Chapter 177: Chapter 177: First Place
"I think designer Charlotte Thompson’s work is pretty good. The surrounding jewels are all pricey, and the simplicity doesn’t mean it’s not luxurious. All those embellishments increase its value."
Another judge gave a standard comment.
Anyone with a discerning eye could tell that Charlotte put a lot of effort into selecting her materials.
Others might not know, but professionals would be aware of the pearls used for adornment, which are of high quality.
"That’s how a judge should act. Does Evelyn Curtis even understand design?"
"Did she sneak in the judge panel just to stir up controversy, can’t she stop copying others?"
"It’s not scary to lack understanding, but pretending to know is just ridiculous. What’s up with her!"
"If Curtis is smart, she should stick to acting. Why is she even a judge on a design competition?"
Internet users were pounding on their keyboards, launching a new wave of mockery at Evelyn Curtis.
Meanwhile, people’s impression of her once again plunged to a freezing point.
Charlotte had achieved the effect she desired and didn’t put more pressure on her.
Knowing when to stop, she quietly handed the microphone back to the host and returned to her place without being arrogant or humble.
Being publicly slapped in the face by other judges, Curtis finally learned her lesson and sat silently in her seat.
A sinister gaze landed on Charlotte’s face.
Charlotte had indeed become Evelyn’s foe.
Noticing her gaze, Charlotte gave her a mocking smile.
Of course, Evelyn saw it, and while she was indeed angry, all she could do was swallow it.
The critique went on as usual. The judges gave professional evaluations to each designer’s work, which somewhat redeemed their reputations among the audience.
"Alright, alright, now the moment everyone’s been waiting for. I am now going to announce the competition results. Fifth place is..."
A competitor’s name was announced. Her work was quite creative, so it’s a well-deserved victory that everyone agreed upon.
By the time the second place was announced and her name wasn’t called, Charlotte was somewhat nervous. She wasn’t going to lose so badly on her first public appearance, was she?
Indeed, her choice of materials was a bit unconventional, and she was unsure whether it could appeal to the audience’s taste.
She was, in fact, a bit nervous.
In order to create suspense, the results would only be revealed after the votes were counted. No one knew the rankings.
The designers who had been called couldn’t help but cheer and jumped around in joy. Their eyes filled with tears, thinking they had no chance.
Underneath Charlotte’s excellent performance, they all felt the pressure. It was more than enough to be among the top five.
As the first place was about to be announced, everyone’s hearts were hanging.
This was especially true for Charlotte’s supporters who were afraid she would be disqualified due to bias.
After all, everyone knew that behind Evelyn was Justin Battleson.
And Justin Battleson was the CEO of Vanguard Jewelry.
This jewelry design competition was hosted by Vanguard Jewelry, aiming to foster and select popular jewelry designers, and also to publicly assess designers’ skills to prevent any cheating.
However, now that Charlotte had offended Evelyn, no one was sure if she could be the champion.
"First place goes to Charlotte Thompson. Let’s give her a round of applause."
Soon, the host announced the results. He was the first to clap and offer congratulations to Charlotte.
Unsurprisingly, Charlotte was the undisputed first place, and no one objected to this result.
Thunderous applause erupted in the room.
Evelyn Curtis sat on the judging panel, resentment and anger flashing across her delicate face.
As the camera swept over, she quickly hid her emotions and hastily put on a congratulatory smile, looking like a totally different person than a moment ago.
Such a consummate actress.
After the applause had subsided, Evelyn pinched her inner thigh hard.
She forced herself to calm down with the pain.