?Chapter 601:


    “In about an hour,” Elena answered casually.


    “Perfect! I’ll see you then!” Monica chirped.


    After hanging up, Elena grabbed her keys and headed out.


    Thepetition was being held at Lindenhall Manor, owned by the powerful Garrett family, who also happened to be its main sponsor and organizer.


    Cathy had entered thepetition representing her jewelrypany, Loyalius. “Cathy, thispetition is as good as yours. Loyalius is on fire right now—none of these other brands stand a chance against you,” Yvette Jimenez, Cathy’s closest friend, said with a smirk.


    Cathy lifted her chin, brimming with confidence. “Obviously.” Losing wasn’t an option. This win was hers.


    Cathy had studied at the prestigious Imperial University’s School of Design. In her eyes, designers from those low-tier, third-rate universities weren’t even worth acknowledging.


    Yvette smirked and said, “Monica—the head of Leopardex—ispeting too. She made a name for herself while you were overseas, but let’s be real… with you back, she’s just background noise.”


    Leopardex was Loyalius’ biggest rival in the industry. Monica had built a solid reputation as a jewelry designer in the.


    Cathy scoffed, a smirk tugging at her lips. “Why waste time talking about someone who’s never designed anything impressive?”


    Yvette nodded without hesitation. “Exactly! Leopardex has been stuck in the past for years. If the Harper family wasn’t bankrolling them, they’d already be a second-rate brand no one even talks about.”


    “Who the hell keeps hyping up nobodies and making them think they can talk shit?” Monica sneered as she strolled through the entrance. She had barely stepped foot into Lindenhall Manor when she heard someone badmouthing her. Just her luck.


    Leopardex was one of the biggest names in jewelry, second only to Helena’spany. Theirtest jewelry exhibition had showcased Helena’s designs, setting off a frenzy and making them the hottest styles of the season.


    Loyalius had been tantly copying Helena’s designs, yet they had the nerve to call Leopardex second-rate. Talk about delusional arrogance!


    Your escape begins at g?lnσν???s


    Yvette’s smile faltered for a split second before she lifted her chin with a smug smirk. “Well, well, look who it is. A rep from a second-ratepany. No wonder youck ss. Aren’t you worried about making a fool of yourself in thispetition?”


    Back when Monica was racking up international awards, Cathy was still figuring out the basics.


    Monica had moved into management in recent years, but she never expected people to start underestimating her.


    Monica shot back, “Cathy rips off other people’s work and still has the guts to show up here. So, tell me, why the hell wouldn’t I?”


    Yvette rolled her eyes, her voice dripping with scorn. “Cathy graduated top of her ss from Imperial University—the same school as Helena. She’s Helena’s protégé. Why the heck would she need to copy your mediocre designs? Face it, even one of Cathy’s blind contour sketches is better than your so-called masterpieces.”


    Helena was a world-renowned designer, leagues above these third-rate local amateurs.


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