if you hired a corporate spy?]
Chelsea woke up as usual and applied exquisite makeup.
Chelsea found that Aurelia seemed to have resigned and even handed over her ID card to the HR department. The days when Aurelia wasn't in the office were particularly enjoyable for Chelsea.
She made breakfast for herself in the morning and prepared a delicate bento box.
Seeing the heart-shaped fried egg, she thought of Nathaniel's delighted expression when he sat at his desk. During her years abroad, she couldn't cook and had three hamburgers a day.
Over time, her stomach suffered.
At that time, he was heartbroken back home and even flew over once to teach her how to cook.
In his eyes, she was a helpless little girl in need of care.
Now, she wanted him to see her growth, that she could make a beautiful lunch and could handle the role of a wife. She was definitely not inferior to Aurelia.
Chelsea packed the lunchbox into a thermal bag, changed into a professional skirt, and stepped out elegantly in 2-inch stilettos. She was oblivious to yesterday's news and had not yet seen the new statement released on the Heilbronn Group's official website.
She parked her car and confidently walked with a resounding click of her high heels.
At the elevator, several people were waiting, gossiping.
When Chelsea appeared, the chatter abruptly stopped.
She adjusted her hair, looking proud. Her gaze swept over the employee elevator, revealing a hint of disdain.
She carried the thermal bag and headed straight for the CEO's exclusive elevator, entering the familiar password. However, after entering the code, she found that the elevator didn't open. Undeterred, she tried several more times, but the elevator remained tightly shut.
A sense of foreboding crept over her.
The adjacent employee elevator had already opened, but this one didn't. She turned around and headed for the employee elevator, planning to ask Zack later if he had changed the password without notice.
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