Chapter: 826

"Get off the stage!"

Every word, like a poison-tipped dagger, viciously stabbed into her heart. She had believed herself immune to such verbal assaults, but evidently, she was mistaken.

Derek's company had secured an investment, keeping him engrossed in work and necessitating early mornings.

Feeling distressed and unable to sleep, Madeline reached for her phone and scrolled through it, encountering several news alerts.

“The Grace Cup final has concluded. Who emerged victorious? Tap to uncover the champion."

"New updates in the Glamour Club case. Who stands as the true culprit? Tap for more information."

Madeline immediately clicked on the top news article.

"Renowned designer Noelle has just made a glamorous return to the public eye, her presence as striking as her creations. The Grace Cup featured a strong panel of judges. Let's uncover the events that unfolded. A significant controversy involved a designer named Madeline Powell, who Noelle caught using plagiarized designs. All evidence is now available on the official competition site..."

As Madeline absorbed these words, her thoughts ceased. The scandal from the previous day's competition was now public, devastating her reputation in the design world.

Commenters not only criticized her professional missteps but also harshly scrutinized her personal life, particularly highlighting her past as a mistress. Each harsh word felt like a direct blow, excruciatingly painful.

Madeline cursed those critics online. In her view, they jumped to conclusions without knowing all the facts, just a bunch of embittered people venting online to feel relevant.

Frustrated, Madeline flung her phone across the bed and took deep breaths to settle her turbulent emotions. It wasn't supposed to be this way. She was about to become Derek's wife, officially welcomed into his family.

"Madeline," Kathy murmured, tapping Lightly on the door before she entered. “Are you feeling okay? Is your stomach bothering you?"

Worried about the baby after the recent upset, Kathy's concern deepened. She imagined if she were in Madeline's place, anger would drive her to confront Norah directly. Unlike Madeline, who preferred biting sarcasm to taking decisive action, seeming somewhat powerless.

She drew back the curtains, allowing the warm sunshine to flood the room, but it did nothing to thaw Madeline's chilled heart.

“Kathy, come here."

Following Madeline's beckon, Kathy approached and sat beside the bed.

“Madeline, what's wrong?"

Madeline adjusted herself into a sitting position against the headboard, gently caressing her belly with her left hand, her eyes drooping as she offered a weak, helpless smile. "My stomach is fine.

I fainted yesterday because I was just too nervous. Kathy, tell me, am I completely ostracized by the design community?"

Kathy gave her a sympathetic look and nodded. "Yes, unless you're willing to design anonymously for smaller studios. Once people recognize your name, they'll dismiss your work."

As a member of the design circle herself, Kathy understood the gravity of Madeline's breach; it was an unspoken rule she had violated. A comeback seemed out of reach.

Norah, who was actually Noelle, held too much sway; her influence wasn't something that could be undermined with money. Crossing Noelle had effectively sabotaged Madeline's career.

As Madeline's eyes darkened, she realized this was the outcome she had dreaded the moment she spotted Norah on the panel of judges.