Noah Valentine's face turned deathly pale.
The realization struck him—this wasn't a test of his drawing skills.
It was an elaborate trap.
The crowd erupted in murmurs.
Anyone could see the uncanny resemblance between the young man's sketches and Noah's so-called "original" work.
Those plotlines hadn't been published yet. Only the true creator would know them.
The difference in skill and stylistic authenticity was glaring.
Noah's drawings paled in comparison.
Who would've thought the globally celebrated manga artist was a fraud who stole discarded drafts?
Disgusting.
And he'd had the audacity to accuse others of slander.
Where did that confidence come from?
So the young man's mentor was the real creator?
Reporters instantly caught the shift in narrative.
Cameras swiveled toward Liam Winston.
"Mr. Winston, did you know about this? You personally vouched for him as CEO of Winston Group."
"Your wife claimed Noah couldn't draw well in public. Was this all premeditated?"
"Why would Winston Group endorse a plagiarist? If you were deceived, doesn't that reflect poorly on your judgment?"
"Are your products involved in copyright infringement?"
Liam never expected the backlash to reach him.
He immediately tried to distance himself.
"The company is also a victim. We're terminating all contracts effective immediately."
But his earlier endorsement had tied them together.
No one would buy his claims of ignorance now.
A classic case of shooting himself in the foot.
Liam denied any collusion with a frosty expression.
"Baseless rumors. Further defamation will result in legal action."
Chloe Evans' face darkened.
She glared at Noah, wishing this impostor would vanish.
What stung most?
Sophia Sullivan was the manga's true author?
...
Sophia observed the scene from a distance.
A faint smile touched her lips.
This scandal would dominate headlines within hours.
She turned away without hesitation.
After texting Caleb Sullivan, she included her contact details:
"Publishers will reach out soon. Thank you for your courage. Let me know if you'd like mentorship."
The boy had talent, but more importantly, integrity.
She enjoyed nurturing promising newcomers.
In the underground garage, Sophia approached her car.
A choked sob interrupted the silence.
Chloe stood there, makeup streaked from crying. She rushed forward accusingly.
"Sophia, how could you? Even if Noah plagiarized, did you have to humiliate him publicly?"
Her tone dripped with sarcasm.
"You've ruined Winston Group. We had business ties! Couldn't you handle this privately? Now the company faces backlash!"
Sophia barely glanced at her, clicking her tongue.
"Who died? Save the theatrics for the funeral."
Living with Ethan had sharpened her tongue.
These two always brought out her spite.
"Sophia!"
Chloe's tears froze.
Her expression darkened, but she spotted Liam approaching and instantly switched back to fragility.
"Take your grudge out on me, but how dare you curse Mother Winston? She treated you like her own daughter!"
"You went too far today. We could've discussed this privately. Why sabotage us in front of reporters?"
Liam's face turned glacial.
"Sophia, you cursed my mother?"
Rage flooded him.
First she'd refused to help during the crisis, now this deliberate provocation.
Heartless witch.
Chloe nodded tearfully.
"If you had issues with Noah, you should've said so. Humiliating Liam affects Winston Group's stock!"
Sophia shrugged.
"Not my problem."