Chapter 20
Everyone was stunned, including me.X
I stared at Archer who spoke for me on the stage.
Looking at his tight jawline, the wound that had not healed for twenty years suddenly itched.
It was a sign of healing.
My heart was hit hard again.
I waited for this voice to defend me for twenty years.&
After waiting for twenty years, someone finally stood by my side and said to me, you did nothing wrong, it was not your fault.
The contestants‘ eyes were all on the evidence played by Archer and I stared at Archer.”
When he pulled up the original file, I finally saw the work that was ruled as “plagiarism” that year- the butterfly flapping its wings in the painting was exactly the same as the butterfly my mother painted before her death.
Since my mother passed away, my paintings must incorporate butterfly elements.
And Hanley, the fake who wanted to step on me to become a god, would never learn and would never think of it.”
I tightened my five fingers holding the sofa and my nails scratched several white marks on the leather surface.
Hanley accidentally knocked over the mineral water bottle in a panic, but no one paid attention to her.
Everyone’s attention was focused on the screen.
“Hadley.”
Archer suddenly turned around and his shadow gently wrapped around my shaky body.”
“Do you want to pause?”
I shook my head.
For twenty years, this matter had always tortured me like a blunt knife.
This was my only chance to straighten my hunched back for the first time in twenty years.!
The surveillance video jumped to last night.%
Under the dim light, the figures of Hanley and Bernard sitting opposite each other are illuminated.”
“If I hadn’t concealed the fact of plagiarism for you and let Hadley take the blame for you, she and I would never have come to this point twenty years later! Including tonight, I already have evidence of your arson,”
Bernard’s hand trembled slightly as he held the coffee cup.
“I’ll give you two choices. First, at tomorrow’s Excellence Award, admit your crime in public and apologize to Hadley and I will persuade her to let you go. Second, I…”
Hanley interrupted with a sneer, “I choose the second one.”
She picked up her bag and turned away.”
“You want me to apologize? Unless I die. Mr. Chavez, I tell you, Hadley is just not as skilled as others and I did nothing wrong!“}]
The surveillance stopped abruptly.
There was a series of gasps at the scene.
Bernard and Hanley’s conspiracy was finally exposed and it also implicated an old incident from 20 years ago.}
I spoke softly, “I have called the police. Hanley, you can’t escape.“}}
The sirens sounded.”
Amidst the noisy discussions and pointing, Hanley was taken to the police car.
She looked back at me, her eyes full of resentment.
But I didn’t care.X
So what if she hated me, she had escaped for 20 years and she should also accept legal sanctions.}
I held the trophy of the Excellence Award, which was heavy, as if it contained my grievances for 20 years.}}
After this incident, the road ahead was smooth.”
AL
