Filed To Story: Snatched a Billionaire to be My Husband Book (Cora & Byron)
“The cottages in the lower left corner are also pretty much the same.”
Cora was overwhelmed by the heated discussion and could no longer care whether Byron believed her.
Astonished, she looked at the wood carving that was pretty much the same as hers. How could they be so similar?
She would also have doubts if she hadn’t spent days and nights carefully carving her own work.
But there was only one explanation for this. Someone plagiarized her work!
“Everyone, have you thought that maybe someone plagiarized my work?”
Cora quickly calmed down.
Since the Lane family fell, she had learned to stay calm and fight for her own justice.
“You are obscure in the field of wood cutting. Who would plagiarize your work?”
Darren retorted.
“It’s true that I’m obscure, but I can guarantee with my honor that I didn’t plagiarize. And I demand the author of work No. 7 to stand out and prove it for me.”
Although facing a doubtful audience, Cora stood dignified on the stage.
Then, Jane stood up.
“No. 7 is my work.”
Seeing Jane stand up, Cora frowned because she realized this was probably a trap.
“However, I carved this work all by myself, and I didn’t copy anyone’s idea.”
Jane glanced at Cora and continued,
“Also, I consulted with Mr. Connor at the beginning of creation and then completed it under the watch of my grandfather Sir Yoris. Both of them are my witnesses!”
Arnold frowned when he heard Jane’s words.
Actually, in order to avoid suspicion of unfairness in this competition, Arnold did not see the works of
Cora or Jane and told them to do their best to complete their works.
Darren also had an apprentice participating in the competition, so he did not serve as a judge for this competition.
But now that something like this happened, Arnold and Darren were still involved.
If it was about someone else, Arnold would naturally avoid it to preserve his own reputation.
But it was about Jane…
Arnold couldn’t sit and watch. After all, Jane was his only granddaughter.
Besides, Arnold had always considered Jane well-behaved, sensible, and caring. She wouldn’t have possibly been so despicable as to plagiarise.
As for Cora, it was not that he didn’t trust her. But it was hard to tell what was going on in others’ minds.
He liked Cora, but not enough to trust her completely.
So in front of everyone, Arnold was the first to declare,
“Jane’s work was completed under my watch, and I can guarantee with my honor that she did not plagiarize.”
After saying this, Arnold looked at Cora, and Cora was also looking at him with tears rolling in her eyes.
Darren also said,
“I saw Jane’s beginning stage of creation, and I’m sure she didn’t plagiarize anyone.”
The testament of two major figures in the woodcarving field somehow confirmed Cora’s plagiarism.
At that moment, Cora felt like she had fallen from heaven to hell.
What disappointed Cora most was that Arnold, who she had respected and admired, would go this far to cover up for Jane.
“Why did you say that you accepted me as your apprentice because you found me creative? The fact is you asked me to participate in the woodcarving competition to set me up for plagiarism. This is nothing but a trap to destroy my reputation, right?”
Cora glared at Arnold.
Arnold wanted to say no because he did think she was creative, and he did like her as an apprentice.
If it wasn’t for Jane, he would have taught her everything he knew before this woodcarving competition.
But before Arnold could reply, Cora sneered and said,
“If I have evidence to prove that my work was not plagiarized, will Dr. Yoris always be remembered for the shame of plagiarism and framing forever?”
With her sparkling eyes, Cora looked at Arnold and then at Jane, playful and aggressive.
It made Jane nervous.
Did Cora really have any evidence to prove her innocence?
If she did, Jane would have shot herself in the foot this time. Instead of ruining Cora’s reputation, Jane would have made herself notorious.
Just when Jane was worrying about the undesirable consequences, Arnold suddenly spoke,
“Cora, I know you are very sad and nervous to be exposed. But you shouldn’t frame others and ruin their reputation. Think about your mother. She is still in the hospital. How would she feel if she found out about this?”
Upon seeing Cora’s confident expression, Arnold already had a suspicion in his heart about what might be going on.
However, Jane was the person he had protected and cared for since childhood, and he wouldn’t let anyone ruin her. So, he immediately retaliated against Cora.
At that moment, Cora’s eyes turned red with anger. Flora knew that Cora had wronged, and it might lead her to engage in a fierce confrontation with those bullying her. However, Cora wasn’t sure if Flora would fight back fiercely, at least for now. One thing was clear to Cora. Arnold was pressuring Cora with her involvement.
