Chapter 114: Critical Point

Cameron handed his phone to Sean, and Kevin felt annoyed. He muttered, "Hey, I'm right beside you. Can't I see the news first?"

Cameron showed Sean the video, and Kevin leaned closer. The title was explosive: "Shocking News: Famous Designer Is Actually an Exploiter? Assistant Creates Actual Designs and Clothing."

The video showed Abigail leaving Luna's room with a half-finished dress. Astonishingly, the completed dress was returned to Luna's room the next day. This happened three consecutive days. The video ended with a black screen, but the sound of a sewing machine continued in the background.

As the sewing machine fell silent, Abigail's voice was heard: "There are still many unfinished details. I'll take this back to my room and work on it. You get some rest."

Luna's voice, clearly recorded nearby, responded: "It's late. We have two days to finish this. What's the hurry?"

The differing volumes indicated Luna wasn't near the sewing machine; Abigail, who finished the dress, was. Their conversation continued:

Abigail: "I can't afford to waste time. Can you take over if something stops me from finishing my design?"

Luna: "I should have paid more attention in class. Now I can't help, and you have to deal with this alone. You might have to buy the designs and hire someone to make the dress."

Abigail: "We'll live comfortably once we finish this and win the prize."

The voices were unmistakably Abigail's and Luna's, confirmed by the video evidence.

Luna slammed her phone on the table, cracking the screen. She glared at Abigail, furious. "This editing is outrageous! They've cut out all the crucial details. This is defamation! Libel!"

Abigail's expression was icy. "If they can prove Alana is a scam artist, the production team can terminate our contracts. I told you they wouldn't reveal our identities. They opted for a smear campaign instead."

Luna seethed. "I can't believe they installed a camera and a voice recorder."

Abigail analyzed the video angle. "Nina's clever. She must have hidden the camera in the peephole."

Luna asked skeptically, "How do you know?"

Abigail explained, "It's probably installed facing her room. Since no one noticed it, she must have removed the peephole and replaced it with a camera." Abigail turned off the video.

Luna went to the door, opened the peephole cover, and examined it closely. She tapped the glass until it popped out. After examining the removed crystal, she carefully reinserted it. Returning to the room, she reported, "The hotel did all the renovations but left the peepholes untouched. They're all old models."

Abigail wasn't surprised. She knew oversights happened, and peepholes were easy to miss.

"What now?" Luna asked.

Abigail said, "We'll tell the truth. I can improvise a design explanation. Alternatively, we can stall until our team returns. Then, the real show begins."

Luna clasped her hands. "Please, my foolish brother, give me a sign before the showdown. God, don't let those witches escape justice."

A knock startled them. Luna quickly hid her phone in Abigail's bag, and they switched phones.

Abigail opened the door to find Joan, the other designers, and the models. Their expressions ranged from disdain to curiosity to schadenfreude.

Victor pushed forward, offering support. "I trust you ladies. I'm sure they're spreading false accusations."

Nina stepped forward urgently. "Who are these 'they' you're talking about? Tell me."

Joan looked disappointed, her eyes red-rimmed. "I can't believe my favorite designer is a fraud."