Chapter 172
Alice met Ethan’s gaze and curled up her lips.
She said, “Let’s wait until the meeting ends. There is no need to rush. Everyone is watching. The plagiarist will price.”
“Alice, watch your language!”
How dared she call him a plagiarist!
Ethan was furious.
Using Alice’s ideas was not his original plan. It was an impromptu change.
Alice made a snort and returned to their seats with her colleagues.
Representatives of the other companies continued their presentations.
All those from the Maple Company were shocked at Alice’s performance.
The person who’d earlier doubted Alice was now silent and ashamed.
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The person in charge asked tentatively, “Alice, Mr. Welch is your elder brother. Are you really going to sue him?”
No one expected Alice to come from a rich family. Why was someone so rich so smart and hardworking? How could ordinary people compete with her?
Alice replied coldly, “We’ve cut ties. He’s no longer my family.”
The person in charge scrutinized Alice’s expression.“Anyway, he’s your elder brother.”
“Yes! What’s more, he’s rich. Do you indeed want to cut ties with him?”
No one could understand Alice. They all dreamed of having a wealthy brother.
Alice was impatient.“I don’t want to talk about it again. As the technical leader of the project, I must let the Welch Group pay for their plagiarism.”
Alice’s tone was firm.
The person in charge fell silent.
Just then, Alice received a message..
She glanced at it.“Alice, Ethan wasn’t involved. Will you please just let it slide? It’s a plea from me.”
Alice clicked her tongue.
Sarcasm flickered in Alice’s eyes. A plea from him?
He acted as if he had been wronged.
Alice looked up and met Luke’s eyes. With a cold face, she deleted the message without replying.
Seeing her expression, Luke knew she’d refused.
Ethan looked at Chloe and Luke.“You’d better give me a good explanation!”
His well–prepared project had been crushed and humiliated by Alice!
He couldn’t accept it.
If he hadn’t used the ideas Chloe had stolen, it wouldn’t have come to such a pass!
The meeting concluded with a speech by the director.
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But nobody left as the plagiarism of the Welch Group remained unresolved.
Everyone wanted to know the outcome.
Alice watched Ethan, grim–faced, walk out with Chloe and Luke.
Outside.
Ethan asked angrily, “What are we going to do? Didn’t you realize Alice set a trap?”
What two idiots!
Crying, Chloe explained, “Ethan, Alice tricked me.”
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Luke stared at Chloe.“I was tricked by you! When I noticed what you were doing, I should have stopped you instead of being convinced by you to join you.”
Chloe’s hands trembled.
Her voice choked with tears.“Ethan, I lost my head for the moment. I knew you guys had been working so hard for the project. Besides, you had to handle the Garcia family because of Alice.”
“I thought if Alice failed, she’d realize how hard life is outside and return to the Welch family.”
“I’m sorry, Ethan. Luke and I didn’t do it on purpose.”
Ethan tugged angrily at his tie.“You two indeed put me in trouble. Think of a solution!”
Luke glanced at Chloe in shock and said, “Ethan, it has nothing to do with me! It was Chloe who stole Alice’s ideas from her computer.”
“Yes, it’s all my fault. I did it. It has nothing to do with Luke.”
Chloe shrank back, looking pitiful.
After taking a glance at Chloe, Ethan was somewhat dissatisfied with Luke and said, “You’re her elder brother. How can you shirk responsibility and let Chloe bear it alone?”
“No, Ethan! It had nothing to do with me!”
Ethan said, “Just now, it was the two of you who came to me together. Although Chloe was the one who told me about the situation, you were aware of it and also involved in it.”
“Now the whole thing is out, and you’re saying you weren’t involved?”
Luke found it unbelievable.
He hadn’t done anything. It was all Chloe’s idea!
Luke glanced at Chloe and said, “Explain to Ethan if you did it alone! I even stopped you!”
Chloe pursed her lips and whispered, “Yes, that’s right. Ethan, I did all of this alone.”
Ethan pulled Chloe closer to him and said, “Don’t be afraid of Luke. I’m here. You don’t need to bear all the responsibility.”
Chloe nodded obediently and said, “If Alice insists on suing us, then ask her to sue me alone. Don’t affect Luke’s future.”
“Chloe, what are you saying?”
Luke looked at Chloe in astonishment. He was innocent!
But in Ethan’s eyes, he was an accomplice.
Alice walked over with a smile and asked, “So, have you decided how to resolve this? Everyone’s waiting.”
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Ethan, grim–faced, lowered his voice, “Alice, you played dirty.”
“Isn’t that what you taught me? I learned quickly.”
Alice smiled, “Mr. Welch, I’m curious about how you are going to resolve this. I want to learn from you. Though I probably don’t need to.”
“You!”
Ethan was huffy.
Chloe hid behind him, afraid to speak or to face Alice.
Ethan tried hard to calm down.“Alice, what do you want?”
“Didn’t you say that you’d sue us? I’ll learn from you and do the same. My lawyer will handle it!”
Alice’s voice was calm and her eyes firm.
Ethan gritted his teeth.“I’ll give you money as compensation. Let’s forget this.”
“Well, I prefer to have you punished and disqualified.”
“Alice, don’t go too far!”
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Alice covered her mouth, raising her voice deliberately, “What do you mean by that? I’m playing by the rules. I don’t think I went too far.”
“Alice, Chloe and Luke didn’t do it on purpose. They just had a moment of confusion. You need not reproach them for such trifle.”
“They sit in front of my laptop, carefully read my ideas, meticulously photograph them, and then hand them over to you to incorporate into your presentation.”
“Do you mean they did all this out of a moment of confusion?”
Alice continued with a cold face, “I know your real thoughts. You might think they were caught because they were careless. However, with undeniable evidence, they had to face such consequences, right?”
Ethan could hardly control his temper.
But he could not refute her words.
“Alice, do you intentionally make me angry? I’ve been working outside, and I didn’t realize you’d become like this.”
In Ethan’s mind, Alice was lovely and obedient in her childhood.
Alice’s tone was unyielding and assertive.
Only then did Ethan realize that Alice wasn’t the timid and fearful girl she used to be.
Ethan softened his voice and said, “As long as you let bygones be bygones, I’ll give you what you want. Alice, no matter how many conflicts we have, we’re a family. How about we have a talk?”
Alice wore a sarcastic smile and thought, “Now you know we are a family. It’s too late!”
She replied flatly, “No need.”
Alice knew what Ethan wanted to do.
There had been many similar situations before.
Alice turned to the director.“I demand the disqualification of the Welch Group.”
“Alice, how dare you!”
