Chapter 391
…Niamh.”
Marina’s foot froze mid–step, her heart lurching. For a second, she wondered if she’d misheard.
Samuel was the first to clap, and the rest of the room quickly followed, applause swelling for Niamh.
Except Jonathan.
He sat with his brow furrowed, his face betraying neither surprise nor
disappointment.
Niamh strode forward, every movement poised and assured. She hadn’t gone out of her way to dress up, yet there was something undeniably captivating about her–elegant, self–possessed, impossible to ignore.
“Wait a minute!”
Marina darted in front of Samuel and the other two judges.
“Are
you serious? Did you make a mistake? How could Niamh be the winner?”
She no longer cared how desperate she looked; she needed an explanation.
“I was way faster than her, and you just finished complimenting my craftsmanship!” Samuel met her objections with a calm, almost amused smile.
“Yes, Ms. Thornton, your technique is excellent–one of the best I’ve seen in the country.”
“Then why?”
“I said, in the country…”
Catherine, one of the judges, cut in.
It clicked for Marina in that instant: all the judges‘ praise had come with a qualifier–within the country.
Her face went ghostly pale.
So no matter how good she was, her skills were only top–tier by Aldonian standards.
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“No… That’s impossible… Niamh’s hand is still injured. How could she possibly pull. off work at an international level?”
Seeing that Marina still couldn’t accept the outcome, Samuel simply handed her the restored scepter Niamh had worked on.
“See for yourself.”
Marina took it, her eyes widening in shock as she examined the piece.
Beside her, Samuel’s voice came slow and deliberate:
“Miss Rivers‘ restoration matches the original scepter’s setting perfectly. Both use square gems, hidden–mounted. The problem with older techniques was that the stones would often come loose…”
Most of the guests were industry professionals–it was obvious to everyone whose craftsmanship had truly set a new bar.
Jonathan might not have been a jewelry expert, but he had taste and an eye for detail. Niamh’s victory didn’t surprise him at all.
Yet…
His gaze lingered on Niamh. She wore an ivory trouser suit, her long hair pulled back in a sleek ponytail. She looked sharp, sophisticated, completely at ease in her
own skin.
For a fleeting moment, Jonathan couldn’t even remember what Niamh had looked like during her years as a stay–at–home wife.
Across the room, Samuel kept explaining:
“Ms. Thornton, you tried hard to replicate the original hidden setting, but to keep the stones secure, you couldn’t fully conceal the metal claws. In contrast, Miss Rivers‘ technique is flawless–every gem perfectly aligned, the setting solid, the metalwork invisible. This level of precision and artistry…I know of only one person who could achieve it-”
BYC.
The name blazed through Marina’s mind.
Yes, BYC.
It was like catching hold of a lifeline. Marina turned to Niamh, voice rising in agitation:
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“Niamh, the setting you used is BYC’s signature seamless curved invisible mount from the ‘Piano‘ collection. Master BYC has an exclusive patent on that technique! I’m his apprentice, and for you to use his patented method, you’d have to pay royalties!”
Her accusation sent a ripple of shock through the room.
Everyone in the industry knew: Four years ago, FY had recruited a legendary designer who had taken the hidden mount technique to a new level, inventing the seamless curved invisible mount and securing the patent.
If Niamh had really used that technique, it would be a clear case of infringement.
All eyes turned to Peter and Karin, the two representatives from FY.
Karin absentmindedly stroked her chin, as if puzzling over something. Peter, on the other hand, looked calm–almost unnervingly so.
Chapter 392
Chapter 392
