The Queen's Back

"Barbara, were you the one who tipped off the entertainment reporters yesterday?" Brendan asked.

Despite asking a question, his tone was certain. He played with the walnut in his hand, and it rolled again and again in his hand.

Barbara thought she had been discreet when she contacted the reporters, but she didn't expect the man in front of her to call her out directly.

For a moment, she felt a bit conflicted.

'The man in front of me doesn't look like someone to be trifled with,' she thought.

Rather than hiding and being exposed in the end, she reckoned it was better to just admit it outright. "Yes," she said.

'If this man didn't have any evidence, he wouldn't have sent someone to the hotel to fetch me,' she thought. 'All I know is that he's the man in the bathroom yesterday. I don't know anything else.' "You admit it very quickly," Brendan said.

"Since you called me over, doesn't that mean you already know?" Barbara replied with a question as she looked at Brendan with her big, innocent eyes.

Brendan warned, "Just this once. Before you do anything next time, think about your identity."

He was only doing this out of consideration for the fact that Barbara was Mona's cousin.

Barbara was still in a daze as she was led out of the villa.

She thought she would have to come up with an excuse for herself again, but unexpectedly, she ended up leaving just like that.

She had to think carefully before she did anything next time.

Six days was neither long nor short. Time passed as Maxwell counted the days on his fingers.

Noretin Design Competition was held in a lecture hall in downtown Noretin, which could accommodate over ten thousand people.

another. They all wanted to see what this year's designs were like and which lucky person could get

hall. Mona, wearing a mask, followed Leander backstage. Haley held a dress designed by Mona. It was tightly sealed in a dust

they met all kinds of people. It would not be an exaggeration to say that there was a

the backstage area, Mona, Haley, and

the dust bag from the gown. They did it very gently, afraid of damaging

sent contestants. Excluding some cities that did not participate, there were hundreds of groups in the first showcase alone.

out among these people was not an easy

had heard, there seemed to be a direct mentee of Danielle participating in this competition at Noretin. Danielle was almost retired, but

really was her direct mentee participating in the competition, that mentee's

I do? I'm so nervous." This was the

looking at so many

We can then sell it for a good price. When we go back, we can still have a nice meal." She thought, 'If I don't win this time, I'll come back next year. After all, I have plenty of time ahead of my life. I can

can still smile. Well, I'm really more concerned about the outcome than a contestant." Hearing Mona say this made her racing heart calm

phone rang, and she guessed

Maxwell's name appeared on

arrived, huh?" Mona

I'm at the

As Mona spoke, she gestured for Elara and Haley to keep an eye on the gown. Then, she strode toward the

Mona last saw Maxwell. Even though she did not say it out loud, she missed

Maxwell standing at the entrance. As usual, he

somewhat at odds with his

moment he saw Mona,

the bouquet of roses into

days on my fingers, I won't be able to hold on much longer. Mona, I missed you like

and her heart completely calmed down. It was as if in this small space at the entrance, there were only the two of them tightly embracing each other with no one else around. "I missed

when she slept. Previously, that spot was occupied by Maxwell. When she leaned there for the last few days,