Chapter 7
“Gown? What do you mean? This one?” Katie said, swaying the gown, as she innocently looked at Camilla. “This is my gown for the banquet. What do you mean I stole it?”
“That’s my gown,
Camilla snapped.
“You lied to the seamstress saying I sent
you.”
Katie raised an eyebrow and folded her arms. “Your gown? This is my design.”
“Yours?” Camilla scoffed. “I designed that from scratch. Don‘ t even try it.
Katie shrugged, casually walking over to her desk. She picked up a notebook, flipping it open to reveal a sketch that looked almost identical to Camilla‘ s design. “Funny, because here’s the proof. My design, my gown. Come on, Camilla. Do you really hate me that much to lie? Maybe, we both have the same
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ideas… don‘ t you think?”
Camilla‘ s jaw tightened as she stared at the sketch. It was a blatant attempt at fraud. The lines were close to hers, but Katie didn’t have the skill to replicate the precision and detail that Camilla‘ s work always carried.
“You‘ re lying,” Camilla said, her voice low but firm. “You can‘ t copy my style. You never could.”
Katie gasped theatrically, placing a hand on her chest. “Lying? Camilla, that‘ s harsh. You‘ re accusing me just because my design is better than yours?”
Before Camilla could respond, the door opened, and Jackson and Ridge walked in, their faces puzzled.
“What’s going on here?” Jackson asked, looking between the two women.
Ridge frowned. “Why are you two yelling?“.
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Katie’s eyes instantly filled with tears as she turned to the men, playing the part of the victim perfectly. “Oh, Jackson, Ridge, thank goodness you‘ re here,” she said, her voice trembling. “Camilla‘ s been accusing me of stealing her gown design. But look!” She held up her sketchbook. “This is my work! She’s trying to take credit for my gown. Maybe she really hates
me…‘
“That’s a lie!” Camilla cut in, her voice trembling with anger. “You know me. You’ve seen my work. You know this is my design!”
Katie sniffled, wiping an invisible tear. “I don’t know why she’s doing this to me. I thought we were friends.”
Jackson and Ridge exchanged glances,
their expressions uncertain.
Camilla stepped forward, her voice desperate now. “Jackson, Ridge, you‘ ve seen me sketch for years. You know my style, my talent. You know I wouldn’t
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steal from anyone, least of all Katie.”
Jackson hesitated, looking at Katie‘ s tearful face and then back at Camilla.
“Camilla… it’s hard to ignore what Katie’s showing us. Her sketch is right there.”
Ridge nodded reluctantly. “Yeah. And Katie’s never done something like this before. Why would she lie?”
Camilla’s heart dropped. “Why would she lie?” she repeated, her voice breaking.
“Because she’s jealous. She’s been trying to outshine me for months! You two are too blind to see it.”
Katie let out a soft sob, shaking her head.
“I don’t know what I did to deserve this, but I’ll just leave if it’s causing so much trouble,” she said, her voice quivering just enough to sound sincere.
Camilla clenched her fists. “Don’t play the victim, Katie. You know what you
did.”
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But Jackson and Ridge were already standing by Katie’s side. “Camilla, maybe you‘ re overreacting.” Jackson said gently.
Ridge sighed. “Yeah, let’s not blow this out of proportion. It’s just a dress.”
Camilla felt a sharp pain in her chest as she looked at them, the betrayal clear in their eyes. “You‘ re seriously taking her side?” she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
“We’re not taking sides,” Jackson said carefully. “But Katie has proof.”
Katie cast a triumphant glance at Camilla, her expression smug despite the crocodile tears still clinging to her lashes.
Camilla swallowed the lump in her throat, her hands trembling. She had fought for their trust, begged them to believe her, and they’d still chosen Katie. Without another word, she turned and walked away, her pride in tatters and her heart heavy.
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She has proof, too, that it was her gown, yet she didn’t think it would even matter.
With just one day left before the mafia banquet, Camilla was running out of options. She had wanted a gown that would stand out–something unique, just like the design she had sketched. But with Katie stealing it, she was left scrambling for a replacement.
She dug through her wardrobe, hoping to find something remotely special, but everything felt outdated. Determined, she visited nearby shops, hoping for a miracle, but nothing came close to what she had envisioned. Frustration bubbled inside her as she returned home, feeling defeated.
As she walked into the living room, her mother greeted her with a warm smile and a beautifully wrapped box.
“What’s this?” Camilla asked, eyeing it skeptically.
Her mother gently pushed the box toward
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her. “A gift from your future husband. He wanted you to have something extraordinary for the banquet.”
Camilla hesitated, then opened the box. Her breath hitched as she pulled out the gown. It was stunning–unlike anything she could have imagined. Diamonds and gems adorned the luxurious fabric, shimmering like a constellation. It was regal, bold, and absolutely perfect.
Underneath were matching accessories; a dazzling diamond–and–gold necklace, a bracelet, and earrings to complete the look.
“This… this is incredible,” Camilla murmured, her fingers running over the intricate details.
Her mother smiled. “He wanted you to feel special, Camilla. And trust me, the man you re going to marry is everything you deserve–and more.”
“Thank you,” she said softly, a small
Chapter 7
smile spreading across her face.
Her mother nodded. “You’ll see tomorrow. Everything will fall into place.”
For the first time in days, Camilla felt a weight lift off her shoulders. This gown was perfect, and she was ready to walk into the banquet–not just to shine but to finally meet the man who had given her this gift.
