Chapter 6: The Letter That Exposed the Betrayal
Daniel read the letter again before placing it on the table.
His hands were shaking.
Nia leaned forward, but he kept one palm over the lower half of the page as if he needed another moment to prepare himself.
“Dad,” she said, “what does it say?””
He looked at Evelyn.
“Should she read it?””
Evelyn's expression was steady.
“She is the beneficiary. If the letter concerns the trust or the collection, she has every right to know.””
Daniel slowly moved his hand.
Nia read the words.
Daniel,
If you are opening this letter, then someone has attempted to claim the Blue Monarch or transfer its rights without my permission.
I need you to understand something before you make any decisions. The problem was never simply about a dress or a business agreement.
Vanessa Reed has been asking questions about the collection for months. She has repeatedly requested access to the original patterns, the licensing records, and the documents establishing ownership. I refused her requests.
I have reason to believe that she has shared information about the unfinished design with people outside the company. I cannot yet prove that she intended to sell the work, but I no longer trust her with the collection.
I am not asking you to hate her. I am asking you to protect our daughter.
If Nia ever chooses to pursue fashion, give her the opportunity to do so without fear. If she chooses another life, let the collection remain protected until she is ready.
But never allow anyone to tell her that her talent belongs to them.
Elise.
Nia read the letter twice.
Then she looked at her father.
“You had this for years?””
Daniel nodded.
“Your mother gave it to me shortly before she died. She told me not to open it unless someone made a claim on the Blue Monarch.””
“And you never told me?””
“I thought the threat had passed.””
“Because Vanessa married you?””
Daniel looked away.
“I thought she had changed. She was kind to you at first. She helped with school supplies, attended parent meetings, and made sure you had everything you needed.””
Nia remembered those early years.
Vanessa had braided her hair before school. She had baked a cake for Nia's tenth birthday and bought her a small sewing kit after she expressed an interest in making clothes.
For a while, Nia had believed her stepmother might become another person she could call family.
Then Brianna had been born, and everything had changed.
Vanessa stopped asking about Nia's drawings. The sewing kit disappeared into a cupboard. Her compliments became comparisons, and her kindness became something Nia had to earn.
“Why did she change?”” Nia asked.
Daniel looked at Evelyn.
Evelyn answered carefully.
“It's possible that Vanessa's interest in the collection never disappeared. But we need evidence before drawing conclusions about what she intended or when.””
Nia nodded.
She didn't need another person telling her what to think.
She needed the truth.
Evelyn placed the letter inside a clear protective sleeve.
“This must be preserved. I'll arrange for a certified copy and have the original secured with the trust records.””
“Can it prove Vanessa stole the collection?”” Nia asked.
“No. It proves Elise had concerns about Vanessa's access and intentions. It does not, by itself, establish that Vanessa committed a crime. But combined with the disputed licensing agreement, the missing records, and the recent claim to your gown, it gives us grounds to investigate.””
Daniel rubbed his face.
“What happens now?””
“First, we protect Nia's competition entry. Second, we notify the trust's administrator that a protected design may have been copied or claimed without authorization. Third, we preserve all relevant records.””
Nia opened her phone and showed Evelyn the photograph of Brianna wearing the gown.
The caption remained unchanged.
Custom-made just for me.
The comments had multiplied overnight.
Several people had praised Brianna's supposed talent. One local boutique owner had even asked whether she would consider creating a small collection for an upcoming showcase.
Evelyn studied the screen.
“Has Brianna made any other public statements about designing the gown?””
“She told people at school that she had been working on it for months,” Nia said.
“She also posted a video showing the dress from every angle.””
“Save the original video and the link. Don't argue with her publicly.””
“But she's taking credit for my work.””
“I understand. The strongest response will be supported by evidence, not an argument.””
Nia looked at the photographs stored on her phone.
Four months of work had produced hundreds of images: the fabric before cutting, the first embroidery test, the bodice pinned to a dress form, and the long evenings when she had carefully attached each crystal.
There was even a video of her crying after the paint spill, followed by another showing the first blue pattern taking shape.
She had kept everything because she wanted to remember how much she had learned.
Now those memories could help protect her.
Evelyn made a list of the files she needed.
