Chapter 199 Sharpest Weapon
Simon leaned back with a smirk, clearly entertained by the chaos.
Alfie’s eyes stayed on Tilda. There was something different about the way she carried herself—her calm smile, the steady depth in her gaze, the soft glow of her pale features under the spotlight.
“Tilda, don’t tell me this was all part of your plan?”
“Mm, kinda. I figured I could win. I just didn’t think it’d be this easy. I guess Preston’s nothing special. Even with bribes, he still couldn’t do a thing. If it weren’t for Jude, the Bells would’ve gone bankrupt ages ago.”
Pfft!
Alfie nearly spit out his drink and ended up hacking like crazy. “Girl, you can’t just say stuff like that! If someone overheard, it’d be a disaster.” Yet, at the same time, he finally understood—Tilda was not just bold, she was dangerous in the best way. “Jude, you’ve really met your match. She’s not a pushover—she’s a storm hiding behind a smile.”
Still, Jude was not ordinary either. A genius like him paired with a force of nature like her? That was a mix nobody could top. Alfie actually found himself looking forward to seeing them side by side. It would be very entertaining.
Meanwhile, up in the private box.
Preston’s expression was darker than a thundercloud. Kyla stayed quiet, but inside, she had already pieced everything together. Preston had tried to mess with the judges, but he could not go too far without drawing suspicion. That was why he suggested the online vote, as it was sneaky enough to look legit. Even with all the strict checks…
No… It’s because of all those strict checks that pulling it off would actually be convincing. The problem was, even after all that scheming, Tilda crushed him.
Her painting did not just win—it went viral. So much for money beats talent. This time, talent left money in the dust. Kyla’s hands curled into fists, her nails digging deep into her palms until they hurt. She needed the pain to keep herself from screaming. She wanted to storm downstairs, to scream at Tilda, to throw her success in her face. How was it fair? Tilda had been missing for 19 years, had no proper training, no upbringing. And yet, she was this good? Good enough to erase everything Kyla was proud of?
“I’m sorry, Kyla…” Preston’s voice was low, heavy with defeat.
“Preston, Tilda’s really amazing. Look at all those votes—she got them all by herself… The others don’t even come close. This has to be the most one-sided championship ever. Tilda really is Dad and Mom’s daughter. I could never compare.” As she said that, tears slipped down her cheeks, and she started sobbing.
“Kyla, don’t cry,” Preston said quickly, his voice desperate. “She probably just dumped a ton of money into buying votes. Otherwise, how could she win with such a huge lead?”
The moment Preston saw Kyla cry, his heart ached like crazy. He quickly tried to comfort her in a gentle voice.
Kyla threw herself into his arms, sobbing miserably. “Preston, I know you’re just saying that to make me feel better, but even if Tilda bought votes, she’s still the champion. That’s the truth we can’t change. This round, I screwed up. But Kyla, listen, next time, I’ll make sure it doesn’t end like this again. Every tear you cried today, every insult you had to swallow, everything Tilda pulled—I swear I’ll make her pay it all back!” Preston’s eyes burned with fury.
“Come on, Kyla. Let’s stop watching. If we keep staring at Tilda showing off, it’ll just hurt you more…”
“Preston, I’m not that petty. Honestly, I’m glad for Tilda—she’s Dad and Mom’s real daughter, after all. I bet Dad, Mom, and our brothers will be proud out of their minds when they see this. I’m gonna snap some photos and send them in the family chat for Dad to see!”
Kyla forced a cheerful smile. Yet, inside, she was dying to leave, to get away before Tilda’s spotlight grew any brighter under the flashing cameras. Still, if she wanted Preston to keep pitying her, she had to play the part.
Back at the Jenson house, Dad and Mom hadn’t really changed. But Dominic, Howard, and Wade? They had already shifted sides. They barely even looked at Kyla anymore, acting like she did not exist. All their attention was glued to Tilda now. And Rebecca? That fool had already been tricked into running off to Slosa. She would be useless for a long while.
Not good. Not good at all. Kyla had to gather every last card she still had left. The Bells‘ second branch was still on her side, and her tie to the Jensons was her sharpest weapon against Tilda!