Back to My Worst Birthday and Staiting Anew
Chapter 37 Convinced
Leah’s voice, raw and strained, carried her anguish as tears streamed down her face.
Finished
Willard, whose anger had burned fiercely just moment earlier, felt it begin to fade. Her sorrow, so stark and genuine, chipped away at his fury, though the memory of the reporters lingered bitterly.
Their merciless questions and the shame he had endured that day clung to him, leaving a weight he couldn’t ignore.
Leah’s gaze flicked toward Bennett. Their eyes met briefly, and a silent understanding passed between
them.
The faint overhead light cast soft shadows, making Lear’s pallor seem even more pronounced. Her sobs slowed, each breath uneven as she fought to regain control.
Then, with a quiet resolve, she brushed the blanket aside.
Olympia’s hand shot out to steady her. “Leah?”
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Leah rose carefully, her movements deliberate and measured. She stepped forward, her frame small but determined, and bowed deeply before Willard and Olympia.
“Dad, Mom,” she began, her voice steady despite the tears still streaking her cheeks. “What happened today was my fault. I made this mess, and I deserve whatever comes my way. But I won’t let the Nelsons pay the price for my mistakes.”
Straightening, she turned to Milo, who had been standing silently near the door. “Milo, are there reporters still outside?”
Startled from his thoughts, Milo blinked before nodding. “Yes, a few are still waiting.”
Leah nodded, a faint, sorrowful smile playing on her lips. The light above her seemed to highlight the resolve etched into her expression. “Good,” she said quietly.
“I’ll go out there and tell them everything. I’ll let them know I’m not the Nelsons‘ real daughter, that I don’t belong here. If the truth comes from me, they’ll stop chasing after Dad and Jonah.”
Her words were calm, almost detached, as though she had already resigned herself to the fallout.
“I’ll take the blame,” she continued.
“Whatever it takes to protect the family. That’s all that matters.”
Olympia gasped, her hands flying to cover her mouth. Tears welled in her eyes as she stepped closer. “Leah, how could you even think of doing something so reckless?”
Leah’s smile deepened, but it was forced, a fragile attempt to comfort her mother. She reached out, resting her hand on Olympia’s arm.
“It’s okay, Mom. I’ve been through worse. I’ve made mistakes before, and I’ve faced the consequences. This isn’t anything new for me. As long as everyone else is safe, I can handle it.”
Olympia grasped Leah’s hands tightly, her voice thick with emotion. “Leah, why didn’t you tell us earlier?
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Chapter 37 Convinced
Leah swallowed hard, her throat tight. She hesitated, then began to speak, her voice low but steady as the laid bare the reasons for her deception.
After Charmaine came back. I could feel her resentment, she admitted. “I’d taken her place, her family’s love, the attention she deserved. I couldn’t blame her for feeling that way. It made sense.
Her hands trembled slightly as she continued. “That day, I saw her portfolio. She quickly put it away, like she didn’t want me to notice. But her work was incredible. She’s so talented. I thought, maybe, I could help her. Maybe I could do something good.”
Leah paused, her breaths shaky. “Submitting her designs to Ydris Group was my choice. I thought if they were accepted, she’d be happy. I never imagined she’d leave so suddenly. And then… everything with Ydris Group fell apart.”
Her voice faltered, thick with regret.
Each word carried the weight of her guilt, her sorrow, and the heavy consequences of her decisions.
“I wanted to tell everyone the truth,” Leah began, her voice quivering as if each word carried an unbearable weight. “I wanted Mom and Dad to know the designs weren’t mine. The person who passed Ydris Group’s review… it was Charmaine, not me.”
Her breath hitched, and tears spilled freely from her eyes, a cascade that seemed to echo the turmoil in her heart..
“But…” She faltered, the word caught in her throat.
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“I couldn’t bring myself to say it. It wasn’t just about helping Charmaine. I thought I could help the family too. I told myself that if I waited, if I could just meet Ydris Group’s chairman after the final review, I could beg him to keep the partnership. Then, I’d confess the truth and let Charmaine take her rightful place as their designer.”
Leah’s shoulders slumped, and her hands rose to cover her tear–streaked face, as though shielding herself from the enormity of her own confession.
“But I was wrong,” she continued, her voice muffled by her hands. “I didn’t know Charmaine was competing too. And I never imagined their design challenge would use the sketches she submitted.”
The room grew quiet. Willard, Olympia, and the others stood motionless, their gazes fixed on Leah as she hunched over, her silent sobs shaking her frame. Her intentions, selfless and clear, struck a chord that none of them could ignore.
Blame, if there was any to cast, belonged elsewhere. Rex’s betrayal loomed large, the thread that had unraveled everything.
Olympia’s earlier resentment faded as she looked at her daughter. Her heart swelled with an aching -tenderness, the kind that only comes from seeing someone you love in pain. She stepped forward and
gently wrapped her arms around Leah.
“It’s enough,” she murmured, her voice soft yet steady. This isn’t your fault. You’ve done more than anyone could ask. Don’t take this all on yourself.”
Willard exhaled heavily, finally breaking the silence. “Your mother’s right, Leah. Get some rest. None of this was your doing. You tried to help the family, and that’s all we see.” He paused, his gaze shifting to Olympia before settling back on Leah. “Besides, the Quinns have stepped in. The project Ydris Group
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Chapter 37 Convinced
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abandoned will move forward with them. We’ve cut our losses. As for the plagiarism claims… time will take care of those.”
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