Chapter 23
Chelsea swung by Amber Jewels to drop off her designs. Abe took a look at everything and waved her off, looking pleased.
Afterward, she headed back to her workstation, fired up her computer, and opened the rental website. Amber Jewels was paying her pretty well, and she figured she’d make around 10 grand this month with her income and commission.
Winston’s two–bedroom apartment was a bit rundown, but it was in a decent spot on the edge of the core, and the rent was quite high.
They were paying 3,000 dollars a month, splitting it evenly, which made her share 1,500 dollars.
But since she would be living alone now, she really wanted a one–bedroom, and once she looked into rentals in the core area, prices skyrocketed.”
Chelsea settled on an older neighborhood near Amber Jewels that had a charm she liked, and it was closer to work. Once she made up her mind, she booked a viewing with Kate to check out the place after work.
While browsing, a coworker spotted her screen and said, “Chelsea, you’re renting?”
Chelsea nodded, “Yep.”
“This neighborhood isn’t too bad,” the coworker commented. This coworker had always been nice to her, especially since most people were too busy fawning over Julia.
She kept her style pretty low–key, but Chelsea’d worn that same expensive collection before.
The coworker chose to stay under the radar, but Chelsea assumed she came from a loaded family. That was why she didn’t feel the need to play into Julia’s spotlight.
Julia’s first thought when she heard that Chelsea was renting was, ‘Wait, has Chelsea finally been kicked out of her house?‘ She knew Winston wasn’t the type to marry a notorious plagiarist.
Julia strolled into Abe’s office and came out with a smug look aimed right at Chelsea. During her lunch break, Chelsea was
summoned to Abe’s office.
“The client loves the design–double commission,” Abe said, pouring her a cup of coffee, his tone still surprisingly mild. “Just like last time. You need to sign it as Julia.”
Chelsea shook her head in disbelief. “Mr. Peters, I distinctly remember you saying that last time was the absolute last time and that we wouldn’t be doing this again!”
Outside the office, her coworkers paused to glance at the unfolding drama.
Abe banged his hand on the table and shot back, “Chelsea, I’m the vice director now and in charge of the design department, so take what I’m offering while you still can!”
If Chelsea had no skills, he would snatch her designs without even letting her know, and there would be nothing she could do about it.
Chelsea couldn’t help but chuckle. It almost felt like she should be grateful he was allowing her to be a ghostwriter.
“So, what’s so funny, Chelsea? We all know you have a reputation for being a habitual plagiarist, and honestly, Amber Jewels gave you a chance to really shine. You should be grateful!
“If the client finds out a plagiarist designed the manuscript and we lose the business, who’s going to cover that loss?” Abe
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Chapter 23
snapped.
Abe tried to take a nostalgic tone, hoping Chelsea would see that being allowed to create designs at Amber Jewels was a privilege.
She shoultin’t have asked for an autograph, and she should have been thankful for the opportunity they’d given her.
(+23)
“Seriously?” Chelsea scoffed. “Thanks, Mr. Peters, for letting me draw the design so I can be a stepping stone for Julia. But I’m done with that. I quit!”
Chelsea threw the document at Abe’s face with fire in her eyes. “I’ve never copied anyone, and I refuse to be anyone’s stepping stone! Make sure to send me my commission for this month, or I’ll see you in court!”
She was fed up with Abe targeting her repeatedly and taking credit for her work. Amber Jewels was once her dream design company back in college, but now, it felt like a total letdown.
Abe, feeling humiliated, snapped, “Well, in that case, good luck finding someone who wants you without Amber Jewels. Who would take a chance on a plagiarist like you?”
Chelsea swung open Abe’s office door, stepped out, and gathered her things, leaving the building with her belongings clutched tightly.
“Hey, wait up!” Julia stopped Chelsea in her tracks, reached out, and started digging through Chelsea’s stuff.
“Now that you’ve left your job, we need to check your things. Who’s going to take responsibility if we find any important files in here?” Julia added.
