Chapter 3: The Woman Behind the Scheme
The competition organizers escorted Vanessa and Maya into a private conference room.
I remained backstage with Marcus, Helena, and two members of the judging panel.
My dress suddenly felt heavier.
The metallic fabric brushed against my legs as I sat on a folding chair.
I had won something that night.
But I didn't know what.
Marcus placed a bottle of water beside me.
"Are you all right?""
I laughed weakly.
"Honestly? I don't know.""
He nodded.
"That's understandable.""
Helena sat across from me.
"Nia, I need to ask you some questions about your original design.""
I straightened.
"Of course.""
"Did you ever give Maya permission to use your sketches?""
"Never.""
"Did you share your competition account with anyone?""
"No.""
"Did you leave your notebook unattended in the garage?""
"Sometimes. But the garage was locked.""
Helena made a note.
"Who had a key?""
I hesitated.
"My father. Me. And Vanessa.""
"Anyone else?""
"Maya might have had access through the house.""
Helena nodded.
"That matters.""
I glanced at the closed door.
"What's in the second document?""
She exchanged a look with Marcus.
"An invoice.""
"For what?""
"A payment made to a company that supplied the competition's backstage equipment.""
I frowned.
"Why would that matter?""
Marcus leaned forward.
"Because the invoice appears to have been issued to a business connected to Vanessa.""
I stared at him.
"She owns a business?""
"According to public records, yes. Carter Luxury Events.""
I had heard the name.
Vanessa occasionally organized charity galas and private fashion events.
But I'd never known the details.
Helena opened a folder.
"Three weeks ago, the company received a payment from a vendor connected to one of the competition's sponsors.""
I frowned.
"Was that allowed?""
"Not if the payment was intended to influence judging or access to contestant information.""
My stomach tightened.
"Are you saying Vanessa paid someone?""
"We're investigating.""
Marcus folded his hands.
"There's something you should understand, Nia. The competition received an anonymous complaint two days ago. It alleged that one contestant had obtained confidential information about the judges' scoring criteria.""
"Who?""
"Maya.""
I closed my eyes.
Of course.
Maya had known more about the competition than any contestant should have.
She'd known which judges preferred avant-garde construction.
She'd known the exact time of the final presentation.
She'd even known which lighting positions would be used.
I had assumed she had friends on the organizing team.
Now I wondered how far Vanessa's involvement went.
A knock interrupted us.
A young assistant entered.
"Marcus, the woman from the technical department is here.""
"Bring her in.""
A woman in her thirties entered carrying a laptop.
She introduced herself as Claire.
"I was responsible for backstage access logs," she explained.
Marcus nodded.
"Did you find anything?""
Claire placed the laptop on the table.
"Yes. Someone accessed Nia's dressing room approximately forty minutes before the competition began.""
I frowned.
"Who?""
Claire turned the screen.
A security photograph showed a person wearing a black staff jacket.
The face was partially hidden beneath a cap.
But I recognized the bracelet.
A diamond bracelet.
Vanessa's bracelet.
I leaned closer.
"That's her.""
Claire nodded.
"We believe so.""
Helena examined the photograph.
"What was she doing?""
"Entering the dressing room with a keycard assigned to a temporary staff member.""
Marcus looked surprised.
"Which staff member?""
Claire opened another file.
"Daniel Price.""
Marcus's expression changed.
"Daniel works for our production contractor.""
"Yes. But he reported his access card missing two days ago.""
I looked at the photograph again.
Vanessa hadn't simply walked into my dressing room to destroy my dress.
She had used someone else's access credentials.
This had been planned.
Claire continued.
"There's also a second entry.""
She clicked.
The next photograph showed Maya entering the same room.
She carried a large garment bag.
I felt sick.
"She brought the bag for my dress?""
"Possibly," Claire replied.
Marcus stood.
"Find Daniel. I want to speak with him immediately.""
Claire nodded and left.
I stared at my hands.
Three months of work.
Three months of believing that if I worked hard enough, I could finally build something that belonged to me.
And all that time, my family had been planning to take it.
My phone vibrated.
A message from my father appeared.
Where are you? Vanessa says you caused a scene at the competition. Please come home.
I stared at the words.
He didn't know.
Or perhaps he did.
I typed a response.
Dad, did you know Vanessa took my dress?
The message showed as delivered.
No reply came.
Marcus noticed my expression.
"Family?""
I nodded.
"My father.""
"Does he know what's happened?""
"Not yet.""
I put the phone down.
A few minutes later, it rang.
Dad.
I answered.
"Nia?""
His voice sounded strained.
"Where are you?""
"At the competition.""
"Your stepmother is saying you've accused her of something terrible.""
"She destroyed my dress.""
Silence.
"She says you left it somewhere unsafe.""
I stared at the wall.
"Did you know she had access to my garage?""
Another pause.
"Nia, let's not do this over the phone.""
"Did you know?""
He exhaled.
"Your stepmother told me you were working on a dress for the competition. She said Maya was helping you.""
I felt my chest tighten.
"Helping me?""
"She said you were sharing ideas.""
I looked at Helena.
She was watching me carefully.
"Did you ever see my sketches?""
"Yes.""
"Did you show them to Vanessa?""
Silence.
Then he said something that made my blood run cold.
"She told me Maya was going to use one of your designs.""
I couldn't breathe.
"She told you?""
"She said you'd agreed to it.""
"And you believed her?""
"Nia, I thought—"
"You thought what?""
He didn't answer.
I lowered my voice.
"Did you know they were going to destroy my dress?""
"No.""
The answer came quickly.
But there was something in his voice.
Something uncertain.
I ended the call.
For several seconds, I sat motionless.
Then Helena reached across the table.
"Nia, there's one more thing we need to discuss.""
She opened the final document in the folder.
It was a financial statement.
The account holder was Carter Luxury Events.
The transaction description read:
Confidential acquisition deposit — Evelyn Carter Designs.
I stared at the name.
My mother's name.
"What is that?""
Helena looked at Marcus.
He slowly removed his glasses.
"Nia, do you know whether your mother ever owned a fashion business?""
I shook my head.
"She was a seamstress.""
"Are you certain?""
"She made clothes from home.""
Helena turned the statement toward me.
"Then you may want to ask your father about a company registered in your mother's name.""
The document showed a date.
It had been established twenty years earlier.
And according to the records, my mother had been its sole owner.
But that wasn't the strangest part.
The company was still active.
May you like
And its controlling financial account had been accessed last week.
By Vanessa.
