Chapter 455



Kallie murmured, lost in thought, “That’s exactly why I can’t let it go.”

Kallie hesitated to commit. “I’ll do what I can.”

According to the information she read, the company was on a downward spiral due to a scandal. However, the details of the scandal were vague. Today, the director filled her in on everything.

“It’s because of plagiarism,” he said, annoyance and embarrassment tinging his voice. “We once hired a young designer whose creations were beautiful and stylish and fetched high prices. She quickly became the company’s top designer.

But it came out later that she had copied the designs of an undergraduate who had yet to finish college.”

He continued, “The student came forward with compelling evidence. Initially, the situation seemed manageable. We reached out to the student and compensated her handsomely. While the designer was dismissed, she stubbornly claimed she was innocent and refused to apologize.

Then, accusations flew that we had orchestrated the plagiarism intentionally. Rumors also surfaced about previous works being copied and employee mistreatment. Miss, as you know, information spreads like wildfire these days. With enough public outcry, the reputation of an individual or even a company can be shattered.”

Kallie nodded in understanding. People often saw only what they chose to see. Sometimes, the truth mattered little. Once branded, every word a person said could be dismissed as false. Even if someone spoke on their behalf, they would face criticism. After all, tarnishing someone’s reputation had become all too easy and cost-free nowadays.

“What’s the current situation?” Kallie asked, taking a deep breath to calm her racing thoughts. “It’s been two or three years since that incident. It should have been forgotten by now.”

The director chuckled, his laughter tinged with helplessness and bitterness. “Things should have gone as you just said. However, the person who accused us of plagiarism is still at it. I’m not sure when we crossed her or why she’s still holding a grudge.”

Kallie nodded. She was puzzled. Why hadn’t this person moved on after all these years?

After pondering for a moment, she suggested, “Maybe you could try to arrange a meeting? Tell this person I’d like to have a talk.”

The director hesitated and then said, “Or maybe we should just let it go. She’s unlikely to agree.”

“It’s her decision to agree or not. Your part is simply to convey my message to her. Are there any other issues?”

The director nodded solemnly. “Yes, there’s been a complication. We attempted to approach her, but then she accused our vice president of harassment and later claimed we tried to intimidate her.”

Kallie’s expression hardened with suspicion, prompting the director to quickly gesture dismissively. “None of it is true. It seems she’s just trying to stir up trouble deliberately. Given her antagonistic approach, we chose to cut off the conversation.”

Kallie scoffed. “She’s cunning, using the court of public opinion to her advantage. She’s aiming to bring the company down while it’s vulnerable. After all, if the company recovers, she knows she’ll be the first one you take action against. Schedule a meeting. I want to hear directly from her what her grievances are.”

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