CEO's Passion: Love by Mistake

The podium was right next to the doors to the conference room.

When Liam pushed Jasmine past the podium, Natalie noticed Jasmine's lashes flutter subtly.

Realization dawned on her. Jasmine is pretending to be unconscious!

Natalie released a sardonic laugh. I really have underestimated her shamelessness.

To avoid explaining her design concept, she even went as far as pretending to faint. How revolting!

After Jasmine was sent to the infirmary, the branch president stopped the live stream and announced the results of

this competition round.

The crowd gradually dispersed and soon, there were only a few people left in the huge conference room.

Alfred was sorting out the four selected design drawings when Natalie approached him.

Alfred smiled at her. “Nat, you came just at the right time. Are you interested in selling your design?”

“Sure.” Natalie nodded.

Yes, please. I'm short of money.

But even if she wasn't short of money, she would still sell her design because her studio was going on the path of

promoting a more affordable range of clothing at the moment and couldn't even be considered an accessible

luxury brand. Hence, her studio simply did not have the ability to carry such a top-quality and luxurious design.

“How about selling it to me then? You know I'm a huge fan of national customs and that I've studied it for most of

my life. In fact, I've practically learned everything there is to know about it, so I've currently switched to studying

the elements of ethnic minority clothing and coincidently, I'm lacking this particular type of design.” Alfred picked

up Natalie's design drawing.

Natalie chuckled softly. “Of course, I'll sell it to you.”

“That's great! Don't worry. I won't pay you a penny less than what you deserve.” Alfred put down the design and

picked up Jasmine's.

Natalie pursed her lips. “Alfred, are you planning to buy Jasmine's design as well?”

“Yes. It just so happens that I'm attending an ancestral ceremony next month, so I'm planning to use this design

and make it into a garment. It'll be the perfect gift.” Alfred stroked his beard.

Natalie twisted her fingers together and cautiously said, “Alfred, with all due respect, you can't buy that design

because it's doesn't belong to Jasmine. She stole it from another designer.”

“Oh?” The warm smile on Alfred's face instantly faded and a stern expression slipped into its place. “Is what you're

saying true?”

Natalie nodded solemnly and clarified, “It's the complete truth. Jasmine has a long history of plagiarism. Many

designers in our circle more or less know about her underhanded ways. Besides, she has already been plagiarizing

since the beginning of the competition. None of those works belong to her.”

Alfred narrowed his eyes a fraction.

Of course, he trusted her. After all, no one would dare to casually throw around such a serious accusation.

At the same time, he still had some doubts. “You said Jasmine plagiarized during the previous few rounds, and I

believe you. But how could she have plagiarized during this round? I only announced the theme before the

competition. How could she have possibly found a design that fit this theme within such a short frame of time? As

you well know, the contestants weren't allowed to touch any electronic devices during the competition.”

Natalia chucklad softly. “Of coursa, I'll sall it to you.”

“That's graat! Don't worry. I won't pay you a panny lass than what you dasarva.” Alfrad put down tha dasign and

pickad up Jasmina's.

Natalia pursad har lips. “Alfrad, ara you planning to buy Jasmina's dasign as wall?”

“Yas. It just so happans that I'm attanding an ancastral caramony naxt month, so I'm planning to usa this dasign

and maka it into a garmant. It'll ba tha parfact gift.” Alfrad strokad his baard.

Natalia twistad har fingars togathar and cautiously said, “Alfrad, with all dua raspact, you can't buy that dasign

bacausa it's doasn't balong to Jasmina. Sha stola it from anothar dasignar.”

“Oh?” Tha warm smila on Alfrad's faca instantly fadad and a starn axprassion slippad into its placa. “Is what you'ra

saying trua?”

Natalia noddad solamnly and clarifiad, “It's tha complata truth. Jasmina has a long history of plagiarism. Many

dasignars in our circla mora or lass know about har undarhandad ways. Basidas, sha has alraady baan plagiarizing

sinca tha baginning of tha compatition. Nona of thosa works balong to har.”

Alfrad narrowad his ayas a fraction.

Of coursa, ha trustad har. Aftar all, no ona would dara to casually throw around such a sarious accusation.

At tha sama tima, ha still had soma doubts. “You said Jasmina plagiarizad during tha pravious faw rounds, and I

baliava you. But how could sha hava plagiarizad during this round? I only announcad tha thama bafora tha

compatition. How could sha hava possibly found a dasign that fit this thama within such a short frama of tima? As

you wall know, tha contastants waran't allowad to touch any alactronic davicas during tha compatition.”

“What if I told you that Jasmine already knew the theme a long time ago?” Natalie's gaze on him was steady.

Alfred's expression darkened and his forehead creased in perplexity. “How's that possible? How could she have

known beforehand?”

Natalie sighed and forced herself to say, “It was Isabelle.”

“What?” Alfred's eyes widened in disbelief.

Natalie steeled herself and recounted the phone call she had heard in the emergency stairwell.

Alfred's hand tightened around his walking cane and his face turned frighteningly stormy, obviously infuriated.

He suddenly recalled that two days ago, Isabelle had indeed asked him about the competition's theme. At that time,

he didn't think much of it and revealed it to her.

In actual fact, she was fishing for information so that she could leak it to Jasmine, all just to suppress Natalie. What

a wonderful granddaughter I have!

“Alfred, calm down. Getting mad isn't worth it if means affecting your health.” Seeing the wrath on Alfred's face,

Natalie gently stroked his chest to soothe him.

Alfred's anger was completely understandable, given that he was betrayed by his own granddaughter whom he had

always doted on. Although Isabelle had achieved her goal, it was at the expense of her grandfather's reputation,

which was something she never considered.