Chapter 140 Investigating the Plagiarism Incident
Chapter 139 Counterattack
In the confines of the meeting room, Selena's gaze fell upon Maggie, stirring a pang of guilt within her. However, she masked her emotions expertly, subtly gesturing for Maggie to exit the room.
Maggie, however, chose to ignore the silent plea. 'So, Selena steals my design and now she wants me to leave?' she mused, her thoughts simmering with indignation.
Instead of leaving, Maggie turned to Jaqueline, offering, "Mrs. Mitchell, may I pour you a cup of coffee?"
"Certainly, thank you," Jaqueline responded with practiced politeness. She then shifted her attention to Selena, her voice laced with admiration, "You truly are the chief designer. I adore this finished product. My daughter's birthday is next month, Selena. Could you design a pair of earrings and a necklace for me as a gift?"
Selena responded with a gracious smile, "It would be my utmost honor to fulfill your request. Earrings and a necklace are no problem at all. You can provide me with your specifications later, and I assure you, my designs will meet your satisfaction."
"I trust your abilities," Jaqueline replied, her satisfaction evident as she closed the jewelry box. "I've heard from a friend that your design style leans towards the luxurious, but this piece is simple and exquisite. The details are impeccable, it's a classic style."
Often, the simpler things were, the more refined and classic they tended to be. Jaqueline was not one for complexity.
Selena cast a surreptitious glance at Maggie, then shamelessly accepted Jaqueline's praise, "Perhaps it's a matter of mindset and age. As I've grown older, I find myself gravitating towards a simpler style."
Jaqueline joked, "Selena, you're really funny. If you're old, then what does that make me, an old lady?"
"Mrs. Mitchell, your skin is so radiant, anyone would think you're in your twenties," Selena flattered, earning a pleased smile from Jaqueline. With that, Selena successfully secured her order once again.
As Jaqueline departed the company, Selena and Maggie trailed behind her. Once Jaqueline was out of sight, Selena turned to Maggie, her tone laced with irritation, "Maggie, there's nothing for you to do here today, you should head home early."
"Selena, don't you think you owe me an explanation? You stole my design, after all," Maggie retorted.
As a jewelry designer, Maggie held her creations in high regard and wouldn't tolerate anyone plagiarizing her ideas. She hadn't exposed Selena earlier, out of concern for the company's reputation and a desire to avoid conflict in front of a client.
Selena replied coldly, "Maggie, watch your words. That bracelet was my design, not a plagiarism of your ideas. I don't owe you an explanation. You, with only a high school education, can't possibly design anything of worth. It seems you're desperate for recognition. That bracelet was designed by me for Jaqueline, and you accuse me of theft. That's really shameless."
"Are you willing to confront me in front of Mr. Bary?" Maggie challenged, gripping Selena's wrist. "I still have the original drafts. Let's see who's truly shameless."
Maggie had once held Selena in high regard, viewing her as an idol. She had acknowledged her lack of experience compared to Selena and had humbly learned from her. But now, Selena's actions had revealed her true character.
To a designer, plagiarism was a grave moral issue. Maggie had heard rumors that Selena had plagiarized and exploited her subordinate designers. She had initially dismissed it as gossip, but now it seemed to be the truth.
Selena, flustered, pushed Maggie away, declaring, "Maggie, I am the chief designer of this company. I would never plagiarize. If my bracelet resembles yours, it's just a coincidence."
Maggie sneered, "So this is how you became the chief designer."
Selena blushed at the mockery, retorting, "Maggie, a mere assistant like you has no right to judge my character. Remember, I designed Jaqueline's bracelet. If I hear any damaging rumors, your career in jewelry design will be over."
Maggie scoffed again. Selena was threatening her.
'So, Selena has done this before. No wonder she's so adept at it,' Maggie thought.
Chapter 140 Investigating the Plagiarism Incident
Selena's facade of fearlessness was a stark contrast to the trepidation that gnawed at her insides as she stood before Maggie.
