Chapter 4

Leo's gaze, too, became wary and scrutinizing.

I ignored the host, walking directly to the podium.

The host on stage looked flustered, instinctively trying to block me, but one look from me made her retract her hand.

I took the microphone from her hand. The cold metal against my palm only sharpened my focus.

"Good afternoon, everyone." My voice, amplified by the sound system, filled the hall, clear and steady. "I am Julian Thorne, founder of Dream Weaver Design."

A small murmur rippled through the audience; my colleagues all recognized me.

I paused, my gaze sweeping over everyone, then landed precisely on the woman in the judging panel whose face had already begun to pale. I added the latter half of my sentence.

"And also, Ms. Camilla Thorne's husband."

*Boom!* The entire hall erupted in chaos.

Countless eyes darted between Camilla and me, scrutinizing, shocked, gossiping. It was like thousands of tiny needles, puncturing the carefully maintained facade of her composure.

I ignored the whispers, turning to plug the USB drive I’d brought into the computer.

On the large screen behind me, Leo's exquisite final rendering instantly vanished, replaced by the raw files from my own computer.

Folder after folder, neatly organized by date.

"Mr. Hayes's proposal is indeed very 'inspired'," I said, a faint smile in my voice, as I clicked open the earliest folder. Inside were my first sketches, drawn on a digital tablet three months ago—rough, but brimming with my original concepts.

"And it's almost identical to my drafts from three months ago."

On the screen, I opened the file properties: creation date, modification date, timestamps accurate to the second, all displayed clearly on the large screen for everyone to see.

Leo's face went white.

I continued clicking, opening one detailed drawing after another, structural analysis diagrams, 3D renderings... With each one I opened, Leo's face grew whiter.

Finally, I revealed a hidden layer. It was an anti-counterfeiting watermark I'd deliberately embedded to prevent commercial leaks—my initials, "JT," cleverly integrated into the building's shadows.

"As for the core load-bearing structure in Mr. Hayes's proposal, so highly praised by Director Thorne," I brought up a mechanical model filled with dense data and formulas. "Here is the complete data calculation process. I wonder if Mr. Hayes could explain the application principle of the fifth parameter to everyone?"

All eyes in the room instantly shot to Leo.

He stood there, his lips trembling, utterly speechless. He understood none of it.

Then, with a sudden wail, he burst into tears, rushing towards the judging panel and grabbing Camilla's sleeve, sobbing. "Camilla, I didn't... I don't know what this is about! He's bullying me, I didn't plagiarize..."

Camilla finally couldn't sit still. She quickly stormed onto the stage, glaring fiercely at me, her voice low, a furious whisper only we could hear. "Julian Thorne! Haven't you made enough of a scene?! Must you humiliate us both here?!"

I found myself chuckling.

"Humiliate?" I scoffed softly, removing her hand that was pointing at me. I took a step closer, leaning into her ear, speaking in a voice only she could hear. "Camilla, don't rush. This is just an appetizer."

I stepped back, gripping the microphone again, my gaze sweeping over all the judges and guests. My voice wasn't loud, but it was clear enough for the entire hall to hear.

"The real humiliation isn't mine. It belongs to certain people who, while stealing their husband's hard work, also try to elevate their lover, praising a plagiarized work as a stroke of genius, right in front of the entire industry."

"Director Thorne," I looked at her, smiling sweetly. "Wouldn't you agree?"