At that time, Lisa was merely jealous.

She envied Xia Xiaolan’s “talent” and her connections.

If it weren’t for those connections, how could two clients have approached simultaneously, competing to commission Xia Xiaolan?

Naturally, Lisa also felt resentful.

During the theater renovation project’s final stages, when Mrs. Wilson seemed to have fallen out with Xia Xiaolan, the latter had already left GMP. Mrs. Wilson repeatedly caused trouble at the firm and made things difficult for Lisa at the site, making Lisa feel she had endured many grievances.

She had made her contributions.

She had endured unfairness.

Yet she couldn’t enjoy the glory?

This was the unwritten rule in the architectural industry – whoever serves as the lead designer basks in the glory.

People would say that an award-winning work was the creation of a certain architect, a certain firm’s masterpiece. When architects accept awards, they merely thank their team… just like those Hollywood stars who routinely thank their agencies and agents while standing on the award stage.

Lisa seethed with jealousy.

Yet she felt powerless.

Watching GMP Partner Kissinger submit the theater project for the “AIA Rising Star Architect” award, her feelings of jealousy reached their peak.

The theater renovation project was indeed excellently executed.

After opening, the audience confirmed this fact.

Even the demanding Mrs. Wilson fell silent upon seeing how popular the renovated theater had become.

If Xia Xiaolan won the AIA Rising Star award, she would undoubtedly achieve international architectural fame… and she hadn’t even completed her undergraduate studies, not even qualifying as a real architect yet!

Women were overlooked in this industry.

Lisa believed her professional experience perfectly illustrated this point. Her inability to advance at GMP, to gain more opportunities – wasn’t it because she was a female architect?

As a fellow female architect, she faced numerous obstacles.

Why did Xia Xiaolan’s path seem so smooth in comparison?

It was so unfair…

Lisa hadn’t expected that Mond Dawson, the vice chairman of this year’s AIA jury, would remember their chance encounter at the theater and question GMP’s submission.

Mr. Mond believed she was the theater’s lead designer, that it was her work.

When the AIA jury approached her to verify this, seeing the encouragement in Mond’s eyes, Lisa, driven by some inexplicable impulse, confirmed this claim before the jury!

Kissinger was naturally furious.

But Lisa wasn’t so afraid anymore.

After submitting some of the design drafts to AIA headquarters, Mond expressed admiration for her courage and supported her rights-protection action.

“If you lose your job over this, you’re welcome to join my studio.”

This gave Lisa tremendous confidence.

Mond’s studio was no less prestigious than GMP’s New York office.

She naturally chose to resign from GMP and join Mond’s studio.

This action also cemented her victim status – her work had almost been stolen, and she exposed the truth, and couldn’t remain at GMP. Such a pitiful person.

What did this “pitiful” woman lose?

Nothing.

She secured a higher-paying job.

Her name became known among New York colleagues for the first time.

Although AIA maintained GMP’s face by not announcing this matter industry-wide, walls have ears, and Lisa gained attention through this incident.

Unfortunately, she was well over 28 years old, failing to meet the AIA Rising Star Architect award’s age requirement. Otherwise, she could have competed for this award with this work.

Having gained these benefits, Lisa couldn’t back down… but when she received the court summons, she panicked.

Though Xia Xiaolan had left America, she had quickly filed a lawsuit.

“Mr. Mond, what should I do?”

Lisa rushed into Mond’s office, flustered, placing the court summons on his desk.

Then she saw what Mond was holding – AIA headquarters had faxed Xia Xiaolan’s protest letter to him.

“Sir, I… I…”

Mond dropped the fax, glanced at the court summons, and remained calm:

“What do you want to say? That the theater renovation design wasn’t yours, that you deceived me?”

“No… sir, it is my work.”

Lisa bit her tongue.

She didn’t even understand why Mond had said those things to the AIA jury.

When Mond was touring the theater with his daughter, Lisa had told him the truth in response to his compliments – it wasn’t her work, but that of another architect at the firm.

She thought Mond had forgotten.

Before the AIA jury, Lisa had claimed Xia Xiaolan’s design as her own.

Mond hadn’t exposed her, and she thought he had truly forgotten-

No, that wasn’t it. How could a Pritzker Architecture Prize winner, a renowned architect who could remember detailed parameters, forget something like this?

Mond had known all along whose work the theater was.

He and Lisa simply never addressed this issue directly, maintaining an unspoken understanding.

Mond’s composure gradually affected Lisa.

Yes, they didn’t need to address this matter. Whatever the reason, this was the outcome Mond wanted.

Lisa raised her voice:

“Sir, it is my work!”

Mond finally showed a slight smile, “Yes, the AIA jury has determined it’s your work. Some people want to overturn AIA’s decision, but how could AIA agree? This is just a common copyright lawsuit; you should have confidence in yourself.”

Lisa took a deep breath and lowered her voice:

“There’s a crucial witness, another intern who participated in the project, Matthew Carlton, also from Cornell University’s School of Architecture. I know he desperately wants to stay at GMP.”

Mond looked up, “But he couldn’t stay, right? Among interns from the same batch, one always stands out while others become supporting roles. As fellow interns, when one leads a project while another merely assists, wouldn’t there be jealousy? All classmate loyalty is false; before personal interests, people always make smart choices. You did, and Matthew will too.”

“You mean to offer him a position at the studio-“

Lisa exclaimed softly.

That was indeed a solution.

Working at Mond Dawson’s studio – how different was this career starting point from GMP?

GMP had many established architects; Matthew, as a newcomer, would need years to emerge.

Mond’s studio was different.

If Mond gave Matthew more opportunities, his path to recognition would be much shorter.

Put simply, if GMP could nominate Xia Xiaolan for this year’s AIA Rising Star Architect award, Mond could help Matthew become a nominee for next year’s “AIA Rising Star Architect” if he wished-

Mond tossed down the summons:

“Even if not at GMP, he can go elsewhere. Young people should think more about their future. Others can afford lawyers and have GMP partners backing them, but what does he have?”