Free Web NovelChapter 76: Chapter 76: Nathaniel Sloan Suspects the Truth of the Plagiarism from 5 Years Ago
Laura Jennings was shocked that Estelle Lockwood dared to talk back. She felt completely humiliated and snapped in anger:
"What more is there to say? The evidence of your plagiarism is ironclad! Even if Nathaniel wants to protect you, he won’t be able to!"
Estelle Lockwood glanced up at her. "For the past half-month I’ve been at Evernight International, everyone in the Perfumery Department has watched me develop and revise the fragrance formula. Do you really think whether I plagiarized or not is something Noelle Lockwood can decide with just a few words?"
Laura Jennings was speechless.
The surrounding colleagues exchanged glances and nodded. It was true; they had watched this fragrance formula take shape day by day...
"Miss Lockwood, we understand you want to defend yourself, but don’t drag me into this!"
Just then, the assistant who had been by Estelle Lockwood’s side suddenly took two steps back and said pointedly:
"How would I know if you plagiarized? I wasn’t there when you were writing the formula. I don’t know a thing!"
Laura Jennings was instantly emboldened. "Did you hear that? Even your assistant is implying you plagiarized. Now get out!"
Estelle Lockwood whipped her head around, her eyes narrowing.
This assistant had been assigned to her by Nathaniel Sloan after she arrived at Evernight International.
The assistant had seen her entire perfume creation process with her own eyes, yet now she was claiming she didn’t know?
On top of that, this same assistant had handled her phone yesterday, right before it broke and she couldn’t receive any calls...
Putting all the pieces together, how could Estelle Lockwood not understand? This assistant had been bought by Noelle Lockwood a long time ago!
Estelle Lockwood’s gaze turned icy. "Fine."
"Since Mrs. Sloan, and the rest of you, all believe I plagiarized and want to throw me out, then I’ll leave."
"But don’t ever think you’ll be able to get me to come back!"
Estelle Lockwood turned and walked away. Her imposing aura stunned the crowd. A junior Perfumer whispered, "She’s President Lockwood of Star, after all. Is it really a good idea to kick her out without President Sloan’s permission...?"
Laura Jennings declared loudly, "What belongs to Nathaniel belongs to me! What’s wrong with me kicking her out of my company?"
Hearing this, the crowd finally relaxed.
...
「Meanwhile, in the President’s Office.」
As soon as Nathaniel Sloan received the news, he immediately had the trending topics taken down and launched an investigation.
Noelle Lockwood’s fans were viciously attacking Yara Lockwood for plagiarism, and then... they started attacking Estelle Lockwood.
Nathaniel Sloan couldn’t help but recall an incident from five years ago. The Lockwood Family had accused Estelle Lockwood of plagiarizing Noelle Lockwood. Estelle denied it, but the Lockwood Family produced evidence, and everyone took Noelle’s side.
Afterward, Estelle Lockwood was relentlessly harassed online, and he had no choice but to suppress all information regarding the incident.
But now, it was all being dredged up again... Nathaniel Sloan slowly closed his eyes.
Before long, Rose Lowell and Noelle Lockwood arrived for a visit.
"Nathaniel... I’m so sorry. I had no idea things would get so out of hand. Where is Miss Yara Lockwood? I’ll go and apologize to her..."
The mother-daughter pair was putting on a show, one playing the good cop, the other the bad cop.
"Oh, Noelle! You’re the one who was plagiarized, and you have to be the one to apologize? What kind of nonsense is that?"
Noelle Lockwood’s eyes were red from crying. "But this has caused so much trouble for Evernight International... Nathaniel, I didn’t mean for any of this to happen..."
Rose Lowell turned and said, "Nathaniel, you really can’t blame Noelle for this! When Noelle found out she’d been plagiarized, she was prepared to just suffer in silence. But we never expected the operations department to get so indignant and post that message behind our backs! By the time we found out, it was already too late!"
