Chapter 520: So Confident You’re the Champion?

Chapter 520: Chapter 520: So Confident You’re the Champion?

Estelle finished speaking, paused, and suddenly chuckled lightly. "Do you remember when Mrs. Yeats said Evan isn’t her biological son, but the entire Yeats family covered it up? She also had her suspicions about Zion."

Nathaniel raised a brow slightly. "You suspect Claire is this Zion’s daughter, and the man Mrs. Yeats originally married was the real Zion Yeats?"

"Yes." Estelle narrowed her eyes. "The Yeats family gives me a very contradictory feeling."

Nathaniel seemed to realize something. "So... could Mrs. Yeats actually have been warning you?"

Mrs. Yeats had tried everything to pass messages and notes to Estelle, even claiming that someone in the Yeats family was monitoring her. However, for a woman supposedly under strict surveillance to command absolute obedience from everyone at a high-end equestrian club meant she was far from simple. She was definitely not the helpless puppet of the Yeats family she made herself out to be.

"The Yeats family gives me a very strange feeling. It’s as if these people are strangers who clearly suspect one another, yet they’re trapped together, pretending to be a family.

"I don’t want to get involved in their affairs. I just want to know... how my parents died, why Grandpa didn’t mention a single word about them on his deathbed, and if it has anything to do with the Yeats family."

Nathaniel gently kissed her eyelids. "Just focus on your competition for now. Let me investigate this."

Estelle nodded.

Regardless, Estelle’s "apology" on Weibo gave Claire the perfect excuse to return to the competition. Since the victim had already forgiven her, what right did anyone else have to hold a grudge?

Ms. Foster was indignant, but she figured that if both Estelle and Mr. Lynch had agreed to it, they must have their reasons. She found it unbelievable that Ember had turned out to be such a piece of work. Ultimately, she let it go. Truth be told, with Estelle in the running, there was no way Claire could take the championship this year anyway.

The competition continued. The semifinals eliminated half the contestants, leaving only ten to advance to the finals. After another grueling round, the final rankings were decided.

Soon, the finals came to an end, and the contestants left the hotel in twos and threes.

"The theme this time was pretty difficult."

"Yeah, it was so abstract..."

"I can’t believe the theme for the finals was ’Wish.’ How are we supposed to design jewelry around that?"

"I feel like I have no hope of placing. I wonder how Claire did?"

At the mention of that name, an eerie silence fell over the crowd. Everyone knew about the despicable framing stunt Claire had pulled. Yet, not long after, Estelle had "forgiven" her, and she had returned to the competition acting like an innocent little victim.

"Estelle!" Liam cheered like a one-man fan club, hyping her up enthusiastically. "How was it? How did the competition go?"

Estelle found the sunlight a bit glaring. She raised a hand to shield her eyes and nodded. "No problems here."

"I heard them saying the theme this time was really hard..."

Was it hard? Estelle shook her head. "It was alright."

"Tsk, some people only know how to talk big," Liza Shelby sneered from the sidelines.

Having placed twenty-first, Liza naturally hadn’t advanced in the competition. She had come to look for Claire, but before she could find her, she overheard Estelle boasting.

"Just because someone got good scores before doesn’t mean they’ll place now. Anyone can talk big. You think it was simple? You really think you’re all that, huh?"

The other contestants looked over.

Estelle nodded matter-of-factly. "I imagine I’m certainly better than someone who couldn’t even make it to the semifinals."

"PFFT..." Several nearby contestants couldn’t hold back their laughter.

It was true. Liza hadn’t even made it to the semifinals; what right did she have to act so arrogant? No matter what, Estelle had at least made it to the finals.

"Save your big talk, Estelle! You think getting into the finals makes you amazing? It’s only because Claire went easy on you!" Liza fumed.

Estelle raised an eyebrow. She found it baffling that Liza was still blindly following Claire after being used as her pawn. Did Liza genuinely not realize that her twenty-first-place ranking and her own act of filing a report against Estelle were all part of Claire’s orchestrated plan?

Estelle studied Liza’s furious expression intently and stayed silent. It seemed she really hadn’t realized it. Estelle had no desire to converse with an idiot.

"Did I say you could leave, Estelle?!" Liza roared, then suddenly let out a cold laugh. "A clown like you can only throw your weight around in front of me. In a design competition, strength is all that matters. What good is playing the victim going to do you?!"

Amused, Estelle asked, "How do you know I won’t win the championship?"

"What a joke! Isn’t it obvious?!" Liza raised her voice. "Our Claire was the champion last year, Ember! What about you? I’ll admit you’re a bit clever, but if you want to steal the championship from Claire, you need to go back and practice!"

Estelle raised a brow. "So you’re absolutely certain Claire is the champion?"

"Of course..."

"Liza!"

Claire hurried out from inside. Hearing this, she immediately bowed to Estelle. "Estelle, Liza didn’t mean it. Please don’t take it to heart, okay? I’m sorry, I didn’t know she would be here. I..."

"Miss Yeats, Liza said you are guaranteed to be the champion. Is that true?" Estelle asked leisurely.

Claire’s eyes darted slightly, but she feigned helplessness and shook her head. "Estelle, Liza just has too much faith in me. In a competition, skill is certainly important, but on-the-spot performance can’t be ignored either. It’s entirely possible that someone performed better than me and will rank higher.

"Liza, honestly," Claire scolded her with faux severity. "The results aren’t even out yet. How can you be so sure I’m the champion? There are ten contestants, and everyone has a chance. Don’t speak and act so arbitrarily."

Liza’s face was full of indignation. "But..."

"Liza!" Claire instinctively raised her voice. Realizing she had been a bit too agitated, she bit her lip and sighed. "Estelle, I know I’ve made many mistakes in the past... My grandmother did indeed bribe the judges to give me a free pass.

"But this time, I promise, neither the Yeats family nor my grandmother have interfered. Whoever wins the championship this time will have truly earned it. Please believe me."

Claire bowed deeply once more. "I’ve wronged you in so many ways before. I know you were worried I would ruin the integrity and atmosphere of the design competition. But rest assured, I swear here and now that I have turned over a new leaf."

Estelle clicked her tongue.

To her ears, Claire’s words conveyed one singular meaning. The championship was hers. She would continue to cheat to win it, but they wouldn’t be able to find any evidence. And as long as she won the championship "without cheating" this time, none of the previous negative rumors would hold weight anymore. After all, she would have proven she had the skill to win!

However, Estelle couldn’t help but wonder why Claire was so confident. Even if the judges could be bought, it was absolutely impossible for her to bribe Ms. Foster, Mr. Lynch... and Nathaniel.