Abandoned by All I Took It All Back novel Chapter 184

Seeing they were all swamped, Janina suggested a weekend get-together and then put her phone away.

After finishing her meal, Janina was about to leave the restaurant when she caught a glimpse of some familiar figures walking past the window.

It was Julius Aurelius and Yvonne Moore.

Yvonne was clinging to Julius's arm, pressing her body close to his.

Julius didn't seem to notice her action.

Yvonne's face immediately flushed. She glanced shyly at Julius, and seeing his expression remained unchanged, she lowered her head slightly and continued walking.

With them was a middle-aged man in a sharp suit, whom Janina recognized as the head of the competition's organizing committee.

The man was treating Julius with immense respect, bowing and nodding as he spoke.

Yvonne maintained a bright smile the entire time.

A knot formed in Janina's stomach. She had a terrible feeling about this.

It couldn't be a coincidence.

Had Yvonne also entered the competition?

She suddenly remembered that Yvonne had also majored in design.

But what unsettled her more was the way the organizer showed deference to Julius. It was clearly the respect of a subordinate to a superior.

Could it be... that Julius was an investor in this competition?

Damn it!

Yvonne was practically on her deathbed. Why was she competing?

Shouldn't she be in a hospital receiving treatment?

Yvonne looked radiant, not at all like someone with a terminal illness. She was smiling and laughing with Julius.

Can love cure a fatal disease?

Now that Yvonne had Julius backing her, she wasn't short on money. She shouldn't need to compete for the one-million-dollar prize.

The hall erupted in applause.

Sitting in the audience, Janina felt a wave of dizziness wash over her. She had expected it, but hearing it confirmed still felt like a blow.

No surprise, she ended up with second place.

"Will all our winners please come to the stage?" the host announced.

The champion would come up last. For now, it was time for the second to fifth-place winners.

Janina stood up and walked onto the stage.

The other winners were smiling, but her expression was perfectly calm.

When the host handed her the microphone and asked her to give an acceptance speech, Janina did something that stunned the entire room.

Instead of giving a speech, she questioned the fairness of the competition.

"Excuse me, but I'd like to ask the judges: where exactly did my design fall short? I have some serious doubts about the results of this competition."