Chapter 437 Justice
Emma's words hit like a bolt of lightning, freezing the room. Everyone was stunned, unable to believe their ears, and it took a moment for them to react. Shocked and uneasy, people began whispering among themselves, their emotions turbulent. "How is this possible?"
Facing the impending scandal, Emma remained calm, as if everything was under her control.
With a composed demeanor and a resolute tone, she said, "Everything is in line with the competition's rules. After all, I was invited as a special guest and am not part of the judging process. My work is a commercial order for Lunora and does not affect the fairness of the competition."
Her words were a breath of fresh air, bringing a touch of reason to the turbulent sea of anger.
The crowd's mood shifted again, discussing her explanation while their eyes began to wander towards Phoenix.
At that moment, Eldon, the head of Lunora, stepped forward. "I hope everyone won't be misled. The truth will come to light." His presence was like a clear sky breaking through the clouds, slightly calming the crowd's anger.
However, the anger hadn't completely subsided. The crowd's expressions were still filled with doubt, and their eyes inevitably turned to Phoenix, with voices of suspicion rising and emotions rippling outwards.
The crowd's attitude shifted instantly, and the support for Phoenix seemed to vanish.
Phoenix felt the air around her turn icy cold, the crowd's gazes cutting into her like knives, causing a wave of panic in her heart.
"It's not like that!" she stammered, trying to defend herself, but the cold and disdainful looks around her only made her more insecure.
She felt her supporters fall away like dominoes, leaving only spreading accusations and doubts.
At this moment, Valentin announced another major issue.
"Emma's design is flawless, but during our review of the contestants' works, we discovered a significant problem. Someone has plagiarized!"
The room fell silent, and all eyes turned to Valentin, waiting for further explanation.
Valentin paused slightly, scanning the crowd before firmly declaring, "Our investigation revealed that Phoenix's design is suspected of plagiarism."
"What? No way! This is my original work!" Phoenix immediately jumped up, her face flushing with anger, feeling deeply wronged. Her voice carried disdain, but her inner panic was unmistakable.
"If it's original, then show us the proof!" Valentin retorted with a hint of scorn, casually turning on the projector. Clear images appeared, showing Phoenix's work almost identical to that of a famous jewelry designer. The crowd's expressions changed instantly.
The atmosphere turned mocking, with people pointing and whispering, many covering their mouths to stifle laughter. "This is too obvious. She didn't even bother to change the details!"
Phoenix was stunned, completely at a loss, a flicker of panic in her eyes. "This can't be! This is my original design. How could it be plagiarism?"
This was clearly a design from Stellar Creations Design Studio. Even if it didn't win first place, it couldn't be plagiarism!
Though everyone agreed, she still stubbornly defended herself.
At this point, the host stepped forward to explain, "Phoenix's work plagiarized a classic piece by a very famous jewelry designer. Any designer with basic aesthetic knowledge should recognize this work."
His words shattered Phoenix's last hope, leaving her reeling.
"You all believe Emma. She's framing me! I'm the real designer here!" Phoenix finally lost control, shouting in a desperate attempt to turn the situation around.
However, the audience no longer listened to her defense, unwilling to offer even a shred of sympathy. Mocking gazes turned into quiet discussions.
"How ridiculous! She doesn't even know such a classic piece and calls herself a designer."
"Embarrassing! If you're going to plagiarize, at least pick something less well-known!"
Phoenix's pride shattered like a bubble amid the ridicule. The two-day competition left her with nothing but endless shame and regret.
At that moment, she was certain that Emma had played her. Burning with anger and resentment, she nearly lost her mind. "This is all Emma's scheme! She's trying to ruin me, and you've all been fooled by her fake facade!"
But her words proved futile, as no one was willing to listen to her defense anymore.
Emma, the center of the controversy, had already taken Michael, who was injured while protecting her, to the medical room.
Just moments ago, she noticed Michael's right hand was hidden behind his back, refusing to let her see it. After some questioning, Michael admitted that he had accidentally hurt himself while trying to disarm someone.
Knowing Emma couldn't handle the sight of blood in her current state, he had kept his injury hidden.
This thoughtful gesture warmed Emma's heart and made her feel a pang of concern.
"You're so silly. Why didn't you tell me sooner?" Emma said, her eyes filled with worry, her brows furrowing slightly.
"I just wanted to protect you and didn't want you to see the blood," Michael whispered.
"I know you mean well, but you need to take care of yourself too." Emma wasn't having it.
Michael smiled, wrapping his right arm in a bodyguard's jacket, ready to head to the medical room together.
"Alright, let's go. You can come with me, but don't look at my hand." His voice was gentle and caring, holding her concern and affection even through the jacket's cover.
At the medical room, the doctor prepared to treat Michael's wound. Emma, unable to face the sight of blood, turned to look out the window, trying to relax.
During the treatment, Michael winced slightly but maintained a calm expression.
The doctor carefully cleaned the wound, trying to minimize the pain, and couldn't help but smile at the couple's silent understanding.
Once the doctor finished and left, and the bodyguard cleaned up the blood, Emma cautiously turned back. Michael had already put on a new jacket, effectively covering the wound.
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