"Sigh, Noelle really didn’t want to make a fuss with Yara Lockwood, but... but... Oh, my poor, ill-fated daughter!"
Rose Lowell sighed and lamented, acting as if they truly knew nothing about it.
Nathaniel Sloan’s eyelids twitched. "That post... Ms. Lowell wasn’t aware of it?"
A flash of panic crossed Rose Lowell’s face, but she quickly forced a smile. "Of course I wasn’t aware, Nathaniel. I know that if this plagiarism issue is exposed, your interests will be affected too. Noelle is so considerate of you; she would never do something like this." freёwebnovel.com
A faint sneer appeared on Nathaniel Sloan’s face. "Then what do you think should be done about this, Ms. Lowell?"
Rose Lowell’s eyes darted around. "Well, of course... we should have Yara Lockwood admit to it and issue an apology." ƒreeωebnovel.ƈom
"Noelle will keep her fans in check. Once Yara Lockwood apologizes to Noelle and admits to plagiarism, we won’t pursue it any further. We can just let the whole thing blow over!"
Nathaniel Sloan watched the mother-daughter pair for a long moment before suddenly speaking.
"Ms. Lowell, unfortunately, an accusation of plagiarism isn’t something the Lockwood Group can decide on its own. Star has more than enough evidence. All the data from when Yara Lockwood formulated the fragrance will be made public shortly. You want her to admit to plagiarism, but the Star Group will not allow it."
Rose Lowell’s expression changed. She hadn’t thought this far ahead. She had assumed Yara Lockwood would be as easy to manipulate as Estelle Lockwood—that she could be forced to confess with just a few baseless accusations.
"Th-this... But Yara Lockwood did plagiarize! Nathaniel, you can’t show favoritism to her in a matter like this!"
"Why the rush, Ms. Lowell?" Nathaniel Sloan said lightly. "If it’s proven that Yara Lockwood did plagiarize, it won’t be too late to have her apologize then."
"Th-that’s good, then..."
Rose Lowell felt an indescribable panic, her tone thick with insinuation:
"Nathaniel, you have to understand me as a mother. My daughter has been plagiarized twice and has been wronged so terribly. I just want to get justice for Noelle!"
Noelle Lockwood silently wept.
The first time she was ’plagiarized’ referred to Estelle Lockwood five years ago;
The second time referred to the present-day Yara Lockwood.
Nathaniel Sloan slowly withdrew his gaze. "Of course. The plagiarist will be held accountable."
Overjoyed, Rose Lowell pulled Noelle Lockwood along and left.
After the two of them had left, Nathaniel Sloan stared at the pile of documents on his desk and suddenly spoke in a hoarse voice, "Back then, I might have gotten something wrong."
Luke White was silent. Having followed his boss for so long, he knew exactly which incident he was referring to—
Back then, the Lockwood Family and Noelle Lockwood had accused Estelle Lockwood of plagiarism. The Madam was so harassed online that she couldn’t even leave her home. Then, one day, she suddenly called him—Sir—confessed that she was the plagiarist, and asked him to suppress the matter.
So, Sir had used his influence to have every post and topic about Estelle Lockwood deleted from the internet. The matter seemed to blow over just like that.
But in everyone’s mind, Estelle Lockwood was the plagiarist. To this day, she was still being vilified by Noelle Lockwood’s fans.
Now, however, Sir was certain that Yara Lockwood was the Madam. And as a Chief Perfumer, Yara Lockwood would never stoop to plagiarism.
If that was true of Yara Lockwood, then would the Estelle Lockwood of the past really have plagiarized? And if she hadn’t, why did she make that call to Sir?
Nathaniel Sloan stared out the window, his thoughts unreadable. Suddenly, his phone buzzed. He glanced down at it, and his expression darkened instantly. He strode swiftly out of the office.
Luke White called out anxiously, "Sir, you have a meeting soon! Where are you going?"
"To find Yara Lockwood."
