Chapter 517

The more Zora watched, the more anxious she became.
Caitlin’s collection featured a seamless blend of whites and blues. What truly caught the eye was the uniqueness of each design–delicate embroidery in silver thread added just enough detail without overwhelming the minimalist elegance.
In a desperate move to sabotage Caitlin’s chances of winning, Zora poured water from her bottle onto the runway as a model passed nearby, using the misty atmosphere as cover. A wet runway would become dangerously slick, increasing the risk of a model slipping.
But once again, her plan failed.
Every model passed over that section with perfect poise–no slips, no faltering steps.
Zora clenched her fists in frustration. Not a single stumble?
She had counted on a disaster, yet the models only seemed more graceful.
What Zora didn’t know was that Caitlin had already anticipated every possible mishap. The heels her models wore had custom–designed non–slip soles. Even on icy surfaces, they could walk with ease.
Zora’s scheme, confident as it had been, was doomed from the start.
As the show continued, the lighting gradually shifted along with the music–from cool tones to warm ones, as if divine light had descended upon the stage. The entire runway felt bathed in serenity, giving the audience a sense of peace and transcendence.
When the models completed their second walk and exited the stage, the host’s voice pulled the spectators back from the snowy dreamscape.
For a moment, the entire audience had felt transported, as if they had followed the sound of sacred music through frozen mountains and found clarity in holy light.
Thunderous applause erupted.
The judges nodded in agreement–this was imaginative, refreshing, and brilliantly executed.
Backstage, the models returned. Caitlin was there to greet them with gratitude and praise.
“Thank you all for your performance. You were amazing–truly the future stars of this industry.”
The models beamed at her words.
“You can go rest now, We’ll wait for the results together. No matter the outcome tonight, dinner’s on me.”
“Thank you, Caitlin!”
Thanks, boss!”
They left for the lounge, and Caitlin stayed behind to await the results.
The final designers were still presenting their collections. But after such a stunning display from Caitlin and her team, the bar had been set incredibly high.
The challenge now was to impress an audience and judges whose expectations had already been exceeded.
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And as expected, several of the final designers struggled to meet the moment. Some had merit, but none came close to surpassing what had already been shown.
One designer even ran into trouble—one of their models slipped and nearly fell at the exact spot where Zora had spilled her water earlier. The incident cost the team valuable points.
Thankfully, staff quickly cleaned up the area, minimizing further issues.
At last, all designs had been presented.
The competition came to a close, and the judges began tallying scores.
When the calculations were done, the results appeared on the big screen:
First Place: VERA Design
Second Place: TIG Design
Third Place: NEG Design
The crowd broke into applause.
The results were clear, and no one had any objections.
Wendy, thrilled for her friend, clapped joyfully. “Yes! Caitlin took first! She’s the best!”
Their friends cheered as well. Thomas added, “Caitlin is simply outstanding.”
“My wife is amazing, of course,” Sebastian grinned proudly.
“Congratulations, Mr. Vanderbilt,” Thomas said, shaking his hand. Others joined in offering their congratulations as Sebastian basked in the moment, glowing with pride.
Justin, who had entered on behalf of TIG, had taken second place. Despite the earlier setback with his Majestic Elegance collection, today he had redeemed himself through sheer skill.
Backstage , when the host announced his win, Justin leapt up in excitement.
Wade and the others rushed to hug him, offering congratulations.
“Thank you! Thank you so much. But really, I owe it all to Caitlin.”
Justin ran over to her and handed her the bouquet he had received.
“Caitlin, I finally did it. Thank you for everything.”
“I heard. You were incredible, Justin,” Caitlin said with a warm smile as she accepted the flowers.
“I’ll always be a student next to you. Thank you for your guidance. And please, if I ever get arrogant or lose motivation again, don’t hesitate to bring me back to reality
“Don’t be so formal . Once the event wraps up, come to the dinner party with everyone else. I’ll have someone send you the
details.”
“Thank you, Caitlin!”
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“Woohoo!”
Excitement filled the air.
But not everyone shared in the celebration.
Zora, who had taken third place, was far from happy.
She stared at the results in disbelief.
Caitlin took first, TIG second… It felt like a setup.
To her, this entire competition was a joke.
Going up against Caitlin meant Caitlin would do whatever it took to win. The results were proof enough.
She refused to accept it.
Instead of reflecting on her own shortcomings as a designer, Zora chose to believe Caitlin had somehow rigged the
outcome.
The host soon called the top three designers and their teams back on stage for the final recognition.
Caitlin led her team of models out first, followed by Justin with his group, and lastly Zora and her team.
The three teams stood side by side, Caitlin in the center.
Standing next to her, Zora didn’t offer a word of congratulations. Instead, she smiled coldly and said, “You really went all out for this win, huh? ”
Caitlin replied coolly, “It’s only natural to give your best in a competition. What exactly are you trying to imply, Miss Harris ? ”
Caitlin, as always, radiated quiet power.
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