The Scorned Heiress: No More Mercy novel Chapter 176

Tara's flawless execution instantly obliterates Jade's highly publicized Angelcore aesthetic.

Jade’s styling is undeniably intricate—from the flowing chiffon skirts to the delicate hair accessories, she looks every bit the otherworldly angel she is trying to portray. The outfit itself is a visual treat. But the moment she steps onto the runway, the illusion shatters. Her eyes are dull, her facial expressions stiff and overly rehearsed. Worse, her runway walk is glaringly amateurish. The lack of basic professional technique completely strips away the ethereal grace her outfit is supposed to convey.

It is a brutal side-by-side comparison.

During the scoring segment, Tara's commanding presence earns glowing praise from the judges, sending her score skyrocketing to the top of the leaderboard. Jade, on the other hand, stares at her abysmal numbers on the screen, her face draining of color.

Backstage, Alec looks equally sick. He has no idea what Jade was doing out there. He explicitly told her exactly how to carry herself, but the moment she hit the stage, she reverted to her own awkward rhythm and stiff expressions. She ruined the artistic vision of his design!

Watching Tara dominate the stage with the poise of a seasoned professional only twists the knife deeper. Tara has never taken a single modeling class in her life—how is she walking with such lethal precision?

Whispers ripple through the live audience, and the internet chat explodes.

[Jade's outfit is pretty, but she has absolutely zero talent.]

[What is that walk? I'm pretty sure I could stomp down the runway better than that.]

[She's not a real model, guys. She's just a nepotism baby riding her family's money! Honestly, even Jasmine walked better than her.]

As soon as Jade returns backstage, Alec aggressively pulls her aside.

"What the hell was that, Jade? I told you exactly how to walk! Why did you change it at the last second?" If she wasn't his favorite sister, he would have kicked a chair and started screaming. Her stiff, exaggerated stomping completely destroyed the delicate, fairy-tale illusion he built.

Hearing the harsh tone, Jade immediately forces tears into her eyes.

"I'm sorry, Alec! I... I saw how amazing Tara looked, and I just got so insecure. I panicked and tried to copy her walk, but I messed it up..."

Without missing a beat, she expertly dumps the blame squarely onto Tara's shoulders.