Chapter 11: The Designer Who Knew the Truth
The ballroom seemed to shrink around us.
Victoria held the document with both hands, her fingers trembling slightly.
Richard stepped closer.
"That document is confidential company property.""
Victoria didn't look at him.
"No, Richard. It's Eleanor's property.""
"You have no idea what you're doing.""
"For years, I told myself I was protecting my career. I told myself Eleanor had signed the collection away, and that whatever happened between you and Catherine was none of my business.""
She finally turned toward him.
"But I knew the designs weren't yours.""
Richard's expression hardened.
"Be careful.""
Victoria laughed sadly.
"That's what you always say when someone gets close to the truth.""
Several guests nearby began watching us.
A photographer lifted his camera.
Richard noticed and immediately lowered his voice.
"This is not the place.""
"You're right," Victoria replied.
"It isn't. But you chose to build a public career on private lies, so perhaps the truth deserves a public room.""
She turned to me.
"Come with me.""
She led Mom, Denise, and me into a quiet conference room behind the exhibition hall. Richard followed, but Victoria stopped him at the doorway.
"You can come in if you agree not to interrupt.""
He gave her a cold smile.
"You seem to have forgotten who helped make you successful.""
"No," she said.
"That's precisely why I'm finally speaking.""
She closed the door.
For a moment, nobody spoke.
Then Victoria placed the document on the table.
It was a letter dated September 2016, signed by Eleanor Bennett and witnessed by Catherine Lawson.
The letter stated that Eleanor had created the blue gown and several related designs independently, and that she was authorizing Victoria to keep copies of the sketches as evidence of authorship in case the collection was ever disputed.
At the bottom, Grandma had added a handwritten note.
Richard believes that if he controls the contracts, he controls the truth. He is wrong.
I read the sentence twice.
"Why did Grandma give you these documents?""
Victoria sat down.
"Because I was Catherine's sister, and Eleanor trusted us both. When Richard began pressuring her to sign over the collection, Eleanor asked me to keep a copy of the original agreement and several dated sketches.""
"Did you?""
"Yes.""
"Then why did you release the collection under your name?""
Victoria closed her eyes.
"Because Richard came to me with a contract bearing Eleanor's signature. He claimed she had transferred the rights to Lawson Atelier and that he was licensing the collection to me.""
"Did you believe him?""
"I wanted to.""
Her answer was painfully honest.
"My first major collection was already in production. Hundreds of people had invested in it. If I refused to proceed, I could have lost my business before it began.""
"So you used Grandma's designs anyway.""
Victoria nodded.
"Yes.""
Mom leaned forward.
"Did you know Richard had threatened Eleanor?""
"I knew they'd argued. I didn't know how far he'd gone until Catherine told me about the wedding dress.""
"What happened to it?"" I asked.
Victoria looked toward the ballroom.
"The original gown was stored in a private archive. After Eleanor refused to sign the transfer, Richard ordered it removed. He said it had to be destroyed because it was evidence of her authorship.""
I thought of the bloodstained fabric in the photograph.
"Was it destroyed?""
"I don't know.""
Richard finally spoke.
"Because it was never stolen. It was returned to the company.""
Victoria turned toward him.
"Then why did you tell me Eleanor had destroyed it?""
He said nothing.
She looked back at me.
"I should have questioned him. I should have protected Eleanor. Instead, I let fear make the decision for me.""
I wanted to hate Victoria for profiting from Grandma's work.
But I could see the regret in her face, and I recognized something familiar in it.
The fear of losing everything.
The temptation to stay silent because speaking up might cost too much.
"Why are you telling me now?"" I asked.
"Because Catherine called me last night. She told me you had found the original agreement and the recording.""
Victoria reached into her bag and removed a second envelope.
Inside were copies of invoices, production notes, and a photograph of a garment label identical to the one found inside my dress.
"The original collection was produced in 2017," she explained.
"Richard told the factory that the designs had been transferred to Lawson Atelier. But the invoices list Eleanor as the originating designer.""
Denise examined the papers.
"These could be important corroborating evidence. We'll need to verify their authenticity and establish where the originals are.""
Victoria nodded.
"The original production ledger is in the company's archive.""
Richard stood abruptly.
"That's enough.""
Everyone turned toward him.
He pointed at Victoria.
"You have no authority to release company records.""
