“Go, Niamh!”
Before she could even present her piece, a cheer rose from the audience, someone shouting encouragement for Niamh.
She looked up, surprised to see Preston Winslow standing among the crowd, waving his arms at her with all the enthusiasm of a proud parent at a school play.
Niamh froze for a moment, only to watch as Preston was promptly reprimanded by an usher and sheepishly sank back into his seat.
Seeing Preston Winslow at the jewelry design competition was already enough to throw Niamh for a loop. The fact that he openly cheered for her left her completely bewildered–half amused, half confused.
At the neighboring workstation, Marina, despite her flawless, sweet makeup,
couldn’t hide the irritation on her face.
What was Preston Winslow playing at?
Cheering only for Niamh?
There was no way he hadn’t seen her there, standing tall on the stage, right next to Niamh. Marina refused to believe she could be overlooked so easily.
She’d already noticed Preston’s attitude toward Niamh had changed. Still, Marina was convinced that the moment she claimed the championship, Preston’s eyes would hold no one else but her.
Curling her glossy pink lips in a sly smile, Marina regained her composure, shooting Niamh a contemptuous glance.
No matter how well–crafted Niamh’s unfinished earrings were, there was simply no way they could match the level of refinement in Marina’s design.
But as Niamh carefully lifted her own half–finished piece from its box, Marina’s
smirk slowly faded, her lips stiffening as shock crept over her features.
In the audience, Quentin suddenly shot to his feet,
“Quentin, what’s up? Need to use the restroom?” Sophia asked, curiosity lighting her face.
“Uh, no… it’s nothing…” Quentin muttered, sinking back down, flustered.
Thank God the hall was dark, with all the spotlights focused on the stage.
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Chapter 177
Otherwise, there’d be no way to explain his startled, distracted expression to Sophia and Natalie.
Almost instinctively, Quentin glanced at Marina. Her face had turned an ugly shade
of purple, and she was glaring at him with murderous intent.
He immediately looked away, not daring to meet her eyes again.
Seated just a few feet from Marina, Niamh caught the change in Marina’s
expression out of the corner of her eye.
While everyone else was diligently crafting their jewelry, only Marina kept sneaking glances at someone in the crowd.
Niamh knew exactly who it was: Quentin.
“So our boss’s design… it’s not a robot after all?” Sophia gaped.
“What is it, then? A headband?” Natalie tilted her head, frowning.
“Looks like one, but not quite… There’s no fabric, it’s all metal,” Sophia observed, studying Niamh’s piece under the bright stage lights.
Right then, everything clicked for Quentin-
He’d been played by Niamh.
Her entry wasn’t some robot–themed earring for headphones at all. The past few days, all those tweaks and changes she’d made in front of him had been pure theater–a performance just for him.
Quentin clenched his fists so tightly his knuckles went white, biting back his frustration.
Still, even if Niamh had pulled one over on him, Quentin wasn’t convinced Marina would lose. He thought back to Marina’s previous hits with the Thomas Group–she definitely had the talent.
Gradually, his nerves settled, but the annoyance lingered. In his mind, Niamh’s skills only went so far, but her scheming ran deep.
He fixed his gaze on her, determined to see just what she’d ultimately creat
Out of the ten designers competing, every single one–except Niamh–incorporated robots into their pieces to match the Al–inspired theme. There were robot pendants, robot rings, robot watches, and some had simply added robotic elements to classic jewelry designs.
Chapter 177
But Niamh’s unfinished piece left everyone stumped.
At first glance, it did look like a headband. But in the spotlight, its silvery–white precious metal shimmered with an elegant, almost ethereal glow. Crafted using an array of techniques–brushed, woven, filigree–it had the delicate texture of fine lace. The intricate, luxurious patterns were studded with countless tiny diamonds and blue and red gemstones, set so densely and precisely that the entire piece blazed with brilliance–so dazzling it was almost blinding.
