At the same time in Shi Publishing.
Huan's mother, Shi Zhelan, was trembling from head to toe as she read the news circulating in the media.
'Shi Huan, a plagiarizer?'
'Shi Huan stole her upcoming book's story from Sky!'
There were also other articles of how Shi Huan was dismissed from Author's Summit as she fell sick but with this allegation against her right now, rumors floated if her participation was dismissed because she was sick or if there was foul play about her entry.
Even though the Summit's screening process was thorough and strict, it was easy for Huan's reputation to take a hit with her absenteeism from the Summit.
"Nonsense! Who the hell are writing these articles about my daughter!" Shi Zhelan exclaimed with fury.
Her husband, Shi Shuren, read the news with cold sweat shining on his forehead. "T-This is impossible…"
"Of course it's impossible! My Huan and will steal somebody else's story? You do understand how bizarre it sounds, right!?"
Shi Zhelan gnashed her jaw trying to contain her fury but the more rumors and accusations came in, the more she was losing her patience.
"My Huan was finally so happy after knowing what she had to write…And now some author from Sky claims that it was actually her idea and story? That's ridiculous!"
She glared at the employees. "Give me an answer God damn it! Don't tell me it's Sky's plot to bring Shi Publishing down…If that's the truth, then that's really low of them!"
The employees could hardly speak in front of her when Shi Zhelan was already in firing mode. On top of Huan getting admonished, the guilt of Lu Bohai bribing Sun Bai also came to light.
"And who the hell is this Lu Bohai?"
"M-Marketing team manager," one of them trembled and said. "To be honest…he was close to getting laid off…"
"And so he thought that stealing Zhou Ai's story and using it to restore his glory will work!? Is he a fool? Do you all know how serious charge plagiarism is!?"
With Huan and Lu Bohai's case, Shi Publishing was cornered from all sides. The news of Lu Bohai bribing Sun Bai made Shi Publishing look like a pitiful company who was ready to take any step to pull itself back to its glory days.
The door opened and Lu Bohai came running in, falling onto Shi Zhelan's feet. "Madam Shi! Please forgive me!" He begged as he cried hard with the termination letter in his hand. "P-please don't fire me. I won't have anything to do if I l-lose my job! Please show mercy Madam…"
"So you are Lu Bohai!" Shi Zhelan gritted her teeth and slapped across his face. "How dare you show your face to me? You had the nerve to drag Shi Publishing's name into the mud and now you seek forgiveness!?"
Lu Bohai couldn't say anything in his defense apart from apologizing. "I…I didn't know what to do Madam…I was about to lose my job a-and I knew my brother's lover from Sky. I-I just thought if I could bag a story and promote an author from Shi Publishing to write it, I won't be-"
"Shut up! Just shut up!"
Her chest heaved in breathlessness as she tiredly sat on the chair. Shi Shuren quickly brought some water from her. "Zhelan, don't worry. We will figure something out-"
She burst into a chuckle. "Figure out what! How can you be so calm when Huan is being falsely targeted like this?"
"Of course I am worried about her too! She is my daughter-"
She sneered. "Oh? She is your daughter? Or is that other girl your lovely daughter?"
He froze.
"Zhelan, how can you say this?"
The employees were dumbstruck as they heard this.
What daughter? Which other girl?
Sir Shi Shuren has another illegitimate child!?
Shi Shuren quickly pulled her and urgently whispered. "Zhelan, what are you doing? T-this is supposed to be kept between us…"
She shook him off and pushed him back. "My daughter is suffering here and you care about your dirty laundry!? So what if I reveal about that bastard's existence!? She is your bastard child isn't she?"
A sharp silence befell.
"Where is she!? She must be enjoying all this, isn't she? Huan is being accused and laughed at and she must be enjoying all this show with popcorn in her hands! Of course, why won't she? She always wanted to snatch this company and Huan's place from the beginning!"
Shi Shuren paled. "Zhelan, please stop! We-we can talk about this at home…"
He was panicking more and more as Shi Zhelan seemed out of control. The staff could hardly believe their ears about Shi Shuren's supposed affair in the past.
Shi Zhelan forced herself to calm down in the end as taking care of Huan's matter was more important. "I won't stand for this…I won't let anybody smear mud on my Huan's name. I know that my daughter will never cheat! Who is that author from Sky who claims Huan plagiarized? I demand to meet her right now!"
But just at that time, the assistant came rushing in breathlessly to give another piece of bad news. "M-Madam, the investors and shareholders are here. They want to meet you about this current situation and they are…" he gulped, "not really in a friendly mood…"
—
Sky.
The air rang with silence as Sun Bai was forced to weather the blame. She stood rooted on the ground as if somebody had zapped her. Hearing Lu Bohai's name and the fact that he used Ai's drafts was enough to shake her entire world.
Impossible…
How can Lu Bohai have Zhou Ai's drafts? I-I never…
But Jun, who clearly had it enough by now, warned the reporters to step back. "One more baseless and nonsense accusation if I hear from your mouth and trust me, you are dead. First my cousin and now Miss. Sun Bai. Do you know who you are pointing your fingers at!?"
It was the first time that Sky's employees were witnessing Jun's temper for the first time.
"Sun Bai and tamper with Ai's drafts?" Jun laughed as if he heard the biggest joke. "Just tell me already, who has sent you all to execute this ugly agenda against Sky? You dare target two important pillars of Sky. You think I don't know somebody is behind this?" His icy demeanor further dropped the temperature.
But an unexpected voice of protest came forward as Xing Bi said, "Liu Jun. Chen Yunru might be innocent. But…" she looked at Sun Bai with extreme disappointment and anger as she faced her, "Miss. Sun Bai is not."
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