Flora’s Guide to a Second Chance at Love and Life
Chapter 503

Kaylee was in deep trouble this time.

The judges had asked the staff to bring their computers up to the stage.

Kaylee quickly grabbed her computer, powered it on, and opened the necessary software.

Lily did the same with her computer, opening the software as well.

However, the initial versions of their design sketches were both dated ten days ago, and Lily's was even timestamped two days earlier than Kaylee's.

"How could this be..." Kaylee was completely stunned. She was sure Lily had copied her work, but how had they both ended up with designs created almost at the same time?

"Kaylee, do you have anything to say in your defense?" Louie asked, twirling a pen in his right hand.

The other three judges also turned their attention to her.

They all sensed something was off. The near-simultaneous creation of the design drawings was highly suspicious.

It was a clear-cut case of plagiarism, and a premeditated one at that.

Now, Kaylee found herself at a serious disadvantage. Without evidence to prove her originality, she would be branded a plagiarist, even if she was the true creator.

"I..." Kaylee's mind was a complete blank, her thoughts a jumbled mess. She couldn't understand why Lily's draft had an earlier date. Unless Lily had somehow known about her idea beforehand, but how? "Kaylee, I've already given you a chance," Lily sighed. "If you had admitted it from the beginning, I wouldn't have pressed so hard. After all, you're still young with a promising future ahead. I didn't want to ruin that. But even now, you show no sign of remorse. Someone like you staying in the fashion industry would only bring it down."

"Plagiarist, go to hell!"

"Plagiarist, get lost!"

The audience erupted in curses, practically foaming at the mouth with rage.

Backstage, there were murmurs and sighs of disbelief.

Who would have thought that Kaylee, who seemed so innocent and harmless, could have plagiarized?

And to do so so blatantly...

"Wow, the students from the University of Maple Grove sure are something. Are you fashion designers or just copycats?" someone close to Lily sneered, mocking the University of Maple Grove's contestants. The contestants from the University of Maple Grove turned pale, feeling utterly humiliated but unable to say anything in their defense, knowing they were in the wrong.

"Kaylee, if you can't provide evidence that your work is original, we'll have no choice but to disqualify you from the competition," a judge said coldly.

Perhaps Kaylee was being wronged, but if she couldn't even prove her work was original, it only highlighted her incompetence. Someone like her would be better off leaving the industry.

Lily's lips curled into a smug smile. Everything was going according to her plan. Indeed, she had plagiarized, but she had made it look like the original work was hers, making others believe she was the true creator.

A mere freshman dared to challenge her? She would ruin Kaylee's reputation completely.

Louie frowned. Kaylee was a friend of Flora's, and for Flora's sake, he wanted to help her. Being exposed for plagiarism in a joint competition would have a lasting impact on her career.

Louie was about to speak up for Kaylee when a male voice suddenly cut through the tension.

"Miss Lily, are you sure this work is your original creation?"

Everyone instinctively turned towards the source of the voice and saw a man in a sharp suit, with a tall, commanding presence, slowly walking in from the entrance.