When the Designer's Vows Shattered

The jewelry design I poured my heart into won the Best New Talent Award. But instead of celebrating with me, my wife accused me of plagiarizing her first love's work. She demanded that I make a public apology to give her ex the justice he deserved. I watched in disbelief as she backed me into a corner for another man, even threatening to blacklist me from the entire industry. Completely heartbroken, I left behind signed divorce papers and walked away without looking back. Years later, I made a high-profile return under a mysterious identity, a stunning girlfriend by my side. Seeing us together, the woman hailed as the "Goddess of Design" grabbed my wrist, her eyes rimmed with red as she choked out, "You said I was the only one who had the right to stand beside you. Who is she?" The moment I pushed open the double doors of the convention hall, every eye in the room locked onto me. Today’s jewelry design symposium brought together the biggest names in the industry. Rumor had it that the elusive design genius known as "Sang Ye," who had never shown his face in public, would be making his debut appearance. Seeing me walk in with my head held high, the whispers started almost immediately. "At an event this important, how did a plagiarist even get an invite?" "Tell me about it. This is a summit for original artists. Having a piece of garbage like him here just ruins the whole atmosphere." "Well, he hit the jackpot in the parent lottery, didn't he? Money buys you anything these days." Their voices weren't quiet. Every bitter remark cut straight through the air into my ears, without the slightest regard for how I felt. Ever since I was reported for supposedly copying Logan’s design, every original creator in the room treated me like a thorn in their side. Nobody had even bothered to verify the claim through professional channels. Why? Because the person who filed the report was Chloe—the woman who slept beside me every night, my own wife. She was brilliant. At just twenty-three, she had already swept the national gold medals. Her reputation in the industry was rock solid. I, on the other hand, was just a useless rich kid in their eyes. Someone with zero talent who coasted on his family's trust fund. They believed I despised Logan, that I was jealous of his talent, and that I stole his work just to grab some quick fame. In their minds, my motive was simple: Chloe used to date Logan. Blinded by envy, I allegedly wanted to crush him and keep him from ever rising to the top. Facing their collective mockery, I dug my fingernails into my palms. Just as I opened my mouth to shoot back, I caught sight of Chloe walking toward me, her hand wrapped tightly around Logan’s arm. Logan glanced at me, a flicker of smug triumph deep in his eyes. Stopping right in front of me, he reached out and patted my shoulder, speaking in a loud, magnanimous tone for everyone to hear. "Julian only did this because he felt insecure. He just wanted to feel worthy of Chloe by making a name for himself in the industry. Since he likes that ring design so much, let's just say I gifted it to him. Everyone, please don't be too hard on him." It sounded like he was smoothing things over for me, but in reality, he was painting himself as the bigger person while cementing the lie that I had stolen his work. Chloe’s face darkened with frustration. "Logan, I know you're only swallowing your pride because of me. But wrong is wrong. You don't need to make excuses for him. If everyone in the design community acted like him, what would become of our industry?" Her words plunged my heart straight into an icy abyss. She didn't care about the damage she was doing. Turning to me, her voice rose with disgust. "Julian, you did something so shameless, and instead of giving a public apology, you dare show your face here? Your skin really is thicker than a brick wall!" "Do you have any idea how much your pathetic drama has dragged down my own reputation?" "I must have been completely blind to ever marry you!" Every single syllable cut into my chest like a dull blade. I had never imagined that the person I loved with all my soul would tear me apart like this just to defend another man. I didn't care when strangers mocked me or pointed their fingers. But coming from Chloe, it shattered me. I met her when she was only nineteen. I stood by her side through every struggle, watching her go from an unknown amateur to a glowing star. I poured my family's wealth into backing her career. But now that she was standing at the pinnacle, she had forgotten the vows we made to spend our lives together. My clenched fists slowly fell open. At this moment, I felt nothing but pathetic. Just as I turned to leave this miserable place, Chloe’s voice snapped from behind me. "Julian! Since you're already here, apologize to Logan while everyone is watching." "Logan might be generous enough not to hold a grudge, but I won't let him suffer in silence!" She wouldn't let Logan suffer? Then what was I to her? Was I just born to take the hits? I stared at her in total despair. A small, foolish part of me still hoped she would stand by my side and shut out the noise. But seeing her cling to Logan’s arm, reality hit me like a slap in the face. In her heart, I