Chapter 56
Leon said, “Let me send you a link. Follow along while I explain.”
Skylar clicked on the link and skimmed through it while half–listening to Leon.
Leon continued, “Didn’t VanLier just launch a new collection of earrings, necklaces, bracelets, and rings a few days ago? Their designs are nearly identical to your latest sketches.
“They beat us to the punch. They paid for press releases accusing us of plagiarism, and now they’re threatening legal action with a cease–and–desist letter and a lawsuit.”
Skylar examined the side–by–side comparison of the two jewelry collections.
The two jewelry collections looked strikingly similar, but VanLier’s pieces were riddled with flaws and imperfections.
It was like jewelry made straight from her rough drafts, lacking the polished finish of a completed piece.
Rough drafts…
Skylar smiled, “Understood. I’ll handle this myself. Have the PR Department follow my directives.”
Leon said, “Got it, Ms. Stone.”
Skylar hung up the phone and logged back into her verified X account, which she hadn’t touched in ages.
This verified account was solely used for announcing new product pre–sales. Otherwise, she rarely logged in.
As soon as she logged in, she nearly got booted by the flood of private messages.
She scrolled through a few private messages and then glanced at the comment sections under her previous posts. They were utterly ravaged by bot
accounts.
[Who would’ve thought even a designer from a prestigious jewelry company would stoop to plagiarism? Do you really think your fame gives you the right to do whatever you want?]
[It makes me sick. Who would wear jewelry made by a shameless copycat?]
[Once again, I’m calling on everyone to boycott plagiarism. It’s absolutely unforgivable.]
[Someone else poured their heart into the design, and you just tweak it a bit and sell it as your own? How disgusting.]
After reading through several comment sections, Skylar opened the editor and started drafting her response.
CG.Gems: [Thank you all for your continued support of CG.Gems. Allow me to address the current situation.
[I acknowledge the undeniable similarities between my new collection and Van Lier’s latest release. This is far from coincidental.
[But let me be crystal clear. I didn’t plagiarize. Here’s my proof.]
Skylar posted her original design drafts with watermarks, alongside actual photos of VanLier’s new jewelry collection.
She laid out her entire creative process, highlighting how her original designs featured more sophisticated details than their finished products.
CG.Gems: [Here’s another proof that I’m the original designer. Every piece of jewelry made by CG.Gems features a hidden mechanism that allows bracelets, necklaces, and other iterns to transform into various forms.
[Our patrons are well aware of this. We include a detailed instruction manual with every purchase to guide customers.
34 ΜΟΠ
Chapter 56
[I’d really like to ask VanLier. What exactly were they trying to accomplish by even plagiarizing this?]
The moment her clarification was posted, a flood of CG.Gems customers rushed to her defense.
[What kind of no–name jewelry company thinks they can pick a fight with Sapphire, CG.Gems’s legendary designer? Don’t you know she has treated pieces for royal families worldwide?]
[Yeah, those are heirloom pieces meant to be passed down through generations. Most designers wouldn’t even be considered for royal commissions. Now you see just how exceptional she really is, right?]
The netizens were shocked. No one saw that coming.
[Wait. So VanLier is the real copycat? My gosh. And they actually had the audacity to accuse others? How shameless can they get?]
[And yet they dare claim to promote our nation’s jewelry designs and lead our culture onto the world stage? Stop embarrassing us.)
[Can’t believe I was such a sucker. I bought this at a markup. I’m so pissed off.]
The ten rich ladies who had purchased the plagiarized jewelry were livid. They stormed VanLier to demand refunds one after another.
