Chapter 117: Green with Envy
“Evelyn, move over.” Damian only addressed Evelyn after he sat down, which was now on Sienna’s left. “Sienna was harassed by a creep in the bathroom and is very shaken up. I need her to sit next to me so nothing else happens.”
All eyes in the vicinity turned to them. The scene was supposed to be the Greens watching the show together, but now the “victim,” Sienna, was awkwardly placed between them, making the image bizarre and ironic.
Evelyn looked at the suit jacket wrapped around Sienna, which still held Damian’s body heat. Sienna lifted her red, teary eyes and looked at Evelyn. In the angle Damian couldn't see, Sienna’s fearful expression vanished, replaced by a quick, triumphant smirk of provocation. She was telling Evelyn with her eyes: See? The moment I cry, he runs back to me like a dog.
“If she’s that scared,” Evelyn said, “you should probably keep her on a leash. With so many creeps in New York, who knows if someone else might bother her?”
Damian's face darkened, but just as he was about to explode, the stage lights flared, and the host’s excited voice cut him off. The competition had officially begun.
Evelyn turned away from the sickening spectacle, her gaze fixed on the brightly lit runway. The stage lights shifted, and a spotlight hit the entrance. The host, Lennon Carter, announced excitedly, “Next up, the ‘Rebirth’ menswear collection by designer Evelyn Green!”
Evelyn’s moment had arrived.
International top male model Leo strode out with a steady gait. He was wearing the men's version of the “Rebirth” line, the counterpart to Evelyn's design for Ryan. The deep black fabric, tailored to perfection, beautifully highlighted the model’s broad shoulders and lean waist, radiating power. But as he drew closer, the audience noticed a large, subtle yet luxurious pattern of iris flowers embroidered in the same color thread on the dark fabric. Under the lights, the dark embroidery looked like flowing deep-sea waves—mysterious and full of the explosive power of something long suppressed.
This design broke the monotony of traditional menswear, flawlessly merging strength with softness, destruction with rebirth. The entire noisy venue fell silent. Everyone held their breath. On the judges’ panel, several fashion icons instinctively leaned forward, their eyes filled with undisguised awe.
The camera flashes, after a brief pause, erupted in a flurry more intense than anything before. Then, deafening applause crashed over the room like a tide.
Evelyn watched her creation perfectly showcased under the spotlight. The warmth she felt finally surpassed the pain Damian had inflicted.
However, Sienna, seated next to her, had gone deathly pale. Sienna stared intensely at the model on the runway, then at the judges' faces, her nails digging deeply into her palms, almost drawing blood. She was green with envy! How? How could Evelyn, the frumpy housewife, manage a comeback? Why did she always have to be overshadowed by Evelyn, no matter what she tried?
Sienna turned to look at Damian beside her. Damian was mesmerized by the model on stage, and his eyes held a flicker of regret and nostalgia. He was probably remembering the talented Evelyn from college, the one he had been so infatuated with. This look drove Sienna completely insane.
Just then, Damian’s phone vibrated. He glanced at the screen—an urgent message from Omni Group. “I need to take this call and use the restroom,” Damian whispered to Sienna, then quickly got up and left.
Sienna nodded. “Hurry back, darling. I’m scared to be alone.”
As Damian’s figure disappeared around the corner of the fire exit, the look of vulnerability on Sienna’s face instantly vanished.
“Don’t celebrate too soon, Evelyn. In this kind of competition, the best design doesn’t always win.”
Evelyn didn't turn her head, her gaze still on the runway. “Oh really? You sound experienced. After all, your expertise is stealing, not creating.”
“You…” A venomous flash crossed Sienna’s eyes, quickly replaced by a smug smile. She leaned closer to Evelyn, her strong perfume sickeningly overwhelming. “You’re so sweetly naive. In this industry, talent means nothing.”
Sienna stretched out a long finger, pretending to adjust her hair, actually blocking the camera angle from their side. Her eyes were fixed on Evelyn’s profile, full of malice. “Damian has already handled everything for me. One of the judges has business ties with Omni Group, and as for the rest… if the price is high enough, who turns down money?”
Evelyn’s hand, resting on her knee, clenched tightly. Her eyes involuntarily drifted toward the VIP section, where Ryan Lawrence was seated. He was the biggest sponsor of this competition. Given Ryan’s character, he would never allow this kind of dirty dealing at his event. With that thought, Evelyn felt a slight calm.
She turned to face Sienna’s challenging eyes. “Nova Group is the biggest sponsor. Mr. Lawrence won’t allow this to happen.”
However, Sienna’s next words made Evelyn’s heart sink.
Sienna laughed, covering her mouth, her body shaking with amusement. “Evelyn, have you gone soft inside your ivory tower? In the face of absolute power and money, ‘fairness’ is worthless.” She pointed a long finger into the air, indicating the main seat at the center of the judges’ panel. “Just wait and see. The person standing on that stage to accept the award will be me. And you? You’re just a clown existing to make me look better.”
Sienna finished, pulled her jacket back up, and settled back into her chair, her face reverting to that sickeningly innocent expression, as if the malicious woman from moments ago had never existed.
Evelyn frowned. Sienna’s confidence was unnerving. Could Damian really have paid off all the judges just to please this woman? Even smoothing things over with Ryan's people? No, it couldn’t be.