Love beyond the mask1-100 – Page 39

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Chapter_39

Monica stood on stage, her eyes brimming with false tears, playing the role of a distressed beauty to perfection. Below her, the crowd was relentless, their voices loud and accusatory.

“If you can’t prove it with your computer, get off the stage! Monica is the true design genius!” one person yelled.

“Whitney, you’re nothing but a plagiarist! You don’t deserve to compete. This could get you expelled!” another voice chimed in.

Someone from the back of the crowd sneered, “Just last week, you were spreading rumors about Monica’s miscarriage. Now we know it’s all a setup to frame her!” The murmurs of the crowd grew louder, adding to the pressure Whitney felt.

Amidst the accusations, Whitney stood, her expression cold and unwavering. Monica had clearly planned this attack carefully.

“No, that’s not true!” Whitney’s assistant cried out, rushing to defend her. “I saw Whitney working tirelessly on this design! Monica, you manipulative witch, twisting everything—”

“Enough,” Aaron’s voice interrupted, cutting through the chaos. He raised his hand, signaling for order. “Whitney, what’s the point of arguing if you have no proof? A plagiarist has no place here. Security, escort them out.”

Without further words, security approached and ushered both Whitney and her assistant out of the exhibit hall. Outside, the sky was as gray and heavy as the storm brewing inside Whitney’s heart. She sat down on the steps and opened her laptop, desperately searching for the file.

But it was gone. The folder was wiped clean, and her history had been erased.

Her eyes narrowed in fury.

Suddenly, a high-heeled shoe slammed onto her laptop, crushing it beneath the heel. Whitney looked up to see Monica, her secretary holding an umbrella to shield her from the reporters. Monica’s voice dripped with mockery as she smirked down at Whitney.

“Sis, thanks for creating such a marvelous design. It’s sure to win the judges’ unanimous praise. Simon already guaranteed my victory by sweet-talking Aaron, but with your design? That’s an added bonus.” Monica’s voice was laced with venom.

She pinched Whitney’s cheek with malicious glee. “You put everything into this competition, hoping to ruin me and make a grand comeback. But look at you now. After today, your name will be tarnished. No jewelry company will ever hire a plagiarist. You’re finished, Whitney. Skye Gem Ltd. is out of your reach.”

With a triumphant laugh, Monica walked away, leaving Whitney standing in the cold, bitter silence. Monica’s voice echoed as she called over her shoulder, “You still don’t understand why you’ve been played, do you? You really thought you could outsmart me?”

Whitney didn’t respond, her gaze icy. She shook off Monica’s touch and stood up.

Behind her, the laughter faded, but the sting remained.

Tiana hurried to her side, her face pale with shock. The reporters were snapping photos, and the crowd was whispering. The shareholders from Skye Gem Ltd. were openly mocking Whitney, calling her a fraud.

Tiana quickly pushed them away and helped Whitney to her feet. Her assistant picked up the shattered laptop.

Tiana turned to Whitney, fury in her eyes. “Who else could have accessed the laptop?” she demanded. “Did Monica’s lackey pay you off?”

“It wasn’t me, Whitney, I swear! Please believe me…” her assistant pleaded, clearly distressed.

Whitney watched her assistant carefully before raising her hand to stop Tiana from reacting rashly. “Don’t be hasty, Tiana. It wasn’t her.”

But Tiana’s anger didn’t subside. “But no one else had access to your laptop.”

Whitney’s eyes hardened, a sharp glint of determination in her gaze. “Think carefully. Every single person who touched it, every moment.”

Tiana paused, a realization creeping in. “Remember October 2nd, Tiana? What day was it?”

Tiana took a moment before recalling, “We had a gathering with Stella on October 1st, and you stayed at my place that night.”

Whitney’s voice was measured as she turned to her assistant. “Has anyone else touched the laptop since we arrived?”

The assistant nodded earnestly. “Absolutely not.”

Whitney frowned but remained silent for a moment, the pieces slowly coming together in her mind. She looked back at Tiana. “Think again. Every single detail. Is there anyone else?”

Tiana’s face went cold as she remembered, “Stella isn’t just anyone. When I went to the bathroom, she came out of the admin room and held it for a moment.”

The words hit Whitney like a thunderclap. Her expression went icy, her resolve hardening.

Tiana’s face froze in disbelief. “You’re joking, right? How could it be Stella? We’ve known her for years.”

“I never wanted to believe it either,” Whitney whispered, the weight of betrayal in her voice. “But Monica laid the trap so perfectly, it had to be her.”

