Chapter 1177

After the restaurant owner left with the tray, the people at the table exchanged puzzled glances, unsure of what was going on. Only Helen seemed preoccupied, as if she had guessed something. Sure enough, when they returned to the competition venue, the host was announcing the finalists, and C&S Signature Jewels's name was among them. The crowd had mixed reactions. No matter the industry, plagiarists were usually shunned, yet not only had they not been punished, they had advanced to the finals. It was hard for anyone to believe this wasn't due to behind-the-scenes manipulation. Kendrick and the others knew well enough and avoided the crowd's gaze. Even though they had done nothing wrong, in a corrupt environment, appearing justified could provoke public anger and make things worse. Helen was prepared to present evidence and potentially go head-to-head with the Cunningham Group. However, this could lead to sensational news about malicious competition, risking disqualification and tar