“We'll preserve copies with their original timestamps. I'll also contact the competition's legal coordinator and explain that a dispute over attribution may arise.””
Nia felt a small surge of relief.
“Will they still let me compete?””
“We'll ask them to consider your evidence and the circumstances. I can't guarantee their decision, but we should act quickly.””
Daniel stood.
“I'll call Vanessa and tell her to return the dress.””
Nia shook her head.
“Don't tell her anything yet.””
He frowned.
“Why not?””
“Because she'll know we're preparing a case. She'll delete the posts, change her story, and make sure Brianna doesn't admit anything.””
Evelyn regarded Nia thoughtfully.
“That's a sensible concern. We should preserve the evidence before notifying them formally.””
Daniel sat down again.
“You shouldn't have to think this way about your own family.””
Nia looked at him.
“I shouldn't have had to beg them not to steal from me, either.””
He accepted the words without protest.
For the first time, his silence felt less like avoidance and more like shame.
After the meeting, Evelyn drove Nia and Daniel to the alterations shop where Nia worked.
The owner, Mrs. Alvarez, had agreed to let Nia use the back room for her new design.
It was a narrow space with a large cutting table, two dress forms, and shelves crowded with fabric remnants. The walls smelled faintly of steam and starch.
To Nia, it felt safer than home.
Mrs. Alvarez emerged from the front counter with a measuring tape around her neck.
“There she is. I was beginning to think your family had locked you in a tower.””
Nia blinked.
“How did you know?””
“Your father called me this morning. He sounded like a man who'd finally discovered that keeping quiet can make things worse.””
Daniel lowered his head.
Mrs. Alvarez gave him a pointed look before turning to Nia.
“Show me what you've got.””
Nia laid out her Blue Monarch sketch.
Mrs. Alvarez studied it for a long time.
Then she walked to a shelf and pulled down a roll of lightweight structural mesh.
“This might work for your inner frame. It's flexible enough to move with the body, but it won't collapse under the silk.””
Nia touched the material.
“I thought about using wire.””
“Wire will hold its shape, but it may make the shoulders look stiff. Try the mesh first. Build the structure, test the movement, then add the fabric.””
Evelyn smiled.
“This is exactly what she needs.””
For the next three hours, Nia worked.
She cut narrow strips of mesh, pinned them to a temporary form, and tested the shape with scraps of muslin. The first attempt sagged. The second twisted awkwardly. The third held, but the left shoulder sat higher than the right.
She unpinned the entire structure and started again.
At one point, the thread snapped.
Nia stared at the broken seam, exhausted.
“I can't do this in four days.””
Mrs. Alvarez placed a fresh spool beside her.
“Then stop trying to finish the whole dress in your head. Finish the seam in front of you.””
Nia inhaled slowly.
She threaded the needle.
One stitch.
Then another.
By late afternoon, the frame finally held its shape. When Nia moved the dress form, the layered panels shifted gently, catching the light like wings.
Evelyn stood beside the table.
“That's it.””
Nia stepped back.
The unfinished gown looked almost alive.
For a moment, she imagined her mother standing beside her, touching the blue silk and telling her not to be afraid of mistakes.
Her eyes burned.
“I wish she could see this.””
Mrs. Alvarez gently squeezed her shoulder.
“Maybe she already gave you everything you needed to make it.””
Nia returned to work.
At 5:17 p.m., Evelyn received a call from the competition's coordinator.
She listened, asked several questions, and thanked the caller before hanging up.
“They've agreed to review your documentation,” she said.
“You can submit a revised design, but the committee wants a statement explaining the relationship between your original gown and the new entry.””
“Will they know about Brianna's post?””
“Yes. I've sent them a preserved copy.””
Nia let out a breath.
“So I still have a chance.””
“You do.””
Then Evelyn's phone rang again.
This time, her expression changed almost immediately.
“Hello?””
A man's voice spoke on the other end.
Evelyn listened without interrupting.
“Yes, I'm aware of the licensing dispute.””
A pause.
“No, that agreement was never finalized.””
Another pause.
Her gaze shifted toward Nia.
“Who told you that the Blue Monarch was being developed again?””
Nia froze.
Evelyn stood and walked toward the window.