Maggie, on the surface, seemed unremarkable, yet her presence stirred an unsettling feeling in those around her. Selena couldn't shake off the thought that Maggie might someday pose a threat to her position.
Had Jaqueline not been such a hard taskmaster, Selena would never have stooped to plagiarizing Maggie's work. As a top student from a prestigious university with numerous international accolades under her belt, Selena felt a sting of dissatisfaction at having to steal from someone who had only a high school education and no real experience in jewelry design.
Regrettably, Jaqueline was instantly taken with Maggie's design, commissioning the finished piece on the spot. Maggie, no longer engaging in arguments with Selena, returned to her seat with a calm demeanor. However, she had no intention of letting the matter rest there.
Emily, drained from her morning errand of procuring materials, returned with a weary sigh. "Maggie, I'm spent. I need a breather," she said, collapsing into her chair. "I came here hoping to meet handsome men, but all I've seen is endless work and meager pay. I'm exhausted, Maggie."
Maggie chuckled at Emily's lament. "You once said proximity to handsome men would increase your chances of ending up with one. You're destined to be Mrs. Flores, remember?"
Emily sighed in defeat. "All my efforts have been in vain. Mr. Flores is stationed at the headquarters; he wouldn't bother visiting our small branch. I miscalculated."
Maggie looked at Emily, puzzled. "Emily, as a Roberts, meeting Mr. Flores shouldn't be a challenge. Why resort to such measures?"
Emily, visibly frustrated, replied, "That's because you don't know him. He's elusive, like an iceberg.
Apart from his secretary and mother, he hardly interacts with women. Let me catch my breath and get some water."
Maggie, intrigued, asked, "Doesn't a man like him desire a wife? Emily, are you certain Mr. Flores is interested in women?"
Emily choked on her water at Maggie's question, glancing around nervously, fearful of others overhearing. "Maggie, that's audacious! If word got to the headquarters, you'd be out of a job," she warned.
Maggie shrugged nonchalantly. "I'm merely expressing a reasonable doubt. Don't fret, no one else heard."
Emily pondered Maggie's question. "Actually, I've thought about it too. Such a handsome man, in his thirties, no girlfriend, not even a whisper of a rumor. He's a rare breed indeed."
Maggie, uninterested in Emily's musings, steered the conversation back to Selena. "Emily, you mentioned Selena exploiting the employees. Can you elaborate?"
Maggie had a hunch that Selena's plagiarism wasn't an isolated incident. It was likely that other colleagues in the design department had also fallen victim to her deceit.
"Maggie, why are you asking about this? Did that bitch Selena give you trouble again?" Emily asked.
"Let's not get into that. Tell me more about the employee exploitation," Maggie urged.
Maggie was confident she could handle Selena. Jaqueline had requested Selena to design earrings and necklaces, a request Maggie saw as bait. If she played her cards right, she could expose Selena's plagiarism.
Maggie planned to install a miniature camera on her desk. She was determined to bring this matter to light.
To keep Selena off her trail, Maggie kept her suspicions to herself and maintained her usual work routine, lulling Selena into a false sense of security.
When it was time to clock out, Maggie left promptly. Selena attempted to pile on more work, but Maggie brushed her off. She had evidence of Selena's plagiarism; she wasn't afraid.
As Maggie exited the building, she mulled over Emily's revelation. Selena had climbed the ranks to chief designer by plagiarizing university students' works during her campaign. This raised Maggie's suspicions.
The timeline of Selena's plagiarism coincided with the period when Maggie was wrongfully accused of plagiarism at school.
Due to gaps in her memory, Maggie was uncertain about the details of the plagiarism incident. She decided to seek answers from Dulcinea at the beauty salon.
Meanwhile, Adalia had spent the afternoon napping before accompanying Fiorello to an evening party. They returned home around eleven o'clock.
As they arrived at Cityhomes West, Fiorello, holding Adalia's hand, instructed William, "Take the Chevrolet to the underground parking lot later."
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