Chapter 30 I am voting for her!
This was a show tailored specifically for her, and Charmaine believed that Leah, the star of the show, wouldn’t let her down.
She lowered her head and began sketching her design.
After five hours, the host announced the end of the round, and the contestants walked from backstage to
the front.
There were twelve contestants in total, standing in alphabetical order, with Charmaine and Leah standing side by side.
The crew was preparing for the next segment, and the stage lighting dimmed slightly. Leah tilted her head slightly toward Charmaine.
“Chara, do you know why Dad, Milo, and Jonah all came today?”
Charmaine didn’t even glance at her. “Leah, there’s no need for you to constantly flaunt how well the Nelsons treat you in front of me. I couldn’t care less.”
Leah saw Charmaine’s indifference and smiled faintly.
She didn’t believe that Charmaine was as unconcerned as she appeared.
No matter how calm she looked, her heart was probably screaming with jealousy.
Leah blinked innocently, pretending not to understand “Chara, what are you talking about? Flaunting… are you talking about how Dad, Milo, and Jonah took time out of their busy schedules to support me at the
retest?”
She feigned surprise, “No, Chara, you’ve misunderstood. They didn’t come just to accompany me for the retest. They came because of Ydris Group.”
“Chara, you know the company is in trouble right now. Dad, Milo, and Jonah have done everything they can, and the only thing that can save the company is Ydris Group. So, no matter what happens today, Dad, Milo, and Jonah can’t afford to make any mistakes. Chara, I know you act tough, bu
you’re soft–hearted. You can understand Dad and the others‘ difficulties, right?”
After a pause, Leah softly added, “Actually,,Dad, Mom, and the brothers have all been upset these past few days because they couldn’t convince you to stay that night. I believe once this crisis is over, they’ll bring you back home again.”
Leah didn’t say all this merely to boast.
She was trying to make a point to Charmaine.
She had to make it clear to Charmaine how important today’s occasion was for the Nelson family and The Nelsons. If anything went wrong, the consequences were unimaginable.
She needed Charmaine to understand that no matter what happened today, the Nelson family and the company came first.
If Charmaine wanted to return to the Nelson family and regain the attention of The Nelsons, she had to
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Upon hearing Leah’s last remark, Charmaine let out a soft, barely audible laugh. “Oh, really? Well, I’m quite looking forward to it.”
Leah was very pleased with her response.
Finished
Charmaine still hoped that The Nelsons would treat her well again.
How foolish…
“We will now reveal the works of each contestant for this round.”
The initial drafts of each contestant’s design appeared on the large screen, followed by models walking out in outfits freshly made backstage.
The first few designs were striking, but to the professional judges, they still lacked originality.
Although there was nothing technically wrong with them, none had that standout, eye–catching quality.
Soon, it was Charmaine’s turn.
“Contestant Charmaine’s design is–Ashen.”
As the host finished, Charmaine’s initial sketch appeared on the big screen: a long dress in the deepest shade of black.
A buzz of excitement filled the room as the model gracefully stepped out, wearing Charmaine’s creation.
The torn embroidered fabric, strapless corset design, and wide sections of transparent black lace linking the chest to the arms perfectly showcased the model’s curves. The contrast between the black dress and her pale skin was visually striking.
What drew the most attention was the sheer black organza veil loosely draped over the model’s head. As she moved, the veil swayed, revealing her face from the shadows like a reborn banshee, exuding a fierce determination to destroy everything in her path.
The room remained silent for a long moment. It wasn’t until the model finished a full circle and returned to Charmaine’s side that the audience finally snapped back to reality.
“This dress is stunning, so fierce!”
“Yeah, it’s both eerie and cool; the black stands out! But does it fit the theme? The theme is hope, and she named it Ashen?”
“You don’t get it. It’s an extended metaphor–like ‘from the ashes rises new hope. This design is incredible!”
“Exactly! I think it’s better than the others. It has that wow factor that leaves you breathless.”
“I’m voting for her!”
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