Chapter 4
"You still don't know, do you? That magic act was no accident." She stared intently at me, waiting for some sign of breakdown.
A pity. I already knew the truth.
"You're not shocked?" Melanie was momentarily taken aback, then laughed.
"So you already knew. How does it feel, having your dreams destroyed by the one you love? Let me tell you something even more interesting.
"Remember your first meeting with Nicholas?"
I remembered.
It was at university. We were mistakenly locked together in the equipment room. I missed a submission deadline and was feeling down, and Nicholas stayed with me the whole time.
"Brielle, that day... the key to the equipment room was in Nicholas's pocket the entire time."
"What did you say?" I wanted to grab her by the collar, but my hands were useless.
Melanie said, "Pfft, what are you going to do? Hit me? But your hands are useless now. You can only crawl at my feet like a worm.
"Brielle, if I were you, I'd just dash my brains out and be done with it."
I couldn't hold back any longer. I lunged to push her over, but Melanie slapped me hard across the face.
I lost my balance and fell to the floor, utterly humiliated.
That was the moment Nicholas returned to the lounge.
"Brielle!" He rushed to help me up, flustered. "What happened?"
Melanie said, "Nicholas, I pushed Brielle.
"She said I shouldn't have ruined the clothes she designed, and that I'd never become a famous designer in my entire life.
"Brielle, I know you're hurting because of your injury, but you can't belittle my dreams like that. It's not like you're the only one with talent!"
The arms holding me loosened slightly. "Brielle, how could you say that? Melanie is still young. Why take your anger out on her?"
Melanie showed no guilt whatsoever, confident that Nicholas would protect her.
Without asking for my side, Nicholas carried me to the car.
Less than five minutes after arriving home, he was summoned away again by a call from Melanie.
Maria, while applying a compress to the bruise on my face, was fuming.
She said, "They're a pair of despicable scum. By the way, Miss Sanders, Brayden said everything is arranged. Just be at the airport on time tomorrow."
*****
The next morning, Nicholas brought me to the hospital early for the amputation.
"Brielle, something's come up. Let the nurse stay with you, okay? I promise I'll be right here when you wake up from surgery."
Today was the finals. Nicholas had already fixed the outcome to ensure Melanie would win.
Of course he needed to be there for that.
He gave me a worried look, then turned and left without a backward glance.
"Miss Sanders, your surgeon has been delayed," the nurse said to me apologetically. "Dr. Webb had a sudden family emergency and can't make it in time. The surgery is postponed for an hour."
I didn't say anything, just had Maria turn on the hospital room TV.
The finals were being broadcast live.
Originally, the competition was scheduled at the same time as my surgery.
Melanie and Nicholas weren't worried in the slightest that I might see it.
My final competition piece was displayed under Melanie's name.
Maria was furious. "He said he'd 'preserve' your work for you, and this is how he does it!"
It was never about my work. It was just a ladder built for Melanie to climb.
Maria dialed Nicholas's number for me.
"Brielle?" he answered. "The surgery is in five minutes. Why are you calling? Are you scared? I'll come see you as soon as I'm done here, okay?"
"Nicholas, do you remember that magic trick you once explained to me?"
There was a brief pause on the other end.
"The one where you put a person in a sealed box, and they vanish, only to escape through a hidden passage under the stage."
He said, "I remember. What about it?"
"Did you ever find that person afterward?" I asked.
"Of course I found him. He was the stagehand I'd arranged it with all along." Nicholas's tone was getting impatient. "Brielle, what's wrong with you?"
"Nicholas, I think you're wrong."
"What?"
"Let me show you a magic trick," I said, "I guarantee you won't be able to find this person."
"Brielle, what are you talking about?"
"I'm going into the operating room now."
Nicholas was silent for a moment. "Okay. I promise, I'll be at the hospital before your surgery is over."
After hanging up, Maria went to find the nurse.
"Miss Sanders is feeling stuffy. I'm taking her out for some air," she said.
She and I left through the back door and got into a car.
*****
At the finals venue, the host announced Melanie's score.
But Nicholas couldn't bring himself to smile.
He didn't know what was wrong, but he'd felt uneasy ever since that phone call ended.
Her words were too cryptic, and the more he thought about them, the more afraid he became.
"Go tell Melanie the championship is hers. I need to get to the hospital now."
As soon as he finished speaking, his assistant rushed in, panicked. "Sir, it's Mrs. Flores! Something's happened to her!"