After hanging up the phone, Lauren Shaw sat in front of the floor-to-ceiling windows, weighed down by gloom.
Even Xiaomei and the others couldn't focus on work today. They clutched their phones, battling it out with people online.
"Sienna Shaw, both Qingqing-jie and Miss Li have posted statements clarifying things for you," Maya Wells reported, face lit up with hope.
They thought, with Claire Xu and Li Qiuchi both being influential, their support was bound to help.
But in reality, it made no difference at all.
Most of the online comments still sided with that maliciously fabricated article.
Underneath Claire Xu and Li Qiuchi's posts, the comments were just more people cursing Lauren Shaw, as if someone was deliberately fanning the flames.
Unable to stomach it, Claire Xu registered a few alt accounts to argue with people online.
Li Qiuchi posted again, this time showing a photo of herself in the finals wearing Lauren Shaw’s design, with a caption: “She’s not a plagiarist—she’s an outstanding designer.”
Li Qiuchi’s fans stopped attacking Lauren Shaw, but trolls kept stirring the pot in the comments.
“Sis, if you’re being threatened, just say something—don’t let money cloud your judgment.”
“Looks like this Lauren Shaw has some serious backing.”
“No matter how you spin it, a plagiarist is still a plagiarist. She should get out of the design world.”
“No wonder she looked so familiar—now I remember! Wasn’t she the one who got between Yana Quinn and her boyfriend?”
Just as the saying goes—'when a wall collapses, everyone gives it a push.' Not only that, Lauren Shaw’s little scandal with Yvonne Sung from a while ago got dug up again.
All the dirt was flung at her with no chance to catch her breath—like people wouldn’t be satisfied until she was utterly destroyed.
Her phone rang again; she glanced at it—it was her mother calling.
Lauren Shaw drew a deep breath, calmed herself, and then answered.
“Shengsheng, come home for dinner tonight. Grandma keeps talking about you, saying you never come visit.”
Her mother’s tone was gentle and caring, not mentioning anything about work. It seemed she was unaware of the trouble online.
That was good—no need to make them worry.
“Okay, I’ll come home for dinner tonight.” She kept her tone light so her mother wouldn’t notice anything.
“Bring Yancheng along,” her mother reminded.
“He’s away on a business trip and won't be back for a few days.”
They chatted for a bit before hanging up. Then the phone in the studio rang, but Lauren Shaw didn’t move to answer it.
Seeing her so exhausted, Xiaomei hurried over and picked it up.
“Plagiarism? Are you out of your mind? You're the plagiarist! Your whole family plagiarizes!” Xiaomei raged into the phone, then hung up fiercely.
“What’s wrong with these people? They're nuts,” she muttered.
“Who was that?” Sisi asked.
“A reporter. The first thing out of their mouth was about the plagiarism. Ugh, I’m so angry my chest hurts.”
“Another order canceled,” Maya Wells sighed, walking over. In just half an hour, she’d taken more than ten calls—all about order cancellations.
At this rate, their orders would pretty much all be withdrawn.
The three of them looked at the silent Lauren Shaw, who was staring blankly out the window. They exchanged helpless glances.
Sisi finally said, “This is all my fault. If I hadn’t agreed to Eva Snow before, none of this would’ve happened.”
“This has nothing to do with you,” Lauren Shaw said honestly. Just based on the design drafts circulating online, she knew this plagiarism scandal had nothing to do with Sisi.
Xiaomei tried to comfort her: “Maybe it’s just because Sienna Shaw is getting popular. Someone’s jealous and stirring trouble on purpose.”
“Sienna Shaw, why don’t you go home and rest? You don’t look well,” Maya Wells said with concern.
Lauren Shaw gave them a reassuring smile. “Don’t worry. There’s nothing urgent today anyway. You all should take a few days off and relax.”
If she’d said this before, they’d have been overjoyed, but now, no one could really be happy.
Noticing their mood, Lauren Shaw smiled. “Relax, nothing will happen. Shengmei Group is already investigating the truth. This will all blow over soon. Seriously, you get a few days off and you're not happy? Didn’t you always complain I was overworking you?”
“But we like being overworked by you, Sienna Shaw!”
Lauren Shaw couldn’t help but let out a soft laugh. “You girls. Go home and rest.”
Reluctantly, the trio packed up to leave, turning back to check on her before heading out.
“Sienna Shaw, we’ll get going then.”
Lauren Shaw nodded with a smile. “Okay, go on.”
When they left, the studio was filled with silence. Lauren Shaw stared at the vitriol online. The negativity surrounding her was growing stronger—so much so that even Claire Xu and Li Qiuchi got dragged into it just for speaking up for her.
She shut off her phone, overwhelmed by a rare sense of defeat. She’d managed her business through every kind of hardship, but never had she felt so powerless.
She knew these were all malicious lies, but the tide of public opinion was like a flood—impossible to control.
Lauren Shaw didn’t know how long she sat there until her phone rang again, snapping her out of her daze.
Yancy Shaw had just finished a meeting when he received a message from Henry Mills. He clicked the link, his brow immediately knitting in concern.
The colleagues who’d been discussing the meeting with him noticed his face had turned to ice. “Dr. Shen, is something wrong?”
“Sorry, there’s something I need to deal with.”
He grabbed his phone, dialing a video call as he headed somewhere quiet.
Lauren Shaw took a deep breath, trying to steady her voice before she answered. She kept her smile in place for the video call.
Yancy Shaw looked at her with worry.
She suddenly felt an overwhelming urge to see him, to throw herself into his arms. If he were there, she wouldn’t worry about anything else.
“Shengsheng.” His voice, low and magnetic, was deeply reassuring.
“Finished your meeting?” Lauren Shaw’s voice was raspy, her tone subconsciously gentler.
“Just finished.”
They chatted like usual. He didn’t ask, and she didn’t explain. Just seeing him made some of her worries fade away.
That evening, Lauren Shaw went home.
The house was lively. The old lady’s face crinkled into a broad grin when she saw her.
“Shengsheng’s home!” the old lady said, craning her neck to peek behind.
“Grandma, what are you looking for?” Lauren Shaw asked.
“Where’s Yancheng? Why didn’t he come with you?”
“He’s on a business trip. He won’t be back for a few days.”
Since his last birthday visit, Grandma had taken quite a liking to Yancy Shaw—or maybe she was just fond of everyone Shengsheng loved.
“Neither Xavi Quinn nor Yancheng came?” Grandma asked.
Lauren Shaw’s mother laughed. “They’re all busy. Next time, you can make your granddaughter bring them both home.”