"I have copies.""
"Copies you obtained under false pretenses.""
"No," she replied.
"Copies Eleanor entrusted to me.""
Richard's face darkened.
He looked at me.
"Emily, I suggest you think carefully about what you're doing. You are a student with no legal training, no fashion business, and no understanding of the consequences.""
I stood.
"You're right about one thing. I'm a student. I don't have a company or a team of lawyers.""
I placed Grandma's sketchbook on the table.
"But I have her work. I have her letters. I have the agreement you said didn't exist. And now I have witnesses who are willing to tell the truth.""
Richard stared at the sketchbook.
"You think that makes you powerful?""
"No. I think it makes me responsible.""
For several seconds, he looked as if he might say something else.
Instead, he turned toward the door.
"This conversation is over.""
Victoria's voice stopped him.
"Not for me.""
He paused.
She removed her pearl necklace and placed it on the table.
"I wore these pearls to my first fashion show. You gave them to me after the collection sold out.""
Richard glanced at them.
"Keep them.""
"I don't want them.""
Her voice trembled.
"I don't want anything else that reminds me of how I got here.""
He left without another word.
After the door closed, Victoria began to cry.
Mom moved toward her, but Victoria shook her head.
"I don't deserve your kindness.""
"Perhaps not," Mom said gently.
"But Eleanor would have wanted the truth more than she wanted revenge.""
Victoria wiped her eyes.
"Then I'll give you everything I have.""
Denise collected the documents and arranged for them to be copied and authenticated.
Before we left the hotel, Victoria showed me one final photograph.
It depicted a long worktable covered with fabric samples. At the center sat a blue gown with a fitted bodice and flowing skirt.
Beside it stood Richard, Catherine, and my grandmother.
On the back, Grandma had written:
The last day we worked together before everything changed.
I studied Richard's expression.
He was smiling.
Not the polished smile he used with reporters, but something warmer, almost genuine.
"What happened after this photograph?"" I asked.
Victoria looked away.
"Eleanor discovered that Richard had altered the production records. She confronted him in the studio, and Catherine tried to intervene.""
"Was that when Grandma died?""
Victoria nodded slowly.
"That was the beginning of the end.""
"Did Richard hurt her?""
"I never saw him touch her. But I heard them arguing that night.""
"What did you hear?""
Victoria swallowed.
"I heard Eleanor say she would rather lose every design than let him claim Catherine's wedding dress as his own.""
I thought of the recording.
Of the threat Richard had made.
Of the bloodstained fabric.
"What happened to the dress?""
Victoria's eyes filled again.
"I don't know. But after Eleanor died, Richard told me that Catherine had destroyed it herself.""
I stared at her.
"Catherine says Richard sold the collection under your name.""
"He did.""
"And now you're saying you don't know what happened to the wedding gown.""
Victoria shook her head.
"Because I was never allowed to see the original again.""
Denise returned with a phone in her hand.
"The specialist has finished reviewing the cassette," she said.
"The recording is authentic, and the complete audio contains another exchange we need to hear.""
She placed the phone on the table.
The room fell silent as Grandma's voice emerged through the speaker.
"Richard, you cannot erase what you did to Catherine.""
His reply came sharply.
"She agreed to the arrangement.""
"She agreed because you told her the dress was stolen.""
"And what would you have preferred? That I let you destroy my company?""
Grandma's voice trembled with anger.
"I preferred that you keep your promise.""
There was a pause.
Then Richard spoke again.
"If you give that agreement to Catherine, you will destroy more than my company.""
Grandma answered quietly.
"Perhaps you should have thought of that before you betrayed us.""
The recording continued for several seconds, then ended abruptly.
I stared at the phone.
It was the strongest evidence yet that Richard had used the false ownership claim to control Catherine and my grandmother.
But the recording still didn't explain why Grandma had died the following night.
Victoria rose slowly.
"I know someone who might.""
"Who?"" I asked.
She looked toward the window.
"The nurse who was on duty when Eleanor arrived at the hospital.""
My heart began to race.
"She remembers that night?""
"She told me once that Eleanor wasn't alone when she was brought in.""
"Who was with her?""
Victoria looked at me.
"Richard Lawson.""
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Then she added something that made my blood run cold.
"And according to the nurse, he was carrying the missing wedding dress.""
