Chapter 366

Gabrielle nodded solemnly. "At the end of the day, I'm responsible for what happened today, so—"

"I didn't say that to make you take the blame." Evelyn cut her off sharply. "I just need you to stay focused. Don't let this shake your confidence. There are bigger battles ahead."

She knew Gabrielle had a tendency to overanalyze and self-blame. That wasn't helpful right now.

Gabrielle's shoulders relaxed slightly at Evelyn's words.

Just then, the competition results were announced.

Twenty designers made the cut. Vivian Sterling was among them. So was Evelyn.

Evelyn barely scraped through at nineteenth place.

The team erupted in cheers, but Gabrielle scowled. "How did Vivian qualify? She didn't earn this. She's riding on our work."

Charlotte laughed lightly. "Look at it this way—if she got in, it's because of your designs. Ultimately, it proves Evelyn's brilliance. Your hard work paid off. You're all rising stars!"

Though delivered with humor, the truth in Charlotte's words was undeniable.

A faint blush colored Gabrielle's cheeks.

Meanwhile, tension crackled in another room.

Vivian was shaken awake by her assistant. "We made it through, but..."

"But what?" Vivian mumbled, still groggy.

"It's just... Evelyn Mitchell also qualified..."

"What?" Vivian bolted upright. "Evelyn got in? Are you certain?"

The assistant nodded hastily. "Yes, I watched the live announcement."

Panic flashed across Vivian's face before she schooled her features. "Pack up. I'll wait in the car." She grabbed her sunglasses and stormed out, assistants scrambling after her.

Inside the car, Vivian immediately dialed a number, her voice tight. "Evelyn made it? How? Her sketches were clearly—"

The voice on the other end sounded equally shocked but tried to reassure her. "Stay calm. She has no proof. Just keep your cool."

Vivian chewed her lip, face pale, mind racing.

She didn't notice Samuel Yates observing her every move.

As Evelyn's group left the venue for the parking garage, Charlotte suddenly asked, "You're really letting this go?"

Evelyn's eyes hardened. "Why would I? If someone steals from me, should I just thank them?"

She'd comforted her team to prevent morale from dropping. But she had no intention of letting this slide.

Since Vivian was from Dresden, that's where the investigation would start.

Charlotte smirked. "That's what I thought. I had Alexander look into her. Vivian's an up-and-coming designer from Dresden with ties to Danielle."

Evelyn's breath caught. Before she could respond, her phone buzzed.