Chapter 518 The Runway Fashion Show
Chapter 518 The Runway Fashion Show
Anne's words of comfort gave Rose the strength to fight back. She was no longer anxious or angry. The woman grew confident, instead.
The clothes were the outcome of their painstaking efforts. They had worked day and night to draw the designs.
Only they knew the meaning behind every design and every detail. They had worked hard to meet the expectations of the people.
The show was a battle between the original creators and the duplicate.
"We have worked day and night for this show. Hence, we have to make sure it goes well. It is our duty to tell people that they have copied our designs. It doesn't matter if they make a big deal out of it and go to the court. Because what's ours is ours. We are fearless! We will deal with the problems with our heads held high!" Anne smiled, puffing her chest with pride. She was elegant, intellectual, and never backed away from problems.
Kevin's eyes shone with admiration for his wife. He didn't say anything -- he didn't have to either because the man proved his love through his actions. Kevin would always support Anne.
However, despite everything, one thing seemed to constantly bother him. Who would have done all this? Who would have the audacity to antagonize them in A City?
Was it Kim? Kevin couldn't think of anyone else because only Kim would do such a thing.
The information about the runway fashion show was confidential. Only a few trustworthy staff were aware of all the details.
"Rose, I want you to call all the people who have the information about the show. Someone must have leaked our designs. We should find them immediately!" Kevin instructed.
Rose nodded and left.
They had to find the black sheep soon and punish them.
The reporters began whispering as Anne arrived at the venue.
"This is strange. This show is exactly the same as the one we saw yesterday. Do you think they have copied their ideas?" asked one of the reporters, hinting at Anne.
Their comments didn't hurt her because she had prepared herself for the worst. Anne ignored them and continued to watch the show.
The models were oblivious to the chaos. They walked the ramp with confidence, flaunting their outfits with pride.
Anne grabbed her phone and browsed the internet about the show held yesterday. Her eyes widened in shock.
The fahsion show was held by the TS Company. The company was nearly a decade old and held a remarkable position in the city.
However, their production had declined over the past few years. The designs were outdated; hence their profit margin had witnessed a steady decline.
The people had soon forgotten about the company as they didn't meet their demands any longer. One had to keep with the current tends to lure the customers.
The fashion show had been a game-changer. The show broke the internet. Everyone began praising the designs and expressed their willingness to buy from the TS Company. With the trendy designs, they could regain the lost fame and money.
Moreover, there was a live broadcast of today's fashion show as well. The viewers were surprised to watch the models flaunting the same designs. People began bashing the LF Group for stealing other people's idea.
In a fit of anger, Anne laughed. The designs were her idea; she had worked hard, intending to satisfy the people. But everyone was accusing her. Copyright by Nôv/elDrama.Org.
Anne couldn't understand why a well-reputed company would copy her ideas.
Although the company was in rapid decline, a simple strategic measure would have steered them in the right direction. Why would the TS Company risk its reputation by stealing someone's idea?
Something seemed strange. Anne had to dig deeper.
She rubbed her forehead as she couldn't figure out what had gone wrong.
"What rubbish is this? It is clearly a flop show. They have copied every design from the previous fashion show!"
A sharp female voice caught Anne's attention.
She turned around and looked at the audience. The girl's comment stirred a commotion.
"Are you kidding me? Don't they have any original ideas? They have copied the design without making any changes. They think that we are fools!" remarked another.
"We had faith in the LF Group. They have let us down. This is disappointing!"
"This is a fraud company!"
The unexpected commotion had caught the models off guard. They stopped their performance and glanced at each other, not knowing what to do.
They were all experienced models and had never encountered a problem like this in their career.
The models calmed down when they saw Anne walk towards them. She waved at them. The models took the hint and got off the stage.
Anne took the microphone. "I request you all to remain silent. Can you please listen to me for a second?"
Everyone was aware of Anne's reputation. Therefore, the shouting and screaming died down in an instant. The people sat down, wondering what she was going to say, Anne took a deep breath and continued, "I am aware of the fashion show held yesterday. I know what this chaos is all about. But you all should know that I am equally surprised.
It has been only six months since we started the LF Group, but we have grown tremendously within a short period. This has been possible only because of you all. Your love and support have pushed us to work harder. I can't be more grateful!
However, the success of our business has given me the responsibility to work harder. I cannot afford to make any mistakes. I pay great attention and care while designing every outfit. These outfits that you see the models wearing are an outcome of my hard work and creativity."
"Do you mean that the TS Company has copied your designs?"
one of them asked before Anne finished her sentence.
Anne held the microphone tighter and surveyed the crowd.
Her eyes settled on the designers of her company, who were looking at her with sad eyes.