would never measure up to her childhood sweetheart. If she loved him so much, why the hell did she marry me in the first place? My mind spun out of control. I grabbed her by the shoulders. "Chloe, why... Why don't you believe me?!" "Enough!" She shoved my hands away in sheer disgust. "Julian, don't think you can do whatever you want just because your dad is loaded!" "If you don't apologize to Logan right here, right now, we're getting a divorce." Her voice was cold and steady. She made it crystal clear: unless I bowed my head to Logan, she was done with me. "Logan spent three entire years pouring his soul into that ring! Taking someone else's hard work to chase an award is disgusting. The only reason we haven't pressed criminal charges for theft is because we're showing you mercy!" Criminal charges? An official investigation meant digging up every trace of evidence. Did Logan even have the guts? Since she wanted an apology so badly... I looked toward the host standing on the main stage, marched up the steps, and snatched the microphone right out of her hand. The crowd below started buzzing. "Looks like Julian's conscience finally kicked in. He's going to clear the real designer's name." "Justice might be late, but it always arrives." "Once this apology is on the record, his reputation in the design world is completely toast." I gripped the mic, my voice booming across the entire auditorium. "Ladies and gentlemen. Respected peers. Today, I'm standing before all of you to set the record straight." "From the very first sketch to the finished product, I was the sole creator of that ring. Logan is nothing more than a thief!"The moment the words left my mouth, shock rippled through the room. Chloe was not just stunned—she was livid. She charged straight onto the stage and slapped me across the face with everything she had. Smack! "Julian! How dare you twist the truth and slander Logan's name?!" Veins pulsed along her temples from sheer rage. "People like you are absolute scum of the earth!" Ignoring the stinging burn on my cheek, I let out a dry, self-deprecating laugh. "Chloe, have you forgotten? The only reason you're standing at the top today is because of me!" "And now you hit me for an outsider?" "Bullshit! Everything I have achieved, every ounce of my success, came from my own talent! What the hell does it have to do with you? Stop trying to deflect!" I raised my thumb and wiped away the bead of blood at the corner of my lip. That slap really was loaded with all her fury. "Fine. Let's not deflect. Let's look at some real, concrete proof." A second later, the grand doors of the hall swung open again, and a dozen suited security guards flooded inside. "Julian! What are you doing? Are you so desperate that you're going to use brute force to make us back down?" Seeing the panic flash across their faces brought a faint, hollow satisfaction to my chest. At least they still feared my family's weight. "These are every single blueprint and draft I drew, complete with timestamps and rejected concepts," I declared. "If you don't believe me, hire handwriting and forensic experts to verify the ink and paper." "Not only do I have physical copies, but I also have the 3D rendering project files. The metadata and creation logs from my workstation have already been extracted." With a wave of my hand, the guards moved through the crowd, handing copies of the documents to every prominent guest in the room. Paper documents might theoretically be questioned, but uncorrupted digital logs with clean metadata didn't lie. "When Chloe reported me, Logan simply stood behind her and fueled the fire. Neither of them produced a single shred of hard evidence. It was all empty talk, wasn't it? Meanwhile, these files are more than enough to prove my innocence." Scanning the papers in their hands, the expressions of the veteran designers shifted instantly. To an original creator, theft was an unforgivable sin. Chloe had always claimed to feel the same way. When Logan told her that I had stolen the piece he spent three years crafting specifically to give to her, I had scrambled like a madman trying to prove myself. I didn't want a single stain to tarnish how she saw me. Yet watching the glaring contrast in how she treated the two of us, my heart turned entirely cold. Chloe wasn't disgusted by plagiarism. She was disgusted by me. She stepped firmly in front of Logan, shielding him. "Julian, I know Logan's character. He would never do something like this." "You, on the other hand—ever since I found out the truth, you've been manufacturing these fake files to frame him." With that, she tore the papers in her hands to shreds, tossing the scraps into the air. The white confetti fluttered down between us. Those torn fragments looked just like our marriage: completely shattered. "I know what your father is capable of," she snapped. "These cheap parlor tricks won't fool me." She didn't believe me. Even when the undeniable truth was laid bare right in front of her eyes, she refused to believe a single word. Logan threw a quick, gloating smirk my way before turning back to Chloe, instantly adopting his usual fragile, wounded expression. As if I were the cruel monster bullying him. "Chloe... thank you for believing in me." "Maybe... maybe Julian