Chapter 2: The Email That Changed Everything
For several seconds, I couldn't understand what I was looking at.
The photograph showed The Midnight Garden exactly as I had designed it.
The ivory buttercream.
The chocolate branches.
The raspberry filling.
Even the tiny butterfly positioned near the upper left corner.
It was unmistakably my cake.
"Where did you get this?"" I asked.
The man introduced himself as Daniel Reeves, the executive director of the Sweet Creations Championship.
"This was submitted through the contestant portal three days ago.""
"By Tessa?""
He nodded.
I leaned closer.
"That's impossible. I hadn't even finished the cake three days ago.""
Daniel tapped the screen.
"That's why we wanted to speak with you.""
Melissa folded her arms.
"Does the system show when the photograph was uploaded?""
"Tuesday, 8:42 p.m.""
I remembered Tuesday night.
I had been at home, working on the chocolate flowers.
Tessa had visited that afternoon.
She had asked to borrow my phone charger and spent twenty minutes in my kitchen while I went downstairs to get groceries.
My stomach dropped.
"She took this from my phone.""
Daniel looked up.
"Do you have any reason to believe that?""
"My sister was at my apartment Tuesday afternoon.""
"Did she have permission to access your photographs?""
"No.""
Melissa opened the file details.
"There is another issue.""
She pointed to the description accompanying the photograph.
The text read:
Midnight Garden is a personal exploration of childhood memories, chocolate architecture, and the delicate relationship between sweetness and darkness. Every element has been designed and handcrafted by me.
I read it twice.
Then a third time.
I recognized the words.
Not because I had written that exact description.
Because I had written something almost identical in my private design notebook.
I had spent an entire evening developing the concept.
The words had come from a memory of my grandmother, Evelyn.
She had owned a tiny bakery on the south side of town. When I was seven, she taught me how to make chocolate roses.
She used to say that beautiful things didn't need to be loud.
They needed patience.
The Midnight Garden was inspired by her.
I had never shared that story publicly.
"Where did she get this description?"" I whispered.
Daniel looked uncomfortable.
"That's what we're trying to establish.""
I closed my eyes.
Tessa had been inside my apartment.
She had seen my notebook.
She had probably photographed the pages.
I felt sick.
"Is she still eligible?""
"Not until the investigation is complete," Daniel replied.
I looked at him.
"Then why is my cake on her table?""
His jaw tightened.
"Because the transfer occurred before we were made aware of the dispute.""
Melissa picked up her clipboard.
"We need to correct that immediately.""
Daniel nodded.
"Bring both contestants to the verification room.""
When we returned to the exhibition hall, my mother was standing beside Tessa.
They were laughing.
Tessa was holding a glass of champagne someone had given her.
My mother had one arm around her shoulders.
They looked like they were celebrating an award they hadn't won yet.
"There's my girls!"" Gloria called when she saw us.
Melissa approached.
"Mrs. Brooks, we need Tessa to accompany us.""
Gloria's smile vanished.
"For what?""
"An entry verification.""
Tessa looked at Daniel.
"Is something wrong?""
Daniel remained professional.
"There's a question regarding the authorship of your cake.""
Tessa blinked.
"Authorship?""
My mother immediately stepped forward.
"She made that cake.""
Daniel nodded.
"That's precisely what we intend to establish.""
Tessa glanced at me.
Her expression hardened.
"Did you tell them something?""
"I told them the truth.""
She laughed.
"Of course you did.""
Gloria grabbed Daniel's arm.
"Listen, there has been a misunderstanding. These two girls have always shared recipes and ideas.""
Melissa calmly removed Gloria's hand.
"Physical work and intellectual authorship are not the same thing, Mrs. Brooks.""
Gloria looked offended.
"Excuse me?""
"Please come with us.""
The verification room was much smaller than the exhibition hall.
A long table stood in the center, surrounded by four chairs.
Daniel placed two folders on the table.
One contained Tessa's registration documents.
The other contained mine.
He began with the photograph submission.
"Tessa, can you confirm that you uploaded this image?""
Tessa crossed her legs.
"Yes.""
"Did you create the cake shown in the photograph?""
"Yes.""
I stared at her.
She didn't even hesitate.
Daniel opened my folder.
"Aaliyah, do you recognize this image?""
"Yes. It's my work.""
Tessa sighed loudly.
"Here we go.""
Daniel continued.
"Can you explain the design process?""
Tessa smiled.
"Of course. I wanted to create something inspired by a midnight garden. I used chocolate structures and delicate floral details.""
"What type of chocolate did you use for the branches?""
"Dark chocolate.""
"What percentage?""
She blinked.
"Sorry?""
"Did you use seventy percent couverture, or a compound chocolate?""
Tessa glanced at my mother.
"Whichever one works best.""
Daniel wrote something down.
"What technique did you use to create the butterflies?""
"Just regular chocolate molding.""
"How did you prevent the wings from becoming brittle?""
Tessa's smile weakened.
"I don't remember exactly.""
I remained silent.
Daniel turned to me.
"Aaliyah?""
"Tempered couverture. I used acetate sheets to shape the wings, then transferred them to a chilled marble surface. The wings were joined using a small amount of tempered chocolate.""
Daniel nodded.
"And the branches?""
"Three separate chocolate structures. I used a combination of dark chocolate and cocoa butter to create the texture.""
He asked several more questions.
I answered every one.
Tessa struggled with almost all of them.
Finally, Daniel closed the folders.
"Thank you. We will need to review the documentation before making a decision.""
Gloria stood.
"This is ridiculous. You're humiliating my daughter over a cake.""
Daniel looked at her.
"Which daughter?""
Gloria went silent.
For the first time that morning, I saw uncertainty cross her face.
Tessa leaned forward.
"I can explain everything.""
"Please do," Daniel said.
She turned toward me.
"Aaliyah and I have always worked together. We share ideas. She helped me with the decorations, but I developed the overall concept.""
I felt my heart pound.
"That's a lie.""
"Don't interrupt me!""
Daniel raised his hand.
"One person at a time, please.""
Tessa wiped beneath one eye.
"I've worked so hard to build my baking account. I have people who believe in me. I can't just lose this opportunity because my sister is upset.""
I stared at her.
"Your followers don't make you the creator of my cake.""
Gloria slammed her palm against the table.
"Enough!""
Daniel looked at her.
"Mrs. Brooks, this is a formal investigation. Please don't interfere.""
My mother slowly sat down.
Then Tessa said something that made my blood run cold.
"Actually, I have proof.""
She opened her handbag and removed a folded piece of paper.
She placed it in front of Daniel.
It was a handwritten agreement.
At the top were the words:
*Creative Collaboration Agreement.*
At the bottom was my name.
And underneath it was a signature that looked exactly like mine.
Daniel studied the document.
"Is this your signature, Aaliyah?""
I leaned forward.
My throat went dry.
"No.""
Tessa's expression changed.
"Don't lie.""
"I never signed that.""
Gloria crossed her arms.
"Well, that is unfortunate.""
I looked at her.
Then at the document.
The signature was convincing.
Almost perfect.
But there was one detail they had overlooked.
A small detail that could destroy their entire story.
I pointed to the date.
"Daniel, look at when this was supposedly signed.""
He did.
His eyebrows rose.
The agreement was dated six weeks earlier.
May you like
Six weeks earlier, I had been in another state.
And I had the airline boarding pass to prove it.
