Chapter 463
Erica's heart soared with elation. Vincent had called her-surely a sign he'd noticed Dustfall Era's dazzling success. She took a deep breath, tamping down her excitement, and answered in a measured tone,mimicking Hannah's cool professionalism, "Mr. Jones, how can l assist you?"
But Vincent's voice cut through, flat and devoid of warmth. "What's this about plagiarism?"
Erica's smile vanished. He wasn't calling to praise her but to confront her? Swallowing her panic and the sting of disappointment, she forced calm into her voice. "Mr. Jones, you've got it wrong. The Luminara Group copied us. Check online-public sentiment is firmly behind Aurora Court Studio."
She shifted the subject and hurried to claim credit. "And our game's downloads have surpassed ten million!"She held her breath, craving words of approval from Vincent-"Good job."
But Vincent offered no praise. His tone was glacial. "They've published their timeline, and it predates yours.Why are you still so sure they copied you?"
Erica's chest tightened. She hadn't expected Vincent to dismiss her"achievementsS11outright. Clenching her jaw, she pushed back. "Timelines can be forged. They're just trying to mislead everyone."
Silence stretched on the other end,each second amplifying her unease.
After an agonizing pause, Vincent spoke again, his voice clipped. "I'll handle this. Stay out of it."
"Mr. Jones, we're in the right here. You don't need to get involved personally," Erica protested, but the line went dead before she could say more.
Erica's brow furrowed. Vincent had said he'd handle it... She couldn't let him dig deeper. If he did, he might uncover that Aurora Court Studio was the plagiarist. No, she couldn't let that happen. She had to act first and stay one step ahead. Vincent hung up, his expression cold and unreadable. His gaze fell on the Dustfall Era plagiarism brief on his desk, a sharp glint flickering in his eyes. He picked up his phone and dialed Hannah.
The call connected almost instantly.
"Hello?" Hannah's voice was cool, stripped of any emotion.
Vincent leaned back in his chair. "MAs. Scott, what's your take on this plagiarism issue?"
A brief pause followed.
Hannah's reply was pointed. "Luminara Group's chain of evidence is solid. Clearly, your Aurora Court Studio is the one that plagiarized us."
Vincent's lips twitched into a faint, wry smile."You should know, the head of Aurora Court Studio is that impostor wearing your face."
A trace of surprise crept into Hannah's voice. "So that's how it is. Seems you value her quite a bit."
Vincent caught the bite of sarcasm, his gaze darkening as he rushed to explain,"It was my grandmother's doing. My grandmother mistook her for you and handed her the studio lead role. I only found out recently."
Hannah's tone turned razor-sharp. "Fine. I'll be blunt. Aurora Court Studio, under Jones Group, blatantly copied Luminara Group's designs. What do you plan to do about it?"
Vincent's eyes narrowed, his voice steady but firm. "We acknowledge the plagiarism. Full compensation wil be provided. Let's set a time to discuss. Jones Group will deliver a esolution to your satisfaction."
Celestial Voyage was a project Hannah held dear. Vincent assumed she'd handle the matter herself.
But Hannah's voice remained detached, professional. "I'm busy. My project lead, Judie, will handle it. That's all.Goodbye."
The call ended abruptly.
Vincent didn't lose his temper. He refused to believe Hannah wouldn't show up.
The next afternoon, Vincent sat in the private room of the city's
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