Chapter 49
“There’s gotta be a reason for it!” Tiana rubbed her hands vigorously, her eyes alight with excitement.
“Whitney, this sham marriage of yours is just too wild. I can’t even begin to guess who he’ll turn out to
be when the mask.es off, or if you’ll do a double–take in shock. But I’ve gotta say, L’s move today
was bold–I dig it. He fired his secretary without a second thought just to clear the air with you! I bet he’d
spoil you rotten if there’s real affection between you two.”
Whitney felt her cheeks burn, and her heartbeat quickened at the thought of real affection with him.
“What are you on about, Tiana? That’s just crazy talk. Him and me? We’re worlds apart,” Plus, she was
not about to open her heart again just to get hurt.
Tiana knew Whitney’s sore spots and changed the subject. “Let’s talk about that jewelrypetition.
Have you asked L for help?”
“I haven’t, and he hasn’t offered.”
Tiana’s voice took on a sharp edge. “He knows you’ve been wronged, and yet he doesn’t offer to
grease some palms for you? What a jerk!”
Whitney defended him, albeit weakly, “I told him I wanted to keep things professional. Do you really
think a guy like him would be so shameless as to offer help after I said something like that? I’m better
off relying on myself.”
Despite saying this to Tiana, Whitney’s heart held different thoughts.
In the following days, L was rarely home and never brought up the sabotage during the preliminary
round, nor did he offer any assistance.
Whitney could not help feeling a twinge of disappointment.
As the day of the preliminary awards ceremony drew near, the online vitriol against Whitney grew more
frenzied, with many digging up her supposed sordid past–fabrications spun by Monica.
The inte trollsunched a vicious campaign against her, making her infamous throughout Banyan
City as a giarist.
On the Monday of the awards ceremony, Whitney arrived at the Imperial Gem Corporation exhibition
hall to a crowd of angryizens who had camped out waiting for her. The moment she stepped out of
the car, she was met with jeers and nearly pelted with eggs.
Thankfully, her driver and Tiana shielded her, sneaking Whitney safely into the awards hall.
“The die is cast, and that witch Monica has won. What are you even doing here?” Tiana’s face was a
picture of
misery.
Whitney pulled out a voice recorder from her bag and yed it.
Tiana listened, astonished. “You’re a genius, Whitney! Exposing Ste at the Royal One Club wasn’t
enough; you even thought of recording it?”
Whitney frowned. “I just wish I’d thought of it sooner to start recording right after thepetition when
Monica first spoke to me.”
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“This is Monica’s indirect confession! If we could just get it to the judges…”
Whitney was not optimistic. “Aaron’s definitely in their pocket. I doubt we can get it to them. And this
evidence will only cause a small ripple.” She had Ste’s testimony but could not risk Tiana getting hurt
over Ste’s leverage with Gunner.
Tiana understood. “A small ripple is enough to nauseate Monica, and that’s why we’re here! Even if we
can’t
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turn the tide, we’ve got to shake them up!”
Whitney nodded bleakly. “I n to approach Aaron as soon as he arrives and beg for a chance to
prove myself by sketching on the spot.”
Tiana’s eyes lit up. “That’s the perfect way to showcase your talent!”
“What perfect way? Sis, you’re here for the awards ceremony, too?” A familiar, mocking voice intruded.
Whitney turned to see Monica striding down the red carpet, nked by a posse. To Whitney’s dismay,
Phebe was in attendance.
Phebe was schmoozing with Aaron, whovished Monica withpliments. To Phebe, the more praise
Monica received from the press as a “genius designer,” the more she shone in her eyes.
Monica’s face showed none of the defeat from that night at the Golden Hue Bar–she was the picture of
triumph.
The des of winning first prize seemed to buoy her spirits.
As Monica passed by Whitney, she loudlymented, “Sis, reflect on your actions! Are you still plotting
‘perfect way‘ with your BFF? Are you waiting to be kicked out of thepetition to admit your
giarism? To snatch Skye Gem away, you’re stooping so low. Please, just stop!”
Her insinuations stirred the crowd into a fresh uproar. “What? Whitney’s trying to take over Monica’s
“Whitney, get lost if you have any sense left. Don’t disgrace yourself here. You’re definitely getting
booted from thepetition!”
“Check out the trending hashtagsizens are crowdfunding a prison suit for Whitney, the giarizing
dog. She belongs behind bars, and it’s so clever.”
“Ah, breaking news! Is Simon going to propose to Monica after she wins?”
“Don’t you see Phebe’s here to support Monica? Trending number one: ‘The Perlman family is
preparing for the golden couple’s engagement.‘ Monica, congrattions! You’re really hitting it big
today!” The socialites fawned over Monica, green with envy.
Monica feigned modesty, but inside, she was gloating. She had bought those trending topics the night
before.
The scandal at the Golden Hue Bar had been contained; Phebe was none the wiser.
Monica had spun new stories to win over Simon, rapidly pushing forward with their engagement.
Today, she would im her prize and immediately hold the engagement party afterward. Only when the
dust settled would she feel secure.
Her parents were busy prepping the engagement venue; with the Perlman family alliance, many
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influential figures were seeking to coborate with her father. She was about to make waves in Banyan
City. She had bought media coverage for both the awards ceremony and the engagement party–it was
her big day!
With Whitney, the fallen rival, as a backdrop, Monica could not have been more pleased.
Undeterred by the spectacle, Whitney squeezed through the crowd to reach Aaron, pleading earnestly,
“Aaron, I know Ick the evidence to prove Monica stole my work, but please give me a chance to
sketch right here and now. I just need one chance to show my ability.”
Aaron did not even flinch before having the security escort Whitney away, promptly resuming his
conversation with Phebe.
Whitney’s face paled, her fists clenched tight.
Monica’s smirk was barely concealed.
Amid the cacophony of a bustling crowd, Whitney refused to give up. She and Tiana made their way
backstage,
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hoping to find another judge to hand over their voice recorder.
But just as they reached the shadowed folds of the curtain, two burly security guards approached them,
snatched the recorder from their grasp, and snapped it in half!
The guards‘ firm grip immobilized them, and then Monica appeared, a sinister smirk ying on her lips.
“So, you had a recorder up your sleeve. That must be yourst desperate move, huh? Luckily, I had a
contingency n! Now you’ve got nothing. Enjoy watching me take first ce while you get ready to be
expelled!”
Monica strutted off, smugly satisfied with her handiwork.
Tiana pounded the wall in frustration. “Damn it, I couldn’t even take down a couple of guards!”
The spark in Whitney’s eyes slowly faded, and she mocked herself, “We were so desperate for help, it
was easy for her to spot the w in our n. I’ve really hit rock bottom this time, haven’t I?”
Tears welled up in Tiana’s eyes. “She has her minions and her cliques while we stand alone,
powerless. The judges won’t give us the time of day. It’s not your fault, Whitney. It’s Ste’s! Look, there
will be other jewelrypetitions. Don’t let this get to you.”
But Whitney knew how hard it would be to enter any other contest after today. She closed her eyes,
weighed down by the agony of defeat.
The award ceremony began with the sound of roaring apuse, but suddenly, there was an eerie
silence.
This was followed by a collective gasp from the audience of thousands and then high–pitched screams
of excitement.
“Look! The CEO of Imperial Gem Corporation has just arrived!”