just misunderstood my intentions because that ring was meant as a special gift for you. At the end of the day, it's my fault." Right in front of my face, Chloe pulled him into her arms, stroking his back gently to soothe him. "None of this is your fault. I promise you, I will make sure you get the justice you deserve!" Watching the scene unfold before me, a sharp ache tore through my chest. "Chloe... you would rather believe him than your own husband?" "What about you is worth believing?" Chloe stepped right up to me, raising her hand to deliver another harsh slap across my face. "I gave you a chance, Julian. If you keep pushing this, I will personally see to it that you end up in prison. When that happens, not even your father will be able to save you.""Fine. Call the police then," I sneered. "Let's see what a real investigation uncovers. When the cuffs come out, who knows who's actually going behind bars!" The moment the police were mentioned, Logan's eyes darted frantically. He immediately stammered that he didn't want to blow this out of proportion and preferred to settle it privately. He claimed he didn't want to put Chloe in an awkward position. His act touched Chloe so deeply that she agreed without a second thought. "Julian, look at Logan, and then look at yourself! He's constantly thinking about our well-being. If it weren't for me, your life would already be ruined!" "And what about you? You won't even utter a simple apology." "You're thirty years old! Have some dignity and stop throwing these pathetic tantrums!" From beginning to end, Chloe stood firmly by Logan's side without a flicker of hesitation. "We've been together for so many years," I said, my voice barely above a whisper. "And you still trust him over me?" "Don't you understand what marriage means? We're supposed to be a team. I told you a thousand times—I designed that ring for you. I am the creator!" Chloe’s face remained frozen in the same cold disgust. I wanted to say more, but every word clogged in my throat, choking me. When exactly had Chloe changed? It was probably a year ago, when Logan returned from abroad. From the moment they met again, her heart had wandered away. No matter what happened, Logan always came first. Even though I was her legal husband, in Chloe's mind, I was always pushed to the back burner. To put it bluntly, maybe I had never truly lived in her heart at all. "Since you care about him so much... I agree to the divorce. I'll step aside and let you two be together." With that, I turned around and walked away. Behind me, I could hear Logan's panicked voice ringing out. "Chloe, please, I don't want you two to break up over me. Whatever Julian says, just let it be. It doesn't matter to me! As long as you're happy, I don't care if I'm the one who gets sacrificed!" "Don't be silly, Logan. How could I ever let you be sacrificed? You know the only reason I married him in the first place." "Julian... could never compare to you." Hearing those words, the surrounding crowd traded bewildered glances. "Wait, isn't Chloe his wife? Why does she look like she's dating Logan?" "Well, Julian was never worthy of a design prodigy anyway. Honestly, she and Logan look way better together." I didn't want to hear another word. I picked up my pace and walked out. After that disastrous confrontation at the summit, Chloe never came home. It wasn't until a major design competition, where the committee invited me to sit on the judging panel, that I saw her again. She had just finished dropping Logan off at the competitor check-in. When she spotted me in the judges' lounge, her expression curdled. "What are you doing here?" Her eyes instantly locked onto the VIP badge hanging around my neck. "A blatant plagiarist like you is allowed to sit on the judging panel? How much money did you throw around this time? Did you find out Logan was competing and deliberately come here to sabotage him?" In her eyes, everything I did was dripping with malice. "Do you really think I'm that vile?" "Aren't you? From the second you stole his work, calling you vile is being generous!" Chloe caused an absolute scene in the backstage lounge, eventually dragging the lead event organizer into the room. "How does your committee vet people? Letting a known thief sit on the judging panel—if word gets out, this entire competition will be a laughingstock!" "Or did the Vance family buy out the whole event just to wash Julian's dirty record clean?" Chloe had plenty of clout in the industry, so the organizers treated her with polite deference, offering a calm explanation. "Ms. Vance, please calm down. Accusations of intellectual theft require formal verification from the International Design Council." "You can't disqualify someone on unverified claims alone. In our field, the work speaks for itself. Mr. Vance is immensely talented, and his portfolio has received top-tier international recognition." Bang! Chloe slammed her hand against the table. Her furious glare made it clear she was on the verge of exploding. "Are you blind?! He stole someone else's design just to snatch that Best New Talent award! Using a thief to judge other artists is an insult to every real designer in the world! Let me make one thing crystal clear: either he leaves this panel today, or I walk!"