“No, thank you. I don’t really need anything, and you’ve already given me so much.”
“This time is different… This is to celebrate your championship…”
As Jonathan spoke, he glanced at Niamh. Their eyes met for a fleeting moment.
Niamh quickly looked away, pretending to fuss with her suitcase.
Jonathan’s smile widened as he watched her.
Liam Grant and Devon exchanged a look, unable to hide their amusement at Jonathan and Marina’s obvious reluctance to part–like two lovestruck teenagers. Youth really was a wonderful thing.
“You’re… the one Mr. Peter recommended, aren’t you…”
Only now did Liam Grant seem to notice Niamh.
“Chairman Grant, Mr. Lowe…” Niamh greeted them politely, but the disdain in Liam Grant’s eyes was unmistakable.
“You were the one who insisted on an opportunity before, yet you never even submitted a final piece.”
Liam Grant’s words sent Niamh’s mind spinning back to when Jonathan had snatched up the raw ruby. After revising her design, she’d heard Liam Grant had already written a letter of recommendation for Marina, so she’d assumed there was no need to submit her finished work.
“I’m sorry…” Niamh apologized honestly, but Liam Grant wasn’t interested in forgiving her.
Even Devon sighed in disappointment as he brushed past her.
Both men offered Marina a few words of encouragement before leaving the prep room together with Jonathan.
Marina, catching the pale look on Niamh’s face, couldn’t help but feel a surge of triumphant delight.
The finals were about to begin.
One by one, the ten finalists took the stage, each carrying the materials they’d prepared.
Out in the audience, Quentin sat with Sophia and Natalie. The dim lighting softened
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Chapter 176
his smug grin, but the satisfaction was clear in his eyes.
This competition was as good as won–Marina had it in the bag. Quentin was sure of it.
After all, he’d observed the other designers‘ abilities throughout the qualifying rounds; he knew exactly where they stood.
And Niamh…
He glanced at the stage, where Marina glittered in the spotlight.
Quentin had sent every single version of Niamh’s designs to Marina–from the very first draft all the way to the thirty–first revision.
With each update, he’d made sure Marina received it. All she needed to do was take Niamh’s final design, refine it, and add her own signature touches–just like she had during the preliminary round. There was no way Niamh’s finished piece could
outscore Marina’s.
On stage, Marina was gathering her materials, and as she glanced up–almost by accident she spotted Quentin in the shadows of the audience. Despite the darkness, their eyes met.
Seeing Marina flash him a radiant, spring–bright smile, Quentin felt his heart melt. All the days he’d spent undercover, anxiously lurking at Niamh’s side, had finally paid off.
Because crafting a bespoke piece of jewelry was so time–consuming, the final wasn’t about starting from scratch. The contestants had five hours to turn their half–finished pieces into completed masterpieces.
Marina carefully sorted her gemstones, then finally unveiled the half–completed piece she’d brought–a set of robot–shaped earrings that could be paired with headphones.
She was genuinely curious: once Niamh saw how her own design had been copied almost exactly, would she be able to keep going?
The designers‘ stations were arranged according to their rankings from the previous round.
Niamh was first, Marina second.
That meant their workbenches stood side by side.
Marina couldn’t resist glancing over, just in time to see Niamh finally lift her own half–finished work out of its box.
