Chapter 440
440
Caitlin was the first to leave the beach in her car. Ximena remained behind, standing motionless as the sea breeze blew past her, her mind still reeling from Caitlin’s words. What should she do now
There was no one who could give her the answer.
Soon after the National Children’s Plane Competition concluded, the official list of winners was released.
Under normal circumstances, the results wouldn’t have raised any questions. The public typically accepted such outcomes without much thought. But this time, a video surfaced online–one that showed a parent confronting a judge over the results. Caitin’s face wasn’t clearly shown, but her voice questioning the judge came through loud and clear.
It didn’t take long before keywords like “Controversy Over National Piano Competition” and “Fierce Parent Confronts Judge shot to the top of trending topics nationwide , sparking heated debate.
Online opinions quickly split into two camps: one group admired the parent’s courage to question authority and fight for fairness; the other criticized the parent for being petty and overly dramatic, claiming that if her child didn’t win, she should just accept it instead of creating a
scene .
As the buzz grew, media outlets began following up, releasing performance videos from the final round of contestant No. 24 alongside those of the top three winners.
Once people saw the footage, public opinion began to shift drastically.
“This kid is amazing! And he didn’t even place? What a shamel”
“If I were the parent, I’d demand an explanation too. Clearly the best performance, yet the lowest score? Seriously?”
“Are the judges deaf? Even if he didn’t win, how could he come in dead last? ”
Support for contestant No. 24 swelled. Viewers demanded a fair re–evaluation and questioned the integrity of the judging panel. The judge who gave the suspiciously low score was soon identified as Zora, XEG’s design director, who, despite her impressive musical credentials, was primarily known for her work in design.
People questioned how someone with a career in fashion could possibly be qualified to judge a national music competition. The logic didn’t add up.
Then another video emerged : a clip showing Zora and the anonymous contestant performing the same song side by side. While the child’s face was obscured and his name hidden for privacy, viewers quickly picked up on the differences. Many agreed the young boy’s performance
matched , if not surpassed, that of the judge.
The internet exploded.
“ Who is this little genius?!”
“How could someone this talented not win–let alone come in last? This is unreal”
“I was at the venue. No. 24 really was the best. No clue why they tanked his score.”
“Judges like this should be banned. Total disgrace.”
The boy was soon dubbed the “Uncrowned King” of the competition by netizens. Although the results couldn’t be reversed, online users rallied for justice, flooding Zora’s social media pages with criticism.
1/3
440
In the XEG Design Center’s director office, Zora’s assistant entered in a hurry.
*Director Zora, bad news–you’re trending, and it’s not good.”
“What are they saying now?” Zora asked, putting down lier design sketches.
The assistant showed her the links. After reading, Zora sneered. “Of course this is callin’s doing. She’s manipulating public opinion
“How can you be sure?”
“Isn’t it obvious? I’m the only one named. Her and her son’s Identities are completely hidden–fake names, obscured faces. That’s intentional. She wants to destroy my reputation.”
The assistant nodded in agreement. “Should we issue a public apology?”
“Apologize? To her?” Zora slammed the desk. “Draft a legal warning to those spreading slander and threats. Anyone who crosses the line will be held accountable.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
As the assistant turned to leave , Zora stopped her again.
“Wait”
“Yes?”
Zora stared at the screen thoughtfully. A wicked idea was taking shape. Maybe she could ride this wave of controversy and use it to boost her upcoming product launch.
Bad press or good press–attention was attention. That’s what mattered,
“Don’t send the legal warning just yet. Issue a statement instead: XEG will hold a press conference tomorrow morning to address the situation.”
“Got it.”
After her assistant left, Zora summoned the head of advertising-
“The launch date for our new collection has been moved to next Tuesday.”
ising was stunned. “Won’t that overlap with TIG’s launch?”
The head of advertising
“Exactly. Let’s go head–to–head. Let’s see who steals the spotlight. Make it happen.”
She then called for XEG’s newly appointed chief designer, Jillian,
“How’s the sample coming along from the sketches I gave you?”
Jillian, a new hire, had already been trusted with a lead role–proof of how highly Zora and Ximena regarded her.
“It’s nearly finished. Should be ready by the weekend.”
“Good. After the launch , I’ll treat you to a shopping spree. Get back to work
Everything was going according to her plan.
440
As she thought of Caltin’s flawless face, Zora’s fingers tightened around the papers in her hand. Her eyes flashed with malice.
This time, she would make sure Caitlin never got up
again.
New York Correctional Facility.
Caitlin had scheduled a visit with Jonathan, Through the glass, she saw the once proud man now shaved bald, wearing an orange jumpsuit , stripped of all his former grandeur.
When he realized the person visiting him was Caitlin, his expression contorted with disbelief, and his hands began to tremble.
The woman who had sent him here… was now standing before him. What did she want?
“Caitlin? What are you doing here ?”
She picked up the phone on her side of the glass, her voice steady, “thave something important to ask you. I hope you’ll answer truthfully
“What is it?”
“Do you know someone named Carlos Dominguez?”