“Where’s Stella now?” Whitney asked, her voice low.

“She mentioned a celebration at the Royal One Club,” Tiana replied, her voice tinged with uncertainty.

Whitney got into the car, her face weary but set with purpose. “Then let’s go to the Royal One Club.”

Tiana hesitated, her heart heavy. “You really think it’s her? What if it’s not? We could ruin a friendship over nothing.”

“If it is her,” Whitney said, her gaze steely, “and we don’t root out this cancer, Monica will have the last laugh.”

Tiana bit her lip, her mind swirling with doubt but also determination. She said nothing, her silence speaking volumes.

As they made their way to the Royal One Club, Whitney’s resolve remained firm. She was ready to uncover the truth, no matter the cost.

The Royal One Club was an exclusive venue in Banyan City, a place where only the city’s elite could enter. It was a guarded fortress of privilege and power. Tiana had to pull some strings to get them inside.

They arrived at Maple Pavilion Room No. 1, where a celebration was in full swing. Stella, now mingling with directors and actors, was holding a glass of wine and laughing with the crowd.

Tiana called out, her voice tight with concern. “Stella?”

Stella turned, her expression flickering for a moment before she plastered on a perfect smile. “Tiana, Whitney! What brings you to the Royal One Club?”

Whitney chuckled, her smile almost too sweet. “Is it inappropriate for me to show up now?”

“Of course not!” Stella quickly closed the distance between them, embracing Whitney warmly and planting a kiss on her cheek. “So, how did it go? Did you crush it in the prelims? Let’s celebrate tonight!”

Tiana’s eyes flicked between the two women, but it was Whitney who spoke first. “Stella, Monica stole my design. I’m in danger of being kicked out of the competition.”

Stella’s face drained of color. “What happened?”

Whitney simply smiled, her expression cool. “It’s alright. Who knows? Maybe I’ll make a comeback.”

Before Stella could respond, someone from inside the room called for her. She looked torn. “The victory party isn’t over yet.”

Tiana nodded, sensing the urgency. “Go back to your guests. We’ll catch up later.”

As Stella left, the door closed behind her. Tiana turned to Whitney, her voice filled with uncertainty. “Did you see her face? She seemed genuine. Maybe she didn’t betray us.”

Whitney’s eyes were sharp as she glanced at Tiana. “Have you forgotten what she does for a living?”

Chapter_39

Monica stood on stage, her eyes brimming with false tears, playing the role of a distressed beauty to perfection. Below her, the crowd was relentless, their voices loud and accusatory.

“If you can’t prove it with your computer, get off the stage! Monica is the true design genius!” one person yelled.

“Whitney, you’re nothing but a plagiarist! You don’t deserve to compete. This could get you expelled!” another voice chimed in.

Someone from the back of the crowd sneered, “Just last week, you were spreading rumors about Monica’s miscarriage. Now we know it’s all a setup to frame her!” The murmurs of the crowd grew louder, adding to the pressure Whitney felt.

Amidst the accusations, Whitney stood, her expression cold and unwavering. Monica had clearly planned this attack carefully.

“No, that’s not true!” Whitney’s assistant cried out, rushing to defend her. “I saw Whitney working tirelessly on this design! Monica, you manipulative witch, twisting everything—”

“Enough,” Aaron’s voice interrupted, cutting through the chaos. He raised his hand, signaling for order. “Whitney, what’s the point of arguing if you have no proof? A plagiarist has no place here. Security, escort them out.”

Without further words, security approached and ushered both Whitney and her assistant out of the exhibit hall. Outside, the sky was as gray and heavy as the storm brewing inside Whitney’s heart. She sat down on the steps and opened her laptop, desperately searching for the file.

But it was gone. The folder was wiped clean, and her history had been erased.

Her eyes narrowed in fury.

Suddenly, a high-heeled shoe slammed onto her laptop, crushing it beneath the heel. Whitney looked up to see Monica, her secretary holding an umbrella to shield her from the reporters. Monica’s voice dripped with mockery as she smirked down at Whitney.

“Sis, thanks for creating such a marvelous design. It’s sure to win the judges’ unanimous praise. Simon already guaranteed my victory by sweet-talking Aaron, but with your design? That’s an added bonus.” Monica’s voice was laced with venom.

With a triumphant laugh, Monica walked away, leaving Whitney standing in the cold, bitter silence. Monica’s voice echoed as she called over her shoulder, “You still don’t understand why you’ve been played, do you? You really thought you could outsmart me?”

Whitney didn’t respond, her gaze icy. She shook off Monica’s touch and stood up.

