Chapter 1116
Chapter 1116:
“Leo is far better than Susan, but that legend never shows his face. It drives me crazy. I come every year just hoping to see him p>
Voices piled on—some condemning Susan, others praising Leo.
Susan felt humiliated, especially when they began exalting Leo.
The judges looked from Susan to her dress again. They saw what everyone else saw.
The chief judge fixed his gaze on her and asked sharply, “Susan, can you explain this p>
Panic flashed in Susan’s eyes. She didn’t know what to say or do. She couldn’t admit she had taken the design from Leo Studio—that would still be plagiarism, perhaps even worse.
She stammered, unable to form a complete sentence. Shaking her head anxiously, she said, “No… no… that’s not… that’s not it p>
“Then what is it?” Chana pressed. “Why does your dress look so much like Master Leif’s p>
Susan couldn’t answer. What could she possibly say? She stood there, glaring at Chana with resentment and hatred.
One look at Susan’s reaction, and the chief judge understood. After murmuring briefly with the other two judges, he turned back to Susan and said, “Susan, after deliberation, we all agree that you can no longer participate in this competition, and you will also be barred from future competitions. The one thing a designer must never do is plagiarize p>
Susan felt her world collapse.
The words sounded calm, almost light—but the verdict was absolute. In an instant, she had lost her standing in the design world. It felt like she had been thrown into icy water, her blood freezing in her veins.
Around her, the other designers stared openly. Some looked satisfied, others entertained. Most of them had never liked Susan, and many had clashed with her in meetings before.
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Susan was disqualified after it was confirmed that she had plagiarized Master Leif’s work. Truthfully, many people were pleased with the outcome. After the chief judge made the announcement, the judges turned and headed back toward the stage. The crowd followed, leaving Susan standing alone.
Susan stared at the vintage European-style red dress on the rack in utter disbelief. The once gorgeous, fiery gown now felt like a silent mockery.
“Do I really lose this badly p>
When the designers returned to the stage, the result was already clear.
Susan had been the only one with the skill to rival Leo. Now that she had been eliminated, Leo was the only remaining contender for the championship.
Sure enough, the chief judge stepped forward and announced, “I declare Leo the champion of this year’s design competition p>
The audience clapped enthusiastically—exactly as expected. Then the judge asked the representative from Leo Studio to come up and receive the award.
Chana didn’t move.
She met the chief judge’s gaze, then shook her head with an apologetic smile. “I won’t be receiving the award today, because Leo is here p>