CHAPTER 173: CHAPTER 173 BETRAYAL UNCOVERED

Serena’s POV

I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. Nearly half our design submissions rejected? Something felt seriously wrong. Rubbing my temples, I spread the sketches across my desk, trying to make sense of it all.

"These were all rejected?" I asked, glancing up at Maya, who stood with her tablet pressed against her chest, looking equally confused.

"Unfortunately, yes. The liaison at LUXE Jewelry was very specific about the flaws, pointing out issues I couldn’t even argue with. I had no choice but to bring them back," Maya sighed, dropping into the chair across from me.

I frowned, examining the detailed sketches more closely. My brother Ethan might be demanding, but he respected my work. These rejections didn’t make sense.

"That’s strange. Even if London has different aesthetic preferences than New York, these designs were solid. Let’s have the team revise them, and I’ll personally review everything before we resubmit," I decided, sorting the papers into organized piles.

Maya nodded, rising from her chair. "It’s getting late, Serena. Why don’t you head home? I can handle the rest."

"I’m fine," I waved her off, already making mental notes about the necessary adjustments. "You go ahead."

The door closed behind Maya, leaving me alone with my thoughts. The silence lasted barely five minutes before I heard a commotion in the reception area. Curious voices drifted through the door, followed by Maya’s animated tone. I couldn’t make out the words, but something was definitely happening.

I was halfway through an email when a splash of crimson caught my eye. A massive bouquet of roses appeared in my line of vision, momentarily blocking my view of the computer screen. My heart skipped a beat as I looked up to find Ryan standing there, looking uncharacteristically uncertain.

"Ryan? What are you doing here?" The question came out breathier than I intended.

He shifted his weight slightly, those intense gray-blue eyes studying my face. "I came to see you."

I stared at the roses, their velvety petals glistening with droplets of water. After a moment’s hesitation, I reached out and accepted them.

"Thank you. They’re beautiful," I murmured, inhaling their sweet fragrance.

I studied his face carefully. In all our time together, Ryan had many flaws, but dishonesty wasn’t one of them. When he said he hadn’t done something, he meant it.

"If it wasn’t you, then who? The person specifically claimed to represent you. Ethan confirmed it himself."

Confusion crossed both our faces as the implications sank in. "That’s impossible," Ryan muttered.

"So someone’s deliberately trying to create problems between us," I said slowly, the realization dawning. "Or between our companies."

Ryan’s expression darkened. "Someone with access to both our operations."

I felt suddenly foolish for assuming the worst without confirming the facts. "Why didn’t you explain this last week?"

"You didn’t exactly give me the chance," Ryan replied with a hint of frustration. "And I didn’t even know about these supposed interferences until now."

He reached for my hand, his fingers warm against mine. "Serena, can we agree on something? Whatever happens, whatever we hear—we talk to each other first. No jumping to conclusions."

His touch sent familiar warmth through me. "Alright," I agreed softly. "I’m sorry I didn’t give you a chance to explain. I’ve been more emotional lately—pregnancy hormones don’t help with rational thinking."

Ryan’s face softened instantly at the mention of the pregnancy. "Then we have a deal. Now, can we please go to dinner? I’ve been thinking about you all week."

I smiled despite myself, placing the roses on my desk. "Give me a minute to finish this email, and then we’ll go."

"Take your time," Ryan replied, settling into the chair across from me.

I was just shutting down my computer when a knock interrupted us. Celeste stood in the doorway, clutching a portfolio with an alarmed expression.

"Ms. Quinn, are you leaving now?" she asked, glancing nervously between Ryan and me.

"Yes, is something wrong?" I asked, immediately concerned by her tone.

Celeste hesitated before stepping forward. "I wasn’t sure if I should bother you, but..." She opened the portfolio and laid several sketches in front of me. "These aren’t our original submissions. They’re similar, but definitely not what we sent to LUXE."

I stared at the designs in front of me, my blood practically boiling under my skin. These weren’t our original works—just cheap imitations that someone had deliberately swapped with our authentic designs. No wonder they got rejected!

"This is definitely not what we sent to Quinn Jewelry," I muttered, carefully examining the details. The differences were subtle but unmistakable to a trained eye—missing shading techniques, simplified curves, altered proportions. "Someone switched our designs."

Celeste stood nervously before me, clutching her tablet against her chest. "That’s what I thought too. The line work isn’t even mine. It’s like someone used AI to recreate it, but with deliberate flaws."

Ryan moved closer, his tall frame casting a shadow over the designs. His expression darkened as he studied the papers.

"Who handled the delivery to Quinn Jewelry?" he asked, his voice taking on that dangerous edge I recognized from his boardroom dealings.

"Chen from the courier department," Celeste replied quickly. "But he’s been with us for years, completely trustworthy."

I rubbed my temples, feeling a headache building. First the argument with Ryan over something he didn’t even do, and now this sabotage? The timing couldn’t be coincidental.

"Someone’s trying to drive a wedge between Dreamland and Quinn Jewelry," I said, my mind racing through possibilities. "And they nearly succeeded by making it look like you were behind it."

Ryan’s jaw tightened. "They wanted us fighting with each other instead of looking for the real culprit."

"Exactly." I gathered the fake designs into a neat pile. "But who would benefit from ruining this partnership?"

"Competitors," Ryan suggested, his business mind already analyzing the situation. "Or someone with a personal vendetta against either of us."

The beautiful roses he’d brought now seemed forgotten as we faced this new crisis. I turned to Celeste. "Don’t mention this to anyone else yet. We need to investigate quietly. Check who had access to the designs before delivery."

After she left, I collapsed into my chair, the weight of the situation hitting me fully. My hand instinctively moved to my stomach—the stress couldn’t be good for the baby.

Ryan noticed immediately. "You should rest." His voice softened as he knelt beside my chair. "Let me handle this."

"No," I shook my head firmly. "This is my company, my designs. I need to be involved."