Chapter 492: Feeling That Estelle Lockwood Is More Like the Champion From Three Years Ago

Chapter 492: Chapter 492: Feeling That Estelle Lockwood Is More Like the Champion From Three Years Ago

"Of course you can," Zion Yeats said after pondering for a couple of seconds. He then looked at Estelle Lockwood and sighed. "Alright, Estelle. You didn’t say a word during the meal just now, so I know you’re still resentful. But regarding this matter... Claire truly is innocent. Now that Ms. Foster is coming to visit Claire, I’ll allow you to stay, but you absolutely must not cause Claire any more trouble.

"Even if you are dissatisfied, don’t make a scene in front of outsiders."

Liam Sloan was furious and was about to slam his hand on the table, but Estelle stopped him. Her eyes gleamed softly. "Fine."

She could understand Zion choosing Claire because he thought she held more value. However, she wondered if a family like the Yeats was truly worth her mother’s lingering attachment. No, there was definitely something wrong here. As for Ms. Foster... Estelle clicked her tongue. Did Ms. Foster really return to the country just to find Claire?

Zion had the staff clear the table and serve a fresh round of tea and pastries. Not long after, a woman with graying hair walked in. Her appearance wasn’t particularly outstanding, but she carried an intimidating aura.

Claire hurriedly stood up. "Hello, Ms. Foster."

Ms. Foster was genuinely excited to see her. "Miss Ember, it’s been a long time!"

Claire’s smile visibly stiffened for a moment before she replied shyly, "You can just call me Claire from now on. I don’t use that name anymore."

She glanced at Estelle and chuckled to herself. "I also signed up for the competition this year, so I was wondering if I’d get to see you again. I didn’t expect to run into you here before even reaching the finals."

Ms. Foster looked thrilled. "Good, good! How are your preparations coming along this year? Are you confident you’ll bring back another championship?"

Claire smiled. Even without the Yeats family pulling strings for her, she still had that woman’s designs. Winning the championship with those designs wouldn’t be a problem at all. However, she had to save Eleanor’s designs for the finals. For the auditions, she had only used her own drafts, but with the Yeats family backing her up, it didn’t matter in the slightest. As for Estelle... Claire’s lips curled into a smirk. No matter what, Estelle would always be her foil. She paraded around with the title of Star’s chief designer, yet she hadn’t even passed the auditions. It was downright hilarious!

At that thought, Claire’s eyes darted around. As if suddenly remembering something, she hurriedly introduced, "By the way, Ms. Foster, this is my sister."

Everyone looked at Estelle. Ms. Foster felt as though she had seen this young woman somewhere before, but couldn’t place her at the moment.

Claire’s tone carried a hint of imperceptible showing off. "Estelle, this is Ms. Foster, the head of the judging panel. I heard you also signed up for the design competition. I’ll see you in the qualifiers! By the way, Estelle, you must have passed the auditions by now, right?"

Suddenly, she tapped her forehead, feigning cuteness. "Oh, look at my memory! Estelle is Star’s chief designer. How could she possibly fail the auditions?"

Hearing that Estelle was also competing and was Claire’s sister, Ms. Foster immediately felt a sense of anticipation. Since the Yeats family had already produced one genius, could they produce a second design prodigy?

Liam was practically exploding with anger. How did Claire even have the nerve to ask that?!

Estelle tilted her head. "Do you really want to know if I advanced?"

Claire bit her lower lip lightly, suddenly looking flustered. She subconsciously hid behind Zion. "Estelle... I-I didn’t mean it like that, don’t..."

"Estelle! Claire means well, why are you being so hostile to her?!" Zion frowned. "She just asked you a question and you’re already snapping at her. And you still claim she wronged you?"

"I merely asked her a question in return. Does Old Mr. Yeats think any word in my tone was ’hostile’?" Estelle scoffed.

Zion choked on his words again.

"However, since Miss Yeats is so eager to know, there’s no harm in me telling her." Estelle smiled. "I didn’t pass the auditions."

The people around them froze. This... Estelle had made such a big show of entering the competition, yet she hadn’t passed the auditions?

Zion instantly felt humiliated. Estelle had been so high-profile at first, only to fail the auditions. He had felt back then that letting her return to the Yeats family...

"I-I’m sorry, I didn’t know..." Claire’s eyes suddenly welled up with tears, and she shook her head in a panic. "I’m sorry, Estelle. I didn’t know you didn’t advance. I wouldn’t have asked if I knew.

"I’m sorry, I’m so sorry. It’s all my fault for bringing up a sad subject. I’m truly sorry..."

Claire bowed ninety degrees, looking as if she were terrified of Estelle.

Zion pulled Claire behind him to protect her. "Estelle Lockwood! I already told you that your failure to advance has nothing to do with Claire. Why are you looking at her like that? Did she cause you to fail? Can’t you be a little more magnanimous and rein in your jealousy!"

Ms. Foster opened her mouth to speak, but Zion was too quick.

Ms. Foster thought something felt off. Miss Lockwood had merely stated that she hadn’t advanced, without showing any extra emotion. Why was the Head of the Yeats acting as if he had a stick of dynamite shoved down his throat?

Estelle chuckled softly, not annoyed in the slightest. She swept her gaze around and noticed quite a few people were paying attention to their commotion, which instantly put her at ease. The more people, the better; the bigger the scene, the better. The Yeats family had no shame anyway, so why should she care?

Thus, Estelle smiled and asked, "Old Mr. Yeats, would you like to know the reason I was eliminated?"

Zion also realized that he had been too agitated just now. It was just that his heart ached too much for Claire... Back then, Eleanor Yeats had been exactly this overbearing. For the sake of that man, she had insisted on opposing her own brother. He had merely been reminded of Eleanor, which was why he hadn’t controlled his emotions.

"Estelle, Uncle Zion apologizes to you. I shouldn’t have spoken to you like that. However, the fact remains that you were eliminated. Since that’s the case, you should focus on improving yourself instead of digging for excuses as to why you failed..."

"It’s because someone bribed the judges and blocked my path to advancement," Estelle interrupted coolly.

Zion looked like a clown. Before he could even finish his lecture, Estelle had dropped a bombshell on him!

"Bribed the judges?!" Ms. Foster abruptly stood up, her eyes blazing. "Miss Lockwood, do you have proof? As the head of the judging panel for the XM design competition, I will not allow such a thing to happen. If you have evidence, you can hand it over to me!"

Estelle gave her a reassuring smile. "Please, hear me out."

She knew, of course, that Ms. Foster would definitely seek justice for her, but this time, she wanted to handle it herself.

Ms. Foster, however, was stunned again. So familiar... It wasn’t her face that was familiar, but her aura, her voice, her figure. Yes, it wasn’t the face. But she was certain she had seen Miss Lockwood somewhere before, and back then, Miss Lockwood hadn’t shown her face. Where could it have been?

Suddenly, it hit her. Over the years, only one person had left such a profound impression on her: Ember, who had participated in the design competition three years ago and won the championship, but had worn a mask the entire time without ever revealing her face.

But... wasn’t Miss Ember supposed to be Claire?