"These things aren't mine. They're gifts—from people who care about me. They have sentimental value. I could starve to death before I'd ever sell someone's heartfelt gesture for money." His voice rose with desperate conviction. "All I want is to earn my way through my art. Through my own two hands."
"I'm not trying to steal the championship from you. I'm begging you—just give me back the prize money."
His voice was raw, shredded, barely a rasp.
Bonnie's eyes shimmered with emotion. "You sweet, foolish girl..."
The other contestants closed in, accusations flying:
"Cliff is literally kneeling and begging you. What more do you want?"
"I can't stand these trust-fund parasites—thinking money means they can steal other people's work."
"Making him return the prize money isn't enough. He needs to be disqualified!"
The bullet comments erupted in righteous fury:
【Can this piece of trash just DROP DEAD?! He's forcing our precious ML to KNEEL. I'm sobbing, our poor baby ML!】
【Thank god the FL will expose him for switching the paintings and give the championship back to the ML!】
【The best part comes later—the FL never forgets how the ML was humiliated. She pretends to pursue the ex-boyfriend, then ditches him AT THE ALTAR on their engagement day! The supporting male's whole family is disgraced, their stock price tanks! The FL buys up their shares and drives his accomplice parents into bankruptcy until they jump off a building!】
I stared at that last comment.
My vision went red at the edges.
The bullet comments shrieked:
【WAIT—can he actually SEE these?!】
I wrenched my gaze away, pretending I hadn't seen a thing.
The comments calmed down when they saw I showed no reaction:
[There's no way a side character can see the comments. The person above must be crazy.]
[He's just a stepping stone for the main character. His whole family deserves to die!]
Rage churned in my chest.
I'd never hurt anyone in my life. So why should I have to pave the way for Bonnie James and Cliff Fox's love story?
Why should I be framed until my family's company goes bankrupt and my parents jump off a building?
The crowd helped Cliff to his feet, all clamoring to report me for stealing someone else's work.
Bonnie went straight for the kill, summoning the Organizing Committee: "I want to file a complaint! Someone swapped the artworks and stole another contestant's achievement!"