Chapter 317

Author’s POV

Ryan’s investigation had finally hit pay dirt. The digital forensics team had traced Lance Draven’s connection to a company called ARt Design—a flashy new design firm making serious moves in Canada.

What they discovered about the plagiarism accusation was both simpler and more complex than anyone had anticipated. At its core, it had started as a coincidence. Both Lance Draven and Serena had drawn inspiration from the same viral internet image—standard practice in the design world. Lance had indeed published his initial design slightly earlier than Serena.

But the design Lance was now using to accuse Serena wasn’t his original work. It had been significantly modified after Serena published her creation—tweaked to more closely mirror her work, not the other way around.

This was the smoking gun they’d been desperately searching for.

After Serena touched down in London, she was greeted with this breakthrough news. She and Maya immediately called an emergency war council. Not only did they have Ryan’s rock-solid evidence, but assistance from WhisperStream had blown the case wide open, allowing them to see the full scope of the deception.

"This completely destroys their narrative," Maya said, her voice tight with controlled anger as she shared her findings with Serena. "He’s orchestrated this entire character assassination."

Serena’s eyes blazed with fierce determination. "Send me everything you’ve found."

Within the hour, she had published a devastating analysis online. The post included three images side by side: Lance’s original design, Serena’s creation, and Lance’s suspiciously modified "original" that he was now claiming Serena had copied. She included a meticulous, professional breakdown pointing out how Lance’s revised design incorporated elements that had appeared in her work first.

Lance Draven hadn’t been plagiarized—he was the one pulling a fast one, modifying his work to frame her after seeing her successful design.

"This isn’t about creative similarity," she wrote in her final paragraph. "This is a calculated attack on my reputation and the integrity of Dreamland Studio."

The response was explosive. Design enthusiasts began comparing the three versions themselves, and many quickly reached the same conclusion. Some of Serena’s ride-or-die followers brought up her extensive portfolio, pointing out her consistent excellence and innovative approach—qualities Lance’s work had never demonstrated.

"Check out her entire body of work," one commenter wrote. "Lazuli has a signature style that’s been evolving for years. Lance’s work before this ’controversy’ looks like amateur hour compared to what he’s claiming is his original design."

Watching the tide begin to turn, Serena felt the knot in her chest loosen slightly. Evidence mattered. Truth mattered. People were starting to see through the deception.

"It’s working," Maya told Serena, scrolling through the responses. "The narrative is shifting."

At ARt Design’s headquarters, Lance Draven stared at his computer screen in full-blown panic mode. Serena’s counterattack was gaining traction, and he had jack shit for a legitimate response to her evidence. Everything she’d said was accurate.

He hastily arranged a meeting with his superior, the woman who had orchestrated the entire scheme: Sophie Hart.

When confronted with the problem, Sophie merely offered a cold smile. "Why are you freaking out? Your initial design was genuine, wasn’t it? And your revised version still predates hers."

Lance hesitated, then understanding dawned. "Miss Hart, are you suggesting—"

"ARt Design will issue an official stamp of approval," Sophie interrupted smoothly. "We’ll verify that your revised design was completed before Serena published hers. The documentation will go live this afternoon."

"You don’t need to respond to her accusations directly. Just keep playing the victim card. Let our paperwork do the talking."

After Lance left her office, Sophie arranged for the company to prepare the fabricated documentation. Within hours, ARt Design had publicly certified that Lance’s revised design had been completed weeks before Serena’s publication date—a complete lie, but one backed by what appeared to be a legit company.

The certification hit the internet like a nuclear bomb.

"Where’s your defense now, thief?" one comment read.

"I knew I was right to boycott LUXE! They’ve been ripping off real artists this whole time!" declared another.

"Busted red-handed and still lying through her teeth. Pathetic."

The controversy had exploded into a full-scale war that the Design Association announced a formal investigation. Meanwhile, Dreamland Studio’s stock took a nosedive despite Maya’s around-the-clock damage control.

Behind the scenes, Ryan was like a man possessed, directing his team to investigate ARt Design itself, hell-bent on exposing the whole conspiracy. But corporate investigations took time they didn’t have.

The situation went from bad to worse when protesters appeared outside the Quinn family headquarters. Security removed them from the premises, but they simply set up shop across the street, livestreaming their accusations and drawing even more vultures.

It was in this complete chaos that Cedric Lancaster arrived at Serena’s office.

"Serena," he said gently, finding her staring blankly at her computer screen like she was in a trance.

She managed a weak smile. "You’re here."

"I dealt with those troublemakers outside," he said, crossing the room to stand beside her desk. "They’ve moved on, at least for now."

Serena sighed deeply. She’d been contemplating temporarily cutting ties with the Quinn family to minimize the damage to their reputation.

"Have they made any headway on proving the plagiarism claims false?" Cedric asked, his concern evident. "This whole thing screams setup."

"Of course it’s a setup," Serena replied, frustration edging her voice. "But without concrete evidence to blow holes in their falsified documents, we’re stuck."

She rubbed her temples. "ARt Design is clearly targeting me to grease the wheels for their entry into the domestic market. They want to kneecap the Quinn brand."

Cedric looked at her pale face, the dark circles under her eyes. "Don’t run yourself into the ground. Your health comes first."

"I’m fine," Serena insisted, though she clearly wasn’t.

"Why don’t you let me take you home?" he suggested. "Ethan can hold down the fort. You need rest."

After a moment’s hesitation, she nodded. "Maybe you’re right. I’m not doing any good sitting here watching this train wreck unfold. The shareholders are already breathing down my neck for answers I don’t have."

"Let’s go," Cedric said, offering his hand. "There might still be paparazzi lurking outside. I’ll make sure you get home safely."

Serena stood, and suddenly the world tilted sideways. Her vision darkened at the edges, and before she could steady herself, everything went black.