Chapter 86: Clara, the Final Student!

The host kicked off the awards ceremony with a dramatic flair. "And the first place for this internship award goes to..." He paused, milking the suspense.

"Alright, let's give it up for Selene Peterson, our first-place winner! Big round of applause, everyone!" he finally announced.

The applause was pretty sparse, making things a bit awkward. The host quickly moved on to the second place.

Clara, already convinced she wasn't going to win, started chatting with Lorna. "Hey, did you see Selene's work? It's actually pretty good. That carving is so lifelike!"

Lorna looked at Clara, impressed by her genuine praise for a competitor. It was a rare quality these days.

"And third place goes to Clara Allard!" the host called out.

Clara's name being announced caught her off guard, and the audience erupted in applause. She turned to Lorna, bewildered. "Did he just say my name?"

Lorna nodded with a smile and gave her a gentle push. "Yep, that's you! Go get your award!"

Surprised and thrilled, Clara stood up and made her way to the stage. She never thought she'd place in the top three.

"Thank you, everyone!" Clara said briefly before turning to leave the stage.

"Hold on a second, Clara!" Willie called out from the judges' table.

The media immediately zoomed in on her.

"Hi, Mr. Reed!" Clara said, excited to finally meet her idol.

"Clara, could you tell us about your design concept?" Willie asked kindly.

"Sure. My original piece was called 'Serenity,' symbolizing peace and tranquility, and a prosperous era. The colors transitioned from light to deep blue, like the ocean under a clear sky, evoking calm. But my piece got damaged, so I renamed it 'Hope.' I wanted to show that no matter how tough things get, there's always a ray of light guiding the way and fostering growth. That's what it means to me. Thanks," Clara explained earnestly.

Willie was clearly impressed and was about to announce Clara as his student when someone from the audience interrupted.

"Mr. Reed, didn't you already choose Selene as your final student? Why didn't you ask her any questions? Do you have a new candidate?" The question caused a stir.

Willie's face darkened, and his voice boomed through the microphone. "When did I say that? Why don't I know about this?"

His words echoed, and the expressions of the three people on stage shifted.

Selene stood there awkwardly, her eyes filled with resentment and anger.

She glared at Clara, whispering through gritted teeth, "Did you bribe him?"

"What are you talking about? My vase was shattered. Even if I had bribed him, how could I have been chosen? Use your brain," Clara shot back, giving her a sharp look.

Selene glared even harder. "If you didn't do that, then tell me why Willie didn't choose me when I was the top student."

"How should I know?" Clara retorted.

Their whispers were picked up by the microphone, and everyone heard their exchange.

The media captured the dramatic scene with flashing cameras, broadcasting it live.

Bernard gave the host a look, which Lorna noticed. Curious, she asked, "What's going on?"

Bernard cupped his hand around his mouth and whispered, "Just wait, this is gonna be good."

Lorna sat up straight, eyes glued to the stage.

"Break Clara's vase, and I'll give you three thousand dollars!"

"If it weren't for Willie's resources, I wouldn't even bother with this! Make sure your sculpture is good enough to win first place."

All eyes on stage turned to the big screen.

The screen showed surveillance footage of Selene destroying Clara's piece, with Selene's voice loud and clear.

The sound was crystal clear, and the speakers were booming.

Everything was broadcast live, causing the Peterson family's company stocks to nosedive. Selene's dad frantically called her, but she ignored it on stage.

Selene's eyes widened, and she yelled at the host, "This is slander! Turn it off!"

Willie looked furious, and Brady, standing next to him, was seething. He stood up and addressed the media.

"Everyone, please listen! Willie has never taken a final student before this. Selene has seriously damaged his reputation. We will make sure she is held accountable. Thank you."

Willie raised his hand, and the room fell silent, waiting for him to speak.

"I hereby announce that Selene's eligibility for the award and for any competition sponsored by me is revoked," Willie said sternly, turning to the media.

"This evaluation is indeed for selecting a student. But it's not Selene; it's the third-place winner, Clara!" Willie immediately brightened, looking at the stunned Clara on stage.

"Clara, would you like to be my student?" Willie asked with a smile, waiting for Clara to come to her senses.

"Yes, I would, absolutely!" Clara finally reacted, shouting excitedly.

Lorna, overjoyed, shook Bernard's arm. Bernard looked at her lovingly, then at the stage, feeling genuinely happy.

Selene had already stormed off the stage in anger, with her boyfriend hurriedly following her, holding his phone. "Baby, your dad just called you. He also called me! Something must have happened at home. He wants you to go back immediately!"

"What could happen? What could be more important than my reputation?" Selene's face twisted with anger.

Just then, her phone rang.

Selene picked up the phone and shouted angrily, "What is it?"

"Why aren't you rushing home? We're going bankrupt, and you're out there embarrassing us!" Selene's father yelled over the phone, smashing his phone in anger.

Selene heard the busy tone and looked at her boyfriend in disbelief. "Bankrupt?"

A flash of disgust crossed her boyfriend's eyes, but he quickly masked it with concern. "Baby, you should go back quickly!"

Selene hurriedly drove home.

After the award ceremony ended, the trending topics were buzzing.

Lorna and Bernard walked over to Clara and Willie.

"Mr. Reed, hello. I'm Bernard Allard, Clara's brother. This is my wife, Lorna Martin," Bernard introduced politely.

Clara stood to the side, feeling a bit shy.

Willie looked at the tall Bernard and greeted him. "Hello, Mr. Allard. Your sister is very talented! I've been impressed by her for quite some time."

Brady playfully complained, "That's right, Willie couldn't wait to take Clara as his student! He even prepared a gift for her! We didn't get any gifts."

Bernard, usually cold, now appeared approachable and smiled warmly. "Mr. Reed, you're too kind."

Willie said in his booming voice, "Clara, come here. This is my third student, Brady Hayes. I have two other students who are out of town for exhibitions."

"Hello, Brady!" Clara said sweetly.

"Hi, Clara! You must be hungry. I brought you some snacks." Brady grinned, handing her a small cake.

Lorna watched everyone getting along so well and curiously asked Willie, "Mr. Reed, have you decided where to hold the celebration for your final student?"