“I'm not discussing the beneficiary's work with an unidentified caller. If you have a legitimate interest, contact my office in writing.””
She ended the call.
“What was that?”” Daniel asked.
Evelyn looked unsettled.
“The caller claimed to represent a luxury fashion group that had previously explored licensing the Blue Monarch. He said his company had heard the design might be returning to the market.””
Nia's fingers went cold.
“But I haven't announced anything.””
“Exactly.””
Daniel stepped closer.
“Could Vanessa have told them?””
“Possibly. But we need to establish how they learned about the sketch.””
Nia remembered the anonymous photograph sent to her phone.
Someone had taken a picture of the design inside her bedroom.
Someone had watched her.
She retrieved the message and showed Evelyn.
The attorney's face hardened.
“Save this. Don't respond. We'll document the number and report the intrusion if we can establish who sent it.””
Nia looked at the clock.
It was nearly six.
She had barely completed the first structural layer, the competition deadline was approaching, and someone outside her family was already asking questions about the design.
Then Daniel's phone rang.
Vanessa's name appeared on the screen.
He answered.
“Where are you?”” she demanded.
“At the shop.””
“With Nia?””
“Yes.””
“You need to come home immediately.””
“Why?””
“Because someone from a fashion company called here asking about Elise's collection. They said they had been told the Blue Monarch was being reconstructed.””
Daniel glanced at Evelyn.
“What did you tell them?””
“Nothing! I told them I knew nothing about the collection.””
“Then why are you upset?””
“Because they said they had a photograph of the new design.””
Nia stood so quickly that her chair scraped backward.
“What photograph?”” she demanded.
Daniel put the phone on speaker.
Vanessa went silent.
Then her voice dropped.
“Nia, what have you done?””
Nia stared at the unfinished gown.
“I made a dress.””
“No,” Vanessa whispered.
“You made something you don't understand.””
Evelyn stepped toward the phone.
“Vanessa, this is Evelyn Shaw. Any questions about the protected collection should be directed to my office.””
“Stay out of this.””
“I intend to.””
Vanessa let out a sharp breath.
“You have no idea who you're provoking.””
Evelyn's voice remained calm.
“Then perhaps you should explain.””
For several seconds, no one spoke.
Then Vanessa said something that made Daniel grip the edge of the table.
“The company already owns the Blue Monarch.””
Nia's heart lurched.
Evelyn went very still.
“On what legal basis?”” she asked.
Vanessa laughed nervously.
“Ask your precious trust administrator. The agreement was signed years ago.””
Evelyn opened the folder and searched through the documents.
“There is no finalized agreement in the trust records.””
“Then your records are incomplete.””
“Perhaps. But if you have a signed contract, we would welcome a copy.””
Vanessa didn't answer.
Instead, she whispered, “You should have let that design stay buried.””
The call ended.
Nia stared at the phone.
Her stepmother had just admitted that a company might possess a claim to the Blue Monarch.
But if the agreement had never been finalized, how could that be possible?
Evelyn gathered her documents.
“We need to find the original licensing file. It may contain the missing signature page or correspondence showing what happened.””
Daniel looked at his daughter.
“I'm going to the house. There may be records in my office.””
Nia shook her head.
“Don't go alone.””
He hesitated, then nodded.
Evelyn placed a hand on Nia's shoulder.
“Keep working on the gown. The competition is still your opportunity, and we must not let this dispute consume everything you've built.””
Nia looked at the blue silk, the flexible frame, and the delicate panels waiting to be attached.
For four months, she had believed her greatest challenge was proving she could design a beautiful dress.
Now she was fighting to protect a legacy she hadn't known existed.
She picked up her needle.
“I'll finish it,” she said.
And she meant it.
But as Daniel left the shop, his phone vibrated with a message from an unknown number.
He opened it.
A scanned contract filled the screen.
At the bottom was Elise Carter's signature.
Beneath it was a second signature, dated three days after Elise's death.
*Daniel Carter.*
Daniel stared at the screen.
He had never seen the document before.
May you like
Yet the signature looked exactly like his own.
And the final paragraph stated that the entire Blue Monarch collection had been transferred to a private fashion group—permanently.
