Chapter 3: The Designs That Exposed Her

The huge exhibition hall of the National Fashion Gala was filled with important people.

Cameras flashed everywhere.

Tonight was very important for every designer.

The winner of the competition would receive a big prize and a chance to have their clothes sold around the world through Vance Enterprises.

Sarah stood in the VIP section, holding the railing lightly.

Below her was the long runway where the models would show the clothes.

"Nervous?" Adrian asked beside her.

He was sitting in his wheelchair and wearing a dark blue suit.

His eyes moved across the crowd.

"A little," Sarah admitted.

She took a deep breath.

"Tonight is the deadline. Chloe is showing the collection she stole from me."

Sarah's voice became sad.

"They came from my mother's final design journals. Watching someone else take credit for my mother's work hurts."

"Then use that pain to make you stronger," Adrian said.

He looked at her.

"My technology team checked the competition's records this afternoon."

Sarah turned toward him.

"Chloe uploaded your mother's exact designs using her own name."

He reached into his pocket and gave Sarah a small silver flash drive.

"This has the original digital copies of your mother's designs."

Sarah looked at it.

"They were saved nine years ago in your mother's old online storage."

Adrian's eyes became cold.

"When Chloe goes on that stage, you won't just defeat her."

He paused.

"You will prove that she stole everything."

Before Sarah could answer, a familiar laugh came from behind them.

"Well, well. Look who managed to get into the VIP section."

Chloe walked toward them.

She wore a bright red dress and was standing beside Jason.

Chloe looked at Sarah with a cruel smile.

"I suppose marrying a disabled man has its benefits, Sarah."

Sarah's eyes narrowed.

"Now you can finally enter places meant for important people."

Jason smiled.

"Enjoy watching from the side, Sarah."

He looked at his watch.

"In ten minutes, Chloe's collection, Ethereal Rebirth, will be shown."

He smiled proudly.

"The judges have already seen some of the designs. She is almost certain to win."

Sarah looked at Chloe calmly.

"You call it Ethereal Rebirth?"

Chloe smiled.

"Yes."

"That's funny," Sarah replied.

"My mother called that collection Aria's Symphony."

Chloe's smile disappeared for a moment.

Sarah continued.

"She designed it while she was receiving treatment for cancer."

Chloe's expression quickly became cold again.

"Who cares what a dead woman called it?"

She lifted her chin.

"The designs belong to me now."

She looked at Sarah.

"I registered them under my name."

She smiled.

"Tonight, everyone will see that I'm the real genius."

Sarah remained calm.

"You are nothing."

Sarah looked directly into her eyes.

"We'll see."

Ten minutes later, the lights in the hall went down.

Music began playing.

It was loud and beautiful.

The first model walked onto the runway.

She was wearing a beautiful silver dress.

The dress looked like shining moonlight.

Everyone gasped.

Cameras flashed everywhere.

The judges looked amazed.

"Brilliant!" one of them shouted.

"The way the dress is designed is amazing!"

Backstage, Chloe stood proudly near the runway.

She was waiting for the final part of the show.

She looked toward Sarah and raised her glass.

It was a mocking toast.

Then suddenly....

The music stopped.

The runway lights changed.

The models stopped moving and looked confused.

"What happened?" Jason shouted.

"Fix the sound!"

But the music didn't return.

Instead, the huge screens behind the runway began to flicker.

The pictures advertising Chloe's collection disappeared.

A new image appeared.

It was a hand-drawn sketch.

The sketch showed the exact same silver dress currently being worn on the runway.

But the sketch looked old.

At the bottom was a signature:

Aria Lin, 2017.

The crowd became very quiet.

A fashion journalist suddenly stood up.

"Wait!"

He stared at the screen.

"That's Aria Lin's signature!"

His voice shook.

"She was the famous designer who died years ago!"

People began whispering.

Then another screen appeared beside the drawing.

It showed proof that the design had been saved and protected nine years earlier.

Another document appeared.

It compared Chloe's designs with Aria's original drawings.

The result was shocking.

99.8% identical.

At the top of the screen, huge red letters appeared:

PLAGIARISM WARNING: DESIGN THEFT DETECTED.

Chloe's face became completely white.

"No!"

She screamed.

"Turn it off!"

She ran onto the stage.

"This is a mistake! Someone hacked the system!"

She pointed at the screen.

"Those are my designs!"

Sarah stepped out of the VIP section.

She walked down the large staircase toward the runway.

Everyone turned to look at her.

The cameras followed her.

Sarah stopped near the runway.

She looked at Chloe.

"It's not a mistake."

Her voice was loud and clear through the speakers.

"Those designs belong to my mother, Aria Lin."

The crowd became silent.

"You and Jason broke into my workspace and stole her journals."

Sarah's eyes were cold.

"You thought a poor girl like me would never be able to fight back."

She paused.

"But you were wrong."

Sarah took another step forward.

"I am no longer alone."

She looked at Chloe.

"I am now the Vice-President of the new Vance Fashion House."

Chloe's eyes widened.

Sarah continued.

"I have already filed a legal case against you and your fashion company for stealing my mother's work."

She turned toward the security guards.

"Security?"

Four large men in dark suits walked onto the stage.

They surrounded Chloe.

"Miss Chloe," the head guard said.

"You need to leave."

"You are banned from the National Fashion Gala forever."

Chloe panicked.

"Jason!"

She looked toward him.

"Help me!"

But Jason stood frozen.

The cameras continued flashing as the guards took Chloe away.

Everyone was watching.

Jason quickly turned around.

He tried to escape through the back door.

But someone was waiting for him.

Adrian's secretary stood there with two police officers.

"Mr. Jason Vance," the secretary said politely.

His smile was calm but frightening.

"CEO Adrian Vance has ordered an investigation into your department."

Jason swallowed hard.

"You are being investigated for stealing company property and spying on the company."

The secretary pointed toward the police officers.

"Please come with us."

Jason's face went pale.

Meanwhile, Sarah looked back toward the VIP section.

Adrian was still sitting there.

He looked directly at her.

He didn't smile.

Instead, he slowly raised his glass.

It was his way of telling her that she had done well.

Sarah smiled slightly.

Round two belonged to them.

And now the entire world of high society knew one thing:

Sarah was not someone they could push around anymore.