Stolen Genius, A Billionaire's Vow

arch, becoming a tech celebrity while I was framed for fraud and left with

. Dallas and her followers beat me in front of

rnal on fire. The ultimate betrayal, however, was seeing my own fia

estroy me and did

through the chaos. My mentor, the powerf

surveillance footage of the entire attack. Cradling me in h

pte

Maso

I knew it. Dallas Mueller's product launch is the event of the year! I scrolled, my thumb brushing against the cold glas

th. I saw the comments, the thinly veiled jabs from anonymous profiles. Didn't someone else have a

uried. I remembered the way Dallas would look at my work, her eyes glitterin

rently. It felt personal. They were talking about me, weren't they? The ghost of my past, th

und that went unheard in my quiet apartment. Authentic? Real? Dallas Mueller was a caref

ride, the perfectly tailored suits. They saw a woman who belonged, a woman who

ne, the brain, the one who lived for the thrill of discovery, not the spotlight. My clothes were utilitarian, my hair often a mess. I was invisible, a g

ng into success. That was her magic trick, her illusion. She was good at it.

uld mock all they wanted. Their words were empty, hollow.

ity of discovery. I was no longer the girl who shrank from confrontati

eart and soul into its design, collaborating with Clifton Kramer, my mentor, his vision merging seamlessly with my own. The irony tasted like bitter metal

ped from the high ceilings, reflecting off polished marble floors. Every surface seemed to scream wealth, a desperate attemp

if needed." A cold wave of recognition washed over me. This wasn't just a venue I designed. This was Clifton's, which meant it was al

fectly sculpted smile wide and dazzling. She was surrounded by a

ycophancy. "Your vision, your drive, it's truly unparalleled. And this place! It's

erything. This company, this launch, it' s all a testament to our shared dream." She glanced around, a smug satisfaction painting her fe

ss laugh escaped my lips. It was barely audible, a pathetic little sound, but

altered, replaced by a mask of cold recognition. Her followers, a pack of well-d

iced stage whisper, laced with feigned su

u? Some people just don't know how to take a hint." He sneered, looking me up and down, his gaze lingering on my simple

gly steady. "Is that what you call a sha

her composure. "Some people just can't stand to see others succeed. E

till wearing hand-me-downs from her 'modest' upbringing." She gestured dismissively at my simple pearl necklace, a

ast I had tried to bury. "Vanity is a funny thing," I said,

thers. We weren't poor, but we certainly weren't wealthy. My admission to the prestigious Kramer Fellowship, the very program Dallas now claimed to have

thing to exploit. She befriended me, learned my deepest secrets, and then, with a smile, she took everything. My research, my id

o look like plagiarism. Even images of my childhood home, made to appear dilapidated, were used to paint me as desperat

pulsion, the shame of it all. I buried it, focusing instead on his recovery, pouring all my energy into caring for

cientist. It was there, among new cultures and new challenges, that I found healing, and a new purpose. And i

She was everywhere, her face plastered on billboards, her name synonymous with innovation. The irony w

re, Dallas," I said, sweeping my arm to encompass the glittering

oice losing its polished edge. She lunged, her hand swinging out, a sharp, stinging blow across my cheek. The forc

for trying to ruin things for me. You always were jealous, we

ctacle. I tasted blood, metallic and acrid, on my tongue. My cheek burned, but a cold, hard resolve settled deep within me. This was it. Th

u haven't seen anything yet, Dallas. This isn't just about your li

even bigger fool of yourself." Her eyes gleamed with malice. "Get her out of here. And make sure she leaves nothing b