Chapter 1716


    The audience members all returned to their seats, and the buzz of chatter quieted down as the reporters settled back into their spots, cameras at the ready.


    Susan was escorted away by the police, and Thssa''s heart, which had been hanging by a thread, finally rxed a bit. She came back to the moment and noticed Callum''s eyes, twinkling with a smile, fixed on her.


    "Thank you," Thssa said, her tone polite.


    If it weren''t for his timely arrival, bringing with him her original jewelry designs and the video evidence of Susan switching out her pieces, she doubted the ordeal would have been resolved so smoothly today.


    Callum, unexpectedly, lifted his hand and gently patted her head, his voice warm and smile tender, "No worries."


    Caught off guard by Callum''s gesture, Thssa didn''t even have a chance to dodge.


    Feeling a bit awkward about being patted on the head unexpectedly, especially with so many eyes on them, Thssa could only nod slightly and head towards the audience, with Callum following closely behind.


    Down below, Lysander''s gaze was intense, following every move Callum and Thssa made. His aura turned icy, especially upon seeing Callum''s casual touch on Thssa''s hair, his jaw tensing with irritation.


    Rosalind returned to Lysander''s side and, noticing his sour mood, mistakenly thought it was her performance that disappointed him. She moved her chair closer to him, resting her head gently against his shoulder, and softly apologized, "Lysander, I''m sorry. I got carried away by the crowd''s energy earlier and doubted Thssa. It''s clear how talented she is in jewelry design. She wouldn''t jeopardize her future over something so trivial."


    Lysander''s chilly demeanor wasn''t soothed by Rosalind''s gentle voice; if anything, it aggravated his restlessness.


    He was about to push Rosalind''s head away from his shoulder when he saw Thssa approaching. Her gaze fixed on Rosalind leaning against him, with Callum close by her side, almost hand in hand with her.


    Lysander''s expression darkened momentarily before he gently drew Rosalind closer, his movements tender and reassuring. In a low, soothing voice, he assured her, "I know, I trust you."


    Rosalind''s spirits lifted at Lysander''s


    trust, and she hugged him, cooing, "Lysander, you''re always the best to me. I love you so much."


    WMaterial ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Her embrace was warm and gentle, like a princess clinging to her favorite teddy bear, serene and content.


    Lysander, watching Rosalind''s profile, smiled softly, his eyes and expression filled with tenderness.


    All of this was witnessed by Thssa.


    Despite the sweetness of the scene, Thssa''s heart felt as if it was bound by rusted chains, aching and suffocating.


    She diverted her gaze, lowered her eyshes, and no longer looked their way, quickly taking her seat.


    Callum took the seat next to her shortly after.


    Then, Joshua, leaning on a cane, made his way down as well. Rosalind greeted him warmly, "Dad,e sit here. We''ve got a spot for you."


    Joshua approached with a smile, and Rosalind quickly wiped the chair next to her, waiting for him to take a seat.


    The event resumed as if the drama that had unfolded was merely a brief interlude.


    Cody, microphone in hand,


    continued, "This time, we have three sets of designspeting


    el.


    awards. The first set is fro or thre


    contestant number 5, Zoey


    Zoey?


    Thssa''s curiosity piqued, she looked over to the designers'' area and indeed found Zoey, radiating warmth and elegance, smiling and waving at her.