Mysterious Mrs. Pansy

The room fell silent as a sudden voice drew everyone’s attention to the entrance.

A woman, impeccably dressed in a well-ironed suit and heels, made her entrance. Her bouncy, curly blond hair added a touch of flamboyance to her stride.

Jane squinted at her; this must be Madeline, the newly appointed chief designer at Love Jewelry and the so-called creator of the Let Yourself Go series.

Madeline strode up to the stage with an air of authority. Snatching a microphone from one of the reporters, she declared, “It’s ridiculous that Jane North here has accused Love Jewelry of plagiarism. We have never stolen or copied anyone’s work, including that of the Pansy Group.”

Her proclamation stirred up a commotion among the room’s attendees. Reporters began buzzing with excitement. Press conferences were usually dull, so this unexpected drama was a welcome change.

Madeline wore a smug smile as she observed the growing chaos. To add fuel to the fire, she raised her voice even more, “Miss North, you claimed that the Ice and Fire series was completed a month ago and even brought two witnesses to attest to it, didn’t you?”

Jane replied, folding her arms and maintaining a keen watch on the unfolding drama, “Yes, I did.”

Madeline wore a smug grin as she continued, “In that case, it’s clear you stole my design for Let Yourself Go!”

A bold young reporter chimed in, “Do you have any evidence to support your claim?”

Madeline sneered and replied, “I completed the design for Let Yourself Go two months ago. Since Pansy Group introduced the Ice and Fire series just a month ago, isn’t it evident who the real plagiarist is?”

“But Let Yourself Go was only officially announced in the media two days ago. How can you prove that Pansy Group copied your work?” the reporter inquired further.

Madeline waved a magazine in her hand and asserted, “As I mentioned earlier, my design was published in a fashion magazine shortly after its completion. I recently signed a contract with Love Jewelry, and Let Yourself Go was materialized only two days ago.”

Jane watched as Madeline and the reporter reinforced each other’s claims. Her suspicions were confirmed: Love Jewelry had sent their minions to create chaos and undermine the success of the Pansy Group’s new series. Madeline had come forward with so-called evidence to prove that Pansy Group had committed plagiarism.

Jane decided to let her bask in the attention for now. As all of this unfolded, Florence watched with a gleeful smile. Her original plan was meant to be set in motion during the evening’s celebratory dinner. However, witnessing Jane’s downfall during the press conference was an unexpected thrill.

Her most significant adversary was being humiliated at such a pivotal moment, and this was sure to bring significant trouble to the Pansy Group. Florence believed that Patrick wouldn’t tolerate such a significant error. After all, he valued the business above all else. At the very least, he would fire Jane.

But Florence had an even more significant surprise for Jane up her sleeve. She was confident that she could eliminate her tonight. Florence chuckled as she watched the live drama unfold.

A reporter asked Madeline respectfully, “Could you show us this fashion magazine?”

“Of course!” Madeline replied with a smile. She opened the fashion magazine for everyone to see, which was titled “Storm.”

Jane had never heard of it before. There was indeed a publication featuring a design similar to Let Yourself Go, and it claimed to change colors in response to the environment’s lighting.

Madeline triumphantly stated, “There you have it! Ice and Fire is a copy of my design!”

Madeline’s eyes turned cold as she provocatively looked at Jane. “Stealing someone else’s idea is a criminal offense. I demand that Pansy Group issues an apology, destroys all Ice and Fire products, and pays me fifty million dollars in compensation!”

The room erupted with surprised exclamations. While fifty million dollars wasn’t a considerable sum for a company like Pansy Group, its reputation was at stake. For decades, the company had maintained an untarnished image and had never faced any allegations of impropriety, let alone serious charges of plagiarism.

However, the evidence seemed compelling to the guests and reporters present.

The magazine Madeline presented appeared to leave no reasonable doubt that her design had preceded the creation of Ice and Fire.

Jane couldn’t help but glance at the stage where Patrick was seated, calmly crossing his legs and seemingly unfazed by the unfolding drama. Suddenly, he beamed a bright smile, and his eyes exuded trust and confidence.ConTEent bel0ngs to Nôv(e)lD/rama(.)Org .

He believed that Jane could handle the situation effectively. Observing this, Jane returned the smile and turned her attention back to Madeline.

“Where was this magazine published? I’ve never heard of Storm or seen it before today,” Jane inquired, feigning surprise.

Madeline pursed her lips and replied in a disdainful tone, “It just shows how uninformed you are. For your information, this magazine is published in France. Since you’ve never been there, it’s no wonder you’re unaware of it.”

“Oh, I see. So the magazine was published in France,” Jane acknowledged, pretending to be impressed. “As far as I know, France is a Francophone country. Why is Storm in English?”

Madeline was taken aback but managed to respond, “English is widely spoken in France, and this particular edition was intended for English-speaking audiences.”

Jane took the magazine, raised it high, and questioned, “Has anyone here ever heard of or seen this magazine before today?”

Many of the guests in the room were prominent figures in the fashion and jewelry industry, and they exchanged awkward glances. None of them had encountered or heard of Storm before.

Madeline, a respected designer like you, should have been able to secure a feature in a well-known international magazine. Why choose an obscure publication when you had better options?” Jane pointed out with a hint of irony in her voice.

The reporters nodded in agreement with Jane. Major fashion magazines typically featured works from renowned designers and brands. It seemed odd that Madeline had selected an unfamiliar magazine when she could have had her pick of renowned publications.

Madeline’s expression shifted, and she retorted, “The design is mine, and I have every right to choose where it’s published. Stop trying to deceive the public. Admit your wrongdoing and apologize for stealing my design right now!”

Jane’s eyes darkened as she responded, “I’m afraid it’s you who should apologize. You are the thief! Let Yourself Go is a carbon copy of Ice and Fire. Don’t play the victim when you are anything but!”