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Chapter_51
While Monica had always been Daddy’s little princess since childhood, Whitney had been forced to step aside for her at every turn. At home, Monica got her way in everything—Whitney had to surrender her good grades, her artistic talents, and even the opportunities that should have belonged to her. But that was never enough for Monica. She wanted more. She took Whitney’s company, tried to destroy her, and still, her greed knew no bounds.
Yet, as fate would have it, real talent could never remain hidden. Monica had played the game too big, and now, it was coming back to haunt her.
Whitney’s calm voice broke through the tense atmosphere. “I hope you’ll honor our bet. Now that the truth about the competition has come to light, you’ll have to hand Skye Gem over to me.”
There wasn’t a hint of anger in her tone, only a composed confidence that evoked sympathy from the crowd. The spectators turned their attention to Whitney, her words hanging in the air with unspoken implications.
“So, Whitney is saying Monica has been plagiarizing her work all along and posing as the lead designer?” someone murmured.
“Did we mistake Whitney for a nobody? Could it be… she’s the real genius behind these designs?”
From what Whitney revealed, Monica had stolen everything—her man, her company, her future—all with the help of favoritism and deceit.
Reporters swarmed around them, firing questions at both Whitney and Monica. But Whitney remained poised, playing the part of the wronged victim with grace, successfully stirring the reporters’ indignation.
Suddenly, she felt the weight of an intense gaze on her.
Her eyes shifted to the VIP section, where they locked onto a pair of deep, piercing eyes—her archenemy. He watched her with amusement, the corners of his lips twitching ever so slightly. Then, in the midst of the crowd, he quirked an eyebrow at her—a secret, mischievous gesture meant just for her.
Whitney’s heart skipped a beat, an inexplicable rush flooding her chest. There was no time to dwell on why he had sided with her. One thought lingered in her mind—he looked unbelievably dashing at that moment.
Meanwhile, Monica’s world was crumbling around her.
Reporters turned to Phebe Perlman, bombarding her with questions. “Mrs. Perlman, were you aware of the alleged bribery involving your future daughter-in-law and Imperial Gem Corporation?”
“With Monica suspected of plagiarism, she surely can’t be awarded first prize. Will you and Simon still go through with the engagement party this afternoon?”
Phebe’s expression darkened. The Perlman family’s reputation was being dragged through the mud, and she dreaded facing the patriarch. Just the thought of their competitors capitalizing on this scandal filled her with fury. She faced the reporters with an icy demeanor. “Monica is not my daughter-in-law, nor will she ever be!”
The reporters pressed on. “Are you canceling the engagement party right now?”
“There was never an engagement planned between Simon and Monica. Please, stop spreading baseless rumors.”
Monica’s blood ran cold.
She stumbled forward, her voice desperate. “How can you say that? You promised me! You said if I won first prize, there would be an engagement party this afternoon. You swore I could join the Perlman family this year!”
“Did you win first prize?” Phebe’s voice was laced with disdain. “You’re accused of plagiarism and bribery, yet you still have the audacity to cling to the Perlman name? You have no shame. After the charity banquet where Whitney exposed your repeated miscarriages, I should’ve known you were no good. You are unworthy of my son! Simon, get her away from me before she embarrasses us further.”
Gasps rippled through the crowd.
Socialites whispered amongst themselves. “Have you forgotten? Simon was originally engaged to Whitney.”
“She stole everything from Whitney—her fiancé, her work. And what for? She’s nothing but an illegitimate child.”
Monica’s face turned ashen. Panic surged within her as she desperately searched for Yvonne, her mother.
She clung to Simon, grasping his arm. “Simon, don’t listen to them. We have to go through with our engagement. You have to marry me to save my reputation!”
Simon’s patience snapped. With reporters and Phebe watching closely, he knew the Valentine Corporation was in trouble. He needed to distance himself from Monica immediately. His face grew cold as he dropped the final bombshell.
“You’ve brought nothing but disgrace upon me. This scandal is the last straw. The engagement is off!”
“Simon!”
Monica’s face drained of color as she watched Simon and Phebe turn away, dodging the reporters.
And then, the crowd turned on her.
The irony was palpable—Monica had arranged for the award ceremony to be broadcast live, but instead, she had exposed her own downfall. Online viewers flooded the comment sections with attacks against her.
“So, the plagiarist is you.”
“A perfect scheme—she stole Whitney’s designs and framed her flawlessly.”
“Has everyone put the pieces together? Since Whitney’s kidnapping, Simon and Monica took over Skye Gem Ltd., planning their engagement while Whitney was left with nothing. Out with the old, in with the new. Doesn’t that make you wonder?”
Standing at a distance, Whitney felt a lump in her throat. At last, someone had pieced together the truth. She had been innocent all along—a victim, cast aside while Monica basked in the limelight, reveling in what once had belonged to her.
“Monica, you’re truly heartless.”
“Her mother, Yvonne, was a porn star—are we really surprised by the daughter’s actions?”
“Maybe Whitney’s tarnished reputation was all a scheme by this mother-daughter duo.”
“Don’t you dare leave, Monica! You plagiarizing fraud!”
Monica tried to flee, but the crowd was too frenzied. In the chaos, she was shoved and stumbled to the ground.
“Don’t push me!” she cried, trembling. “Mommy…!”
Yvonne appeared at last, her face a mask of panic as she arrived with bodyguards. But as soon as the reporters spotted her, they swarmed, trapping her with their relentless questions and flashing cameras.
Whitney watched from afar, her lips curving into a faint, satisfied smile. The mother-daughter duo had finally been caught in the trap they had set for others.
From this moment on, Monica’s pristine reputation, her crowning glory, was doomed to be forever tarnished.
Beside her, Tiana reveled in the drama. “The crowd’s on fire today! Watching those two get trampled feels so satisfying. Karma really doesn’t miss, does it? And Whitney—did you ever think your archenemy would be the one to save you? My heartthrob was on fire just now, putting Monica in her place!”
Whitney blinked, warmth spreading through her chest. She hadn’t expected today’s victory to come with an unexpected assist from Ludwik.
But a nagging question loomed in her mind: Why would her sworn enemy come to her rescue? It didn’t make sense.
“Whitney! Mr. Lippert is leaving! Hurry up—after such a massive favor, aren’t you going to thank him?”
Tiana’s urgent voice jolted Whitney from her thoughts. She turned towards the chairman’s dais just in time to see Ludwik rise to his feet, gathering his files with practiced elegance. His long fingers traced over the papers before he cast a slow, knowing glance in Whitney’s direction.
Her cheeks warmed inexplicably.
Quickly grabbing Tiana’s hand, she hurried backstage, hoping to catch up with Ludwik before he disappeared.
