Ticket for Cheating novel Chapter 34

Chapter 8

After that, I threw myself into work.

The day of my runway show, the venue was packed.

I took that collection-the one I’d designed for Caspian-and redesigned it. Made it mine. Bold. No apologies.

I modeled the final look myself.

The room erupted in applause.

At the post-show press conference, a reporter leaned in with a mic.

“Miss Sinclair, is this a response to your ex?”

Cameras flashed everywhere.

I smiled. Calm. Confident.

“I’m grateful for it. It taught me what I really want. This is my life. Not anyone else’s.”

That night, both the business and entertainment sections ran stories on the show.

Caspian couldn’t stop scrolling through videos of me.

He suddenly remembered something from a long time ago. I was pulling an all-nighter on design sketches, and he ruffled my hair, saying:

“Don’t push yourself so hard. I’ll take care of you.”

I’d said: “Caspian, I wanna stand next to you. As an equal. Not behind you.”

He thought it was cute back then.

Now he realized-I meant it.

Once the studio really took off, the people coming to me weren’t tabloid reporters anymore-they were legit business and fashion media.

My name was out there. I started building my own brand.

That afternoon, Caspian showed up again.

He’d lost weight. Dark circles under his eyes. That cocky energy he used to have? Gone.

“Just let me say a few things. Then I’ll leave.”

I told the front desk to let him up.

He stood in my office like a kid who got caught cheating.

“Tessa, I’m a piece of shit. I’m an idiot.”

He kept saying it. Over and over. Like that would change anything.

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“I know I fucked up… I sent her overseas. She’s not in my life anymore. I swear.”

He looked up. Eyes red.

“Give me one more chance. Just one. Please.”

I listened quietly.

“Caspian, I hear your apology.”

His eyes lit up for a second.

“But sorry doesn’t fix this.”

I kept my voice steady.

“I don’t hate you. Honestly… I’m kind of thankful.”

“If you hadn’t been that brutal, I might’ve never woken up. I might’ve never figured out what I wanted for myself.”

The light in his eyes dimmed.

“We’ve been over. For a while.”

He opened his mouth to argue.

I looked at him. There was one question I had to ask.

“You always said you and Marlowe were just friends. Totally innocent.”

“So tell me. If the Ashfords went bankrupt tomorrow. And marrying her was the only way to save them. Would you do it?”

Silence.

“If you even hesitated, you never loved me.”

“Caspian, don’t make excuses. You betrayed me. If you do, I won’t respect you at all.”

All the color drained from his face.

“That’s the difference. Right there.”

He stood there for a while. Then turned and left, shoulders slumped.

I never saw him again after that.

A few months later, my brand won a major international emerging designer award.

At the celebration, I wore one of my own designs, raising a glass to congratulations coming from every direction.

People kept slipping me info.

The Thornes and Ashfords had been talking about a marriage alliance after a string of failed projects. Trying to save themselves.

But apparently Caspian refused.

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more.

Whatever closeness they had was gone. Reality killed it. Now it’s just awkward.

I listened. Didn’t react.

When I stepped out onto the balcony, I raised my glass to the moon.

“To the future. To myself.”

“To everyone who breaks free. Who builds their own damn life.”

I smiled. Then downed the drink.

The night stretched out in front of me.

No shadows left.

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