Chapter 44: Crime and Punishment
A wave of shock rippled through the hall, as if a clap of thunder had struck. Every pair of eyes turned to Oscar, whose face was now flushed red with fury. His hands were almost tugging at his hair in frantic frustration, his breath coming in short, shallow bursts.
"But it wasn’t my fault!" he shouted, his wide, frantic eyes darting around the room, desperately searching for someone to blame.
Then, with a wild point toward Susanne, he screamed again. "She! She’s the one who orchestrated all of this! I didn’t want any part of it, I swear! I wanted to submit my own work!"
The room fell silent for a heartbeat before all eyes shifted to Susanne. Her eyes were wide with fear and disbelief, her breath caught in her throat. She gripped the edges of her seat tightly, her knuckles turning white, her face draining even further of color.
"What?!" she finally managed, her voice shaky but loud. "What the hell are you talking about?! I have nothing to do with this!"
"Stop lying!" Oscar’s voice cracked with desperation. "You’re the one who told me I needed a better piece! You said you knew how to help me win! I don’t know where the hell you found that painting, but I don’t want to be a fraud anymore! It’s you—you are the fraud!"
"You idiot!" Susanne shrieked, jumping to her feet in a burst of anger. "How dare you lie like this? How dare you put this on me? I didn’t do anything! He’s the one participating in this nonsense—I’m just a guest!"
Anna watched, an almost pitiful smile tugging at her lips as Susanne puffed out her chest in defiance, her voice rising in frustration. How pathetic, Anna thought, her eyes narrowing slightly. You’re like a fish flopping on a frying pan. Maybe you should’ve listened to your own advice and prayed for a way out.
"Everyone, please, calm down!" Amelie Bennett’s voice sliced through the chaos that had erupted in the hall. As the noise finally died down, she continued, her tone steady and commanding. "There is a civilized way to settle this matter once and for all."