A contemptuous smirk curled Evelyn's lips. "Was I wrong? Everyone here knows the truth. I haven't slandered Genevieve at all."

Her sharp gaze shifted to the woman who had spoken up for Genevieve, her tone dripping with disdain. "Instead of questioning me, perhaps you should examine your own past. Rodriguez, isn't it? Weren't you officially accused of plagiarism in your last major project? The court ruled against you. Yet here you are, interviewing at Aethelgard Industries. Now that is truly puzzling."

The woman named Rodriguez paled. "How... how could you know that?"

Evelyn didn't give her time to recover. She turned to another designer. "And you, Ms. Jimenez. You proudly claim that design award? But everyone knows that particular honor can be purchased. So, what was your price?"

One by one, Evelyn exposed the hidden scandals of several designers present. Her voice grew louder, filled with conviction. "Each of you has a publicly stained reputation. Compared to your records, mine is spotless."

A wave of humiliation washed over the room. Faces flushed crimson, including Genevieve's. They were utterly shamed.

They couldn't keep up with Evelyn's rapid-fire accusations. More importantly, they lacked any evidence to refute her claims. Every word she spoke was verifiable fact.

The taunting ceased abruptly. The group, defeated, quickly dispersed amidst muttered curses.

One frustrated voice rose above the retreating footsteps. "Damn it! How does she know all this? She's just a newcomer!"

Evelyn overheard the comment. A sly, knowing smile touched her lips.

She had prepared meticulously for this interview at Aethelgard Industries. She had researched every significant event and scandal within the design community for years.

These women had mistaken her for an easy target. They had picked a fight.

They had no idea they were messing with the wrong person.

As the confrontation ended, a team of interviewers approached.

"Please, everyone, proceed inside. The interview will begin shortly."

The designers filed into the room, each taking a seat in the assigned area. The interviewers stood at the front, observing silently as staff distributed paper and drawing tools.

The lead interviewer cleared his throat. "You are all exceptional designers, selected from a rigorous screening process. Today, we wish to assess your core design abilities in a live setting. You have one hour to create a complete design draft. The time starts now."

A staff member clicked a timer. A wave of surprise rippled through the candidates.

One designer voiced the collective confusion. "But... you haven't given us a design brief. What are we supposed to design?"

Evelyn watched the lead interviewer intently, waiting for his response.

He offered a calm, professional smile. "Today's test evaluates your ability to make swift, independent creative decisions. Your work must be entirely original. Any form of imitation will result in immediate disqualification. Please begin."

Silence fell. The sound of pencils scratching on paper filled the room.

Evelyn, however, remained still. Her eyes were fixed on the blank page before her. A memory, vivid and sudden, flooded her mind.

Her wedding day. The first time she had met Alexander Blackwood.