Chapter 4
Because of an incident two years ago, these people believed I would always do whatever Aaron told me, as long as it kept me close to him.
Someone in the crowd shouted, "Just give up and follow your heart, Bernadette! You know you can't risk pissing him off. He might ignore you!"
Rebecca adopted a weak, docile tone. "Please, everyone. Don't make things harder for my big sister. She's the top scorer in the entire school. I can't compare to her…"
Aaron gripped her shoulders, protective as a knight shielding a damsel.
"Becky, stop putting yourself down," he said. "You're too kind for this world. You're the better sister."
I watched them work so hard to tear me down and offered a neutral smile. "You both sound confident. But can you answer three questions?
"First, Rebecca, do you even dare compete with me in a true test of talent?
"Second, Aaron, what makes you think I still care about you at all?
"And third, do you really believe the one student admitted to Iale today will be you?"
The crowd fell silent, their faces filled with shock and uncertainty.
An event runner approached us. "Miss Becky Montgomery? The rector has finished reviewing your piece. Please return to your booth. He would like a word."
The bystanders stirred.
"The rector is asking for her personally. She must have done something remarkable with her art."
"Aaron really has an eye for talent. He picked the real deal."
"Plenty of students get into Iale with high SAT scores, but admission based purely on artistic talent? That's rare."
"If I were Bernadette, I wouldn't even be here to endure this. Seriously. Couldn't be me."
Aaron and Rebecca exchanged a meaningful glance. She left first with a satisfied smile. Aaron lingered just long enough to grin at me.
"You're really going to die on that hill, even after I told you she's a genius," he said. "Haven't you heard what everyone's saying? If you care at all about your reputation, admit it. Rebecca is better than you."
He paused, then added, "If you do, I might even reward you with custody rights to my child in the future."
The crowd burst into laughter, as if the outcome were already decided and I had already lost.
My best friend, Leticia, bristled with anger. "This is unacceptable. We have to tell Ms. Warner or someone about what they're doing to you."
I shook my head. "There's no need. The truth will come out soon."
Another event runner approached me. "Bernadette Montgomery? The rector would like to see you."
I did not move. "Could you ask the rector to come here instead? Some things are better explained in front of everyone."
The rector, Daniel Applebaum, approached with two paintings in his arms, his expression grave. "What is the meaning of this, Miss Montgomery? Why is your painting identical to the other Montgomery's?"
Rebecca looked at me, her eyes red.
"I trusted you, Bernie," she said, her voice shaking. "How could you plagiarize my work?"
I regarded them calmly. I had expected this.
In my last life, Rebecca won by submitting my piece as her own. At the time, I chose to bury the truth to spare my parents embarrassment. That decision proved disastrous. It became the reason everything in my life fell apart.
I would not allow this world to reward those who relied on tears and manipulation.
"Do you have proof that I plagiarized?" I asked.
Rebecca turned to Aaron in panic. He understood immediately.
"I can testify for her, Mr. Applebaum," he said. "I was there when Becky created this. I saw Bernadette watching her by the easel."
Daniel hesitated. "That isn't sufficient evidence, young man."
"I trust Becky's abilities, sir," Aaron insisted. "Bernadette may excel in written exams, but she's nowhere near Becky's level in art."
I met the rector's gaze. "In that case, shall we each complete a painting here and now, in front of a panel of adjudicators?"
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