All those people had worked day and night to help Anne craft the designs. Only true designers could understand what it felt like to have their ideas stolen.
They were accused of copying someone else's design when they had meticulously designed every fragment of the outfits. It was an insult to original thinkers.
Anne knew that she was addressing a huge crowd. The audience and reporters were waiting for her answer. She had to be careful before saying anything.
However, anger surged through her veins when she saw the devastated look on her designers' faces. They deserved praise and applause, not insult.
"You're right. That's what I mean. I'm saying that the TS Company has copied our designs!
The company holds a significant position in the market. They shouldn't have done such a thing. It is unprofessional of them to steal other people's ideas. It is theft of intellectual property. I don't know what made them stoop low, but this is the truth. The TS Company has copied our ideas!
Sometimes, two people have the same idea, but that's not the case here! Because all their designs are the same as ours. I conclude that the TS Company has stolen our ideas and our hard work!
I am ready to tell the truth at the court as well!"
The hall fell silent after Anne's speech.
In the meantime, Noah and Max found Kevin. "Somebody from the court is here. They want to see Anne."
Kevin nodded, frowning. He didn't expect that the TS Company would do such a shameful thing. They had not only copied their designs but had the audacity to sue Anne as well.
This was the funniest joke of the century.
Kevin strutted to the ramp and whispered the information in Anne's ear. The woman's face darkened.
Anne wasn't good at everything, but no one could compete with her designs. Every designer had their own style and work ethic. Anne was proud of her talent. She couldn't let anyone steal what belonged to her.
The TS Company was only digging their own grave, so she was prepared to fight back.
Anne nodded and Kevin got off the stage. In such a big hall, the audience looked at her with pin-drop silence. Everyone was waiting for Anne to continue her speech.
"Well, to tell you the truth, the lawyers are waiting outside. They have come with a court notice."
Anne took a deep breath and continued, "Yes, the TS Company has sued me for copying their designs."
The crowd broke into an uproar. They couldn't believe what was going on. If the TS Company had committed a crime by stealing Anne's designs, how could they have the audacity to sue her? The people didn't know whether to believe her or not.
"I have no fear admitting the truth. One can steal the idea, not the brains behind it. An original designer will continue to remain original; fraudsters cannot defeat them.
I will see them in court. The design belongs to our LF Group, and I will never let anyone claim it as theirs. I also want to get justice for our designers who have put their hearts and soul into designing every outfit.
The show must go on! It is our LF Group's pride, and the design belongs to us!
If you are tired of watching the same outfits again, you are free to leave. But our fashion show will continue today."
Anne finished her speech and strode toward the exit. A faint clap caught her attention. Soon, the auditorium broke into thunderous applause. Anne turned around and saw the people giving her a standing ovation.
A smile stretched across Anne's lips. That one gesture gave her the confidence that she would win.
Kevin got into the car with Anne and accompanied her to the court. If the lawyers had summoned her to the court while the show was going on, then it meant that someone was doing this on purpose. It was neither a blunder nor a coincidence. It was a pre-planned move to defeat her.
"Kim!" Anne hissed through her teeth.
Kevin nodded; he thought the same.
They soon arrived at the court. Even though TS Company filed a lawsuit against Anne for copying their designs, the judge had no choice but to suspend the trial at the moment because Anne was not ready for it yet.
Meanwhile, Cherry had locked herself up in her room for two days. After crying for days together, she finally summoned the strength to address the people. Therefore, she got ready and went to the filming set.
Actors in the entertainment industry lived an unpredictable life. One moment, people praised them; the next moment, they trashed them. However, Cherry had to continue working regardless of the gossip and rumors. She couldn't disappear from the people's eyes for a long time.
Otherwise, she would be soon forgotten. Therefore, Cherry had to go out even though she knew that people would question her.
She knew that the news about her would make the headlines.
Sooner or later, Cherry had to face reality. However, she didn't know how the news would impact her career. She could only wait for things to unfold.
As expected, a crowd of reporters had gathered around the film set. They rushed towards Cherry the moment she got out of the car. Her assistant tried stopping the reporters but couldn't manage the huge crowd.
Cherry was wearing a mask and a pair of sunglasses to conceal her face. She sucked a big breath and tried walking past the reporters who were trying to pounce on her.
"Miss Kristine, I have another question to ask you. People asked if you had plastic surgery when you became famous, but you had dismissed all the allegations. However, I have the evidence to prove that you have done plastic surgery." A resonant male voice caught Cherry's attention.
Her body froze. She turned to look at him.
Cherry's life was falling apart right before her eyes. How did people find out about her plastic surgery? Moreover, how did the man find the evidence?
Kim had saved her from the prison then. He had altered her face and created a new identity for her.