Chapter 287 Myst

Russell and Blair had mixed feelings. They hoped Tilda would win the championship, but at the same time, they hoped she wouldn’t. If she won, the Jensons would be ridiculed again. People would say the Jensons had cut ties with Tilda, not even realizing they had lost the greatest jewel in their crown. The whole world would laugh at them. Now, it was all up to fate.

The only one truly enjoying the show was Kyla. She sat in her room, watching the livestream on her laptop. Motrar was in broad daylight, but back in Cetherland, it was already night. Kyla couldn’t hide the twisted joy on her face. Her grin stretched so wide it looked almost terrifying. The past five days had changed everything. With the money Tobias had given her, she had set the stage perfectly. She had been waiting for this competition to start. This was her chance, her once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to ruin Tilda, to drag her into the abyss.

Kyla pulled out her phone and dialed a number. “It’s me. You can start.”

“Got it.”

She hung up, tossed the phone onto her desk, and even grabbed a snack to munch on. Her gaze lingered on Tilda, who was shining in front of the cameras. Tilda, remember that smile. Because soon, I’ll make it uglier than crying.

This year’s International College Art Competition brought together contestants from 13 countries. After all the contestants were introduced, it was time for the judges. Unlike the competition back in Cetherland, this event didn’t use online voting. This time, the winners would be decided by five judges. Each one of them held a towering reputation in the world of fine arts. The host introduced them one by one.

Then the crowd erupted at the mention of one name: Myst. He was called the greatest art prodigy in a hundred years. He was a treasure of the art world. At the youngest age in history, he had won back-to-back titles at the Picasso Painting Competition. His talent bent rules, broke traditions, and left critics speechless. Everyone surrendered before the brilliance of his work. Many even believed Myst was destined to become the next Picasso or Van Gogh.

The moment he appeared, the crowd’s energy exploded. Even Tilda, waiting backstage, couldn’t help but look. She had heard of him countless times. They said he was mysterious. Nobody really knew which country he was from. Nobody had even seen his true face. Tilda could have found out easily if she wanted to, but honestly, she wasn’t that interested. Still, she had heard that this time, Myst would finally reveal himself in person.

And then, it happened. Myst walked out, and the entire world held its breath. What shocked everyone most—he looked like he was from Cetherland. He stood six-foot-two, with soft, wavy brown hair that brushed his shoulders, and deep brown eyes. He was strikingly handsome, his presence magnetic. But what burned into people’s memories most was the tattoo: a delicate spider lily inked above his right brow, swaying like it was alive. One glance at him was unforgettable.

When Tilda saw him, a strange sense of familiarity struck her. She could swear she’d seen him somewhere before, but with a face like that—and that unforgettable tattoo—she would never forget if she had. Maybe it wasn’t his face, but his aura. His presence reminded her of someone. But who? She racked her brain. But the judges were already seated, and the competition began.

One by one, the contestants brought their prize-winning pieces to the stage. The judges asked sharp questions; contestants answered.

Each presentation ended with the judges taking an hour to deliberate and score. The competitor with the highest combined score would be crowned champion. Finally, it was time for Cetherland’s representative—Tilda. She carried her piece, Snake, onto the stage.

The lights converged on her. In that instant, it looked like she was wrapped in holy light. Wherever Tilda stood, every other scene faded into the background. That was her strange power. Love her or hate her, no one could look away. Some people are just born to shine, to light up the world, to rule, and Tilda was one of them.