Con

CHAPTER 45

Sophia’s POV

I took a deep breath, trying to steady my racing heart. My heels clicked sharply against the polished marble floor of the Urban Next office, echoing my determination.

This is it. I have to do the right thing, no matter the consequences.

As I approached Trevis’s office, I squared my shoulders.

“Ms. Bennett,” his assistant greeted me with a nod, recognizing the resolve in my eyes. She signaled for me to enter.

“Trevis,” I said, stepping inside and closing the door behind me. The owner of Urban Next looked up from his desk, surprise flickering across his face at my abrupt entrance.

“Sophia,” he replied, leaning back in his chair. “To what do I owe this unexpected visit?”

“I need to talk to you about the new project assigned to Julia.”

His brows knitted together in confusion. “I know you were disappointed that your proposal wasn’t chosen, but I also thought you’d be pleased for her. You’ve always had a good relationship with Julia,

“That’s exactly the problem,” I said, my voice firm. “Julia’s design… it’s copied from mine. I can just let this slide.”

Trevis’s eyes widened. “Are you sure? This is a serious claim, Sophia.”

“Absolutely sure,” I said, meeting his gaze head–on. “So I’m here to ask the studio to investigate the

matter.”

He shifted uncomfortably. “Sophia, you’ve been a valuable part of this team. I don’t want you to doubt yourself or your colleagues over one project. I’ll arrange a new project for you.”

My hands clenched at my sides, frustration bubbling up. “It’s not about getting a new project, Trevis. It’s about integrity. If this plagiarism incident isn’t investigated, I’m afraid I’ll have to hand in my resignation and leave Urban Next Design Studio.”

The weight of my words hung in the air. Trevis studied me, realizing the gravity of my stance. “You’re serious about this,” he finally said.

“Dead serious,” I replied without hesitation. “I won’t be part of a place where hard work and originality aren’t respected.”

For a moment, neither of us spoke. There was great tension in the air, a silent battle of wills. Finally, Trevis sighed, rubbing his temples. “Alright, I’ll have the matter looked into. But I hope you understand, this could have repercussions for everyone involved.

I understand,” I said softly. “But it’s the right thing to do.”

Trevis sighed then nodded, his expression softening. “You’re a strong woman, Sophia. I admire your principles. We’ll get to the bottom of this.”

+15 BONUS

My heart pounded with anger and anxiety. Trevis, with his furrowed brow, seemed as helpless as I felt.

Trevis’s assistant had just stepped out to fetch Julia, I clasped the folder containing my “proof” against my chest, trying to steady my breathing. The wait felt interminable, but soon enough, the door opened, and Julia walked in, her face a picture of confusion and concern.

“Julia,” Trevis began, his voice heavy with authority, “Sophia has made a serious claim regarding the design you submitted. She believes it might have been copied from her work. What do you say about

that?”

Julia’s eyes widened, and she glanced at me before focusing back on Trevis. “I… I don’t understand. I never saw Sophia’s design. I swear I didn’t copy anything.”

Trevis gestured for her to sit. “We need to discuss this openly. Explain how you came up with your design.”

Julia took a deep breath, clearly rattled. “I’ve always been interested in this project. I started working on the design a few months ago. I was inspired by some concepts I’d been developing independently.”

I couldn’t stay silent any longer. “Julia, there are too many similarities for this to be a coincidence.”

Julia turned to me with a hurt expression. I felt a bit quilty, but I was adamant to do the right thing.

“Sophia, I swear I’m telling the truth. I didn’t see your design. If there are similarities, it’s purely

accidental.”

Trevis sighed and looked at me. “Sophia, you mentioned you have some proof?”

I nodded and handed over the folder. “Here. These are the side–by–side comparisons I prepared. You’ll see the patterns, the motifs… they’re almost identical.”

Trevis took the folder and began to flip through the pages, his expression growing more concerned with each passing moment. Julia leaned forward, peering at the documents. Her face grew pale.

“This is impossible,” she whispered. “I didn’t copy anything.

Suddenly, Julia’s eyes lit up with a thought. “Architect Craig!” she exclaimed. “I shared my idea with him when I first came up with it. He’s the only one who knew about it.”

Trevis looked up sharply. “Craig? Are you suggesting he might have…?”

Julia nodded vigorously. “Yes. He’s been working with Sophia, right? Maybe he inadvertently shared my ideas with her.”

I felt my face flush with surprise and indignation. “Wait a minute, Julia. Are you saying you stole your design?”

think I

Júlia looked torn, her gaze flicking between Trevis and me. “I don’t know, Sophia. I’m just trying to make sense of this. Craig was the only one I told. If he talked to you about it, maybe it was an accident. I’m not accusing you directly. I’m just… trying to understand.”

Trevis closed the folder with a decisive snap. “This complicates things. We’ll need to speak with Craig as well,”

+15 BONUS

I took a deep breath, trying to keep my voice steady. I couldn’t belleve she was trying to turn it on me now. “Julia, I didn’t steal your design. I came up with my own concept. I even have all my plans intact from when I first began the design.”

Julia nodded slowly, still looking shaken. “I just… I don’t know what to think right now.”

Trevis stood up, signaling the end of the meeting. “We’ll get to the bottom of this. For now, I need both of you to stay professional. I’ll talk to Craig and figure this out. I will also need to speak with Serena and the top management of Sinclair Realty.”

As soon as I stepped out of Trevis’s office, I was greeted by an unexpected sight–Elijah, entering the studio with his usual confident stride. My heart raced. Had he heard our discussion?

I kept my face composed. The conversation with Trevis had been intense, filled with accusations and denials. My mind was still replaying every word, every defensive statement I had to make. I barely noticed Julia emerging from the office behind me until she called out, “Elijah!”

Her voice was intimate, the kind that came with shared secrets and long, quiet talks. It grated on my nerves. Elijah responded, but he didn’t look at me. Not once. His eyes were fixed on Julia, as if I didn’t

exist.

Since when did they become close to each other?!

My stomach tightened. I couldn’t stand the sight of them, their unspoken connection. It was as if they were in their own world.

When Trevis came out too, I turned toward him immediately. “Trevis, Craig and I are innocent.” My words sounded heavy and final.

His expression was unreadable, a mask of professionalism that gave nothing away.

“If you don’t thoroughly investigate and give me a satisfactory answer,” I told him, my gaze unwavering, “then I’m sorry but I will have to resign.

I could feel Elijah’s presence behind me, but I refused to turn around. I couldn’t bear to reaction, not now.

see his

Silence stretched thin, a taut string ready to snap. I held my ground, waiting, my heart pounding in my

chest.

It was Elijah who spoke next. He stepped forward and faced me. “Lighten up, Sophia. Julia wouldn’t do this. I promise.”

At that moment, I wanted to slap his face.

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