Chapter 7
When Aaliyah dragged her battered body home, she could hear Caroline’s sweet voice drifting down from the second floor.
“Claude, it’s thundering tonight… could you stay with me until I fall asleep~?”
She gripped the banister, breaking out in cold sweat with every step.
Claude had been about to refuse, but when he caught sight of Aaliyah at the bottom of the stairs, he suddenly changed his mind. “Sure.”
He put his arm around Caroline’s waist and headed into the master bedroom, not even sparing Aaliyah a glance.
Aaliyah forced a bitter smile and dragged her exhausted body back to the guest room.
3
For the next few days, she stayed holed up inside, focusing on preparing her submission for the design competition.
This was the career she planned to rebuild after the divorce.
she used to be the most talented student in the design program. Her professor said she was destined to become a leader in the design world.
Until that day when Claude caught a male colleague giving her a ride home.
Quit your job, or we’re getting divorced.” He’d said coldly.
Aaliyah chose to quit without hesitation.
Jut now, she could finally pick up her pencil again.
ust as she was putting the finishing touches on her design, the door suddenly burst open.
laude walked in with Caroline, his eyes landing on her design sketches, his face instantly darkening.
I told you I don’t like you doing design work.” He snatched her pencil away. “If you want me to agree to withdraw the divorce papers, stay away from all this.”
Aaliyah looked up at him, suddenly finding it all ridiculous.
Did he really think he could still threaten her?
But she said nothing, just quietly put away her designs.
laude thought she’d given in and left satisfied with Caroline in tow.
¡efore leaving, Caroline’s gaze lingered on the design sketches for a few seconds, a flash of amazement in her eyes.
hree days after submitting her design, Aaliyah got a call from the organizers.
Miss Rhodes, your work looks like it’s copied from someone else. If you can’t prove it’s yours, we’re gonna have to kick you out of the competition.”
What?” Aaliyah couldn’t believe it. “Who did I supposedly copy?”
It’s identical to a submission by emerging designer Caroline Ellis. She’s a rising star in the industry-there’s no way she’d plagiarize you. So we can only deal
vith your case.”
Aaliyah immediately remembered the look in Caroline’s eyes that day.
he said urgently, “I have the original sketches to prove it!”
After hanging up, she tore through her entire room but couldn’t find the originals anywhere.
Looking for these?”
Caroline’s voice came from behind her. Aaliyah spun around to see her holding the original design sketches.
“How did you get those?”
Oh, i just mentioned how much I loved them,” Caroline waved the papers with a smug grin, “and Claude handed them over without even thinking twice.”
2041
99 Divorce Games: The Final Round Goes My Way
25.0
She leaned close to Aaliyah’s ear and whispered mockingly, “Get it now? Claude’s into me, not you. Just give up already. Stop pathetically begging him back. Do everyone a favor and disappear.”
Aaliyah’s mind went blank. She rushed to confront Claude, but only got a cold response: “I already told you I don’t like you doing design work. If you’d just behaved and dropped it, none of this shit would’ve happened.”
She looked at this man she had loved for seven years, her heart feeling like it was being ripped apart.
Why was he always like this?
Never caring about what she liked, never caring about how she felt.
If it weren’t for those love letters, she really wouldn’t have believed this man had ever loved her.
Aaliyah knew that without the original sketches, nothing she said would matter now. She was stuck with the plagiarism accusation.
She returned to her room in a daze, shutting herself in the darkness.
Until a phone call dragged her back to reality.
“Aaliyah, are you making a comeback?” Her professor’s excited voice came through. “I saw your work in the competition!”
Aaliyah’s voice broke: “Professor, I didn’t steal anyone’s work…”
“Of course you didn’t!” Her professor said firmly. “Your talent is incredible-there’s no way you’d plagiarize!”
She sighed, “It’s just such a shame that you threw it all away for Claude…”
“I was an idiot before,” Aaliyah wiped away her tears. “I’m getting divorced and starting fresh.”
“That’s amazing!” Her professor said excitedly. “Want to come work at my studio in Paris? All your classmates are there, and we’re doing really well now. If you join us, we’ll make you the biggest name in design!”
“I… could I really do that?”
“Are you kidding me?” Her professor pretended to be annoyed. “I know what you’re capable of better than anyone. If you hadn’t just quit back then…”
Aaliyah took a deep breath: “Alright, I’ll do it. I’ll come as soon as the divorce goes through.”
Just as she finished speaking, Claude pushed through the door, his eyes dark as he stared at Aaliyah.
“Where are you going?”
