Chapter 83

The stage lights burned Nathan Lowell's eyes.

His knuckles turned white as he gripped the microphone. His throat was too dry to speak.

Adrian Valentine tilted his head with an amused smirk.

"Composer T, is the question too difficult?" He waved the sheet music. "Or perhaps... these edits aren't yours?"

Whispers rippled through the audience.

Nathan's gaze involuntarily drifted to the judges' panel.

Sophia Laurent was writing notes without glancing his way.

"Collaboration is normal in creative processes," Adrian suddenly shifted tone. "But..."

He deliberately drew out the pause.

"Claiming someone else's work as your own crosses the line."

Gasps filled the venue.

Nathan's head snapped up, face ashen.

"Adrian Valentine!"

He spat the name through clenched teeth.

Adrian only smiled wider.

"Oh dear, did I misspeak?" He feigned surprise, covering his mouth. "Unless... those rumors are true?"

The screen cut to Sophia's close-up.

She finally looked up with dead calm eyes.

"Sophia." Nathan's voice cracked. "You tell them."

He gambled on lingering sibling loyalty.

Sophia set down her pen.

"Adrian's correct."

Her quiet words detonated through the studio.

"For three years, I revised every competition entry you submitted."

The audience erupted.

Nathan staggered back.

"Lies!" He shouted. "Those were my original works!"

Sophia produced a stack of papers from her folder.

"Shall I display the drafts?"

Her finger tapped the dated margins.

"Every revision is timestamped."

Live comments exploded.

[OMG receipts!]

[So his Composer T awards were hers?]

[Explains his recent quality drop...]

Nathan stared at the damning evidence.

He remembered Sophia working late nights at her desk.

Where had he been?

Accompanying Emily Lowell shopping.

"Why..." His voice trembled. "Now?"

Sophia filed the documents coolly.

"You've exhausted all chances."

She addressed the judges.

"I move to disqualify Nathan Lowell."

Adrian whistled.

"Seconded."

The panel exchanged nods.

The host cleared his throat.

"Per competition rules, plagiarism warrants lifetime ban."

Nathan jerked upright.

"I didn't plagiarize! That's my sist—"

"Former sister." Sophia corrected. "Since you chose Emily."

The screen switched to backstage footage.

Emily was frantically deleting text messages:

[Don't worry babe, I bribed the judges]

[You'll win for sure]

Dead silence.

Sophia chuckled.

"Someone's panicking faster than expected."