Jane should have anticipated this outcome. If finding Candy were that simple, Patrick would have located her years ago. Yet, Candy remained elusive. Jane pondered why Candy was so challenging to find. What had happened to her after she fell off that cliff? Whether she was alive or deceased, there should be some traces or evidence of her existence. How could she vanish entirely? Jane couldn't fathom it and had no leads left to pursue. For the time being, she would need to set it aside.
In the following days, Jane delved deep into her work, determined to complete the Ice and Fire shoot. The press conference to officially launch the Ice and Fire collection was only a few days away. Jane believed her design would make Ice and Fire an instant hit, propelling Pansy Group to the forefront of the jewelry industry.
However, just two days before the press conference, disaster struck.
Jane arrived at her workplace early, making final preparations for the upcoming event. That morning, her phone received a news alert that captured her attention.
Love Jewelry was preparing to release a new collection, "Let Yourself Go."
Jane clicked to read the main article, which stated: "Love Jewelry, the leading jewelry brand in the country, has partnered with Madeline, a globally renowned jewelry designer, to create an astounding new collection called 'Let Yourself Go.' This collection features pieces that change colors based on the lighting they are exposed to, giving women the opportunity to express themselves like never before. Imagine dazzling people at any party with your color-changing gems."
Jane quickly skimmed through more details about the upcoming "Let Yourself Go" launch. The jewelry in the new collection was strikingly similar to her design, with gems that changed color according to the lighting conditions. It was precisely Jane's concept and a major selling point for the Ice and Fire collection. Unfortunately, the public was unaware of this feature, as Pansy Group had kept it a secret until the press conference.
Now, someone had beaten them to the punch.
Evidently, Love Jewelry had stolen her idea. They were a prominent domestic jeweler and widely recognized. They had long held a comfortable monopoly in the industry, which was disrupted when Pansy Group entered the scene. Jane believed that if the Ice and Fire launch proceeded as planned, it would propel Pansy Group ahead of Love Jewelry.
This blatant plagiarism wasn't surprising, considering what was at stake, but Jane was taken aback that even someone as renowned as Marilyn would resort to such tactics. Just then, Patrick called.
"Come to my office."
Jane agreed and made her way to his office. After the night when everything became clear between her and Patrick, she felt more comfortable in his presence. In his office, Patrick leaned back in his chair, speaking in a deep voice.
"Did you see today's news about Love Jewelry?"
Jane acknowledged, "Yes, I did."
Patrick's brow furrowed. "How did this happen?"
Jane sighed and said, "If I told you that Marilyn plagiarized my design, would you believe me?"
Without hesitation, Patrick replied, "Yes." His unwavering trust warmed Jane's heart.
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