Ghost Exorciser: The Oust Fake Heiress Strikes-Chapter 393: Recreated

The words fell like heavy stones.

"And yet," he added, his gaze locking onto Cassandra, "you’ve recreated it here. Don’t you feel even a little ashamed?"

Cassandra’s eyes widened in disbelief. She had never imagined things would turn this way. ’A plagiarized design...? Me?’ Her thoughts spiraled.

A hollow laugh escaped her lips, slightly forced. "This is just a coincidence," she said quickly.

"It was a random idea that came to me. I’ve been thinking about similar concepts lately, so maybe that’s why it turned out this way."

She forced a small smile. "I’ll just make another one right now."

Without waiting for a response, she turned the paper over, her hand moving to start again.

But the moment her pencil hovered above the page, her mind went blank.

Completely blank.No ideas came. No structure formed.

It was as if everything inside her had been wiped clean.

A faint panic crept into her chest.

Meanwhile, Lana’s design stood displayed before everyone, a piece unlike anything they had seen before.

It wasn’t a weapon in the traditional sense, nor was it something overly complex.

It was a delicate, elegant anklet designed for women, but embedded within it was a subtle mechanism that granted both protection and defense.

When Lana finished presenting, a wave of stunned murmurs swept through the crowd.

"This... this is on another level," someone whispered.

"The design quality has improved so much..."

Cassandra clenched her jaw. Without hesitation, she spoke inwardly, ’System, unbind from Yale and bind to Lana.’

The system responded instantly.

But a mechanical reminder echoed in her mind.

[Binding complete. A cooldown of twenty-four hours will apply.]

She gave a slight nod.

Soon, another design began to surface in her mind.

However, this time, she didn’t act immediately. Instead, she discreetly pulled out her phone, her fingers slightly cold as she searched quickly, scanning through results.

’It’s not there... good,’ she thought, letting out a quiet breath of relief.

Once she confirmed that no such design existed online, she immediately began sketching again, her movements regaining their earlier confidence.

However, her actions hadn’t gone unnoticed. A few people in the audience exchanged glances.

"Why is she using her phone?" someone whispered. "Was she checking designs online...?"

Others frowned.

"Isn’t it strange? Just two days ago, her designs were incredible. Yesterday was bad... and today she copied something?"

"That’s... disgraceful."

The murmurs spread quietly. Finally, Cassandra completed her new design and presented it.

This time, the audience reacted differently.

The design was unique, refined, visually striking, and undeniably better.

People began comparing it to Yale’s earlier work, and slowly, nods of approval spread.

"Maybe we misunderstood her..."

"Yeah, this design is amazing."

"Her work really is top-tier."

Cheers began to rise, her name echoing through the hall.

Cassandra smiled, a sense of relief washing over her, and she turned toward Lana.

But the moment she did, her breath caught. Lana was looking at her... with a smirk.

A chill crawled up her spine. And then...

"Why did you copy my design?" Lana’s voice rang out clearly.

The hall fell silent once more. All eyes turned toward her.

Cassandra’s heart skipped violently, panic flickering in her chest. But in the next instant, she steadied herself.

’She hasn’t posted it anywhere... there’s no proof,’ she reassured herself.

Her expression softened instantly, shifting into one of confusion and innocence.

"What are you talking about?" she said, her voice calm but laced with hurt. "Why are you accusing me like this?"

She looked straight at Lana, her brows knitting slightly.

"If you have a problem, just say it," she continued. "But don’t call me a plagiarist without any proof."

Yale remained silent, watching everything unfold, his gaze calm yet unreadable. Even as Lana stepped forward, there was not the slightest flicker of surprise in his eyes, as if he had already anticipated every move.

Lana, however, did not hold back.

The moment she heard Cassandra’s words, she let out a sharp breath and immediately pulled out her phone, her movements swift and decisive.

"If that’s the case," she declared loudly, her voice cutting through the murmurs, "then I’ll prove it."

Cassandra’s heart skipped a beat, a sudden chill running down her spine. ’Prove...?’ The word echoed in her mind like a warning bell.

Lana raised her phone slightly, her lips curling into a faint smile. "My username is ’AceOfDesigns,’" she announced.

"It’s a private account. If you all follow me, you’ll be able to see the design I posted yesterday."

A wave of movement swept through the audience. Phones were pulled out one after another, the soft tapping of screens filling the air.

Within moments... Gasps. Low whispers. Shock. They found it.

The exact same design Cassandra had just presented... was already posted on Lana’s account.

The atmosphere shifted instantly. All eyes turned toward Cassandra, their gazes heavy, filled with suspicion and judgment.

Cassandra stood frozen for a brief moment before hurriedly taking out her own phone, her fingers trembling slightly as she searched. Sure enough, the account appeared, and since it was following her, the post was visible.

Her breath caught in her throat. The timestamp... yesterday. The design... identical.

A sharp wave of irritation and panic surged within her.

’This... this can’t be a coincidence. She knows. She knows about the system,’ she thought, her mind racing wildly. ’She’s been tracking me... she set this up.’

Her thoughts spiraled rapidly, trying to grasp at any possible excuse. ’Even if I remove her... even if I deny it... there’s still the timestamp...’

Before she could form a proper response... A sudden whoosh sound filled the hall.

Lana had connected her phone to the large display screen. The design appeared, enlarged for everyone to see.

Clear. Undeniable.

"This," Lana said, her voice steady, "is the design I posted yesterday."

The hall erupted into murmurs again, but this time, they were sharper, harsher.

Disgusted looks were thrown toward Cassandra.

Cassandra clenched her fists tightly, her nails digging into her palms, yet she forced herself to step forward, her expression twisting into something between anger and disbelief.