She didn't speak, but the powerful aura of a top figure was enough to quell the commotion in the room.
Her expression was indifferent as she steered the conversation back on track with a few simple words. "Whether she is qualified or not has no bearing on you explaining why your style and the details of your brushwork are identical to my master's."
Naturally, Hailey wouldn't let this opportunity go. Her face was full of stubborn defiance. "How does it have no bearing? You demand an explanation from me for the sake of fairness, so I am demanding fairness for myself before I'm willing to explain!"
She pointed at Serena again. "I demand that she come on stage and prove she is qualified to sit in that position and vote for us! Otherwise, I cannot accept your judgment!"
Daphne didn't respond.
Her gaze traveled past Hailey to the cool, languid girl sitting in the front row.
And because of that brief silence.
A flicker of hope sparked in Hailey's heart.
But before she could even breathe a sigh of relief.
Daphne's gaze shifted back to her, revealing a look of almost pity. "Are you sure you want to ask Miss Serena to come on stage?"
That look made Hailey's heart lurch again.
A sense of foreboding filled her.
Her fingers curled into a fist.
In the end, she decided Daphne was just trying to scare her. Gritting her teeth, she lifted her chin and looked at Serena with a hint of provocation. "Of course! Unless... she's too scared!"
Daphne ignored her and turned back to Serena, her expression softening and even showing a hint of respect. "Miss Serena, it seems you'll have to enlighten everyone yourself."
Serena's eyes lifted, a mocking smile spreading across her face.
She glanced at Hailey.
Her lazy voice was casual. “Fine."
"Tsk, I've never seen someone so eager to set themselves up for a public
humiliation.” Seeing her good friend's expression, Black Jack couldn't help but
laugh. “Look at her. Does she really think she's some kind of phoenix? All I see is a fraud trying to pass herself off as royalty."
The biting sarcasm made Hailey's face turn livid.
She clenched her fists and muttered
with
Let's Con
smile, "Keep up the act!
Ssee how you keep it up once
youre on stage!"
Under everyone's gaze.
Serena stood up gracefully.
Tall and slender, with an incredibly powerful presence, she walked onto the stage with composed steps.
In the audience.
Adrian's heart skipped a beat as he stared.
His hands instinctively gripped the armrests, his eyes burning as he watched the dazzling figure.
The girl's striking, vibrant face needed no makeup and looked flawless even on
camera.
Adrian's mind involuntarily flashed back to the video he had seen on his friend's phone...
The image of Serena sitting at a piano, playing elegantly.
Dressed in a red evening gown, she was devastatingly beautiful.
The scene that had haunted his dreams at night.
In that instant, it flooded his mind once more.
Adrian's heart pounded wildly.
This girl who had once chased after him...
Could actually be this radiant.
This breathtaking.
How had he never noticed before... how beautiful Serena was?
Adrian's fingers on the armrest tightened one by one, the turmoikin his eyes threatening to consume him.
Peto
"Isn't... isn't that the one from the Wynn family Mrs. Cole thought the girl looked familiar. She narrowed. her eyes and frowned. "I heard from the Wns that her biological family is from the wrong side of the tracks... To think she managed to sneak her way into an event like this."