Chapter21
The memory of being swarmed by reporters and bombarded with. questions that afternoon still left his chest tight with lingering fury. Never in his life had he felt so humiliated.
Sylvia shot Nielsen a glance and immediately got his message.
In the dim lighting, her face looked even paler and more pitiful.
After finally stopping her sobs, she suddenly made up her mind and threw off the blanket.
Belinda rushed to support her. “Sylvia?”
Sylvia got out of bed and bowed deeply to Braylon and Belinda.
“Dad, Mom. “Dad, Mom, I messed up big time today. The public humiliation was totally my fault. I can’t drag the Mosley family down with me.”
“Vicente,” she continued, “are there still reporters outside?”
Vicente, who’d been lost in thought with his head down, took a moment to respond, “Yeah, a few are still there.”
“Good.” A bitter smile crossed her pale face. “I’ll go tell them that I’m not the real Mosley daughter, just some switched–at–birth fake. Once they’ve got their juicy story, they’ll leave Dad and Cayden alone.”
She spoke with unsettling calm, as if she’d completely given up on everything.
As long as the Mosley family remained safe and unharmed, she was
willing to do anything.
Belinda covered her mouth, eyes reddening. “You silly girl! Don’t be foolish!”
Sylvia’s expression deepened, though everyone could see how hard she was forcing her smile.
She even comforted Belinda, “Mom, it’s fine. I’ve messed up before. I’m used to taking criticism. This is nothing. Let them come at me. I can
handle it.”
“Sylvia…” Belinda squeezed her hand tightly. “If only you’d told us sooner those designs weren’t yours, we could’ve protected you.”
Sylvia spoke with a stuffy nose, slowly explaining her reasons for lying.
“I knew Yesenia always resented my presence after she returned home. I took her place and have you guys all care about me. I understand she
resents me.
“I saw the sketchbook the other day, and Yesenia hid it from me. I knew I shouldn’t have interfered, but Yesenia’s designs were fire. She could shine in her field of expertise, and I wanted to help her.
“Submitting to GeekFlux Group was my dumb idea. I thought if it got accepted, I could surprise Yesenia with the good news. She’d be stoked!
“But then Yesenia suddenly… left home. And the GeekFlux Group deal fell through.”
Sylvia’s voice caught in her throat.
“I wanted to tell you that those designs were hers and that she had nailed their review, not me.”
“But…” Tears welled up at just the right moment, her emotional. breakdown appearing completely genuine.
“I couldn’t say it. I wanted to help Yesenia and our family. I thought if I made it to the finals, I could beg their CEO not to cancel the deal. Then I’d reveal the truth and get Yesenia that designer position she
deserved.”
Sylvia was sobbing uncontrollably, her face buried in her hands.
“I messed up big time. I didn’t expect Yesenia to join the competition, too. And I never dreamed GeekFlux Group would use her exact design as their challenge…”
Seeing Sylvia hunched over in silent tears, hearing how she’d tried to help both Yesenia and the Mosley family, how could anyone stay angry with her?
If anyone deserved blame, it was Ramiro. If he hadn’t turned on them. none of this mess would have happened!
Belinda’s lingering reservations melted away as motherly concern took
over.
“Enough now,” she soothed. “Let’s not discuss this anymore. It wasn’t your fault, and you don’t need to take responsibility.”
Braylon finally spoke up. “Your mother’s right. You should rest. This was just an unfortunate misunderstanding. We know you meant well for the family.” His tone softened. “Besides, the Zimmerman family has already partnered with us. We’ll develop the project GeekFlux Group rejected together, minimizing our losses. As for the plagiarism. accusations… they’ll blow over soon.”
His words effectively signaled that Sylvia’s “embarrassment” to the Mosley family would be forgiven.
Sylvia looked surprised. “The Zimmerman family?”
“Yes,” Belinda confirmed, patting Sylvia’s hand. “They came to the company soon after you fainted. Cayden already signed contracts with them.” She added teasingly, “That Zimmerman boy was quite worried. about you.”
A faint blush colored Sylvia’s face. “Mom, we’re just good friends.”
“Of course,” Belinda smiled. “When you recover, invite your good. friend over. We should thank him properly for today.”
Sylvia nodded. “Okay, I will.”
She hesitated before asking timidly, “Did… Yesenia win first place?”
“Don’t mention her.” Belinda’s expression darkened at Yesenia’s name.
Braylon’s face similarly turned gloomy again.
The whole mess was Yesenia’s fault. If she hadn’t stirred up trouble and just stayed at home, none of this would’ve happened!
The online comments mocking Sylvia and the Mosley family while praising Yesenia dearly made their blood boil.
They even mentioned that both shared the same last name, one bringing glory to the family while the other tarnishing the family’s reputation.
What did those keyboard warriors know?
Yesenia was the real jinx!
Vicente broke the tension. “No. GeekFlux Group announced the
results. Yesenia withdrew. They took the third–place winner instead.”
Surprise flashed across Sylvia’s face while her nails dug painfully into her palms unseen. That bitch Yesenia! After all that drama, she withdrew? Was this just to humiliate her?
She cursed inwardly, “That bitch Yesenia! After all that drama, she withdrew? Was this just to humiliate me?”
A thought suddenly struck Sylvia. “Isn’t it too convenient?” she mused aloud. “The GeekFlux Group deal fell through right after Yesenia left home. And their challenge just happened to be that exact design? And that Maybach Yesenia got into that day… Could Ramiro be…
She left the sentence hanging, but the Mosleys weren’t fools. They grasped her implication immediately.
Braylon, with decades of business experience, understood Sylvia’s insinuation at once.
His eyes darkened but remained silent.
Surprisingly, Vicente spoke up, “Sylvia, even if Yesenia and Ramiro are connected, they couldn’t have forced you to submit that design.”
Sylvia’s breath caught as she stared at Vicente. For once, he wasn’t backing her up. Instead, he was defending Yesenia. Her chest tightened with sudden dread.