Behind her, the laughter faded, but the sting remained.

Tiana hurried to her side, her face pale with shock. The reporters were snapping photos, and the crowd was whispering. The shareholders from Skye Gem Ltd. were openly mocking Whitney, calling her a fraud.

Tiana quickly pushed them away and helped Whitney to her feet. Her assistant picked up the shattered laptop.

Tiana turned to Whitney, fury in her eyes. “Who else could have accessed the laptop?” she demanded. “Did Monica’s lackey pay you off?”

“It wasn’t me, Whitney, I swear! Please believe me…” her assistant pleaded, clearly distressed.

Whitney watched her assistant carefully before raising her hand to stop Tiana from reacting rashly. “Don’t be hasty, Tiana. It wasn’t her.”

But Tiana’s anger didn’t subside. “But no one else had access to your laptop.”

Whitney’s eyes hardened, a sharp glint of determination in her gaze. “Think carefully. Every single person who touched it, every moment.”

Tiana paused, a realization creeping in. “Remember October 2nd, Tiana? What day was it?”

Tiana took a moment before recalling, “We had a gathering with Stella on October 1st, and you stayed at my place that night.”

Whitney’s voice was measured as she turned to her assistant. “Has anyone else touched the laptop since we arrived?”

The assistant nodded earnestly. “Absolutely not.”

Whitney frowned but remained silent for a moment, the pieces slowly coming together in her mind. She looked back at Tiana. “Think again. Every single detail. Is there anyone else?”

Tiana’s face went cold as she remembered, “Stella isn’t just anyone. When I went to the bathroom, she came out of the admin room and held it for a moment.”

The words hit Whitney like a thunderclap. Her expression went icy, her resolve hardening.

Tiana’s face froze in disbelief. “You’re joking, right? How could it be Stella? We’ve known her for years.”

“I never wanted to believe it either,” Whitney whispered, the weight of betrayal in her voice. “But Monica laid the trap so perfectly, it had to be her.”

“Where’s Stella now?” Whitney asked, her voice low.

“She mentioned a celebration at the Royal One Club,” Tiana replied, her voice tinged with uncertainty.

Whitney got into the car, her face weary but set with purpose. “Then let’s go to the Royal One Club.”

Tiana hesitated, her heart heavy. “You really think it’s her? What if it’s not? We could ruin a friendship over nothing.”

“If it is her,” Whitney said, her gaze steely, “and we don’t root out this cancer, Monica will have the last laugh.”

Tiana bit her lip, her mind swirling with doubt but also determination. She said nothing, her silence speaking volumes.

As they made their way to the Royal One Club, Whitney’s resolve remained firm. She was ready to uncover the truth, no matter the cost.

The Royal One Club was an exclusive venue in Banyan City, a place where only the city’s elite could enter. It was a guarded fortress of privilege and power. Tiana had to pull some strings to get them inside.

They arrived at Maple Pavilion Room No. 1, where a celebration was in full swing. Stella, now mingling with directors and actors, was holding a glass of wine and laughing with the crowd.

Tiana called out, her voice tight with concern. “Stella?”

Stella turned, her expression flickering for a moment before she plastered on a perfect smile. “Tiana, Whitney! What brings you to the Royal One Club?”

Whitney chuckled, her smile almost too sweet. “Is it inappropriate for me to show up now?”

“Of course not!” Stella quickly closed the distance between them, embracing Whitney warmly and planting a kiss on her cheek. “So, how did it go? Did you crush it in the prelims? Let’s celebrate tonight!”

Tiana’s eyes flicked between the two women, but it was Whitney who spoke first. “Stella, Monica stole my design. I’m in danger of being kicked out of the competition.”

Stella’s face drained of color. “What happened?”

Whitney simply smiled, her expression cool. “It’s alright. Who knows? Maybe I’ll make a comeback.”

Before Stella could respond, someone from inside the room called for her. She looked torn. “The victory party isn’t over yet.”

Tiana nodded, sensing the urgency. “Go back to your guests. We’ll catch up later.”

As Stella left, the door closed behind her. Tiana turned to Whitney, her voice filled with uncertainty. “Did you see her face? She seemed genuine. Maybe she didn’t betray us.”

Whitney’s eyes were sharp as she glanced at Tiana. “Have you forgotten what she does for a living?”

Tiana didn’t reply, her heart heavy with doubt.

Whitney’s voice was low, but firm. “We’ll find out soon enough.”

“What’s your plan?” Tiana asked, tension in her voice.

Whitney’s eyes gleamed with cold determination. “You’ll see.”

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