“I just came to get my things.”
My words were quiet.
But the moment they fell, the entire hall seemed to become silent.
Victoria Jiang stared at me.
She understood what I meant.
Not the necklace.
Not the piano piece.
Not even the reputation she had stolen.
Everything that belonged to me.
Everything she had taken while standing beside Adrian.
“You think you can take everything back today?”
Victoria forced a smile.
Her fingers tightened around the emerald necklace.
“This is my wedding day, Elena.”
“I don’t think you should create trouble.”
I looked at her calmly.
“Trouble?”
I glanced around the room.
“At least you know what trouble means.”
Her expression changed slightly.
Because everyone in this room knew.
The person who was causing trouble today was not me.
It was the truth.
Adrian finally walked over.
His face was colder than before.
“Enough.”
One word.
The same tone he used whenever he wanted me to obey.
The same tone that used to make me stop explaining.
But now…
It had no effect.
“Elena.”
He looked at me.
“Why did you come here?”
I smiled.
“Didn’t you hear?”
“I came to get my things.”
His eyebrows tightened.
“You have nothing here.”
I looked at the stage.
At the sheet music placed there.
The composition I created three years ago.
The one I wrote after my mother passed away.
The one I spent countless nights finishing.
The one Victoria submitted under her name.
“That belongs to me.”
Adrian followed my gaze.
For the first time, uncertainty appeared in his eyes.
“You are talking about the performance?”
“Yes.”
Victoria immediately stepped forward.
“That piece is mine.”
I turned to her.
“Are you sure?”
Her face changed.
Only for a second.
But I saw it.
Fear.
Because she knew.
She knew exactly what was inside the paper bag I carried.
Adrian noticed her reaction.
“Victoria.”
His voice became serious.
“What is she talking about?”
Victoria quickly recovered.
“Adrian, don’t listen to her.”
“She has always been jealous of my achievements.”
I almost laughed.
Jealous.
That was the easiest excuse people used when they didn’t want to face the truth.
I opened the paper bag.
The sound of documents hitting the table was clear.
The first page.
The original handwritten score.
The second page.
The creation registration certificate.
The third page.
The recording file authorization.
The fourth page.
The email history proving the original submission date.
The room became silent.
Nobody laughed anymore.
Nobody whispered.
Because the evidence was too clear.
Victoria’s face lost all color.
“No…”
She whispered.
“You can’t…”
I looked at her.
“Can’t what?”
“Can’t prove that you stole my work?”
Her lips trembled.
“Adrian…”
She turned toward him.
But this time, he didn’t immediately protect her.
Because for the first time…
He was looking at the evidence.
Not at her tears.
Three years ago.
When my mother died, she left me one final request.
“Never abandon music, Elena.”
“You were born with a gift.”
I promised her.
I wrote that composition for her.
But before the national competition, my family found out that Adrian wanted to marry Victoria.
The Jiang family was powerful.
The Gu family needed the alliance.
And suddenly…
My talent became an obstacle.
They said:
“Give Victoria the chance.”
“You can participate next year.”
“You are already engaged to Adrian. What else do you need?”
I refused.
So they destroyed my reputation.
They accused me of plagiarism.
They made everyone believe I copied Victoria.
Adrian stood there.
He knew me.
He knew my handwriting.
He knew how many nights I spent creating that piece.
But he chose silence.
That silence hurt more than any accusation.
Because the person who could have defended me…
Was the person who watched me fall.
Back in the hotel hall.
Adrian looked at the documents.
Then at me.
“Elena…”
His voice was lower.
“You had this all along?”
“Yes.”
“Why didn’t you say anything?”
I stared at him.
A strange question.
Why didn’t I say anything?
Because I did.
Countless times.
I begged him to believe me.
I begged him to investigate.
I begged him to remember who I was.
But he never listened.
“You already decided I was wrong.”
“So what was the point?”
Adrian’s face became pale.
For the first time…
He had no answer.
Then suddenly, the large screen behind the stage turned on.
Everyone looked up.
A video appeared.
A recording from three years ago.
Victoria’s voice.
Clear.
Unmistakable.
“If Elena disappears from the competition, everything will be mine.”
Another voice asked:
“What about Adrian?”
Victoria laughed.
“He will choose me.”
“He always chooses me.”
The hall exploded.
People started whispering.
The Gu family members looked shocked.
Adrian stood completely still.
Because he finally heard the words from the woman he had protected.
Not from me.
Not from rumors.
From her own mouth.
Victoria panicked.
“Someone edited this!”
She turned toward Adrian.
“You believe me, right?”
But Adrian did not answer.
His eyes were fixed on the screen.
On the evidence.
On the truth.
I picked up my bag.
My work was done.
I didn’t come here to ruin his wedding.
I came here to take back the things that were mine.
As I turned around, Adrian suddenly grabbed my wrist.
“Wait.”
I looked down at his hand.
Then at him.
The man who once promised to protect me.
The man who later wanted to destroy my life.
“What?”
His lips moved.
But the words came out slowly.
“Why did you come back?”
I looked at him.
“Because I wanted you to know.”
“Know what?”
“That the woman you wanted to break…”
“Was never weak.”
His hand loosened.
I walked away.
But I didn’t know yet…
That the documents inside my bag were not the biggest gift waiting for Adrian Gu.
Because the real gift…
Was the secret hidden in my mother’s final letter.
A secret that would make even the Gu family regret ever touching me.
