Chapter 99
The words no sooner left the speaker than two faces blanched. Saxa and Ashley looked pale.
Especially Ashley. Even though she knew that Trevon’s declarations was purely to protect her reputation, and had nothing to do with Selina, the painful reality of hearing it aloud was too much to hear. How could Selina be worthy of such meritor capacity?
Charley, leaning casually on Edwin’s shoulder, gleefully watched the unfolding drama, whispering to Edwin, “Honestly, if I’d heard Thevon say something like this back in the day, I’d have bel on the sun rising from the west the next morning.”
“Now, hearing it, I feel like I’m dreaming,” Edwin said.
Both Edwin and Charley knew of Trevon’s dislike for women. They had often mused whether Trevor was asexual or gay. given the strong contrast now unfolding. It seemed as if Trevon had been possessed by another.
Unaware of the commotion in the stands, Selina trusted that her dear husband would fend off the antics of Sara and Ashley. There was no doubt that Sara and Ashley would be up to something, but Selina believed in Trevon’s ability to handle them.
Derrick sidled up to Selina, whispering. “Nervous?”
For the competition. Derrick, who was usually unkempt, had managed to comb his hair into a proper style, dressed sharply in a shirt, trousers, and leather shoes. The transformation from sloppy to dashing was striking.
Selim responded coolly, “It’s no big deal. I’ll take them down swiftly
“If only it were that simple. Of course, I’ll also give it my all.” Derrick replied.
With his own designs and achievements recognized, Derrick didn’t underestimate Selina any longer. He had never before seen a jewelry designer who could integrate the Angel style so seamlessly. Even Derrick couldn’t manage it, and he understood profoundly that when Selina first entered Brilliance and claimed she would rise to number one, it wasn’t a joke. If the Summer Starlight Limited Edition -which Selina had just handed off to Cartier–was merely the tip of the iceberg of her talent, then Derrick was deeply aware that Selina’s abilities and gifts far surpassed his own. She was even astonishingly close to the legendary designer, Angel,
Madge certainly felt the same way. Compared to negotiating an unpredictable and enigmatic collaboration with Angel, promoting a new Angel in Selina–who was already a part of Brilliance, and thus much easier to partner with–seemed a far better business strategy. That was why Madge smoothed the path for Selina’s work all the way to the final review.
The event organizers began introducing representatives of the competing companies.
Part from Brilliance and the Clark Jewelry, all the others were lesser–known workshops. Sokovis was scarce in renowned jewelry companies, and there wasn’t a single one with a century–old legacy. This was a substantial reason why Trevon and Timothy had set their sights on this lucrative piece of territory. Becoming the pinnacle of an entire market could yield unlimited support and resources–a most profitable venture indeed.
Once the introductions were through, the organizers retrieved an envelope from sealed parchment paper and commenced announcing the competition theme.
“Today, participants of the Jewelry Design Contest are asked to create a special piece of Valentine’s Day limited edition Jewelry. The subject is open to your imagination.
As common as the challenge might have been, it was exactly what everyone had expected.
When do jewelry sales hit their peak? On Valentine’s Day, of course,
Design competition themes often gravitated towards seasonal specials, and upon seeing the day’s challenge, the designers
18
Chapero
abbready had a good go of what they waned so create
The sew gen an hour to complete their designs, free to choow between traditional deafing digital design methods
or
Magn with a hand–drawn sketch
Following the path of the esteemed designer Angel Mati haladopted similar habits, favoring the use of pencil and paper
erating characters and jewelry designs and avoiding computers whenever possible.
He glanced over at the Harvey family area where Selina and his kin, were seated. To his surprise, she was completely still
Selma back was to Mamuel, making it impossible for him to read her expression. However, Derrick, seated right beside her,
could see her.
lina san with her eyes closed, hands crossed over her chest, in a meditative state, seemingly imperturbable by the tense atmosphere surrounding the competition
nick couldn’t figure out what Selina’s strategy was. She was facing a Valentine’s Day jewelry design challenge, and with
dable opponents, the allotted hour was neither too short nor too long for the task. Knowing Selina had her own anons and capabilities, he turned his attention back to his own design
The spectates in the stands, including Ashely, observed Selina s odd behavior and contemplated her motives. It was the perfina moment for some mischief–just as Timothy arrived, apologizing Tm sorry, Mrs. Harvey, Ashley, for my lateness.
urgent matter to tend to at Clark Jewelry”
There
timing is just right. Timothy Ashley replied. “The competition has just started. But take a look at Selina Something night. Everyone is avidly designing while she hasn’t stirred a bit. What if something is wrong with her? What should we
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