The whispers started again.
Not the flirty kind. Not the Ayden and Luca gossip.
These were colder.
"I heard their new concept isn't original."
"Someone said it's derivative of a Korean line from 2019."
"Duval's re-reviewing all their designs."
Ayden was reviewing final fabric pulls when Camille came in, lips tight.
"Someone leaked your mood board," they said.
Ayden stilled. "What?"
"It's on a private Discord. Designers' group. Some snide comments about you being all 'aesthetic, no innovation.' The screenshots are spreading."
Ayden clenched his jaw. "I didn't show that board to anyone outside our team."
Camille looked even more grim. "You think someone inside the team leaked it?"
Ayden's heart dropped.
Theo. Camille. Luca.
No.
"Who else had studio access?" Luca asked, appearing behind him. "Who helped us two weeks ago with fittings?"
Camille's face darkened. "Vivienne. Iris's friend."
Flashback — Two Weeks Earlier
Vivienne had lingered longer than necessary. Had complimented the exposed corset lace work. Asked questions. Taken "reference" photos.
Ayden had thought nothing of it.
Now, he realized he'd been played.
"Of course it was Iris," Luca muttered. "She's threatened. And desperate."
Ayden nodded, breathing through his rage. "Then we don't play defense."
"You want to escalate?"
"No," Ayden said, voice deadly calm. "We let the collection speak."
But the damage was real.
Duval pulled them into his office the next morning.
"There's a plagiarism accusation," he said, dropping a printed article on his desk. "Normally I wouldn't entertain it. But with the photos circulating, we have to investigate."
Ayden went still. "You're saying we might be pulled from the showcase?"
"No," Duval replied. "I'm saying you have one week to prove you're better than the accusations."
Back in the studio, Ayden didn't scream.
He didn't rage.
He just began to sketch. Faster. Harder.
"Burn it down," Luca whispered. "Rebuild it again. One more time."
Ayden's eyes were glassy. Tired. But fierce.
"Then let's make something no one dares to copy."