"Good afternoon, judges. Today, I am presenting my piece, a ring called Secret Love."
My mind went blank as I stared at Catherine in disbelief.
She opened the design the same as the one in my hand. Every single detail matched perfectly. She quickly finished her presentation.
Then, I heard my name being called from the stage. "Miss Mia Simone, please come up."
I was rooted to the spot, completely frozen.
How did my design end up in Catherine's hands?
The announcer kept repeating. "Miss Mia Simone, please come up."
I locked eyes with Catherine. Her gaze was full of smug defiance.
My fingers clenched the design tightly. I couldn't go up. I knew the difference between withdrawing from the competition and being accused of plagiarism.
Catherine, however, wasn't about to let me off. She walked over to me. "Mia, they're calling your name! Hurry up and go onstage!"
"Everyone may not know this, but Mia is the most talented designer. I'm sure she'll deliver a piece that everyone will love."
As she spoke, she grabbed my wrist tightly.
My face contorted as I violently shook her hand off. I suppressed the pain and approached the stage in my high heels.