Chapter 8: The Hearing That Nearly Ended My Dream
I didn't sleep that night.
I printed the photograph, saved the original email, and forwarded both to Julian.
He called within minutes.
"Don't reply to the sender," he said.
"Don't delete anything. We'll preserve the email and its metadata for the lawyer.""
"Who sent it?""
"We don't know yet.""
"The gown has been cut open.""
"I can see that.""
"And someone wrote that my mother should have kept her mouth shut.""
Julian's voice grew quiet.
"This is no longer just a dispute about a dress. We need to treat the message as potential evidence of intimidation.""
I looked at the photograph on my desk.
The lining had been sliced from the waist to the hem.
Whoever had done it hadn't been careful.
They'd wanted to show me that the gown was damaged.
Or that the evidence inside it had been destroyed.
"Do you think the document is gone?"" I asked.
"I don't know. But the fact that someone sent you this photograph suggests they're trying to frighten you into giving up.""
I swallowed.
"It's working a little.""
"Fear doesn't mean you should surrender. It means you should make sure you're not facing this alone.""
He arranged for a lawyer named Rachel Morgan to meet us before the hearing.
At 8:30 the next morning, Dad and I entered the school's conference room with Julian and Rachel.
Vanessa was already there.
She wore a navy suit, pearl earrings, and the composed expression she used whenever she wanted to appear reasonable.
Brianna sat beside her, scrolling through her phone.
When I entered, she glanced up.
"Good morning, Nia.""
Her voice was sweet.
Too sweet.
I took a seat opposite them.
Rachel placed our documents on the table.
"Before the hearing begins," she said, "I want to clarify that we dispute the allegation of infringement. We also have evidence suggesting that the original design may have been created by Elena Carter.""
Vanessa's lawyer, a thin man named Mr. Lawson, adjusted his glasses.
"That is an extraordinary allegation.""
"Then the evidence should be easy to examine," Rachel replied.
Ms. Harper sat at the head of the table with two other members of the exhibition committee.
"We're here to determine whether Nia Carter's submission should remain eligible for judging," she said.
"We are not conducting a full legal trial.""
Vanessa nodded.
"Of course. I only want to protect my family's intellectual property.""
I stared at her.
She had spent years treating my mother's work as worthless.
Now she was calling it family property.
Mr. Lawson stood.
"Our client commissioned an original gown years ago. She retained the rights to the design, and the defendant's entry reproduces distinctive elements of that work.""
Rachel opened the commission agreement.
"According to this contract, ownership would transfer only after full payment. The balance was never paid.""
Mr. Lawson glanced at Vanessa.
"My client disputes that interpretation.""
"Then provide proof of payment," Rachel said.
He shuffled his papers.
"The records are incomplete.""
"Do you have a receipt?""
"No.""
"A bank statement?""
"Not at this time.""
"A signed transfer of ownership?""
Mr. Lawson hesitated.
"No.""
Rachel sat down.
"Then your client has not demonstrated that she owns the design.""
Vanessa leaned forward.
"That's because the original documents are old. Elena and I had a verbal understanding.""
I finally spoke.
"Then why did you refuse to pay her?""
Vanessa turned toward me.
"This is not about your personal feelings.""
"It became personal when you stole her work.""
Ms. Harper raised a hand.
"Please let the representatives proceed.""
Rachel placed my mother's sketches on the table.
"These drawings predate the gown's appearance in the Reed collection. We also have photographs showing Elena Carter constructing the garment.""
Mr. Lawson examined them.
"Photographs can be misleading. They do not establish ownership.""
"No," Rachel said.
"But combined with the contract, the commission records, and the archive inventory, they form a consistent body of evidence.""
Vanessa's composure began to crack.
"Elena was paid for her work.""
Dad looked at her.
"She wasn't paid in full, and you know it.""
Vanessa turned sharply.
"Marcus, don't.""
He didn't look away.
"I stayed silent for six years because I thought it would protect my daughter. I was wrong.""
The room fell silent.
Dad placed a copy of the contract on the table.
"I witnessed the agreement. Vanessa was supposed to pay Elena the remaining balance. She didn't. I signed because I believed the dispute would be resolved later.""
Mr. Lawson stood.
"Mr. Carter, are you admitting that you knowingly signed a document that transferred no ownership rights?""
"I'm admitting I made a mistake. I'm not admitting that Vanessa owns the dress.""
Vanessa's face flushed.
"You promised me you'd never bring this up again!""
Ms. Harper stared at her.
"Mrs. Reed, please control yourself.""
Vanessa sat back.
For the first time, she looked less like a wealthy benefactor and more like a woman who had lost control of a situation she thought she'd mastered.
Rachel continued.
"We also have a conservation record from the Reed Family Fashion Archive. It identifies the gown as a design attributed to Vanessa Reed, but the original conservator documented a concealed document inside the lining.""
Mr. Lawson frowned.
"That is hearsay.""
"We have the inventory and a photograph.""
Rachel passed the image to the committee.
Ms. Harper examined it carefully.
"Was the document preserved?""
"We believe it was transferred to the foundation's administrative archive.""
"Do you have it?""
"Not yet.""
Vanessa gave a small, triumphant smile.
"Then perhaps we should stop wasting everyone's time.""
Rachel didn't react.
"We have requested preservation of the relevant records and are pursuing access through the appropriate legal channels.""
