Chapter 98 100% Trust
The next morning, Jane ate the snacks Edward had given her last night and drank a glass of milk for breakfast. When she was about to go out, Aaron's phone call came.
Jane picked it up and was surprised, "Why are you up so early?"
Aaron said, "I woke up with a pee in my pants. I'm not going to tell you that. Come downstairs to my house right now!"
It was weird of him to be so anxious in the early morning. Jane took the lift down and found that Aaron's door was already open for her.
Jane came in and asked, "What's wrong?"
Aaron sat on the sofa in a T-shirt and big shorts, looking at his cellphone with his unkempt hair and face. Without looking up at Jane, he replied, "Come and see."
Jane walked over to Aaron and he handed her his phone. It was a Weibo news item. Oriental Journey had just announced on its official blog this morning that its new game was expected to be released in three days. It also released a preview that lasted several minutes. Jane clicked on it to watch.
After watching it, she had an indescribable look on her face. Aaron raised his head and asked, "What do you see?"
Jane said solemnly, "A lot of the characters are very similar to Edward's."
Aaron said, "I have joined several game groups. People in the groups all chatted excitedly today when I got up, saying that Oriental Journey's new game was going to be launched early and it might be a smash hit. So I clicked in and saw that the skins are the same as those in the alpha test you gave me before. If one or two of them are similar, I can say it's a coincidence. But I counted. Only four or five among the seventeen characters in the preview are different."
It bore a striking similarity to Edward's game. Even the fool would know that it couldn't be a coincidence. Only one reason left: someone on Edward's side had leaked the information.
Jane's brow furrowed. She didn't play mobile games in daily life and didn't know much about this industry. She asked, "Who runs Oriental Journey? What do people think about it?"
Hearing Jane's question, Aaron showed a meaningful expression. He said, "Oriental Journey was established four years ago. It is not a new company. It has been among the top three in the game circle. And the games it has designed before are also quite good. The company is owned by two major shareholders. You know both of them. One is Ken."
Jane looked at Aaron and said motionlessly, "The other one is Aiden?"
"Yeah."
Jane didn't say anything. Aaron said, "I was surprised when you brought out the alpha test game. It's just a cellphone, but if the content in it leaks, it will make a great loss of hundreds of millions. I even don't dare to take it out because I'm afraid of causing trouble. I wished you could return it sooner. But now, something is wrong. I'm afraid Edward will suspect you."
Jane asked, "Just the character skins have leaked, but the gameplay is different. If so, will Edward lose a lot of money?"
Aaron said, "They are developing the same type of game, so the specific gameplay is more or less the same. The gameplay experience still plays a leading role in attracting plays, but now Oriental Journey launched the game one step ahead. If Edward has enough evidence to sue Oriental Journey for plagiarism and infringement, it'll be fine. If not, his team must change the skin again, which will delay the launch date. The players are just looking for something new. So, the market will have been taken over by Oriental Journey at that time."
Jane realized that this time Edward was doomed to lose.
Aaron was worried about Jane. He asked, "When you go to the Smith's and meet Edward today, you have to see his attitude. What will you do if he really suspects you?"
Jane's face showed vague anxiety, but she didn't panic. She said as usual, "I'll call Edward. It's normal to be suspicious. But I did nothing wrong, so I'm not afraid of being investigated."
After leaving Aaron's house, Jane called Edward. She remembered that this was the second time she called him. The first time was when Beth came to the Smith's. She had been forced by Justin to call Edward.
When she made this call, her heart was still calm. Thinking that she hadn't done anything wrong, she wouldn't be afraid of anything. But listening to the beeping sound coming from the phone, she was not that brave as she thought for some reason. What if Edward really doubted her? What could she do to defend herself?
As she wandered, the call was answered and the man's low voice came through, "Hello."
Instinctively she said, "Mr. Smith, this is Jane."
"Yes?"
Jane said, "I've just seen the news on the internet that the new skins of Oriental Journey are very similar to the skins of your company. Was the game leaked?"
Edward's voice was steady without any emotions, "We're looking into it internally."
Jane said, "I've touched the phone too, including my friend. I can assure you that my friend is very careful and he would never leak it. He and I will rethink about the whole process and we are always open to your investigation."
Edward said, "No one is saying that it is you and your friend who leaked it. I trust you, so I gave you the phone. Don't think too much."
Jane was touched by his words, knowing that he was a discerning man. However, principle and trust were two different things. It was surprising that he believed her so much.
"Mr. Smith, I can't help you. I just hope that you can find the cause as soon as possible and try to minimize the damage."
Edward gave a faint sound 'hmm'. Then he said, "Just focus on your own business."
Hanging up the phone, Jane quickly recalled every detail from the time she got the phone to the time she returned it, the people she had contacted, and the time and place where it might have been leaked ......
The phone rang suddenly. It was Aaron.
Jane picked up and Aaron said, "Do we need to ask Henry?"
Jane said, "I also think of Henry. But I specially instructed him before he took the phone. Due to his relationship with Edward, he wouldn't have offered to divulge it."
Aaron saw through Jane's concern, "He's not going to do it. I'm worried that he kept the phone for days. What if someone else saw it and divulged it?"
Jane struggled, "It's quite important, but I'm embarrassed to ask him about it."
When it came to the matter of trust, even a polite or euphemistic enquiry could make people feel uncomfortable, unless the other side took the initiative to say.
Aaron said, "What about me? I ask him?"
Jane said, "Don't beat around the bush. Let me think about how to say."
This was indeed a great event. Either a nine-figure business or the loyalty of those people around her was a heavy burden. Since Jane hadn't yet figured out how to ask Henry, she went to the Smith's as usual first.
When she opened the door of Justin's room, she found that the curtains in the living room were already drawn, which was unexpected. But what was even more unexpected was that Justin had been ready and was sitting on the sofa. Seeing Jane, he turned his head and said, "Do you know that the game of my uncle's company was leaked?"
Jane nodded, "I just knew that while watching the news this morning."
Justin said, "Not one of our own did that. Henry just called me. He said he's kept the phone at home without taking it out after took it from Aaron's house. The people in the house who can get into his room are his mother and an aunt. He's cross-examined them all, no problem."
Jane looked at Justin and said, "Why didn't you ask me?"
Justin looked at her for three seconds, "Nuts! Even Henry knows the game is strictly confidential. You must know that too."
He seemed to show signs of impatience, because he thought Jane deliberately asked what was meaningless. However, Jane's heart gave a lurch when she heard Justin's words. Another person that trusted her hundred percent.