Run Before the Papers Are Signed (Nicole Quinn) by Danni Rogers novel Chapter 7

Nicole barely made it through the door, her body aching all over. From upstairs, she heard Angela’s sweet voice floating down.

“Cruz, there’s thunder tonight. Can you stay with me until I fall asleep?”

Gripping the railing tightly, Nicole climbed the stairs, her body screaming with pain. Cold sweat beaded on her forehead with every step.

Cruz was about to refuse. But when he saw Nicole, he changed his mind. “Sure.”

He slipped his arm around Angela and led her into the main bedroom like Nicole didn’t even exist.

Nicole smiled bitterly and dragged herself into the guest room without a word.

Over the next few days, she stayed home and focused all her energy on a design competition.

It was the path she wanted to reclaim once the divorce was finalized.

Back in college, Nicole had been the top student in her department. Her instructor, Beatrice Anderson, once said she would shape the future of the design world.

But that dream came crashing down after Cruz saw a coworker drop her off one day.

“Quit your job or end the marriage,” he said coldly.

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Without arguing, she resigned. Now, she was finally sketching again.

As she was adjusting the final touches on her design, the door suddenly opened.

Cruz came in with Angela. The moment he noticed the sketches, his expression darkened.

“I told you I don’t want you doing this stuff,” he said, snatching her paintbrush. “If you’re hoping I’ll reconsider the divorce, then stop right here.”

Nicole looked at him and almost laughed.

Did he still think threats would work on her?

She didn’t say a word–just calmly packed up her drawings.

Cruz thought she had given in and walked out, looking satisfied.

Angela, though, paused for a moment, her eyes lingering on the draft with visible interest.

Three days after she submitted her design draft, Nicole got a call from the organizer.

Ms. Quinn, your work may be plagiarized. If you can’t prove it yourself, we’ll have to disqualify you.”

“What?” Nicole was shocked. “Who did I supposedly copy?”

“The piece matches a submission from Angela. She’s a trending designer right now. Honestly, it’s more likely the issue is on your end.”

Right away, Nicole remembered the way Angela had sta..d at her sketches earlier.

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“I have the original,” she said quickly.

But after hanging up, she searched everywhere. The manuscript was gone.

“Looking for this?”

Nicole spun around. Angela stood there, holding the manuscript.

“How did you get that?” Nicole asked.

Angela gave a smug smile and twirled the manuscript. “I said I liked it, and Cruz gave it to me.”

She leaned in and whispered, “Cruz is into me. Just face the truth and stop dreaming about getting back with him. It’s better for everyone if you let go now.”

Nicole’s mind went blank. She stormed off to find Cruz, but he didn’t even blink. “I told you before–I don’t like you doing this kind of stuff. If you’d listened and stopped, none of this would’ve happened.”

She stared at the man she had loved for seven years, her heart feeling like it was being torn apart.

Why was he always like that?

He never cared about what she liked and never once considered how she felt.

If it weren’t for those letters, she would’ve thought he never had feelings for her at all.

Nicole realized the original draft was gone, and arguing about it now wouldn’t change anything. Everyone already saw her as plagiarist.

She returned to her room in a daze and shut herself in the darkness.

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