Chapter 132 Rufus's Questioning
Cecilia slowly lifted her head, looking straight into Stefan's eyes, which were burning with madness and calculation, so close to her own.
After the initial shock, she quickly calmed down.
"I understand." The agitation and anger from her earlier questioning had faded, leaving only a calm sense of clarity. "Mr. Hensley's investments always pursue maximum profit."
Stefan was somewhat surprised by how quickly she adjusted her mindset.
But he appreciated this kind of clear-headedness even more.
"It seems Ms. Martinez has figured it out." He straightened up, pulling back from the dangerously close distance between them.
"Then, there's one more thing I need to tell you."
"Besides the championship title and the generous prize money," Stefan continued laying out his plan, placing all the chips of this high-stakes gamble on the table, "this competition has a hidden reward."
He paused, observing Cecilia's reaction.
"The final winner will have the opportunity to become a student of the world's most authoritative design master, Andre Callahan, and become his final and most important disciple."
Andre?
At that name, Cecilia's heart couldn't help but skip a beat.
Andre was a legendary figure in the design world, someone all practitioners looked up to.
His works defined an era's aesthetic. Becoming his student meant having one foot in the highest hall of the design world.
This was a temptation no designer could refuse.
Cecilia took a deep breath, suppressing the ripple in her heart stirred by Andre's name. She knew very well that Stefan was dangling this bait to make her perform harder for him.
But she couldn't resist.
Cecilia lifted her head, meeting his searching gaze, and gave him the answer he wanted.
"I will win this championship."
This wasn't just a promise to Stefan, but a declaration to herself.
She had to win.
Not just for revenge, but for the design dream that once belonged to Cecilia herself, buried away during her time in that hospital bed.
"Very good." Stefan nodded with satisfaction.
"The live stream can cut to backstage at any time, watch your expression." He reminded her in a low voice, then walked with her side by side toward the registration area.
The further they walked, the more crowded it became.
The huge stadium backstage had been converted into a gathering area for contestants, with designers from all over the country assembled here.
Some looked confident, others restless, each face showing a mix of nervousness and excitement.
"How do you feel?" Stefan suddenly asked.
"A bit noisy." Cecilia hesitated, then answered honestly.
Her gaze swept over those young and mature faces, and she laughed softly. "But also interesting. It's been a long time since I've felt this kind of atmosphere."
Cecilia herself had once fantasized countless times about standing on such a stage, letting her work speak for itself.
Unfortunately, back then, she never got the chance.
"This isn't the end." Stefan seemed to see through her thoughts. "Andre is just a beginning. What I want you to reach is the world stage. By then, Rufus will be less than a footnote in your life."
Cecilia's heartstrings were gently plucked by Stefan's words.
She glanced at him sideways. Stefan always knew exactly what words to use to drive her forward.
"The picture Mr. Hensley paints for me is always beautiful."
Stefan's tone was flat and calm. "I only do things that can be achieved. I'm saying this because I believe in you."
As they spoke, they had already approached the main registration area.
A long queue stretched to the corridor entrance, with staff members busily verifying information.
Cecilia's steps suddenly stopped.
Not far ahead, a figure she would never forget appeared in her line of sight.
Rufus.
He stood at the registration desk, seemingly communicating with a competition executive. His perfectly tailored custom suit made him look both out of place and extremely conspicuous here.
And beside him stood a woman in a purple dress with a gentle demeanor.
It was Isadora.
She was slightly tilting her head up, saying something to Rufus, her face wearing a gentle and appropriate smile, their posture intimate.
Cecilia's body became rigid in an instant.
A chill spread from her fingertips, quickly spreading throughout her body. Those deliberately suppressed memories—rotten and bloody—surged up uncontrollably.
The cold IV drips in the hospital room, the severe pain of the miscarriage, the despair when Patrick died—everything was connected to Rufus standing before her.
Almost at the same moment, Rufus turned his head sharply as if sensing something.
His gaze crossed the crowded masses, penetrated the noisy air, and locked precisely onto Cecilia.
When Rufus saw Stefan standing side by side with Cecilia, his already gloomy eyes instantly became even darker.
A violent aura emanated from Rufus, causing people around him to unconsciously step back.
These past few days had been terrible for him.
Stefan had somehow dug up some "small troubles" Rufus had dealt with years ago, bringing those old matters to light and exposing them to the people who least needed to know.
Rufus had been tied up dealing with those messy affairs, running around frantically to resolve problems, barely managing to suppress them.
And now, before he could even settle accounts with Stefan, Stefan had the audacity to show up here with his Amelia.
The harmonious picture of Stefan and Cecilia standing together was so glaring it nearly made Rufus lose his mind.
It was the intense unwillingness and rage of having something that belonged uniquely to Rufus forcibly taken away and flaunted before him.
At the same time, Isadora clearly sensed the change in Rufus's emotions. The smile on her face became harder to maintain, her eyes sweeping over Amelia's figure with venomous resentment.
But Isadora knew clearly that now wasn't a good time to speak up, so she could only maintain her silence unwillingly.
Cecilia clearly felt that gaze filled with destructive fury, but she simply looked away calmly.
She was no longer the person who could only cry in corners.
Cecilia turned to Stefan as if no one else was there, saying softly, "I'll go register first."
Just then, someone contacted him, so Stefan nodded at Cecilia, then walked toward a corner while talking to whoever was on the phone.
After completing all the procedures, Cecilia received her competition badge.
However, she had only taken two steps when her arm was suddenly grabbed from the side.
Cecilia frowned and turned back, meeting a pair of bloodshot eyes.
Rufus was gripping her tightly, breathing heavily, his chest heaving violently, his handsome but twisted face full of the rage of betrayal.
"Amelia!"
His voice squeezed out through clenched teeth, carrying intense hatred and accusation.
"Stefan—how much did he pay you? To make you so eager to do his bidding?"