My Girlfriend and My Best Friend Were Stealing My Life's Work

An unknown number called. I picked up. It was Ina.

She didn't ask why I'd blocked her, didn't explain the silence of the past days. Her tone was easy, like nothing had happened at all.

"Orson, the research Fairmont's announcing tomorrow, that's yours, isn't it?"

"Listen to me. It's the start of the semester, you shouldn't show off too much. Push it back a week first…"

I played dumb. "What are you talking about? I haven't submitted my research yet."

Ina let out a breath. "Then it's fine. I'm just worried about you, that's all. It'd be a shame for such good research to get held up."

She wanted Cyril to publish first. So that I'd be the one branded a thief.

I didn't call her out. I just hung up.

The next morning at ten, Kingsley's and Fairmont's presentations went live at the same time.

When the two titles appeared onscreen, the whole internet lost it.

The research topics were identical.

The papers were identical.

The submitted research process files were identical.

Down to every last punctuation mark.

【Wait, what the hell? How is everything the same except the author's name?】

【Somebody copied, obviously. One of these two stole from the other.】

The professors at Kingsley and Fairmont saw the comments and pulled the livestreams in a hurry.

The presentation became an open mystery, and the internet blew up.

To keep it from spinning out of control, a panel of academic experts formed an investigation, working through the night.

Professor Whitney called me into his office.

"Orson, what on earth is going on?"

"This research, are you certain you did it on your own?"

"I'm certain."

"Then what about this Cyril from Kingsley? Why are his files exactly like yours?"

"He stole my research."

"Do you have proof?"

"Professor, I can't say right now."

"But don't worry. I won't embarrass the university."

Professor Whitney narrowed his eyes at me.

"You picked today to publish on purpose. You knew Kingsley's timing, didn't you?"

I said nothing.

His assistant knocked at the door.

"The panel has rented a conference room at the Seaview Hotel. They want you both there immediately."

Inside the wide conference room, the five panel members sat at the table, faces grim.

To give the public an accounting, three official-media reporters had already set up livestream cameras in the room.

Cyril and Ina sat in the chairs facing the panel.

The moment Cyril saw me, his eyes went red.

"Orson, why would you do this, why would you steal everything I worked for…"

"I trusted you so much…"

The panel motioned for me and Professor Whitney to sit, then asked Cyril, "You completed this research on your own?"

Cyril nodded. "I slaved over it for a whole year."

"Then why does Orson Delgado have an identical copy?"

The question seemed to break something loose in Cyril.

Tears rolled off his jaw, and his voice went thick.

"He's my best friend. I never had my guard up around him. He knew all my passwords."

"He came to my place all the time and used my computer. I never imagined he'd steal my research."

"Orson, take whatever you want, anything, but this research is everything I worked for. Just give it back to me, please…"

I looked at him, all innocence.

"I never took anything of yours. What would I be giving back?"

"I'm not a thief. Not with things, not with people."

Ina frowned and cut in, her voice shrill.

"Orson, what's with the snide act? You think I don't know? You're doing this to get back at Cyril on purpose!"

"Professors, Orson is my boyfriend. He ended up at the same university as me because of me, and he's been jealous and bitter about it the whole time."

"I never thought he'd actually do something like steal someone's research."

"I can testify. Orson only ever cared about goofing off. There's no way he could have produced this project."

On the livestream, the comments ran almost entirely one way.

【Put Kingsley and Fairmont side by side and I'll still believe Kingsley…】

【Right, a Kingsley student stealing from a Fairmont student? That'd be a joke.】

【Agreed. If he really had it in him, why didn't he get into Kingsley?】

【Even his own girlfriend can't stand it. Shows how rotten he is.】

Professor Whitney couldn't sit still, and pressed me, his expression tight.

"Orson, stop dragging this out. Explain, now!"

The panel spoke up too, just as grave.

"Mr. Delgado, do you have anything to say to Mr. Dickerson's accusations?"

"I do."

I raised my hand and pointed at the two identical files on the big screen.

Every eye in the room followed my finger.

I turned to Cyril and spoke each word slowly.

"Cyril, since you're the one who did this project—"

"then you tell everyone. Where's the watermark hidden in the document?"