Chapter 1669


    The stepsister Katherine sat on the couch, her eyes brimming with tears, looking every bit the picture of


    pitiable distress.


    Carol remained unmoved, her voice chilly as she spoke, "It''s her own fault for giarizing QY''s


    designs. She made her bed; now she has to lie in it."


    "It was just a coincidence!" Maureen insisted, trying to downy the situation, "There''s no need to call


    it giarism. That sounds so ugly."


    "If you don''t like it, then don''t copy in the first ce."


    Katherine, standing off to the side, seemed to shrink under the weight of the usation, as if the


    simrity to QY''s designs was a mere ident, not a deliberate act.


    "Seventeen designs with a simrity of up to 90 percent, and you call that a coincidence? If it was


    merely a coincidence, would they sue you?"


    Carol didn''t want to waste her time arguing. She had ns to deliver the hand-knitted scarves she was


    going to make to her aunt before the holidays. But as she tried to make her way upstairs, her


    stepmother Maureen blocked her path.


    "Honey, aren''t you going to say anything? Even if Katherine lost her inspiration for a moment and went


    a little too far in ''referencing'' QY''s designs, resulting in them calling it giarism, their demand for a 3


    million-dor settlement is outrageous, and they won''t budge on the amount. They also want us to


    publicly apologize on social media. Isn''t that just stomping on the Brooks family''s pride?"


    With that, Maureen turned her angry gaze to Carol, her voice tinged with frustration, "If only she would


    say the word, her influential friends would let this slide. No money spent, no public embarrassment, but


    she just won''t help! What kind of daughter wants to see her parents humiliated?"


    Carol looked back at her coldly, "Your true colors are showing, and it''s not a pretty sight. You may have


    no shame, but I do."


    "Listen to her, honey! Listen to how she talks to me! I''m the elder, and she has no respect! I bet she''s in


    cahoots with them, trying to swindle your money and then funnel it into her own pocket. Why else


    would she refuse to help us with this simple favor?"


    As Maureen red at Carol, her loathing was palpable. She desired tosh out, shred and toss the


    insolent girl to the trash.


    Rudolf was caught between a rock and a hard ce, trying to appease his wife, "You went too far with


    Katherine at the mallst time, talking about how Carol’s mom has been dead for ages and criticizing


    her for ''wasting money on flowers for the dead,'' and then you destroyed her bouquet. Of course, she''s


    upset. I saw the surveince video; you and Katherine were out of line!"


    "But she insulted me too! She said she only has two moms, her birth mom and her foster one. She


    Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org.


    asked what did I think I was, and she said I had no right to lecture her in this house," Maureen''s voice


    trailed off, her grievance apparent.


    "Given your position, it''s indeed inappropriate."


    "What are you saying? I married you; you''re her dad, so naturally I am her mom!"


    What could be inappropriate about that?


    "Do you want to join my mom in her grave? Is that it?"


    Carol''s retort left Maureen fuming, "Listen to what she said, honey!" If her husband wasn''t there, she


    would have torn this ungrateful brat''s mouth right off!


    "Dad, I''ve worked hard to build my business and never made 3 million. Now, not only do I have to


    not just my reputation on the line; people know I''m your daughter. There are many eyes on us. Who will


    dare to partner with our family after this. Dad, I''m thinking of you, of our family."


    "Look at your daughters, one thinking of you and the other pushing you into the fire."


    "The one pushing Dad into the fire is you. If you hadn''t giarized, there''d be no need for


    with your performance."


    With that, Carol turned and headed upstairs, unwilling to engage with them any further.


    "Honey, look at her! She has no regard for this family. She''s grown wild and heartless out there in the


    world!" Maureen was livid, vowing to herself that the next time her husband wasn''t home, she would


    deal with that wretched girl behind closed doors.