Drowning in Memories

Chapter 9 Robbing Clara's Award

Ivy's lips curled into a triumphant smile, though she quickly lowered her gaze to hide it, putting on a modest act. "I've lived abroad all these years. I never thought Clara would end up like this," she said softly.

"Everyone's always badmouthing me, saying I have a terrible reputation. But no one knows I've been taking the blame for Clara all this time."

Her words dripped with hidden malice. She pinched her arm hard, forcing a few pitiful tears to well up in her eyes.

The other ladies looked at her with sympathy, murmuring words of comfort.

One woman suddenly remembered a piece of news and grabbed Ivy's hand eagerly. "Clara's always been so arrogant and cruel! But you won't have to put up with it anymore, Ms. Coleman. I heard you just won the top global fashion design award. Surely Clara wouldn't dare steal that honor from you, right?"

Ivy lowered her head further, avoiding everyone's eyes while barely holding back the wild laughter bubbling up inside her.

Across the room, Clara stared at Matthew, her veins burning with disbelief and rage.

'How could he twist the truth so shamelessly for Ivy? How could he hand over the award-winning design I've slaved over for half a year?'

"She's lying! All of it is a lie!" Clara could no longer contain her fury. She pointed a trembling finger straight at Ivy and screamed.

Her sudden outburst drew every eye in the room. People then noticed she was only wearing a thin lace camisole—sleepwear Matthew had forced her into—and it only fueled the nasty rumors about her being loose and immoral.

The contrast was brutal. Ivy wore a custom haute couture gown worth millions, decked out in jewelry worth hundreds of millions, exuding a veneer of elegance.

Next to Ivy's lavish luxury, Clara's ragged sleepwear made her look like a pathetic joke to everyone watching.

From his private booth, Matthew watched Clara lunge at Ivy, his face twisting with annoyance. He immediately signaled his bodyguards to drag her away.

"You're all thieves and liars! Every last one of you!"

Clara clung tightly to the stair railing, refusing to let go no matter how hard the bodyguards pulled.

Matthew walked over, cold and distant. He pried her fingers off the railing one by one, his touch rough and emotionless.

He completely ignored Clara's tearful, pleading eyes, dragging her ruthlessly back upstairs.

Clara fell onto the bed, scrambling to her feet and shouting, "That award is mine! Get out of my room!"

Matthew paused, turning his face away from her heartbroken gaze without thinking, falling into heavy silence.

"You've won countless awards since you were a kid. What does it matter if you let Ivy have this one? I've already changed the winner's name and designer credit to hers. Admit the design belongs to her, and this whole mess will end."

Clara stared at him, realizing he was a terrifying stranger—perhaps she had never truly known him at all.

"Not a chance. Over my dead body."

Matthew kept his expression calm, but his voice turned sharp and ruthless. "Liam, tell the staff to cut off her food and water until she admits the design isn't hers."

Liam hung his head, unable to meet Clara's desperate eyes. "Yes, sir. Right away."

The door slammed shut, locking Clara inside the room under strict house arrest.

Three full days passed. Still weak from her near-fatal drowning and severe injuries, Clara was denied all food and water, pushed to the brink of collapse.

Still, she refused to back down, standing her ground stubbornly. Meanwhile, Ivy kept sending mocking messages to taunt her, flaunting her happiness.

Ivy: Matthew bought an entire mountaintop villa just for me. He even named a star after me—the brightest one in the sky.