Too Late for Regret novel Chapter 98

Their Allegations are False

Chapter 98

Sasha’s POV

I didn’t care who he ended up calling up to the stand. I’m just glad to be out of the hot seat for a little while. Her attorney acts polite, but he’s actually pretty sharp. I don’t know if I can outsmart him or evade his questioned for too long. I just need to pray that the jury sees reasonable doubt and allows me to get the hell out of this country. Once I get my passport back, I’m gone. I’m never coming back here if I can help it.

I was sick of playing it safe. I knew that it was my word against hers. She’s the one who has to prove that the designs were hers. I didn’t have to prove they were mine. I just had to refrain from admitting anything that could be disproven while on the stand. Roger needed those designs, so he would have to be out of his mind if he contradicted me on this. I’m going to make sure that I end her career with this plagiarism allegation.

There was no way for her to be able to prove me wrong, not with Roger backing me up.

“I’d like to call Ms. Gwen Simpson to the stand,” her attorney called out.

“Who the hell is Gwen Simpson?” Joyce whispered to me.

I shrugged before replying, “I have no idea.”

1

The doors at the back of the courtroom opened, and we heard the sharp strike of high heels crossing the floor as she walked towards us. I didn’t want to act like I cared, so I didn’t turn around. It really didn’t matter who she was. I don’t know her, so she doesn’t matter in the grand scheme of things. Joyce and I both recognized her as she was being sworn in. She was the CEO of Fashion Forward. I quickly wrote down who she was for our attorney. I also reminded him that they were selling jewelry from our designs that were taken.

He gave me a curt nod and prepared to make his own notes. We had told him that Fashion Forward had not only started production with the new designs, but that the old designs were being used as well. That might not seem like a big deal. But if she had used her time on the clock to create those designs, that meant that they all belonged to Roger. She would have to return every single one of those designs back to him, and that was my whole purpose in going this far.

I might have divorced him, but he would be so grateful to me after this, he would end up owing me a great deal. I’m going to have him agree to give me a million–dollar payout each year. It’s the least he could do to pay me back for getting her whole catalogue taken away from her. I hadn’t even realized that I was smiling until Gwen looked at me and scoffed, shaking her head like I disgusted her. I needed the reminder. I have to act innocent until I get this done. I shouldn’t have been acting so happy right now; that was a real mistake. I hope the jury didn’t notice me doing that.

“Ms. Simpson, what exactly is your job title, and can you tell us how long you’ve held your current position?”

Ana’s attorney asked.

“I’m the CEO of Fashion Forward. I’ve held that title for the last six years, ever since I turned twenty–one. I worked with the previous CEO, who preceded me. They were a brilliant individual who were instrumental in making my experience seamless when I graduated from college. He helped me for half a year until I turned twenty–two, before retiring. I’ve been in charge ever since,” she replied with a smile.

She wasn’t scared to be up there. It was like she didn’t care that I would soon be throwing her under the bus

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Their Allegations are False

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the second I got back up on the stand. I’m going to ensure that everyone here knows they’re already selling our stolen designs. I don’t care how powerful their company is; they can’t just get away with it. But I didn’t know how this was going to play out. I can tell that some of the people here believe me. Maybe not the whole jury, but a few of them did. That’s enough to cause a mistrial, and that’s all I need. If necessary, I will

apologize to Ana and leave the country. I don’t want to go through this again.

“What are your job duties on an average day?” he asked.

Why would he even ask that? Who cares what she does for work? That doesn’t involve the case at all. I was

glad when our attorney stood up and finally spoke. “Objection, relevance?”

“Once my Ms. Simpson is allowed to answer, the relevancy will be known,” her attorney replied.

“Overruled,” the judge stated. “I’ll allow it.”

“I run the day–to–day details for the entire business, and a mountain of paperwork. I meet with each department and oversee all aspects of the company’s operations. I work with everyone, from our designers to finance, and every department in between. I also oversee our ad campaigns,” she replied.

“So, you mentioned designs as a part of your job duties. How much involvement do you have concerning the designs?” he asked.

“We trust all of our employees. We allow them to work on their own projects and encourage creativity. We have weekly meetings with the design team members. We discuss the new designs and what we will be sending off to be produced. Not every piece is worthy enough to be made. A significant amount of work goes into each design. Like taking into account the current trends, making something elegant and timeless, or just something fun to wear. I meet with my boss and the rest of the team for weekly meetings. We discuss which pieces are good enough to be sent off to be produced. We also refine designs that fall short of the mark and save them for future use. We have a brilliant team, most of whom have been with us for years,” she replied.

