Chapter 149: Onyx noticed Allison's stoic expression and slowly let his forced smile fade. Rubbing his stiff face, he let out a cold, humorless chuckle.
"Is it money you're after? Just name your price," he said. "Or better yet, take this card." He held out a card. "It's got thirty thousand on it."
Allison didn't even glance at the card before casually tossing it to the floor.
"You really have become revolting," she said, her tone calm but cutting. The sharpness in her gaze pierced Onyx, turning his guilt into simmering anger.
"Everyone changes, don't they? You're no different! And even if you scream to the world that the art is yours, who do you think will believe you?" He took another step closer, his expression almost manic. "I'm the one with the name, the reputation. Do you even realize how many fans are out there right now? They worship me!"
Allison met his eyes, stepping forward without hesitation. "So that's why you think you can steal and sleep easy at night, huh? Doesn't all that praise sound hollow to you?"
Onyx's eyes narrowed. "That's where you're wrong. The name on those comics? It's mine now! And I wasn't going to waste my talent as some nobody editor. You say I stole your work, but I'll tell the world you're the one who stole from me—stole my ideas, my brilliance!"
The first time Onyx had seen Allison's work, he'd been mesmerized, awed, even. How could someone so young produce something so breathtaking? But the more he saw her art, the more it gnawed at him, that suffocating sense of inferiority. He felt crushed under the weight of her genius, and over time, that admiration curdled into resentment.
Onyx sneered. "You know, ever since I laid eyes on your cursed art, I haven't been able to draw a single decent thing. You're like a black cloud hanging over me!" He wasn't making excuses; he believed it. In his mind, Allison was the source of his creative drought.
Allison hadn't realized just how deeply twisted Onyx had become. Before she could respond, a knock came from outside the lounge.
"Is Onyx in there? I'd like to discuss a project."
Onyx immediately leaned toward Allison. "Take the money and keep your mouth shut. Without proof, you've got nothing. And if you dare spread any rumors, not only will you get nothing, but I'll bury you under a mountain of lawsuits!" He straightened up, plastering a fake smile on his face as he opened the door.
"Miss Johnson, perfect timing. Why don't we head to the meeting room? It's a bit too noisy in here."
Melanie's face instantly fell when she noticed Allison. Why was Allison everywhere? Her saccharine tone barely concealed the underlying bite.
"Onyx, why do you look so tense? Was some crazy fan harassing you?" She threw a sickly sweet glance at Allison, her voice dripping with false surprise. "Oh, Allison, what a surprise. You know, there are rules about waiting your turn. You can't just waltz into someone's personal space because you're starstruck. It's kind of… creepy, don't you think?"
Colton, standing nearby, sneered. "Allison, cutting in line is bad enough, but now you've stalked him all the way here? If Kellan knew you were this desperate for attention from another guy, he'd drop you in a heartbeat." There was bitterness in his tone, laced with a possessiveness he didn't seem to recognize.
Onyx, standing smugly beside them, feigned innocence. "This lady is a bit of an obsessive critic. She claims I stole her work and even had the nerve to ask for money."