To everyone’s shock, including Imogen’s, he pushed through the crowd, heading straight for me.
"Giselle, why didn’t you let me know you were coming?" His voice was laced with a subtle accusation as if he hadn’t been the one who had dragged me here earlier.
He leaned in closer, his words dropping to a whisper meant only for my ears. "Don’t worry. After you apologize, I’ll announce our wedding date to the reporters."
He knew. He knew better than anyone that none of my paintings could ever be plagiarized. He had watched me pour my soul into each brushstroke, each detail, our shared moments woven into the canvas. Plagiarism wasn’t even in the realm of possibility.
"Alright," I said, my voice barely above a whisper.
I didn’t want to resist anymore. If this was what Cohen wanted, then I would consider it my final repayment before I disappeared for good.
Under the cold, accusing stares of the crowd, I slowly made my way to the center.
"I apologize to Miss Imogen Langley."
But then, with fierce clarity, I added, "But I swear on everything I have, I did not plagiarize."
I could see Cohen’s brow furrow from the corner of my eye.
"It’s just that today, I have no choice but to stand here and apologize."
Before I could finish, the crowd erupted into angry shouts, drowning out my voice.
The live painting demonstration was meant to be the grand spectacle of the event, with buckets of vibrant paint placed around the floor for the audience to admire. But in a flash, someone grabbed a bucket and threw it at me.
Cohen quickly pulled Imogen aside, but I was trapped at the center, with no way to escape the oncoming disaster. The blue paint splattered across my body, soaking through my clothes and leaving me drenched in humiliation.
I knew I looked like a mess.
Turning to face Cohen, I saw the paint still dripping from my hair, a symbol of everything unraveling. In the chaos, Cohen’s instinct had been to shield Imogen, placing her behind him as if she were the one in danger.
Fury flashed across his face as he screamed at security, demanding they remove the culprit and call the police. He quickly announced to the stunned reporters that the opening ceremony was over.
Through it all, Cohen couldn’t bring himself to meet my eyes.