Chapter 51
Myra was touched by Tony’s thoughtful gesture. It was likely that he had ordered this special treatment to shield her from any potential ridicule from the Hart Group staff, especially after the plagiarism rumors had spread throughout the company.
As Myra reached the 48th floor and stepped into Tony’s office, she found Sasha already there, waiting. Tony was seated behind his desk, his fingers pressed to his forehead in a contemplative manner. Sunlight streamed through the windows, casting a soft glow on his back, adding a faint shimmer to his figure.
“Director Hart, Miss Stark is here,” Leo’s voice broke the silence.
Tony slowly raised his head, his eyes narrowing slightly at the sound of Leo’s announcement. He leaned back in his chair, his sharp features and strong build creating a powerful yet unassuming presence. He exuded an effortless dominance, and in this moment, there was a lazy yet intentional air to his posture that commanded attention.
Sasha, having already considered that Tony might not fully understand her intentions, had sought the help of her grandfather. After some careful thought, she concluded that Tony hadn’t noticed her feelings for him, so she asked Old Master Hart to give him a subtle nudge. From what her grandfather had said, it seemed Tony was satisfied with her efforts, which made Sasha optimistic. She felt confident as she arrived at the office, thinking everything was going according to plan. Her sole reason for being there was to witness Myra’s “trial” — a confrontation she hoped would result in Myra admitting to plagiarism. To this end, Sasha hadn’t even brought her designer with her.
With a soft, seemingly innocent smile, Sasha greeted Myra. “Myra, I’m sure Aunt Eve has already passed on my message to you. If you admit your mistake now, we can all move forward, and no one will need to know about this.”
Sasha’s tone was sweet, but Myra could see through the facade. She gave her a cold look, her eyes narrowing.
“Oh, is that so?” Myra’s voice was ice-cold as she met Sasha’s gaze.
Sasha, unwilling to be deterred, tried again, “Myra, I understand. You’re doing this because you care so much about Sean. You wanted to prove yourself with the project, and I know you didn’t mean for things to turn out this way—”
But Myra wasn’t having it. “Director Hart, please let us know the results,” she interrupted, her voice firm and direct.
Tony’s eyes darkened with a flash of annoyance, but a quick, barely noticeable smile tugged at the corner of his lips in response to Myra’s interruption. Sasha, who had been too wrapped up in her attempt to placate Myra, clenched her fists, biting her lip in frustration.
“Director Hart, please go ahead,” she murmured, trying to keep her composure, though her words seemed hollow.
Myra simply smiled sarcastically, choosing not to engage any further with Sasha. Her attention turned fully to Tony, who had been the silent authority in the room.
Leo placed a laptop in front of Tony and opened a file, turning it to face the women. “Here are the results,” Tony said in a cold tone, his gaze sweeping past Sasha with barely concealed disdain.
On the screen, a photo of Myra was displayed, her head lowered as she focused on her drawing. The photo captured the delicate beauty of her profile — the soft shadows cast by her long eyelashes, the elegance of her features, and her hair falling gracefully around her face. In front of her, there was a drawing on a piece of paper that had already been completed.
Sasha’s confusion was palpable. “This… this is the result?” she stammered, her voice trembling.
Tony enlarged the image of the drawing, revealing that it was the same one submitted by the Hay Group the previous day. While it wasn’t perfectly clear, the outline of the drawing was unmistakable. Sasha’s face twisted in disbelief. “How is this possible?”
Her voice dropped after her outburst, realizing too late that she had revealed her hand.
Tony’s lips curved into a cold smile as he eyed Sasha’s flustered expression. “Miss Hay, the time this picture was taken is marked at the bottom. If you’re concerned about it being edited, feel free to make a copy and take it for further examination,” he said, his voice dripping with calm authority. His arms crossed, he regarded Sasha coolly. “Do you still need me to tell you the result?”
Sasha’s face shifted through several emotions in an instant. First, she glared at the picture in stunned silence, then looked at Myra, who remained calm and composed, her silence speaking volumes.
Sasha quickly realized that her earlier accusations had been futile. The photograph of Myra drawing was evidence that no one could deny. Trying to save face, she blurted, “Director Hart, Myra, I’m sure there’s some misunderstanding here.”
Her fingers tightened into fists, nails nearly digging into her palms. After a long pause, she tried to regain control of the conversation. “After we returned from the Sunny Bay Project site, our designer, Miss Torres, said she would focus on drawing. Honestly, I didn’t know about the design until the very last day, and I had no idea she had stolen Myra’s work. But don’t worry, Director Hart and Myra. Once we figure this out, I will make sure the Hay Group gives you a proper explanation, Myra.”
Sasha’s expression had completely changed from soft and sweet to stern and businesslike. It was as though she was trying to distance herself from any wrongdoing. But Myra wasn’t fooled — Sasha was simply trying to shift the blame to an underling. This was the usual practice in their industry, where employees often took the fall for their superiors’ mistakes.
Myra glanced at Tony, who nodded subtly at her, signaling that he had everything under control. She didn’t worry about the outcome anymore. Her only concern was clearing her name.
As the conversation shifted into private negotiations, Myra quietly left the office. She had no doubt that Tony would handle the situation with precision. As for Sasha’s actions, Myra could only guess that the woman was trying to salvage the Hay Group’s reputation by playing her cards carefully. Losing the Hart Group as a business partner would be devastating for the Hay Group, and both women knew it.
Meanwhile, Sasha, now alone with Tony in the office, couldn’t help but feel a surge of panic. Her perfect plan had crumbled in an instant, and now, her company’s reputation was on the line. She needed Tony’s help, but there was one thing she was certain of: she wasn’t going to let this opportunity slip away without trying to seduce him.
With that thought in mind, Sasha approached Tony and, in a bold move, removed her cardigan, revealing her more sensual side as she walked closer to him.