Mr. Warner, Your Wife is Running Away Again!-Chapter 71: Who Leaked the Design Drawings
The entire Starfield company was in an uproar, everyone discussing the incident.
Of course, the company’s insiders knew clearly who plagiarized whom; what they were discussing was who leaked the design drawings and sample pictures.
In the meeting room, Lan Irving sat next to Faye Xavier without saying much.
Faye Xavier seemed particularly anxious, interrogating everyone in the sample room.
Before the pre-sale, the product was merely prototyped and had not yet officially entered production, so not many people had seen the samples and design drawings. If pursued thoroughly, it would not be difficult.
Julian Bishop was also unsure how Shane Warner would handle all this, but he had already done what Shane asked him to do.
He believed Shane had the ability to handle everything, so he didn’t appear particularly anxious.
But he was inherently a person who didn’t show much emotion; even if he were worried at this moment, no one would see it.
A morning was enough for the incident to ferment and boil, dominating the top of the trending searches.
Celestine.
Ivan Yardley looked at the online slander against Starfield, smirking with satisfaction.
The glasses-wearing assistant next to him smiled and said, "President Yardley’s move was indeed clever; this time Starfield might not recover, only able to prolong its existence under the name of plagiarism."
Ivan Yardley closed the laptop with a smile, "Go ahead, post a message using the corporate account, saying... Celestine has had too many watching greedily over the past century, hoping for fair competition."
Undoubtedly, it indirectly confirmed Starfield’s plagiarism, adding fuel to the fire.
3:30 PM.
The press conference was held at Starfield company.
Since noon, many reporters had been waiting at the company entrance; at 3 PM, people started entering. Despite security maintaining order, the large number of reporters caused some chaos.
By 3:30 PM, the reception room was packed with people, no seats left, the back crowded with journalists holding microphones and photographers carrying cameras.
3:30 PM.
Julian Bishop took the stage, holding the microphone and said to the audience, "There’s a traffic jam on the road, President Warner may be a bit late, please patiently wait."
"Mr. Bishop, I heard you recently took over the company, and now such an incident occurred. Is it due to a flaw in your management?" Impatient reporters began asking questions.
Julian Bishop calmly responded, "President Warner will provide everyone with a satisfactory answer."
After speaking, he walked off the stage from the side.
In front of the computer, Audrey Sutton and Flora Lane gathered in the dormitory watching the live broadcast.
A few seconds earlier, Shane Warner had sent Audrey Sutton a reassuring message, telling her not to worry.
Even though Shane said so, Audrey Sutton’s heart was still tightly clenched.
She always felt that this incident was related to Lan Irving, not because she had a prejudice against Lan, but because she had seen Lan and Ivan Yardley together several times.
She felt these two were plotting nothing good.
However, the current matter was not about catching the mole, but how Shane Warner would overcome this crisis.
If this issue couldn’t be explained, the stigma would forever follow Starfield.
3:43 PM.
Shane Warner arrived in the reception room escorted by bodyguards, immediately interrupted by flashing lights, the room boiling over, reporters conducting live reports to their cameras.
Shane Warner adjusted the microphone on the podium to a suitable height, facing so many reporters, no hint of awkwardness or panic in his eyes.
His lips slightly curved, his tone calm and indifferent, "First of all, I apologize for my tardiness, and welcome everyone’s arrival. This press conference is primarily to clarify the reports online about ’Starfield plagiarizing Celestine.’ My company hereby provides clarification; everyone is free to ask questions, and we’ll answer them all."
"Did Starfield really plagiarize?"
"Third Young Master, how do you explain the similarity between Starfield’s keynote new product and Celestine’s recent launch?"
"Did you leverage Starfield’s growth and massive fan base to act without regard, thinking even plagiarism is inconsequential?"
"I heard you no longer personally manage Starfield; is the current Starfield still the Starfield of the past? Can consumers continue to trust this Starfield?"
...
After listening to the reporters’ questions, Shane Warner once more addressed the microphone, calmly and confidently stating, "First, let me clarify, Starfield did not plagiarize. As to why Starfield’s and Celestine’s works appear almost identical, that question is better directed at Celestine."
A reporter couldn’t help but pursue further, "Celestine released its new product last night, while Starfield did it this morning. If there’s plagiarism, it’s more likely Starfield plagiarized Celestine. Does Third Young Master have evidence?"
Shane Warner smiled lightly, beckoning to the side of the stage, and Faye Xavier handed over the laptop, connecting it to the projection screen behind.
On the large screen, the design draft from The Lunar Palace appeared, Shane Warner said, "Of course, everyone will still question whether I drew the design after viewing Celestine’s new product."
Following that, Shane Warner opened a browser, typed in: Kuikan.
He clicked on the Kuikan website, searched: Art Beyond Intention.
Then opened a comic titled "A Rabbit That Doesn’t Eat Grass."
Underneath, reporters exchanged glances and murmured, unsure of the purpose behind Shane Warner’s actions.
In the dormitory, Barry Barrett teased Audrey Sutton, "Is your husband using this opportunity to advertise for you?"
Audrey Sutton’s mouth twitched slightly, thinking he wouldn’t do such a boring thing at this occasion, and she seemed to understand his purpose behind these actions.
Watching Shane Warner’s mouse glide through Chapters, he found one named "The Lunar Palace," clicked it, and successfully found the original design draft, which he helped Audrey Sutton revise, then inserted into her comic.
Some reporters had a sudden realization, discussing again, someone asked, "Can it be understood that both Celestine and Starfield plagiarized this comic author’s design?"
Shane Warner lightly laughed and said, "I forgot to introduce everyone, my wife is a comic artist, this is her work, and I used her comic’s creative design for my new product, with her consent, also naming it ’The Lunar Palace.’"
Afterward, Shane Warner looked at the central camera, seemingly speaking to specific individuals in front of the screen, "I wonder if Celestine... purchased my wife’s copyrights?"
Audrey Sutton’s comic had released this Chapter early in July; unless Celestine provides earlier evidence, they can’t win this turnaround battle.
"Also, I must apologize to everyone, the design drawings being leaked demonstrates our internal personnel mismanagement, causing such conflicts and misunderstandings. I am truly sorry. After the matter is resolved, I will reorganize the company staff. Additionally, Starfield has been soaring in recent years, garnering much attention, hoping for fair competition."
He returned Ivan Yardley’s words back to him.
