Chapter 1294:


    Meanwhile, the livestream exploded with viewers rallying behind Maia.


    “Wait—after hearing Maia’s critique, I can actually see the imbnce now.”


    “You’re right. When someone wears it, the piece overwhelms them. That clover is far toorge.”


    “This is hrious! It looked stunning a moment ago, but now the wearer feels like nothing more than a prop.”


    On stage, Anti stood frozen in brief silence before something inside her snapped. She shouted, her voice cracking through the tension, “Enough! You understand nothing about jewelry design.”


    Her chest heaved as she battled to control the anger and panic threatening to consume her. “I don’t care where you picked up these theories, but you’re performing—nothing more. Have you ever designed a single piece of jewelry? Do you evenprehend what harmony means? Don’t mistake your ignorance for expertise!”


    Fury saturated every syble.


    She stood at the edge of a precipice now. Two paths stretched before her: either Maia would expose herpletely and turn her into an object of universal ridicule, or she would fight back with everything she had and prove Maia was the actual impostor.


    Inside, she cursed Maia with every fiber of her being. Without Maia’s interference, today would have belonged to her—the apuse, the praise, the wealth.


    Anti’s eyes burned as she fixed her gaze on Maia and issued her challenge. “Since you’ve dismissed these designs so easily, do you darepete against me? We’ll both use clover as our theme and see whose jewelry design proves superior.” She thrust a finger toward Maia. “I’ll demonstrate with actual skill that you’re nothing but a pathetic fraud.”


    Instantly, Raegan’s nted aplices erupted in jeers.


    “Exactly! If she’s the real Anti, let her prove it with Anti’s level of talent!”


    g?lnσν???s?c?m is packed with great reads


    “I’ll bet anything Maia won’t ept. What could she possibly know about jewelry design? Criticism is easy—creation is an entirely different beast.”


    “Words mean nothing. Real skill is what matters. This is live design—there’s nowhere to hide.”


    The livestream chat transformed in seconds, earlier support for Maia drowning beneath a wave of taunting messages.


    “If Maia has any courage at all, she’llpete. The founder of Annie Crystal wouldn’tck the spine.”


    “That’s what I was thinking. If they both im to be Anti, why not settle this with a contest?”


    “Honestly, I never noticed the supposed imbnce Maia mentioned. So the clover isrger—what’s the problem?”


    Maia turned toward Anti, her voice carrying the stillness of ake before dawn. “I don’t think that’s necessary.”


    The words barely settled beforeughter detonated around her.


    “What does she mean, not necessary? Afraid to lose?”


    “I thought she’d impress us, and that’s all she’s got?”


    “I knew it! She doesn’t dare topete at all. Maia is absolutely not Anti.”


    Maia didn’t acknowledge them. She didn’t even lift her eyes. Instead, she took one graceful step forward.


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