Chapter 51

Winnie remained composed as she glanced at Ava with cold determination. "The retro-style works are my original creations and I had the honor of being endorsed by the Imperial's CEO. I am innocent and have never plagiarized. On the contrary, she has been plagiarizing me.

"My younger sister, Ava, was spoiled by our father since childhood and she is treated like a little princess at home. I had to accommodate her which included giving her my good grades and lending her my designs. I had to give in to her every single time to the extent that even my fiance was given to her.

"However, her dissatisfaction persisted, and she exploited my vulnerability. She seized control of my company and ruthlessly ruined me. Individuals lacking genuine skills will inevitably reveal their shortcomings, and those who engage recklessly will face the consequences.

"Ava, I hope you honor our bet. When the truth is revealed in this competition, you must return Triton Jewelry to me." Winnie spoke in a plain tone, without a hint of anger.

However, it was precisely because of her serenity that people felt even more sorry for her.

Everyone's view of Winnie changed. Her words carried a deep meaning which has left room for speculation.

"So what Winnie means is that Ava has been plagiarizing her works and turning herself into the chief designer?" one said.

"Could it be that... Winnie is the true genius designer?" another commented.

"Listening to Winnie, it seems Ava has taken away everything from her including her fiance and the company All because of favoritism," someone said.

Reporters swarmed Winnie and Ava which caused a chaotic scene. Despite the commotion, Winnie remained composed and concentrated solely on conveying the key points which effectively stirred the anger of the reporters.

Suddenly, she felt a warm gaze on her.

She looked toward the stage and locked eyes with a pair of captivating eyes that were a mesmerizing shade.

Her archenemy was looking at her with a teasing expression.

There was a subtle touch of admiration in his gaze.

Suddenly, he raised an eyebrow at her, a secretive and mischievous gesture that only she understood.

Winnie inexplicably felt a little teased and blushed instantly.

She didn't have time to think about why her archenemy would help her and the only thing that she could think of was how exceptionally handsome he appeared in that moment.

Meanwhile, Ava's situation was difficult to salvage.

Reporters surrounded Mrs. Davis and bombarded her with questions. "Mrs. Davis, are you aware that your daughter-in-law was bribing the CEO of Imperial Jewelry?"

"Ava is under suspicion of plagiarism, and the first prize does not rightfully belong to her. Will you and Mr. Davis pardon her wrongdoing and proceed with the engagement ceremony in the afternoon?" inquired another reporter.

Mrs. Davis felt embarrassed and was unsure of how to explain the situation to Mr. Davis.

Just the thought of Eudora taking advantage of the situation made Mrs. Davis furious. She covered her face and coldly replied to the reporters, "Ava is not my son's fiance."

"Are you calling off their engagement ceremony on the spot?" A reporter asked.

"There was never an engagement ceremony between Daniel and her. Please do not speculate randomly." Mrs. Davis responded.

"Mrs. Davis, how can you say that?" Ava heard Mrs. Davis immediately retracting her previous statement and ran over without hesitation. "You promised me that we would hold the engagement ceremony this afternoon. You even promised that if I win the first prize, I'll become a member of the Davis family."

"Did you win first place? You plagiarized, bribed, and have a corrupt moral character. How dare you involve the Davis family. You have no shame. Winnie exposed your multiple abortions at the charity banquet. I should have believed that you're not a good woman. What makes you deserving of my son, Daniel? Daniel, push her away and spare me the embarrassment," said Mrs. Davis in a cold manner.

All the debutantes watched this scene with many who mocked Ava. "Have you all forgotten that Daniel was originally Winnie's fiance?"

"She has taken everything from Winnie, men and works alike. She's just a bastard."

Ava's face turned pale with panic and at that moment, she desperately wanted Sophia by her side.

She pinned her last hope on Daniel and ran to him as she embraced him and cried coquettishly.

"Daniel, you can't listen to Mrs. Davis. You will go through with our engagement ceremony this afternoon, right? You will marry me, won't you?"

"Ava, calm down," Daniel said.

"What do you mean? I'm under attack from the press and you're not helping. You must go through with our engagement so that my reputation can be preserved." Ava pleaded.

Daniel impatiently ushered her away. The journalists eagerly awaited his response, creating a tense atmosphere, while Mrs. Davis cast a malevolent gaze.

Daniel understood that the Anderson Group would face significant trouble so he had to promptly separate himself. He gave Ava a cold look and said, "You've brought me so much disgrace and trouble. I'm canceling the engagement ceremony this afternoon!"

"Daniel!" Ava's face turned alarmingly pale as she watched Daniel and Mrs. Davis evade the journalists.

Reporters encircled Ava. She had orchestrated the live broadcast of the awards ceremony herself and now she was broadcasting her own downfall to the world. Outside, the citizens who were shocked and outraged had swarmed in as they launched an onslaught against Ava.

"All this time, it was you who was plagiarizing!" one of them shouted.

"What a clever counterattack. You plagiarized Winnie's work and perfectly framed her."

"Have you all noticed that since Winnie was abducted, Daniel and Ava seized control of Triton? They even planned to get engaged, all while Winnie found herself homeless."

From a distance, Winnie fought back tears upon hearing those words. At last, someone was aware of the truth. She was innocent, a victim left homeless. In the solitude of midnight, Winnie could only hear Ava's laughter, knowing that no one else would witness her loneliness.

"Ava, you're truly wicked."

"Ms. Ava was once an enchantress and now all her secrets have been exposed. What kind of person is she?"

"Perhaps this mother and daughter duo are behind the defamation of Winnie."

"You're not allowed to leave, Ava, you plagiarizing dog."

Ava tried to seize the opportunity to escape but the scene was chaotic and crowded. She was quickly trampled down.

"Don't push me!" Ava cried out loudly, trembling in fear.

"Mom!" she shouted desperately.

Sophia appeared in a panic with her bodyguards but as soon as the reporters saw her, Sophia was immediately surrounded by the crowd.

Winnie watched coldly as the mother-daughter duo faced their predicament. Starting today, Ava's proudest achievements in her career would likely be ruined.

Olivia stood nearby, brimming with delight. "The citizens and reporters this time are quite competent. Seeing them prevail is truly satisfying. After all the malicious acts, this retribution is entirely justified.

"Winnie, did you imagine that today, it would be your archenemy who came to your rescue? My idol was so amazing just now. He's helping you push back!" Olivia exclaimed.

Winnie was stunned and her heart filled with warmth. She never expected that Lawrence would unexpectedly come to her aid in this victorious moment.

The big question in her mind was why her archenemy would help her. It didn't make sense at all and it was surprising.

"Winnie! The CEO of Imperial Jewelry is about to leave. Hurry, you should show gratitude for such a great favor!" Olivia shouted urgently.

Following Olivia's prompt, Winnie looked toward the stage and saw the figure of a handsome man standing up.

He held a document, his long and slender fingers exuded elegance as he walked away, casually glancing in Winnie's direction.

An unexpected flush came to Winnie's face. She quickly grabbed Olivia's hand and headed backstage to catch up with Lawrence.