“Sounds like you’re lucky to have a good team with some long–standing employees. How much experience does your design team have?” he asked.

“That’s not true! Ana just got hired recently. She stole my designs. That’s how she got hired at your company. How could you possibly trust her?” I cried out.

I can’t keep letting him act like their company is so freaking good. It might be a strong company, but Ana is a new hire. I won’t let her act like she’s so stinking great. She’s manipulated this woman into believing her lies. I can’t let them go too far with this, or I’ll be exposed as a liar. I just can’t allow that to happen.

“Mrs. Cook, hold your comments until you are back on the stand. Do not interrupt Ms. Simpson’s testimony again,” the judge warned me. “Ms. Simpson, you can go ahead and reply to Attorney Briggs.”

This is infuriating. It’s like their all on her side. I started pointing out that Ana was a new hire and had probably been hired because of her last set of designs. Designs that they can’t actually prove belong to Ana. I won’t let them dictate how this trial proceeds.

“Yes, we have several longtime designers under our employ. They do an excellent job, and the owner is also a

very talented designer in her own right,” she replied.

“So the owner of Fashion Forward is able to design too. They don’t just approve what their team members design?” he asked.

“She does give approval for designs to be made, and not just for jewelry, but clothes, shoes, and bags as

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well. I can assure you that her designs are always the ones that receive the best feedback. I’m happy that she’s working with us even more these days. We’re about to start a new ad campaign that we’re all really excited about. Now that she has returned to us and is working full–time again, you can expect our growth to

soar,” she answered.

“Mrs. Sasha Cook has made some serious allegations. She’s also been very vocal about your new line of jewelry. The one that was used to promote your last jewelry campaign. She’s been on social media, on TV, and even coming to cause issues at your company about it. She’s claiming that you knowingly sold her plagiarized designs,” he suggested.

“I know what she’s saying, and that is completely untrue. I would like to see a shred of proof for Sasha’s allegations. I saw the printouts she had. The ones that were submitted as evidence. They are far and away from the line we are actually selling. I know the designer she took them from. After Mrs. Cook joined Roger’s company, she was quite the little tyrant. She took those printouts from a designer who is still with Roger’s company. You should ask her how Sasha managed to obtain those printouts. They were supposed to be returned to my client. Instead, Sasha took them for herself and decided to try to steal Ana’s hard work. I can assure you that Ana has more than enough proof to show that those designs belonged to her, not Sasha,” she replied with a smirk.

“So Sasha Cook’s allegations are false?” He replied.

He was acting shocked, and I knew that bastard was trying to mock me. I was trying so hard to hold my tongue, but it was hard to do when you’re being insulted. I had to remind myself repeatedly not to end up with contempt charges. That it wouldn’t work out for me in the long run. Regina has been sentenced to a year for contempt and perjury. I would get the same thing if I were proven wrong. Her reference to the designer who had handed the original printouts to me had just reminded me that there was a witness. If you are reading this book on any app other than Dreame, it has been stolen from author Kat Von Beck. The book is

titled “Too Late for Regret.”

Even if that employee in question was a low–level employee. She could ruin everything that I’ve done by admitting I took those designs while she’s on the stand. Roger needs to deal with her right now. She needs to be fired. I can’t afford a slip–up like that, as it would expose me as a liar in front of the jury. I glanced back at Roger, but he was looking at Gwen with a frown on his face. Maybe he’s worried about what she just said. He needs to act quickly to keep this from blowing up in my face.

“They are false, and I can prove it. This isn’t Ana’s first time designing. She has been a gifted designer since we met at eighteen, when we started college together. She has impressed me with her imagination and creativity for the last nine years. I know her very well, and I trust her. I find it completely unbelievable that people can simply claim anything they want without providing any actual proof. Both Sasha and Joyce have done nothing but try to slander and defame not only Ana, but also Fashion Forward. I’m going to seek damages for the hit our company has taken in sales because of their intentionally malicious and deceitful words,” she replied to him as she looked in our direction. She seems angry, but she doesn’t have enough

evidence to sue us in court.

KatVonBeck

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