Embedding a personal watermark like this was a standard safeguard in architectural circles a built-in deterrent against exactly this kind of theft.
Chloe stumbled backward, stammering, unable to string together a coherent defense.
Sebastian's gaze lifted. He raised a hand.
Owen understood instantly and pulled up the exam hall's security footage on the main screen.
The recording showed Chloe seated behind and to the right of Naomi visibly pretending to think, while her eyes kept drifting down toward Naomi's paper the entire time.
The real culprit, confirmed on camera.
Chloe was formally reprimanded and banned from future competitions.
The judging panel apologized to Naomi for their earlier bias.
The championship title was, without question, hers.
As Chloe was escorted out of the ve