If Cora exposed Jane in public as planned, the Yoris family would make things difficult for Flora since she lived in their hospital. Her life would be at their mercy.
Yet, Cora couldn’t deny that Flora was indeed her weakness now. She couldn’t simply ignore her.
So she had to swallow her frustration.
“In the end, you’re all just taking advantage of the fact that I have no one to back me up.”
She wasn’t the kind to wait for pity as a naive and innocent woman. After uttering those words, she quickly left the venue, determined not to let anyone witness her vulnerability and tears.
As for Byron…
For him, whether Cora plagiarized or not didn’t make much difference. After all, Jane was his nominal wife, and they were in the same interest group. He would naturally side with Jane, just like Arnold and the others.
So, Cora didn’t hold any hope for Byron and didn’t want to focus on this matter any longer.
The event host was also at a loss. He never expected the award ceremony would turn into such a chaotic situation. He hesitated.
“So, what about this award?”
His thoughts were simple. Why not let the person who allegedly plagiarized come to the stage and receive the award? Though this awardee seemed dubious, it was the quickest and most appropriate way to handle the situation for now.
As per Jane’s scheme, once Cora stormed off in frustration, Darren would proceed with a similar proposition, just as she intended.
However, they didn’t expect Byron, who had remained silent throughout the award ceremony, to take the microphone from the host amid the controversy.
“Just based on the words of two old men, you recklessly stamped the label of plagiarism on someone.
The Woodcarving Association’s award ceremony is truly arbitrary and capricious. Maybe it’s better to cancel such competitions in the future,”
Byron announced coldly.
Byron’s words ignited a fresh round of commotion in the room.
The host couldn’t even maintain a smile anymore. He thought he was the one hosting a competition, but how did it turn into a scene straight from hell?
Arnold and Darren were equally stunned, never expecting Byron, who was expected to be delighted to attend the award ceremony for Jane, would disregard his prestige and openly challenge the fairness of the competition.
But the fact was that Byron made his statement and promptly left, leaving the Woodcarving Association members confused, unable to defend their position.
Jane was completely surprised by Byron’s unexpected defense of Cora, disregarding even the reputation of their Yoris family. She couldn’t conclude whether this turn of events meant victory or defeat in their calculated game.
The award ceremony finally came to an end amidst sighs and whispers.
Arnold later found Cora on the rooftop of the convention center.
It was Arnold who asked Cora for a meet-up. After all, she was his disciple, and despite everything, he still felt guilty about pressuring her for Jane’s sake.
He wanted to apologize to Cora and find out what had happened.
However, when Arnold faced Cora, he found himself at a loss for words.
“Cora, today…”
Cora saw Arnold struggle to find the right words, so she decided to be straightforward.
“I’m feeling upset today. I didn’t plagiarize. I’ve been trapped and forced to accept the accusations because my mother lives in the Yoris family’s hospital.”
As she spoke, Cora avoided looking directly at Arnold and instead gazed into the distance where the lights flickered.
The biting wind made Cora’s face sting, and her hair blew in all directions.
She wore a striking black evening gown that night, with a deep blue overcoat that made her appear slender and petite.
The wind was so strong that she appeared as if she could be blown away at any instant.
“I’m not trying to threaten you. I just thought we could talk it out without having to do it in front of all these people.”
Arnold attempted to salvage the situation, but Cora couldn’t help but laugh.
“Do you fear that your granddaughter’s reputation might be tarnished? What about my reputation? Am I destined to bear the label of a plagiarist and live under constant scrutiny?”
Cora retorted.
“I…”
Arnold wanted to refute her, but he found himself at a loss for words.
If Arnold could turn back time, he would still stand up for Jane without hesitation.
Seeing Arnold hesitate, Cora smiled wistfully.
“Forget it. Let’s not dwell on the past. All I know is that this situation has left me deeply hurt. So, I don’t want to continue being your apprentice, Arnold. Please remove me from your list.”
It was also the reason Cora was willing to meet Arnold in person. She wanted to put an end to their mentor-disciple relationship.
After finished talking, Cora turned around and walked away. Arnold watched her shadow gradually receding. He would like to say something to persuade her several times, but he didn’t know where to start.
New Book: Returned To Make Them Pay
On her wedding anniversary, Alicia is drugged and stumbles into the wrong room—straight into the arms of the powerful Caden Ward, a man rumored never to touch women. Their night of passion shocks even him, especially when he discovers she’s still a virgin after two years of marriage to Joshua Yates.