He Lost Me to His Best Friend novel Chapter 770

A representative from the judging committee stepped forward with a grim expression, taking the phone from Sylvia's hand to review the text with the others.

"Are you quite finished?" Scarlett asked, standing calmly under the blinding spotlight. Her voice was terrifyingly serene, without a single ripple of panic. "Because if you're done, it's my turn."

Sylvia sneered at her. "The evidence is undeniable, Scarlett. Save your breath. You have no way out."

A dangerous, mocking smile curved Scarlett's lips. "Sylvia, you fixated on the phrase 'relic of the past' but completely ignored the context of the article."

Her voice dropped, laced with absolute authority. "If I recall correctly, the title of that essay was *On the Pains of Ancient Building Restoration*. And this is exactly what I wrote:"

Scarlett paused for a fraction of a second, pulling the exact phrasing from her memory effortlessly.

"'Facing these brutally altered century-old buildings that have lost their souls, as an architect, I often feel like an absolute fossil—a relic of the past—completely powerless to turn back time, leaving me with nothing but empty sighs on a page.'"

She shot Sylvia a look of glacial disdain. "It was a metaphorical expression of grief and self-deprecation regarding the tragic state of the industry, not a literal declaration of my age or gender. Furthermore, adopting an 'old soul' persona is a common literary device used by writers to convey a sense of gravitas. It has nothing to do with being an actual senior citizen."

Before Sylvia could stammer out a response, Julian raised his phone high and spoke into his mic.

"I have just received an official, digitally stamped document directly from the Historic Preservation Society in Country H. This legally verifies that Scarlett Langley is indeed the individual behind the pen name 'Zephyr.' I invite the committee and the global audience to review it."

During the tense standoff between Scarlett and Sylvia, Julian had quietly texted his father, Dominic Croft. Dominic had been absolutely appalled to learn that someone like Sylvia was brazenly slandering Scarlett on a global stage without a shred of proof.

But it was too late.

Two towering security guards with lethal expressions were already marching toward her. Before she could even react, they grabbed her by the arms and dragged her off the stage without a shred of mercy.

With the truth undeniably established, the judging committee quickly conferred. They gave the host a discreet nod to smooth over the chaos and get the ceremony back on track.

To make amends to Scarlett, the committee announced severe disciplinary actions against the instigators. Dennis was officially stripped of his silver award, and both he and Sylvia were permanently blacklisted from the Pillar of Eternity foundation. The committee representative added that Sylvia would be handed over to the local authorities to face charges for public defamation and disrupting an international event.

After surviving the gauntlet, Scarlett finally held the golden crystal trophy in her hands, her ultimate victory absolute.