Mr. Lawson shook his head.
"Until that document is produced, there is no proof of your allegations.""
"Nor is there proof of your client's ownership.""
The committee members exchanged glances.
After a short recess, Ms. Harper returned with a written decision.
"The committee has determined that the ownership dispute remains unresolved. However, we have not found sufficient evidence that Nia Carter copied or misrepresented her work.""
I held my breath.
"Her entry will remain eligible for the exhibition," Ms. Harper continued, "pending the outcome of the legal review.""
For a moment, I couldn't move.
Then Dad squeezed my hand.
I'd survived the hearing.
My dream was still alive.
Vanessa rose abruptly.
"This is unacceptable.""
Ms. Harper's expression remained firm.
"The decision is final for the purposes of this competition.""
"You cannot allow this girl to exhibit stolen property!""
Rachel stood.
"Your client has made a serious allegation without providing evidence of ownership. We ask that all parties refrain from further public accusations while the matter is reviewed.""
Vanessa grabbed her handbag.
"You haven't heard the last of me.""
She stormed out, with Brianna hurrying behind her.
As I gathered my papers, Julian touched my shoulder.
"You did well.""
"I was terrified.""
"That doesn't mean you weren't brave.""
Rachel handed me a copy of the committee's decision.
"Now we focus on finding the original document.""
I nodded.
But as we left the conference room, I noticed Brianna standing at the end of the hallway.
She was alone.
Her eyes were red.
For a moment, she looked almost like the girl I'd imagined becoming my sister when we first met.
Then she approached me.
"Can we talk?""
I hesitated.
Rachel glanced at me.
"Stay where we can see you.""
I nodded and stepped a few feet away.
Brianna folded her arms tightly.
"Mom is furious.""
"I'm not surprised.""
"She's blaming me.""
I stared at her.
"Why?""
"Because I was the one who told her about your original dress. I said you were making something that looked like hers.""
"You knew it was my mother's design?""
Her eyes dropped.
"I saw some of the old sketches in her office years ago. I didn't know the whole story.""
"Did you know she planned to take the gown?""
Brianna didn't answer.
I felt my stomach tighten.
"Brianna.""
She looked up.
"I knew she was angry with your mother. I knew she wanted the dress. But I didn't know about the contract.""
I studied her face.
"Did you know she was going to burn mine?""
"No.""
"Did you know she would accuse me of stealing?""
Brianna's silence answered the question.
I took a step backward.
"You knew enough.""
Her eyes filled with tears.
"I was trying to make Mom happy.""
"So you let her hurt me.""
"I didn't think she'd go this far.""
I almost laughed.
"You never think about how far she goes until someone else gets hurt.""
Brianna wiped her cheek angrily.
"You think you're the only one who's suffered? You got all of Dad's attention after the accident. Everyone treated you like you were fragile. I was always the second choice.""
I stared at her.
"My mother died.""
"I know!""
"Then stop acting as if her death was something I did to you.""
Brianna flinched.
For several seconds, she said nothing.
Then she reached into her handbag and removed a small flash drive.
"I found something.""
I didn't take it.
"What is it?""
"Files from Mom's old laptop. Emails. Drafts. Some photographs.""
"Why are you giving them to me?""
She looked toward the conference room.
"Because I saw her delete things last night. I think she knew the archive was being investigated.""
My heart began pounding.
"What's on the drive?""
"An email from the person who helped her get the gown. And a scanned copy of a letter.""
I took the flash drive.
"Why didn't you give this to Rachel?""
"Because I wanted to talk to you first.""
"Why?""
Brianna's voice dropped.
"Because the email mentions Dad.""
I froze.
"What about him?""
She looked frightened now.
"It says he knew Vanessa was going to claim the dress as her own. It says he agreed to help her hide the original agreement.""
I stared at the flash drive.
For a moment, the hallway seemed to disappear.
Dad had admitted signing the contract.
But he had told me he thought the dispute would be settled.
Had he been lying about that, too?
Brianna stepped closer.
"I don't know if it's true. I just know Mom has been trying to find those files for days.""
I looked at her.
"And the letter?""
She swallowed.
"It was written by your mother.""
My fingers tightened around the flash drive.
"What did it say?""
Brianna shook her head.
"I didn't read all of it. But the last line said something about the night of the accident.""
She stepped back.
"I have to go.""
"Brianna, wait.""
She looked at me one final time.
"I know you hate me. But if you want the truth, don't trust anyone until you've read what's on that drive.""
Then she walked away.
I stood in the hallway, holding the tiny piece of plastic.
Dad approached a moment later.
"Everything all right?""
I looked at him.
He smiled gently.
"What is it?""
I thought of the contract.
The photograph.
The missing document.
And now, a letter my mother had written before she died.
I slipped the flash drive into my pocket.
"Nothing," I said.
It was the first lie I'd ever told my father about this case.
That night, after everyone went to bed, I opened my laptop and inserted the drive.
There were dozens of files.
Emails.
Scanned documents.
Photographs.
I opened the first message.
It was dated six years earlier, two days before the accident.
The sender was Vanessa Reed.
The recipient was an address belonging to my father.
The subject line read:
*Elena has discovered everything. We need to act before she goes to the police.*
I clicked the attachment.
May you like
And the first sentence made my blood run cold.
Marcus, if Elena tells anyone what she found, both of us will lose everything.
