Chapter 148: Onyx initially assumed the approaching person was just another overeager fan. He never imagined he'd run into an old acquaintance—least of all Hedwig, now known as Allison, whom he thought he'd never see again.

Allison's eyes glimmered with a half-smile. "Funny running into you here," she said.

"Yeah, haha! Small world, huh? Why don't we step into the lounge? It's too hectic out here." Onyx's usual bravado faltered slightly, though he quickly masked it. Standing, he barked a few instructions to the nearby staff. "I've got something urgent to handle. Take over for me," he said, giving the crowd a quick bow. "Apologies, everyone. I've got to step out, but feel free to enjoy the refreshments on me. I'll be back shortly."

He led Allison toward the lounge, his heart pounding as he silently prayed she wouldn't cause a scene. Meanwhile, her eyes scanned the room, taking in the familiar sketches plastered on the walls. Seeing her work displayed—work taken without so much as a thank you—was laughably absurd. Each poster bore traces of the sketches she had poured herself into years ago.

Onyx, desperate to play the role of an old friend, grinned from ear to ear. "Hedwig! Wow! It's really you. You don't know how worried I've been. When I couldn't reach you, I thought something had happened."

Allison turned her head and glanced at him. His performance was almost flawless; someone else might have bought it. She cut straight to the chase. "Your comic… it's not original."

The air between them thickened. They had once worked side-by-side at a comic company, back when Allison used her alias, Hedwig Benson. Onyx had been her editor. The two had spent time together in Leswington, and though they'd gotten along well enough, Allison wasn't about to cause a public scene. She wanted to hear him squirm first.

Onyx sighed. "Look, I won't lie to you. The inspiration did come from the drafts you left behind in Leswington. But when you disappeared, I thought something must have gone wrong. I didn't want your hard work to go to waste. I built on your sketches, added my touch, and… well, here we are." He smiled at Allison and added, "I never imagined it would blow up like this. I knew you were talented, but wow, Hedwig, you really outdid yourself."

It was almost convincing—the sincerity in his eyes, the ease in his tone. Almost. Allison raised an eyebrow, her voice cool. "Then why did you put your name on it?" That wiped the smile off Onyx's face, if only for a moment.

"You've always hated the spotlight, right? You didn't want your identity tied to your work."

"It's just a name, Hedwig. No harm done, right?" Before she could respond, he pushed on. "I mean, sure, the foundation was yours, but I spent countless hours reworking it. It's my creation now, too. That's why I signed it as Onyx Jimenez."

He had clawed his way through ten years of anonymity in Leswington, producing work that no one had ever noticed. Now, fame was finally his, and he wasn't about to let anyone take it from him—not when a contract with the Stevens Group was just within his grasp.

Allison's gaze sharpened. "But deep down, you know it's plagiarism! Funny, I remember you preaching about how dreams should never be sold out for money. You used to hate plagiarism more than anything." Her words landed like a punch.

Onyx's face twisted as bitterness crept into his voice. "Dreams?" he barked, the word dripping with frustration. He let out a bitter laugh. "Once you've been fired, once you're on the edge of homelessness, you realize dreams are just a cruel joke!" The years of struggle, the endless nights wondering if he'd ever get a break—it all came flooding back. Now that he had fame and fortune within his grasp, he couldn't believe he had ever thought dreams were enough to live on.

Seeing that Allison wasn't going to back down, he sneered and dropped the facade. "Spare me the victim act! They were just old sketches. Come on, we were friends. Can't you just let it go? Do me a favor and let this blow over."