Chapter 122

Jonathan stood before the floor-to-ceiling window in his office. Rain suddenly began to fall outside. He was lost in thought. Their encounter as adults had been just as dramatic. Even more than a decade later, he recognized her instantly. At that time, her life had suffered a major setback. He'd always imagined such a bright, cheerful girl would become a beacon of light. But she was plagued by severe insomnia and weighed down by worries. Despite her carefree exterior, her heart was scarred.

In that moment, he decided to love her wholeheartedly. He became her "toy boy," striving to love, please, and heal her. Even knowing she only saw him as such, he knew it was the only way he could love her. But Whitney's sudden return changed everything. The calm sea was already rippling; soon, it would erupt into huge waves, engulfing them all. How could he keep her safe? It was a daunting task.

Whitney, outwardly the eldest heiress of a business empire, was inwardly a madwoman, a complete lunatic capable of sudden, unpredictable outbursts. Unprepared, he could only lie low, stay away from her. Perhaps this was the best course of action. Jonathan watched the rain intensify, gazing at the misty, rain-soaked world.

He didn't want Cynthia involved in this dark, dirty, bottomless feud among the wealthy. One misstep could lead to her utter destruction.

Meanwhile, the Pillere Fashion Design Competition raged on. Backstage, Shirley watched Cynthia return with her model, her teeth gritted in anger. She hadn't expected Cynthia's design to be so breathtaking, especially the final reveal where the skirt dramatically fell away. It was a masterful display of technique.

Shirley stared at the fashion show's display screen as it calculated Cynthia's score. Cynthia's work had stunned the judges. However, she was at a disadvantage. The judges scored during the model's presentation, some accustomed to scoring as soon as the model appeared. Most submitted their scores before witnessing the skirt's dramatic fall. The scoring mechanism couldn't be changed. A minute later, and Cynthia's score might have been higher.

The final score was 95 points. Shirley breathed a sigh of relief. It was higher than her own, meaning she wasn't necessarily out of the running. Cynthia's "Sands of Time" was excellent, but Shirley's "Four Seasons Garden" had an advantage in color and visual appeal. The livestream commentary concluded that the two designs were evenly matched, with no clear winner. The judges' decision would be final.

The show lasted six hours. After all the designers' works were shown, only the awards ceremony remained. Awards were based on overall scores, with various awards given to the top ten designers. The top ten were eligible for international awards, though specific categories were determined by the judging panel.

Of the hundred designers, Cynthia and Shirley tied for the highest score: 96. Naturally, much discussion ensued about their relationship. Domestic netizens even dug up information about them—one the daughter of the Jones family, the other the adopted daughter. The debate over who was the "real" daughter became a trending online topic.

Velorix, of course, emerged as the competition's biggest winner, practically sweeping all the awards.

[Isn't Velorix a second-tier clothing brand? When did it become so impressive?] [I saw their clothes yesterday. Some were nice, but nothing outstanding. I didn't expect their designers to be so talented.] [I've followed Velorix for a long time. Their designs three years ago were stunning, better than many famous brands. But lately, they seemed to have lost their touch. I thought they'd changed designers.] [I don't know much about design, but Velorix is about to explode!]

Justin watched the screen, overwhelmed with excitement. Compared to his two daughters, he valued the brand he'd built even more. Whoever brought greater profit would be considered his "real" daughter.

Now, Shirley and Cynthia stood on the podium. The world was talking about their brand. It was a moment of unparalleled glory and pride. Shirley and Cynthia stood together on stage, their designs modeled in a final collective catwalk. Cynthia's "Sands of Time," even without the long skirt, remained visually striking, as did "Four Seasons Garden." Both designs had their supporters among the judges.

Soon, the international category awards were presented. Shirley stood nervously. She wasn't afraid of not winning; she was afraid of winning a category award, as this would disqualify her from the highest honor: the Golden Pinnacle Award. Category awards no longer satisfied her ambitions. Her goal was the Golden Pinnacle.

Judging by the scores, she and Cynthia were the most likely winners. It was almost certain the Golden Pinnacle would go to one of them. Shirley was extremely nervous. She secretly glanced at Cynthia, who appeared calm, elegant, and composed, even smiling faintly. It seemed as if she were there to enjoy the show, not compete.

She's just pretending! Shirley scoffed inwardly. She must be as nervous as I am. Or is she that confident? Does she think "Sands of Time" can surpass "Four Seasons Garden"? How arrogant!

"Now, I'd like to announce the winner of the Best Design Award: Cynthia Jones, designer from Velorix. Please come on stage to accept your award!" the host announced.

Shirley was ecstatic. Cynthia had won a category award, but it was just that—a category award. While the rules allowed for the Golden Pinnacle Award to overlap with category awards, there was no precedent for winning both. Therefore, the Golden Pinnacle Award was Cynthia's!

Watching Cynthia receive her award, Shirley felt a surge of joy. The awards continued, and Shirley prayed she wouldn't win any more category awards. Her name wasn't called. Only the Golden Pinnacle Award remained.

Deep down, Shirley was certain. She smiled, the Golden Pinnacle Award seemingly within her grasp.

"Now, I announce that the winner of the Golden Pinnacle Award is…" The host drew out the words, building suspense.

(SEND GIFT)