Chapter 2

Hearing my words, Serena ignored the flashing cameras.

She marched over and covered my mouth in front of everyone.

Her eyes were filled with fury and shock as she screamed at me:

"Austin, are you out of your mind? Is this your idea of an apology?"

"I thought you were at least man enough to take responsibility, but you're just pathetic."

"I really misjudged you. You are a disgusting liar!"

Her voice grew higher and more screeching.

You misjudged me?

Listening to her, the sorrow in my eyes deepened.

We had been dating for three years. She knew exactly what kind of person I was.

But today, for the sake of her childhood friend's reputation, she trampled on my dreams and my honor, over and over again.

By now, a reporter had taken the notebook from my hand.

That was my original physical manuscript.

I had a habit. I hated typing my initial ideas on a laptop. I preferred using pen and paper to jot down my raw thoughts, and only when the concept was fully formed would I transfer it to a digital document.

This notebook was filled with drafts, deleted ideas, and step-by-step revisions of the game mechanics.

Anyone with half a brain could see the entire process of how this game was built from scratch.

This was irrefutable proof that I was the creator.

Tristan could steal my digital files, but he couldn't steal the creative process in my head.

The judges and developers who looked through the notebook gasped in amazement. Some of the senior designers invited as judges even pulled out their phones to take photos of my concepts.

Only Tristan stood there, his face pale and dripping with sweat.

He had no idea this notebook existed. He didn't know how much blood, sweat, and tears went into a complete GDD.

I gently brushed Serena's hand off my face. I tried to hold her hand, but she slapped me away.

In my memory, Serena was someone who hated injustice. She would get angry even at fictional villains on TikTok.

In the face of such clear evidence, she couldn't possibly keep believing Tristan.

The handwriting could easily be verified. I wrote every single page.

The committee hated plagiarism more than anything.

Once this was proven, Tristan would be disqualified.

Ever since the rumors started, Serena hadn't given me a single warm look.

She had screamed at me countless times.

But I hadn't cared. I only wanted her to come back to me, to give me back the love I had lost.

I kept telling myself she was only angry because she thought I made a mistake. That had to be it.

With a glimmer of hope, I looked at Serena's face.

But the only response I got was her furrowed brow and an even angrier glare.

The media cameras slowly shifted from me to the trembling Tristan. He was shaking like a leaf.

Serena turned her head, refusing to look at me.

I whispered to her, "Serena, I'm not a thief. I wrote everything in that book."

Maybe if I told her, she would finally draw a line between herself and Tristan.

But she didn't. She watched the reporters crowd around Tristan, watching him sweat and tremble.

Without answering me, she stepped right in front of Tristan, shielding him from the lenses.

She stared straight into the cameras and shouted at me: "Austin! Do you have any idea how much this tournament means to Tristan? This is his lifelong dream!"

"How can you stomp on his dream like this?"

I looked at the furious Serena, my mind going blank.

She wasn't like this before. Tristan was the one who stole from me!

Serena knew it. And my dream was also to create the perfect game.

This collegiate tournament was my only shot.

I opened my mouth to say something, but the words got stuck in my throat.

A wave of bitterness washed over me.

Serena looked at the media, then at me, and made a statement that shocked the room.

She said, "I watched Tristan write every single word of this GDD. I am his witness."

"This notebook was also written by Tristan. Austin is the one who stole it!"

My vision blurred. Was this really the girl I had loved so deeply?

Her eyes were cold, filled with disdain and anger as she glared at me.

"For this slander, I will personally make sure you get sued!"

The moment she said those words, every ounce of hope I had for her vanished into thin air.