“Even if you didn‘t, you shouldn't have come here to show me this book. Don't you know-"

"Vivian, you just stole her idea."

Julie's eyes narrowed, and her tone was more determined than ever. Vivian's eyes widened in disbelief, and her voice shook when she spoke.

“Mom? What are you talking about?

You really think I plagiarized this book? I'm your daughter. How can you not believe your own daughter? And what do you know about writing? Do you know what plagiarism is? It's normal for novels to have the same premise. That doesn't mean it's plagiarized. I..."

Vivian trailed off, becoming tongue-tied.

She was prepared to defend herself to the end, but the steady look in her mother's eyes made her swallow her words.

It seemed like every word she said to persuade her mother was just a waste of breath.

“Vivian, I'm begging you. Please stop plagiarizing, okay?"

The quarrel between the mother and daughter ended on a bad note, with no good resolution.

As Julie walked out of the office building of Hughes Group, she Looked back at it and shook her head with a bitter smile.

She had come here to see Patricia, but ended up having a conflict with her daughter. She had a Lot to say, but no one who wanted to listen to her.

She had hoped that at least Patricia, her best friend for years, would listen to her as she had done over the past twenty years.

But Patricia was not here today. Besides, Julie suddenly had the feeling that Patricia might not be the most suitable Listener.

“Maybe Maria is free...“ Julie murmured to herself.

She sent a voice message to Maria saying, “Maria, are you busy now?" A reply came almost immediately, but it was short and curt: "Yes." After staring at that one word for a long time, Julie finally replied, “ALL right, that's okay. I won't bother you."

She was saying something against her will again, but this time, she was in a better mood.

She was glad that unlike all the other people in Sheffield, Maria at least never Lied to her.

“Hey, what are you doing here?"

While Julie was lingering uncertainly outside the office building, she heard a familiar arrogant voice come from behind her.