"Victim," I repeated slowly, as though the word tasted bitter in my mouth.
"Yes, victim," Liana reaffirmed with a calm face, as if that settled everything.
I couldn’t help the scoff that escaped my lips. My fists clenched at my sides.
"What are you trying to say, Ms. Liana?" I asked, my voice shaking now .... a mix of confusion, frustration, and the fury building in my chest. "Are you saying I should just believe that Mara is innocent? After everything that’s happened?"
My head spun. My hands clenched into fists on my lap. "But that’s not true," I whispered, then repeated louder. "That’s not true! I have proof. Real proof. Olivia tracked the account and the phone location. It all leads back to Mara."
Liana leaned forward, her expression thoughtful. "Emily, I’m not saying I fully believe Mara. That’s why this investigation is ongoing. But
"Victim," I repeated slowly, as though the word tasted bitter in my mouth."Yes, victim," Liana reaffirmed with a calm face, as if that settled everything.I couldn’t help the scoff that escaped my lips. My fists clenched at my sides."What are you trying to say, Ms. Liana?" I asked, my voice shaking now .... a mix of confusion, frustration, and the fury building in my chest. "Are you saying I should just believe that Mara is innocent? After everything that’s happened?"My head spun. My hands clenched into fists on my lap. "But that’s not true," I whispered, then repeated louder. "That’s not true! I have proof. Real proof. Olivia tracked the account and the phone location. It all leads back to Mara."Liana leaned forward, her expression thoughtful. "Emily, I’m not saying I fully believe Mara. That’s why this investigation is ongoing. But
I strode toward Liana’s office, my head held high and my heart steady. Every step I took made me feel stronger, more confident. I wore a small, satisfied smile on my face because I believed I had finally gathered everything I needed. This time, there would be no doubt. Mara had dug her own grave.When I reached her door, I paused for a moment. I took in a deep breath and let it out slowly. I needed to stay calm, steady. Then, I knocked firmly."Come in," came Liana’s voice from inside, clear and professional.I pushed the door open and stepped inside. A few of her colleagues were seated at their desks, busy with their tasks, but they looked up when they noticed me entering. Their eyes followed me, curious but polite."Good day, everyone," I greeted warmly, my voice smooth and pleasant despite the storm brewing inside me.They smiled back at me, nodding in return, and
Two days later, I stood in front of Vera Label again, my heart thudding painfully against my ribs. The tall glass doors reflected my face back at me, tired eyes, tight lips, a face I barely recognized anymore. I took in a deep breath, but even that felt shaky.I was here to meet Liana, the brand lead, to discuss everything — the stolen designs, the lies, the betrayal that had ripped me apart. Olivia and I had worked hard gathering all the proof. It was solid now. And yet, my chest still felt heavy, like a stone was sitting on it.As I stepped inside, the cool air wrapped around me, but it did nothing to calm my nerves. My mind was a storm. I had prepared myself for this, but part of me still wished it wasn’t true.I had only taken a few steps toward Liana’s office when I heard a voice I now hated but had once trusted with my whole heart."Emily!"M
I froze on spot, watching the videos as my palm suddenly gets sweaty. My heart raced fast as my eyes refused to leave Shanelle's phone screen.I replayed the video over and over as it felt like I was sinking into a deep hole.In the video, there was Mara, in a room which I recognised instantly at the design room, where all the designs for the projects were kept. The camera was clear enough to capture the crime she was committing.Mara approached my dress, the dress I had sleepless nights on, the dress I spent all my time and energy on for the showcase. She has this cunny smile on her lips, something I had never seen before, it was different from her cheerful smile.She made an uncordinated cuts on the dress, ruining it completely with a pair of scissors. She spoilt the dress and I could see hatred glinting in her eyes.I covered my mouth as a choked sound escaped me. My body trem
I went home with my head spinning. Mara's words echoed in my mind over and over, making me feel dizzy with confusion. She had cried. She had begged me to believe her. And the way she looked at me like she was truly innocent made my heart twist painfully.I wanted to trust her. I really did. But then I would remember that post, my design, and my signature right there for the world to see. It didn’t make sense, and the more I thought about it, the more tangled my thoughts became.When I stepped inside the house, I found Olivia sitting on the couch, scrolling through her phone. The moment she saw me, she stood up quickly, her eyes sharp and full of questions."Well?" she asked, crossing her arms. "Did you confront her? What did she say?"I dropped my bag on the floor and sank into the nearest chair, feeling completely drained. I rubbed my temples as I let out a long, shaky breath.&nb
EMILY'S POVOlivia pulled the phone back, her hands shaking. "Emily, this isn’t just some random post. It’s everywhere. People are calling it the next big thing and they’re saying Mara is the genius behind it." Her voice cracked on Mara’s name, sharp with disbelief and fury.I felt like I’d been punched in the stomach. My knees went weak, and I had to grip the doorframe even tighter. My head spun, and for a second, I thought I might collapse right there."No," I whispered, shaking my head. "No, this… this can’t be real. Mara wouldn’t… she couldn’t do this to me." My voice sounded small, even to my own ears.Olivia's eyes furrowed. "Emily wise up, open those pretty eyes of yours wide. You gave your sketches to her to use as a guideline for her ..... Only heaven knows why. And now your sketches are up on the internet but the th
Emily's POVI rushed into the restroom, my chest tightening as I closed the door behind me. My hands were shaking when I unfolded the paper again, even though I already knew the words by heart."Don't trust everyone. Mara is hiding a secret from you."I read it out loud, my voice barely more than a whisper, but hearing it made it feel more real somehow. My stomach twisted. I kept reading the message again and again until the letters blurred together. My head started to spin, and I grabbed the edge of the sink for balance.Who sent this? And why? Mara and I had known each other for some months now. We'd talk most times, she helps me out and I do the same too even Olivia do tease about my friendship with Mara.But the seed of doubt had already rooted itself deep inside me, no matter how hard I tried to push it away.I let out a shaky breath and crumpled the pap
EMILY’S POVDays passed, and I drowned myself in work. It was easier that way. Between my personal clients and my responsibilities at Vera’s label, I barely had time to think about anything else. I worked from morning until late at night, sketching designs, sewing, and handling fittings. I didn’t want to pause, because I knew the moment I did, my mind would drift back to Ethan being away and the storm that seemed to be brewing around me.That afternoon, I was sitting in my studio, surrounded by swatches of fabric and unfinished sketches. My phone buzzed beside me, breaking the quiet hum of my sewing machine. I glanced at the screen and saw Ethan’s name flashing. My heart skipped a beat.I swiped to answer."Handsome dude," I said softly, leaning back in my chair."Emily," his deep voice came through, calm but with that familiar warmth I always missed. "I s
EMILY’S POVCamille’s voice was sharp, cutting through the noise like a knife."No difference between you and Wednesday, that devilish girl from the Wednesday series," she spat out, her fists clenched so tightly that her knuckles turned white.I turned slowly to face her, my lips curling into a smirk."And do you think you’re any different? Laurel Gates should have been your mother. The two of you share the same rotten traits—manipulative, cruel, and desperate for attention."Her face flushed red, and I could see the way her jaw tightened before she spun around and stormed off angrily, her heels clicking furiously against the floor.Daniel, who had been watching from the side with a dark expression, stepped forward. His eyes bored into me."What she said… is it true?" he asked, his voice low but firm.