Zandra Holmes, the host, beamed as she stepped up, gracefully bowing to the crowd. She announced, “Welcome to our triennial jewelry design competition. Today…”
As Zandra continued her introduction, Ashlyn’s complexion visibly paled.
Next to Ashlyn, Katelyn noticed something was off and leaned in, asking softly, “Miss Marshall, are you not feeling well?” She could see that Ashlyn’s complexion was unusually pale tonight.
Taking a deep breath to fight off her discomfort, Ashlyn responded, “I’m okay.” She suspected it was probably a reaction to the medicine Sophia had given her. Yet, this was not something she felt she could explain to Katelyn.
Noticing Ashlyn’s hesitance to elaborate, Katelyn gave a small nod and refrained from asking further.
After Zandra completed her introduction on stage, it was time to introduce the panel of judges. Zandra’s voice rang out clearly, “Let us now welcome our special guest, the esteemed master gemstone carver, Mr. Galen Haynes.”
The assembly responded with a round of applause. Known as a master in the art of gemstone carving, Galen’s name commanded respect in every corner he visited. It was rare for him to attend such events, but his appearance here today spoke volumes about the importance of this jewelry competition.
Clad in a black suit, his graying hair adding to his distinguished appearance, he exuded an authoritative presence. He greeted the audience with a subtle nod.
A gracious smile spread across Galen’s face as he made his way to his seat among the judges. The previously introduced judges received him with complimentary smiles.
Once Galen settled into his seat, Zandra cheerfully announced, “Now that all our judges have arrived, let’s move forward to the main segment of today’s event…”
The audience’s anticipation grew evident. Lise felt particularly anxious. She was eager for the competition to begin, hoping her contribution would quickly catch the eye. She was convinced that once Neil saw her achievements, he would surely want to reconnect.
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“The intrigue of today’s competition is remarkable,” Ruby said.
Lise looked at Ruby curiously.
“Miss Lopez, is there something you know that we don’t?”
Lise knew little about Ruby’s identity, so she was careful not to say anything that might upset her. After all, this was an excellent opportunity for Lise to climb the social ladder with the help of these wealthy heiresses.
Ruby gave Lise a scornful glance.
“You’ll see soon enough.”
Although Lise found Ruby’s superior attitude annoying, she endured it for the time being.
Meanwhile, the stage bustled under Zandra’s direction as staff displayed the contest entries.
“Here we have the first entry by designer Aniya Pierce, a jewelry set with celestial motifs of stars and the moon.”
This time, the competition involved judges scoring on-site, and in the end, the top ten contestants with the highest average scores would advance to the next round—online voting. Even if designers tried to influence the judges, the large number of online voters made rigging the results nearly impossible. Moreover, the competition’s official website mandated real-name registrations for voting, ensuring a high level of security against fraud.
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