Chelsea felt like she’d just been slapped. She knew exactly what Julia was trying to do–embarrass her on purpose. “Really, Julia? Stop being a bully!”
“What if I am?” Julia leaned in closer, lowering her voice. “And don’t forget, I know where your grandmother’s grave is.”
She was threatening to do something about Chelsea’s grandmother’s grave if Chelsea didn’t behave.
Chelsea froze, fighting back tears.
“Hey, you two, help me out here and check her stuff,” Julia told her coworkers. They looked at each other, sensing that Julia had crossed the line, but they didn’t dare speak up.
“Sorry about this,” one of them said as they rifled through Chelsea’s belongings, making sure there were no sensitive documents.
They stole a glance at Chelsea, who was on the brink of tears, losing interest in the whole scene.
“Is this enough now?” Chelsea’s voice shook, her eyes glistening with tears.
Julia grinned, clearly pleased with herself. “Listen, Chelsea, if you want to survive in this business, you better not mess with me. Or else you’re gonna pay for it.”
With that, Chelsea took her things and left Amber Jewels, her coworkers watching her go.
Chelsea had a rough history with plagiarism, but after joining Amber Jewels, she landed two big orders in less than a month. proving her talent to everyone.
In a way, it wasn’t just hate they felt for Chelsea. There was a touch of envy there, too. Abe had targeted her over and over as well, and while they stayed quiet, their hearts were definitely vocal about it.
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Chapter 23
+23
As designers, they couldn’t stand the thought of someone else taking credit for the work they had poured their souls into.
After leaving Amber Jewels, Chelsea got a notification that her paycheck had likely gone through. It looked like Abe was in a hurry to avoid court, so he paid fast.
Once she loaded her things into the car, Chelsea settled into the driver’s seat and rubbed her brow, feeling pretty lost.
Things were just not going her way. Even that small bit of warmth she’d clung to seemed to slip away.
She hunched over the steering wheel, letting out a whimper for a while before she finally wiped her tears and drove over to Nova Group.
When she got to the building, she waited in the car for Katę. Kate, who didn’t finish work until 8:00 p.m., climbed in looking drained.
“Sorry to keep you waiting, Chelsea.Our boss has been acting weird, and I’m wiped out after six hours of back–to–back meetings,” Kate said as she buckled up.
G
When she turned to Chelsea, she noticed her eyes were puffy and red from crying.
“What’s going on?” Kate asked, sensing something was off.
Chelsea forced a smile. “Oh, nothing. I quit.”
“Why?” Kate rolled up her sleeves, ready to defend her friend. “Is it Julia? Is she giving you a hard time?”
‘Seriously, what is Julia’s problem with Chelsea?‘ Kate wondered.
“No. I just don’t want to do this anymore,” Chelsea said, worried that Kate might confront Julia and make things worse. “I really just need some time to figure out what I want to do next.”
Kate felt her frustration grow, so she decided to chat with Julia later to make sure she knew Chelsea couldn’t be pushed around.
“Alright. Let’s check out your new place.” Shifting gears, Kate asked, “Don’t you live with your husband? Why the move?”
Chelsea’s cheeks reddened. “It’s not like we’re a real thing. Sharing a place can be inconvinient,” she admitted.
She had no clue what had flipped Winston’s switch overnight, but his eviction notice made it clear that staying at his place was no longer an option.
Realizing she might have hit a sore spot, Kate hesitated, searching for the right thing to say next.
Winston led Fabian downstairs, and they were clearly in the middle of a conversation, with Winston’s brow slightly furrowed -not exactly thrilled about something.
A sleek black car pulled up, and Fabian opened the door. Winston said a few more words before hopping in.
Kate had seen Winston before, but she was stunned by his handsome face every time. If he ever went into the entertainment business, he’d be a total superstar.
“Check it out! That’s our big boss!” she said, grabbing Chelsea’s hand in excitement and pointing at Winston, her eyes sparkling with admiration.
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Chapter 24
Chapter 24
