Chapter 5 Why Is She Here

At the designer competition venue, Delilah, adorned in a sumptuous ensemble, strolled through the hall, exuding confidence and vivacity. Her presence commanded the attention of many.

Recognizing her potential victory, acquaintances swarmed around her, eager to ingratiate themselves.

It was an open secret that Laurie, a towering figure in the world of fashion design, meant that the competition's grand prize was almost certainly destined for Delilah. Winning would not only affirm her talent but also secure her a prominent position within Edwards Group's fashion division.

"Miss Edwards, you are absolutely radiant today! Surely, this exquisite outfit is your creation?"

"Indeed, Miss Edwards' flair for design is a beautiful echo of her mother's legacy-truly captivating. Even her casual outfits set her apart. I have no doubt that her entry for today will leave us all spellbound."

Delilah held her head high with an air of pride. She was looking forward to the jealous stares that would follow her anticipated triumph. "Thank you, I am deeply honored. My mother's mentorship has been invaluable."

Nearby, Laurie listened with a smile, her heart swelling with pride. "It's your innate talent too, Delilah. Without it, even the finest mentorship would falter."

"By the way, Mrs. Edwards, I heard your other daughter will also be in the competition. Why haven't we seen her yet?" someone asked.

Laurie's demeanor hardened, and she replied sharply, "I have only one daughter, Delilah. Who are you referring to?"

The crowd fell into a hushed silence. Although the true daughter of the Edwards family had not been publicly acknowledged, rumors had circulated. Laurie's feigned ignorance took everyone aback.

Laurie's brow furrowed, her voice laced with contempt. "You must be mistaken. Are you talking about that girl who can't even sketch a simple design? She has no place here in this competition."

The crowd exchanged looks, piecing together Laurie's harsh dismissal as a blatant denial of her own flesh and blood, favoring her adopted daughter as the heiress.

However, they didn't care whom the title belonged to. They just needed to know who was cherished by the Edwards family.

"I heard JE is supposed to make an appearance at today's event. Being a judge, you must have heard something about that, Mrs. Edwards?"

"Wait, JE is going to be here?" Laurie's eyebrows shot up, her voice laced with surprise as she processed the unexpected news. The thought of JE attending ignited an excited thrill deep within her.

Her design firm had hit a snag on a challenging project, but JE's presence could effortlessly draw in enthusiastic collaborators.

"Mrs. Edwards, you didn't know?"

Regaining her poise, Laurie answered with a gracious smile, "Well, I really shouldn't say."

Her answer was tactful, skillfully masking her unawareness while implying that she was privy to secrets she couldn't divulge due to confidentiality constraints.

"Mrs. Edwards, if there's ever a chance, we'd love for you to introduce us to JE!"

"Of course," Laurie agreed amiably.

Soon, a lively crowd gathered around Laurie, exchanging trivial niceties.

They were all driven by the same ambition-to forge a connection with a luminary in the fashion design industry through Laurie.

A wave of pride washed over Delilah. The more prominent Laurie became, the more she, as her daughter, would shine.

If Janice happened to witness her reveling in this glowing admiration, adored like a queen, she'd absolutely be burning with envy, wouldn't she?

Delilah's eyes suddenly snapped to a familiar silhouette.

Was that Janice? What was she doing here? Had she come to submit another design for the competition?