One Night With My Alpha Professor novel Chapter 28

Chapter 28

Audrey & Third Person 

Audrey’s POV 

I stared at the cheerleading squad in complete disbelief, my jaw hanging open as they performed their routine in those all–too–familiar uniforms. The asymmetrical bodice, the sweeping skirt with that pop of burgundy, the cream knitted cardigan… 

It was unmistakably my design down to the very last detail. 

ཕོ ཛ འཇག ཛ་ཆེའི་ཧེའི་ 

But how? I had received that email just last week, clearly stating that my submission had been rejected. So who had approved this? And why was my hard work being showcased without any credit? 

Suddenly, the sensation of someone shaking my arm pulled me out of my stupor. I whipped my head around to see my friends staring at me with wide eyes, their faces just as shocked as mine was. 

“Audrey, is that…?”

Tina didn’t even need to finish before I was turning on my heel. Gritting my teeth, I pushed through the crowd, making a beeline for the bulletin board near the gymnasium entrance. Sure enough, tacked up amongst the various announcements and flyers was an official–looking notice detailing the winning cheerleading uniform design pick. 

My heart dropped into my stomach when I saw the bolded name at the top of the page. 

Linda O’Malley. 

Of course. That scheming little brat had obviously found a way to steal my hard work and pass it off as her own, just to spite me. Just like she had done when she trashed our studio. A white–hot flare of rage ignited within me, and I whipped around to search the gym for that familiar brunette head of hers. 

“There’s the little thief,” I snarled when I spotted her, causing a few nearby people to jump in surprise. 

Tina grabbed my arm again. “Audrey, don’t-” 

“No,” I growled, pulling my arm away. “I’m giving her a piece of my mind. How dare she steal my design!” 

Before my friends could stop me, I was already storming toward Linda and her gaggle of new friends. Stopping a few feet from her, I clenched my hands into fists and called out, “You stole my design, you bitch!” 

Linda turned at the sound of my voice, and her eyes widened almost comically. Good—so she knew exactly why I was furious. Still, she tried to play innocent at first. 

“Audrey! I was just about to look for you,” she purred, clutching a hand to her chest in mock surprise. “Isn’t this just so exciting? They chose my design!” 

“Your design?!” I scoffed, loudly enough to draw the attention of those sitting nearby. I jabbed an accusing finger toward the cheerleaders still performing their routine in my stolen uniform design. “That’s my work, and you know it!” 

Linda’s false sweetness disappeared in an instant, and she bared her teeth in a feral sneer that made the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end. In the blink of an eye, one of her friends–a tall, brutish girl who was apparently Linda’s new bodyguard–materialized beside her. 

“You got a problem, runt?” she growled, taking a menacing step towards me. 

I faltered, instinctively shrinking back as her eyes seemed to flicker. A tremor of fear shot through me as she parted her lips, revealing her fangs. 

“Whoa, easy there, Regan,” Linda purred, resting a hand on her friend’s bulging arm. She fixed me with a look of pure venom. “Little Miss Priss here is just throwing a tantrum because she didn’t get her way. Isn’t that right, Audrey?”