Cherry
The cacophony of jeers around me was eroding my mental defenses. I caught a glimpse of Dylan's disdainful eyes, and the pain in me deepened.
“Luna Cherry, is this true?” Chelsea's voice quivered as she came over and confronted me.
“I-I swear, Chelsea, I didn't steal your work. I-I would never do that. My designs are my own.” I stammered.
“Then how do you explain this?” Chelsea's face contorted with anger.
She raised her sketchbook up high, displaying a design remarkably similar to mine.
“I can't explain it, Chelsea,” I said, my voice trembling, “But, I swear I didn't do it. I have no idea what's going on here…"
The crowd grew restless, the murmurs turning into a torrent of accusations.
Dylan, my mate, stood silent beside Chelsea. I reached out to him, desperate for support.
“Dylan, please, you have to believe me. I swore to Nuu-Chaah that I didn't steal Chelsea's works and ideas.”
He shied away from my touch.
“You know what? I'm really getting fed up with all your lies. When will you stop? When the fuck will you own up to your sins?”
Dylan walked away, his back turned to me.
“What do you want me to do? To admit to the accusations that I didn't do in the first place?” I shouted in despair.
“Luna Cherry, if you didn't copy my design, then how do you explain this?” Chelsea just didn't let it go.
“I don't know, Chelsea. I don't know how this happened! I swear.” I struggled to find words.
The accusations continued to fly, and I felt myself drowning in a sea of doubt and despair. I turned, desperate to escape the venue. But just as I was about to make my hasty exit, Karson's voice sounded.
“Ladies and gentlemen, I'm the guest judge in this competition, Karson Blewet. I got something important to share with you.”
I stopped and found Karson holding up the sketches of Chelsea and mine. Beside Karson stood a woman.
“Please, tell everyone what you knew,” Karson instructed her.
After clearing her throat, the woman spoke with conviction.
“I'm Avery's designing assistant, Lisa. Avery had asked me to go to Cherry's studio. She required me to steal Cherry's sketches from her studio.” She spoke every word in a steady voice.
“And Cherry's design was uploaded to the competition website way before Chelsea's.” Karson continued.
Gasps rippled through the audience as the revelation sank in.
“Then it means that Avery is the one who plagiarized Cherry's work?” Someone shouted.
Chelsea's face pale, her eyes darted nervously around the crowd.
“Cherry's design was submitted long before Chelsea's. All these evidences prove that Cherry is the victim of plagiarism.”
The crowd's mood shifted from accusatory to sympathetic.
“I didn't! Lisa, how can you accuse me of that? You don't have any proof! Everyone, she's lying!” Chelsea, cornered and exposed, finally spoke up.
“Plagiarism is a serious misconduct in our industry, Chelsea. You need to acknowledge your mistake and apologize to Cherry.” Karson stepped in again, his tone stern.
“No way!” Chelsea yelled, looking around.
The venue buzzed with heated arguments. I stood there, feeling nothing but sadness.
Amidst the chaos, Dylan stepped forward, his voice cutting through the commotion.
“Hold on, everyone! We can't just take Karson's words! He could lie!” He defended Chelsea, something that he didn't do for me earlier.
“Dylan, are you serious about this?” I couldn't help but demand.
“Bullshit! There's something shady about this contest!” Someone shouted again.
Soon, the situation was spiraling out of control. Tempers flared, and a scuffle ensued, causing a few people to tumble to the ground.
Just as I was about to turn and run out the door, Chelsea rushed at me.
“Cherry, you hateful bitch. I swear I'll kill you!” Her eyes reflected a light that made me shiver with fear. “Now, go to hell!”
She pushed me down hard and forcefully, which made me fall to the ground.
“My baby!” I screamed, instinctively protecting my belly. “Oh my God! My baby please! Somebody help me! Karson! Bert!”
I struggled to sit up, meeting Dylan's eyes when seeking for help.
“Please help me,” I murmured. But his cold demeanor remained and I realized something.
The bond of trust between Dylan and me had been irreparably shattered.
“Cherry! Chelsea, what the fuck did you do?” Karson rushed over and scooped me up. He glared at Chelsea and Dylan before heading towards the door.
Bert rushed to my side as well. His concern was evident as he examined my injuries.
“Cherry, you need to get out of here. It's not safe for you to stay here anymore.”
The chaos continued behind as we left the venue, sounds of anger and confrontation echoing in the distance.
As we stepped out into the cool night air, I took a deep breath, trying to calm my racing heart.
“I think you are right. Leaving this place for a while is the only choice.”
Lord Hills was no longer a safe place for me, not with the wounds still fresh and my mate allowing another woman to hurt me.
“Everything's going to be okay, Cherry.”
“Bert, I really don't think so. I'm losing hope.”