Chapter 116
After dinner, Cynthia and Preston headed to the sky bar, an expansive rooftop terrace atop the hotel. The terrace was an enchanting haven, with exotic flowers and plants arranged like a floating garden.
At its center stood a stage draped in vines, adding to the whimsical atmosphere. It was as if they had stepped into a storybook. The terrace was already buzzing with people when Cynthia and Preston arrived.
Preston disappeared backstage, leaving Cynthia to casually pick up a glass of champagne from a passing waiter.
Cynthia leaned against the glass railing, the perfect spot to both watch the stage and take in the breathtaking view of Pillere at night.
Before long, Preston appeared on stage with a guitar slung over his shoulder. At first, no one paid much attention
The guests on the rooftop terrace were either admiring the night view, chatting in lively groups, or clinking their glasses in celebration.
However, the moment the guitar strings hummed and Preston’s voice cut through the night sky, a brief, stunned silence fell over the crowd. His voice was beautiful, ethereal, and clear as if echoing from a distant place.
It reminded one of a deer in a forest, instantly transporting everyone into a fairytale realm
Preston was singing a Friyxian country ballad. The melody was simple yet soul–stirring, and when paired with his pure, resonant voice, it felt like the first ray of sunlight breaking over a quiet mountain meadow. Clean and warm.
Cynthia’s gaze drifted toward Preston. He was like a sunflower that had grown under the sun’s tender light–radiant, optimistic, brimming with youthful vitality. It made her think of Jonathan, who was once like that.
When Cynthia first met Jonathan, he was like the scorching sun at midday, blazing with intensity. Every interaction with him felt like being melted under his heat.
However, as time went on, Cynthia realized that the intense, passionate aura surrounding Jonathan was merely a facade, a disguise for his role as her kept man.
Jonathan’s true nature was one of cold indifference, an aloofness that contrasted sharply with the fleeting warmth he revealed in moments of intimacy.
Yet, Preston was different. He was not a blazing sun but rather the gentle dawn, radiating a pure warmth, an inherent glow that spread softly and steadily, illuminating everything around him.
One man was an unfathomable pool of icy fire, while the other was the sun breaking through the horizon.
Cynthia shook her head, feeling slightly tipsy. It had been 20 days since their breakup, yet she still found herself unable to shake thoughts of Jonathan. Perhaps his unexpected appearance a few days ago had unsettled her heart.
Preston’s performance concluded, and the audience erupted into thunderous applause. “Encore Encore! Encore, they cried, yearning for another song,
Without hesitation, Preston picked up his guitar once more and started performing another song. As he performed, his gaze lingered on Cynthia, who seemed distracted.
Yet, when their eyes met, Cynthia offered Preston a radiant smile, a gesture that infused him with a surge of strength like magic.
However, Cynthia didn’t stay for the entirety of Preston’s second song. Halfway through, she slipped away. By the time Preston finished his performance, she was already gone, leaving him slightly disappointed.
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Chapter 116
As Preston checked lits phone after the performance, he found a message from Cynthia. It read: [Creat show I’m off to catch some beauty sleep. Goodnight.
Preston’s earlier disappointment vanished instantly after reading the text. He quickly typed and deleted several responses. Ji took him five minutes before he finally settled on just two words (Goodnight, Cynthia.)
The next day, Cynthia awoke, quickly packing a small suitcase before heading to the palace. The day marked the beginning of the prestigious Pillere Fashion Design Competition.
After a rigorous selection process by the Pillere Fashion Design Competition committee, 100 designers from various countries and regions were chosen to compete.
The rules were simple. The host would announce the theme of the design competition live on stage. Then, each contestant had 48 hours to create and present a design based on that theme
On the third day, the creations were to be publicly displayed, and a panel of 48 judges would score them. After tallying the scores, ten outstanding works would be selected.
The contest offered ten awards, each highly prestigious, including categories like Best Design Award, Best Art Award. Best Fashion Award, Best Market Appeal Award, and more.
These were category awards, with no particular hierarchy among them, each shining in its field.
Yet, the most coveted prize of all, the one that stole the spotlight, was the Golden Pinnacle Award. This ultimate accolade was reserved for a single winner and could overlap with the category awards.
However, to date, no contestant had ever won both a category award and the Golden Pinnacle Award in the same year.
Cynthia, a contestant for seven years, once claimed the Golden Pinnacle Award. The rest of her achievements were all category awards.
The bet between Cynthia and Shirley revolved around these trophies. If either of them won just one category award, they were considered the victor. If both won or neither did, the wager would be voided.
In truth, even being selected for a category award was no easy feat. Not to mention, from a purely statistical perspective, there was only a one in ten chance of winning-
Each one of these contestants was a blazing star in the design world. Many were designers for globally renowned luxury brands, whose names alone could make headlines.
The competition prided itself on fairness. The panel of 48 judges consisted of creative directors, executives from these high–end brands, and legendary designers who once shaped movements in the fashion industry.
These artists, known for their lofty ideals, regarded design as their lifeblood and were far too proud to be swayed by money.
As for the brand executives, they were set on discovering the future trailblazers who would define tomorrow’s global trends. opening up new realms of capital and creativity.
The event was broadcast live to audiences around the globe. At precisely 9 am., 100 designers were invited to enter the venue. Among the crowd, Cynthia spotted Shirley.
This was Shirley’s first time stepping into such an exclusive environment. The sophisticated and futuristic setting made her feel like she had been transported into another world.
Shirley was acutely aware of how high the bar had been set for this competition. Every participant was a genius, having emerged from world–renowned luxury brands or prestigious design studios.
Meanwhile, Shirley had only qualified to enter because of Veloric but that name hardly held any weight among the elite luxury brands.
Chapter 116
As she made her way In–Shidley desperately tried to network with the top influencers in the industry. However, her poor Enmerian left her struggling to converse.
That was when Shirley noticed Cynthia, who stood amid a group of designers. She was at ease, her face glowing with a gentle smile as they conversed.
Cynthia spoke Eumerian fluently. She effortlessly engaged in lively conversation with other designers like they were old friends reunited.
Shirley clenched her fingers tightly. If it weren’t for their fates being switched at birth, it should’ve been her standing there, radiant, poised, and basking in the glory.
Soon, the designers took their seats, and the host appeared on stage. After the formalities, the competition theme was finally introduced. The host announced, “The theme of
